Book Club Diary

17.12.09 (Thur)

For our last meeting Wendy chose After Leaving Mr Mackenzie by Jean Rhys. The general reaction to the book was very favourable.

Wendy explained that she chose it because although written in 1930, she found it to be relevant to today and not at all dated.

The book tells the story of Julia and what happens to her after she is abandoned, alone and penniless in Paris by Mr Mackenzie. Hers is a day to day existence, finding money where she can and relying on other people to help her out.

Alice was so engrossed by the book that she did some research on the author and told us how originally from Dominica, her books had fallen out of favour and she retreated into obscurity until she was tracked down living a solitary life in the nineteen sixties. She later went on to write The Wide Sargasso Sea, an acclaimed prequel to the novel Jane Eyre.

Alan admitted that he enjoyed the book but disagreed with the general opinion that Julia was a character to feel sympathy for. He argued that she could have found some work or tried to go back to the U.K and thought that she could have tried to plan her life better rather than drifting. Rose accused him of being harsh and said that we all make mistakes and get ourselves into difficult situations. Alan agreed that there are still plenty of people leading a similar, drifting life today.

Rose thought that the author was ahead of her time, writing in a way about women which may not have been looked on favourably at the time. She thought this might be why the author had fallen out of favour. I agreed that although the story was depressing it was strangely up to date and could have been written about any young woman today.

Colin thought the setting of Paris lent a lot of atmosphere to the story and told us all how he had been robbed during a weekend stay in the city. He still agreed with us all that Paris is a beautiful place. Alice explained that jean Rhys had lived there for a time.

I pointed out that it’s no fun being poor wherever you are and Wendy told us how she felt so sorry for Julia who seemed something of a lost soul. Alan still didn’t agree!

Betty admitted at the end of the meeting that she had read this novel years ago and that it had stayed with her for a long time.

Here’s to the New Year and more reading!

Fiona

19.11.09

At our last meeting Alan choose to introduce his choice of book to us, treating us all to a two minute speech extolling the virtues of Travels with my Aunt by Graham Greene. “A novel by a man whom many would describe as the greatest novelist of the twentieth century,” he declared. I’m convinced he practised in the mirror beforehand!

Naturally this started a lively discussion within the group. Rose butted in with her belief that Virginia Woolf was for her the far superior author. Alice spoke up at this point, agreeing with Rose and telling us how impressed she had been at the beauty of Woolf’s writing in To the Lighthouse.

“We’re not here to discuss Virginia Woolf,” Betty reminded us. “Let’s stick to the chosen novel.”

I enjoyed Graham Greene’s book and related to the group how, as a seventeen year old studying history at A-level, I had one day noticed my teacher with a copy of it. This had made a great impression on me at the time as I fancied Mr Walters who was in his early twenties and seemed so sophisticated and worldly wise to me. However, it wasn’t until years later that I actually read the book.

Wendy made the point that many of Greene’s novels are very funny with ordinary characters being placed in bizarre situations. Robin brought up the point that this is what happens in Our Man in Havana where a vacuum cleaner salesman is mistaken for a spy. Colin took this opportunity to treat us to a description of his ten days spent in the city a few years back. Wendy thought it was clever to make Henry such an ordinary everyday person living in suburbia who is transported out of his comfort zone. She liked the fact that Henry was such an unlikely character to end up in South America. I thought the ending of the novel was very effective when Henry returns back to his house in suburbia and there is a sense that his life will continue on much as it was before. However, after receiving a letter from his aunt Augusta he travels to South America where he marries a woman ten years his junior. This is a happy ending as Henry has shed himself of his boring, uneventful life.

Robin wondered how much of Graham Greene himself appears in his main characters and this led onto a discussion about his background as a spy, working for M16. Robin brought up the fact that many other authors had worked for the intelligence service, including Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond. He added that Greene had obviously used all the travelling in his own life to provide locations for his novels, to which Alan pointed out that travel certainly broadens the mind. Rose reminded him of the Brontes who rarely travelled far from home. Betty had to bring the discussion to a close, agreeing that imagination is indeed the essential ingredient necessary for a successful author.

“Obviously if you’re writing a historical novel, you have to use your imagination.”

“And a great deal of research,” Robin added.

And for once, we all agreed.

Fiona

05.11.09

When I first moved to my village in Norfolk there didn’t seem too much going on, so when my sons’ teacher, Wendy told me about the book group she goes to, I decided to give it a try. The club meets once every two weeks at Betty’s house. She has been running the group on and off for about two years now and is very friendly and welcoming. I have been going there now for about eighteen months and thought others might be interested to hear about my experience.

Each person chooses a book which is discussed at the following meeting. There are seven regulars in the group, four women and three men. We range in age from the thirties into the seventies.

I do think people tend to choose books they like and so it’s sometimes difficult to listen to others’ criticism! I choose A Secret History by Donna Tarrt, a book I absolutely love and I found myself almost jumping up and down at one point, defending my choice against any negative comments.

Whenever you put a group of people together there are always some who are more vocal and others who interrupt constantly and basically try to dominate the whole thing. One such is Rose, a retired professor in English who would take over the whole group if allowed. She has to be constantly reminded that there are others who might want to make a point. Rose does tend to choose books in order to impress us with her intellectual abilities. James Joyce Ulysses left us all struggling and I have my suspicions that not even she managed to reach half way.

Best-sellers often reveal very conflicting opinions. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin found half the group enthusing whilst the other half were unimpressed. I was in the latter camp. I became bored with it and gave up, something I very rarely do.

One of the men, Alan, does criticise us for picking what he calls women’s literature. When challenged on this, he seems to mean any story written by a woman involving relationships and families. Although I did get a bit fed up when Alice chose a novel by Joanna Trollope each time. I mentioned this to Betty recently but, as she pointed out, it is up to each of us to choose whatever book we want and that we must be fair and allow everyone their own choice.

I like to believe I pick more unusual books and was pleased at the reaction to The Seduction of Mrs Pendlebury by Margaret Forster. This is a story of mental illness and the effect it has on those close to the main character. Although written in the sixties the book is still hugely relevant today. When we discussed this novel we started a very interesting discussion on mental health and peoples’ attitudes towards it.

Colin picked Felicia’s Journey by William Trevor and I really enjoyed this book. I then went on to read The Story of Lucy Gault by the same author which I found disappointing and unbelievable. I could not accept that the parents wouldn’t have made more of an effort to find their little girl. However, when my sons’ teacher, Wendy, chose Crampton Hodnett by Barbara Pym, she introduced me to an author who has now become one of my favourites, as I have gone on to read and enjoy everything else I can find by her. I’m sure I would never have heard of her if I hadn’t joined the group.

You do get people refusing to read certain books. They come up with the excuse that the subject matter is of no interest to them. When Robin picked The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wnydham, Rose announced to us all that she had not even bothered to open the book as she has a policy of never reading science fiction! The rest of us carried on with our discussion, leaving her in silence. Similarly when Robin chose The Philosophers’ Stone by J.K.Rowling Rose gave up half way through, declaring it to be a children’s story. Betty agreed that whilst it is strictly a child’s novel, plenty of adults do read the Harry Potter books. I certainly enjoyed it!

Last week Wendy chose Deaf Sentence by David Lodge. We all found this book very funny, although Alan felt that the visit to the former concentration camp was somewhat out of context. I especially liked the character of the elderly father of the protagonist. Wendy’s reason for choosing this book was coincidence. Staying at Centerparcs for a surprise weekend away she had reached the point in the novel where the main character is taken to an identical ho;iday village for a surprise weekend away!

Next time we are tackling Travels with My Aunt by Graham Greene, picked by Alan.

“It does mention the word Aunt in the title, Alan. Are you sure that’s not a woman’s book?” Betty teased.

Alan didn’t reply, but merely grunted!