Readers Group, Oving, West Sussex

Readers' Group
2010
How can one decide what might be “a good book”? Well, there are the critics’ opinions in the posh Sunday supplements, and recently those critics have heaped high praise on the modern writer Hilary Mantel. So members of the Book Club chose to read her novel Beyond Black, a story about Alison, a spiritualist medium, her friend Colette, and her spirit guide Morris. The latter is the best character in the book, a foul-mouthed wicked little imp from Alison’s past who does bring humour into the story which, otherwise most of us found tedious and repetitive. Some members have read Wolf Hall, Mantel’s winner of the 2009 Man Booker Prize, and were not greatly impressed by it. Can a fairly representative section of the reading public be all that wrong? So who needs critics, because in contrast every one of us really liked a book found quite by chance in our own library here at St Andrew’s Church, then recommended to the others. It is rare that we all agree about a novel. Three years ago Diana Setterfield wrote her first novel The Thirteenth Tale in which she brilliantly weaves an intricate pattern of family madness, twin-ship, truth and lies, and the power of literature. As the pages are eagerly turned, the unexpected keeps happening, holding the reader enthralled to the very end. Highly recommended, this one. Recently we chose The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. An odd title for a pleasant tale harking back to the time of the German occupation of the Channel Islands in World War II. (Then even potato peelings were food, not to be discarded.) There is a sympathetic love story in which not all the enemy are evil. Sadly the writer, Mary Ann Shaffer, died just before she finished it, and it was concluded by a relative who had often spoken about it with Mary Ann. Last but certainly not least, our choice was Glasshopper, by Isabel Ashdown who lives in this area. Again – an excellent first novel set in and around Portsmouth in the 1970’s. The action centres on Jake, a fourteen year old, and his mother who turns to drink when things get tough. I will say no more; do read it for yourselves. The places mentioned are familiar, and we have surely all met people like some of the characters. We await with interest second novels by Setterfield and Ashdown. Beryl Lang
2009
Our Book Club, somewhat to our surprise, is now in its fifth year. Since January 2005 we have read all sorts of books: novels, of course, biographies, travel accounts, poetry. In February and March this year we chose two novels with the same background theme – the Holocaust. There were other similarities, in that Auschwitz is the concentration camp looming over the events, and both books have recently been made into films. But their stories are very different. In The Reader by Bernard Shlink, the war is long over, but the ‘heroine’ has a terrible secret that comes back to ruin her life. As a very young woman she was a concentration camp guard, and was involved in an atrocity when some prisoners were burnt to death. In The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne, the action is played out through the eyes of the narrator, nine year old Bruno, son of the Commandant of that dreadful camp. I will reveal no more of the ingenious plots. Neither of these books makes for easy reading, but our club can certainly recommend them. We had lively discussions about individual integrity at times of collective guilt. How would we have behaved? Who dares to stand against terrible wrongs and face unspeakable consequences? In another novel with the Holocaust background, some of the characters do try to mitigate the horrors. The Book Thief is therefore a more hopeful narrative. We do not always choose such serious books. We all enjoyed The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett in which the Queen joins a mobile lending library. Aided by Norman, a palace servant, she reads some most unusual books. Our Book Club is at full membership, but it is easy to start one. Find someone willing to host the first meeting. Get in a bottle of wine (or two), some nice nibbles, and, oh yes – a book. We began all that time ago with Shadow of the Wind by Charles Ruiz Zafon, still obtainable in bookshops or the library. Happy reading. Beryl Lang Other Books studied so far in 2009 Diary of an Ordinary Woman-Margaret Forster The Elephanta Suite-Paul Theroux Deaf Sentence-David Lodge
2008
January-The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini February-1000 Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini March-The Visible World, Mark Slouka April-Noted from an Exhibition, Patrick Gale May- June-The Secret Life of a Yummy Mummy, Fiona Neill July-Mr Pip, Lloyd Jones August- September- October- November- December-
2007 - Top 3 books
See below for details... 1. Fortune's Rock-Anita Shreve 2. Half of a Yellow Sun-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 3. The Secret River-Kate Grenville

2007
Other books read during 2007 Our man in Havana by Graham Greene A classic that hasn't really dated-one suspects that MI5 is still as inept as this story describes-very funny with dark humour and lovely characters. The Girls Lori Lansens A really good read. Very unusual story set in America about enjoined twin sisters. Two Caravans Marina Lewycka Not as good as her first book, 'a Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian'. May's Book Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie All group members felt somewhat ashamed that we didn't know more about the Nigerian/Biafran civil war of the late 1960s, which decimated the country. A well written story challenging our pre-conceptions of Africa and its people. This book won this years Orange Prize for fiction. April's Book In the Company of the Courtesan By Sarah Dunant Set in Venice, an historical novel with a difference about a high class prostitute and her business partner, a dwarf. Great detail and if you haven't been a great advert for a visit to Venice! March's Book The Secret River – Kate Grenville Short listed for the Man Booker Prize 2006 Starting in London it tells the story of a waterman, William Thornhill, who is sentenced to be transported to Australia along with his family in 1806. The effect of this enforced emigration upon the London family then raises issues concerning the interaction of, and consequences for, the indigenous Aboriginal population. The author doesn’t just show the brutal result of the clash of cultures but ironically reflects through Sally, William’s wife, the underlying similarities between both peoples: “Like you and me was in London. Just the exact same way.” Although the ending is pessimistic, “it did not feel like triumph”, the reading group felt there was a suggestion of hope shown in Will’s conscience and the attitude and actions of his younger son, Dick. However we were mixed as to how satisfying a read this was. The characters were possibly lacking in depth and it was generally felt that the book ran out of steam and lacked any urgency of plot. It did create discussion though about the effect of white colonialism and books such as Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and The English Passengers by Matthew Kneale were recommended as further reads. January's Book Fortune's Rock - Anita Shreve This one caused quite a debate. The nature of desire; the problems of illegitimate children in all societies and different centuries; the roll of women....Some of the group hadn't quite finished the book, so no doubt there will be more discussion at next months meeting. February's choice The Mermaid Chair-Sue Kidd Monk A good read, but not as good as her previous book, 'The Secret Life of Bees'.

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Top 3 of 2006 from the group were
1. The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd 2. The Constant Gardener John Le Carre 3. Birdsong Sebastian Faulks See what was read in 2006 >>

Top 3 of 2005 from the group were
1. Small Island Andrea Levy 2. We Need to talk about Kevin Lionel Shriver 3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nigh time Mark Haddon

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