Old Filth by Jane Graham

Old Filth, Master of the Inner Temple, skilled exponent? of the law, Sir Edward Feathers a child of 'The Raj' or the British institution of sending your child back to be educated.  The brutalizing effect of separation of child from family for years at a time.  This disconnect from family makes a child self-reliant, self contained and reserved - all characteristics of Sir Edward and other protagonists in this engrossing story.  The story slowly revealed what made these characters tick.  The 'murder' of an abusive foster parent, the resignation and acceptance of his lack of emotional life, little pieces of his wife, her character and her alternate life that he barely comprehended.  
A different age and different sensibilities, this treatment of a child would certainly constitute abandonment and child abuse now-a-days.  A study in the aging process.  A quiet novel of perception and or lack of it!  The story is slowly revealed with tragicomic timing.

Another book that created a good discussion on the character of begin British - was it the schools, or the lack of family.  Is a stiff upper lip a result of neglect.  Boarding school - friends for life or a hell to be endured.  

Words used to describe it:   damaged, stiff-upper-lipped, want more, thought provoking, lots of loose ends.

Marks out of 10:   all 8 except 1 who marked it 7!

Next book 

Fat Chance by Simon Gray

Next Meeting

Thursday April 7th

at 130 Harbord St

The Door by Magda Szabo

A busy writer and her academic husband, neither of whom is interested in house work, look for a housekeeper to help them out.  Emerence is recommended to them - with the cryptic warning 'She doesn't just take anyone on'.  After being duly interviewed by the formidable Emerence the author and her husband are taken on.  In this slowly eeked out story, small crumbs of information are carefully woven into the fabric of the story.  Emerence, her strange attitudes to people, why no-one can enter her home, animals and the way she dresses are all intertwined with her life.  A difficult book to precis and review.  
This book  generated an interesting discussion on war, PTS, spinsterhood and life in a Communist state, we did wonder if it actually was more of a political allegory than story?. 

Words used:  mystical, symbolic, dispassionate, dry, engrossing, intriguing, difficult, challenging
Marks out of 10 - between 6 - 8

Next Book

Old Filth by Jane Gardam

Next Meeting

10 March at hosted by Maire at 117 Harbord St