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Past Titles That We Have Read "When I READ a good book I wish that LIFE were
three thousand years long." Edlesborough Book Group Review
The Inheritance of Loss Author: Kiran Desai Published by Hamish Hamilton "All day the colours had been those of dusk, mist moving like a water creature across the great flanks of mountains possessed of ocean shadows and depths. Briefly visible above the vapour, Kanchenjuna was a far peak whittled out of ice, gathering the last of the light, a plume of snow blown high by the storms at its summit". On reading this first paragraph of the book, we all agreed that there was some wonderful descriptive language used in this Booker Prize winning novel, the second novel by the author. After reading more of Inheritance some of us felt it could have been shorter, with so many vivid characters it leaps around in time and space and occasionally gets unfocussed. Kiran Desai set the novel in Kalimpong because she spent part of her childhood there staying with an aunt, Desai explains "I wanted to capture what it means to grow up in such a fascinating place, with such wonderfully disparate people, and to depict how we never really try to understand what life is like for other people. ".High in the Himalayas, the story centres on three people and one dog living together in an ancient house. There's the embittered, reptilian judge, lost in his memories: of a youth spent at Cambridge; of humiliation in a foreign land, Staying with him are his beloved dog Mutt and his17 year old granddaughter Sai, who was orphaned as a child. The judge's cook, who manages the household, and a few neighbours, round off the cast. As the story unfolds, insurgency is growing in the region: the Indian Napalese want their own country or state, where they will not be treated as servants; young boys, trying to be men, roam the mountainside looting houses, collecting ammunition. Their predicament is contrasted against the Indians settled abroad, stumbling from one job to another in a humorous parallel narrative. The author tried to show what life is like for other people in cultures very different from ours, some leaving seeking a better life and how those returning find it difficult to be accepted again. It is a novel about contemporary immigrant life and the on going parallel world left behind. It has depth and emotion, humour and imagination, moments holding out the possibility of hope or betrayal. A couple of us thoroughly enjoyed this book but generally the group found it difficult to get into and generally a little disappointing. They also thought the characters and scenes in the book were "snapshots" and lacked depth. As a group we would not read anything else by this author, although the writer of this review would! Review of To Kill a Mockingbird (February 07) The group read To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee last month. It was an old favourite for some of us and those to whom the book was new agreed it was a compelling, powerful read . The book is set in a sleepy Alabama town of Maycomb in the 1930's and is narrated in the first person by Scout Finch, the daughter of a reasonably well off lawyer, Atticus . Scout looks back in retrospect over an unspecified number of years after the events of the novel took place. We thought the most important theme of the book was the moral nature of human beings - that is whether people are essentially good or essentially evil. This was developed through the growing up of the three children in the story from their childhood innocence, in which they assume that people are good because they have never seen evil, to a more adult perspective, in which they have confronted evil and incorporated it into their understanding of the world. Harper Lee's deft touch, bringing in a variety of incidents that expose the evil side of human nature, is linked with parenting, moral education, social class and prejudice. The discussion centred on these themes and was lively, especially in relation to education and poverty. All thoroughly enjoyed the book and felt it was just as powerful now as it was when published in the 1960's .We all admired Atticus, and felt he would have been an interesting father. The mockingbird comes to represent innocence and thus to kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo Ishiguro (November 2006) Kazuo Ishiguro's latest novel is set in the 1990s but its story line is futuristic. The majority of our group enjoyed the narrative although some members, who had read previous works by this author, felt his writing style to be rather formulaic. This provoked a lively discussion regarding writing styles which then took on an ethical dimension as we debated the concept that Ishiguro's fiction could so easily turn into fact. The book opens with the character of Kathy H who, using first person narration, tells us she has been a 'carer' for twelve years. She explains that although this is an unusual length of time, it is because she is good at her job. Indeed she is now allowed to choose her 'donors', many making their third or fourth 'donations' before 'completion'. By using familiar words to introduce unfamiliar concepts, Ishiguro skilfully introduces a sense of the sinister; a dark undercurrent to Kathy's childhood memories and present lifestyle which fuel the novel's momentum. Kathy reminisces about her upbringing at Hailsham, a boarding school set deep in the English countryside. She describes life there and her particular friendships with Ruth and Tommy together with their emotional highs and lows. Yet as the story unfolds, tantalising questions arise such as why are these children so special? Why are their artistic skills so important? Why is their physical wellbeing checked so regularly by their guardians/teachers? Cocooned from mainstream society, these children are unusual in that they do not speak of holidays from school, homes or parents. Instead we spookily learn that Hailsham is their total world and somewhere in society there is a 'model' for each child. We become increasingly involved in their lives as they develop into young adults, sexually active but each accepting their own infertility. And so too do they courageously but frighteningly accept their destiny: the reason for their existence. Most bookclub members found this a sad and moving tale but others were disappointed by the characterisation and remained outside the emotional aspects of the novel. Still it was felt to be an intriguing and technically satisfying read. Kashuo Ishiguro has introduced some scary concepts and the possibility that such deeds are already being implemented, if not in England then somewhere else in the world, was a sobering thought as we embarked upon our refreshments! LABYRINTH by Kate Mosse (October 2006) We approached Labyrinth by Kate Mosse, author and broadcaster, knowing that other readers had seemingly either loved or loathed this hefty tome of 697 pages. Unfortunately, the majority of our group fell into the latter category which led to a discussion regarding slick marketing and authors' reputations. Mosse lives in Carcassone, south west France, and her novel concerns its medieval past and the persecution of the Cathars, a Christian sect who lived within its city walls. Mosse admits Labyrinth is "in some ways my love letter to Carcassonne" with its "mountains, hills, rocks, woods as much characters in the story as the people, real and imagined."* But we felt this passion for historical accuracy, theological analysis and intense detail of setting and character was its downfall with members needing to refer to earlier pages to confirm 'who was who' and 'what was what'! The novel opens in 2005 with amateur archaeologist, Alice, slipping into a French mountain cave where she finds two skeletons and an ancient ring with a labyrinth symbol. Her sense of the supernatural is compounded by someone calling her name. Yet it sounds strangely like "Alais", a French medieval name and here Mosse creates the link between the modern and the medieval, with contemporary lives recalling and echoing medieval ones. So the novel moves between past and present as Alice and twelfth century Alais each recognise that their destiny is to keep safe the secret of the labyrinth and so safeguard the true Grail from villainous Grail seekers. The reader too is seemingly caught in the twists and turns of a labyrinth as memories and truths, misunderstandings and betrayal, murder and revenge emerge. Yet despite such excitement of a seemingly page-turning plot, most of us felt Labyrinth lacked momentum and it was generally agreed that this was due to poor technique and a clumsy writing style. http://us.penguingroup.com/static/rguides/us/labyrinth.html Kathie Allen (December 06)
The Jane Austen Book Club By Karen Joy Fowler Six people, living in California decide to form a reading group - expressly to read all six of Jane Austen's novels. The group is led by Jocelyn, single, middle aged, breeder of Rhodesian Ridgebacks and, by her own admission, a control freak. She is joined by her best friend Sylvia, who has recently separated from her husband and Sylvia's daughter, Allegra, very beautiful and a lesbian. Prudie, a teacher is the youngest member and Bernadette, eccentric and bohemian, the oldest and most colourful character. The only male is the group is Grigg, youngish, unattached and totally unfamiliar with Jane Austen's work. The book covers six monthly meetings, each month dealing with an individual and her choice of book. Every character has some emotional baggage to cope with and their stories are told as the background to the group's meetings. Our reading group found the storylines rather flimsy and contrived and found it difficult to engage with the characters. We thought the book formulaic and disappointing, the author not achieving the effect she promises. As one of our members remarked, "not as good as the real thing".
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde At our recent book group meeting we reviewed Jasper Fforde’s first novel The Eyre Affair. It is set in 1985 in a world that is similar to our own, but with a few crucial and bizarre differences, e.g. Wales is a socialist republic, the Crimean war is still happening and the most popular pets are home-cloned dodos. The Eyre Affair is about a literary detective named Thursday Next whose job it is to spot forgeries of Shakespeare’s plays, mending holes in narrative plot lines and rescuing characters that have been kidnapped form literary masterpieces. She is aided by a host of literary characters including her time travelling father, Jack Shit and the powerful Goliath Corporation, embarking on a breathtaking adventure that is almost too complicated and convoluted to keep up with or retain interest, let alone remember and explain to others! As ever, our group had a mixed reaction. Some thought it a great, funny and pleasurable read whilst others found it too bizarre to follow to the end (over 450 pages). It was certainly unusual and almost all of us agreed we would not search out any other works by the same author despite this book entering the NY Times best seller list in its first week of publication there. Five People you meet in Heaven Mitch Albom Publisher: Little,Brown ISBN 0-316-72661-3 Having spent all his working life on Ruby Pier fairground as a maintenance man, Eddie dies in a tragic accident on his eighty-third birthday trying to save a little girl falling from the Roller Coaster ride. With his final breath he feels two small hands in his - and then nothing. He awakens in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not the Garden of Eden, but a place where your earthly life is explained to you by five people who were in it. These people may have been loved ones or distant strangers. Yet each of them changed your path for ever. Most of us enjoyed this book although some found it over sentimental and a little shallow. It is good for us to remember the troubles of our life, recollect the memories, judge the impact they had on those around us and determine whether we achieved what we have been trying to find out in life. It makes you think on a day to day basis that whatever disasters happen there is a reason for it, and the smallest action may impact someone else's life in a positive or negative way without you ever knowing it. That each of us is part of the whole. In Alice Sebold's "The Lovely Bones" Heaven is explored from the point of view of a recently murdered young girl. Mitch Albom also looks at Heaven but from a completely different perspective in this novel. Just over 200 pages of easy reading. Other novels by Mitch Albom: International best seller: Tuesdays with Morrie Samuel Pepys - The Unequalled Self by Claire Tomalin Samuel Pepys - The Unequalled Self was the group's choice this month. Not all members had completed the book, but those who had, were unanimous in their opinion. They all thought it to be well researched and thoughtfully constructed, making it easy to read and to assimilate. The book uses Pepys' own famous diary as the foundation for its facts, but also covers his childhood and early adult life through the turbulent years of the Civil War, Cromwell's administration and the Restoration. The text moves through the diary years following his career as a great naval administrator and on to his middle and old age. He is pictured as a wily statesman endeavouring to stay afloat in the dangerous political waters of the time. The author also paints a colourful picture of domestic and social life in the 17th Century and gives vivid reconstructions of the Charles I execution, the Fire of London, parliament and court life under Charles II and James II. The Group was full of praise for the author and were keen to read other books by Claire Tomalin. Disordered Minds by Minette Walters Disordered Minds takes a hard look at the disrupted lives of the victims of prejudice
and abuse. At the heart of this book is the case of a brutal murder in 1970 of an old woman who was battered to
death in her home. This was apparently carried out by her abnormal grandson, Howard Stamp, who later committed
suicide after being bullied in prison. Three decades later a local Councillor who believes in his innocence joins
forces with a young anthropologist of mixed race background, who understands from his own experience what prejudice
is like, and together they set out to prove his innocence.
Perfume by Patrick Suskind In many ways it is unique - the life story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, the unloved, abandoned street urchin born in a putrid gutter in eighteenth-century Paris moments before his mother died. What makes Grenouille different to all the other orphans though is the fact that he has no odour, no smell at all; and he has the most remarkable nose that can not only pick out a scent from miles away but can also unravel its strands until every element has been teased out. As Grenouille ambles through his life from friendless child to a tanner's labourer, and then onto the position of apprentice to Baldini, a washed-out, cheating perfumer, it becomes clear that Grenouille has not only the ability to pluck scents from the air but also to create the most wondrous perfumes the world has ever known. Perfume is in many ways an epic novel and whilst it wanes a little in the middle, the plot glides with a steady pace across France, over many years and a sizeable cast of fascinating and colourfully drawn caricatures. Suskind succeeds in the seemingly impossible. If anything the only flaw is a climax in Grasse that verges on farcical, and the fact that Suskind draws Grenouille as such a disagreeable protagonist that it is very hard for the reader to have any sympathy for such a vile monster. We all thought Grenouille quite disgusting. The book provoked a good discussion but none of us really liked it and we would not read any other novels by Patrick Suskind. The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier The book is set in 15th C Paris and Brussels and tells of the creation of the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries. Tracy Chevalier viewed the tapestries in the Musee du Moyen Age in Paris and was fascinated. She wrote the story to try and solve some of the mystery surrounding the scenes - did they depict a beautiful virgin seducing a wild unicorn or a woman renouncing the physical world of the senses for the spiritual world? The characters are introduced one by one from the rich patrons who commission the tapestries, to the lecherous artist Nicolas des Innocents, to the family of weavers who carry out the painstaking work. As the story unfolds we are given a brief glimpse of life in the 1490s and an answer to the mystery. Our group had differing views on the book some of us really enjoyed it and others found it lacking in depth. An easy, light read from the author of "Girl with a Pearl Earring".
Any Human Heart Reviewer: a_real_life_cosmo from Reading, Berks United Kingdom A sweeping journey through the life and loves of Logan Mountstuart, a character defined by his location and his need to write. Logan's run through school, Paris, War and life in New York, London and Africa is one strewn by adventure and lost love. He doesn't seem to grow as a character,and after warming to him as an errant if pompous schoolboy, you find less and less to like about him as a man. Perhaps that is intended but reading about a character that suffers tragedy and anonymity as a person you like less and less is a struggle in itself as formula novels go, this one is quite good. The formula here is to deploy the narrator's diaries as a record of his life, with a 'shell' narrator filling in some gaps and rounding the story off after that life has ended, and it is fair to assume from the book's title that we are supposed to relate the events to our own lives. Up to a point, this is quite easy to do. There are two basic threads, his relations with women and his contacts with the great and famous. What is conspicuously missing is anything much about the heart, and anything at all about the soul, although some irony may or may not have been intended when he dies of heart failure. Logan Mountstuart was born in 1906, the year of my own father's birth. The early chapters, about his schoolboy and undergraduate years, set the tone and the style very clearly. His Catholic upbringing seems to have made very little impression on him, in particular as regards sins of the flesh, and his faith drops away early. That neatly closes off any risk of profundity or introspection from that quarter. It is at this stage also that we meet the two, at a stretch three, friends he ever seems to have made in his entire life, and the friendships never descend to any particular emotional or intellectual depth. The women come and go, and the focus is strongly on the physical side of his relationships with them. Even this side is not 'explored' to any extent - it may all have been strictly missionary-position stuff for all the story suggests to the contrary.
We enjoyed doing something a little different this time. Instead of all reading the same book, we decided to ensure that at least one member read one of the books from the shortlist for the Orange Prize for Fiction, so as a group they were all read. In the run up to the Orange Prize there was a lot of interest in a young Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie whose first novel was published in this country. Her novel "Purple Hibiscus" depicts an African coup and recalls the violent uprisings that the author lived through as a child.. The other five novels in contention were "Oryx and Crake" the 11th novel by the Canadian Margaret Atwood: "The Great Fire", first novel for 20 years by the Australian Shirley Hazzard: "Small Island" by British writer Andrea Leavy; "Ice Road", South African Gillian Slovo's ninth novel, set in Russia in the time of Stalinism and the siege of Lenningrad, finally "The Colour" Rose Tremains's 11th novel. Members enjoyed some books more than others and wondered who the winner would be. We attended a sell out evening at the British Library to meet the authors, hear a little about their work and to them reading from their novels. The evening was made particularly entertaining by the chair, broadcaster, comedian and author, Sandi Toksvig. The £30,000 prize was won by Andrea Levy. Her book "Small Island" tells the story of two couples, one black and one white, who find that the British Empire has forged a common destiny for them. The book moves cross time and space, with Hortense, one of the four central characters, running away from a broken heart in Jamaica to a broken country, where people called her "darkie". Two of us who read this book recommend it and thought it well deserved of the prize. Five Past Midnight in Bhopal By Dominique Lapierre and Javier Moro Published by Scribner ISBN 0-7432-2035-8 This month I choose a non fiction book. We generally read fiction but this good quality non fiction book proved a rewarding experience. It was far from a dry academic study of a tragic event. In December 1984 between 16 - 30 thousand people died in agony when lethal gases escaped from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal. Today, 20 years later people are still suffering. The story focuses on Padmini, a young Indian girl and her family living in Orya Bustee (a shanty town) next door to the Carbide plant. Through their stories we find our about the difficult but colourful life of some of India's poorest inhabitants. This is also the story of the men, both Americans and Indians who were responsible for bringing the Union Carbide factory and its deadly chemicals to Bhopal and also responsible for its safe operation. Everyone should read this book - it makes us realise that events that happen thousands of miles away in another continent, that we read about at breakfast and forget about at teatime, affect real people. If you do a word search on Bhopal on the internet you can read about the continuing fight for justice and compensation. This is also an engrossing story. The authors vividly describe life in the bustee and we really get to know the people living there. Visit: www.bhopal.org to read about a clinic maintained by Dominique Lapierre City of Joy Foundation. Dominique Lapierre is the author of numerous international bestselling books including Is Paris Burning and City of Joy. Javier Moro has also written The Foot of Jaipur and The Mountains of the Buddha
The Sex Life Of My Aunt by Mavis Cheek |