A good representation of The Barga Book Club met Wednesday December 21st in the village of Santi with Sheila as genial host. The book under discussion was One Day by David Nicholls. It was the story told of two principle characters’ lives over a period of 20 years with one day, St. Swithin’s Day, July 15th, as the marker. The book follows the lives of two characters Emma and Dexter, who connect at their graduation from University. It seems to have rained on St. Swithin’s day and continued for the following 20 years.
As per usual, opinions varied, widely. The dislikes outweighed the likes by a considerable degree.
Thematically it seemed to be representative of the disillusionment of life, its twists and turns and how the dreams of one’s twenties devolve. It was enjoyable overall only in retrospect when all loose ends were tied, but many were disappointed with the resolution. Some found the story contrived, artificial, manipulated. Other adjectives included banal and mundane.
On the other hand there were a couple of readers who did enjoy it thoroughly, and had real affinity for the characters and their circumstances. Everyone seemed to project his or her own experience into the reading and some found the characterization shallow and not credible and had difficulty identifying with them. It was seen as a story of the lives of two characters who were frustratingly inept or downright self destructive with no redeeming values.
The book we will discuss on January 18th at the home of Julie Flynn, is Black House by Peter May. The following month we will discuss Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and to lighten things up a bit, in March, we will read Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons.
Thank you to everyone who participated, and for the delicious offerings and to Sheila for her most congenial hosting.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Wednesday November 23
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
Margaret contributed these observations:
The book discussed this month was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Anne Shaffer. It is written in the epistolary form which all agreed is a very arduous undertaking and the general consensus was that the difficulties inherent in this form were not overcome. Set in 1945 the book did not ring true with regard to London post war. Despite research it was felt that the author was unable to recreate the atmosphere either there or in occupied Guernsey. The language used in the letters is unconvincing, and perhaps as an American the author did not understand speech usage of the time (or moreover, at all, kb).
The first part of the book deals with Juliet’s (the main character, an author) first contact with the literary society, which was set up in Guernsey on an impulse, to deflect the attention of the German occupying forces when a curfew was not respected. One of the members, Darsey, finds a book with her name in it and writes to her. There then follows a series of letters about the members of the society and she becomes intrigued and eventually goes to Guernsey to meet them.
The main interest for most was the fact that Guernsey suffered five years of German occupation of which many were unaware. That this was inevitable is proved by the fact that the British authorities evacuated all the children from the island, before the arrival of the occupying forces. The occupation is the focal point of the book. From it came about the society, with an unlikely choice of books, Charles Lamb and Seneca. The other character of great importance is Elisabeth, who invented the society and she is a strong character, despite her physical absence, probably the most convincing in the book. She was arrested and deported for harbouring a Polish worker who was starving to death. Her child, the result of a love affair with a German officer who is sickened by the war, will help bind Juliet to Darsey.
The general feeling was that the book was unconvincing for the era in which it was set, superficial and at times flippant.
Krysia added:
We examined the book in detail and everyone contributed to a most interesting critique. We ate supper most elegantly and most deliciously. Next month's meeting on December 21st.will be at Sheila's. The book is 'One Day' by David Nicholls. Several of us have already read the book, but if you haven't, there are copies circulating. Let me know if you need one.
I found the epistolary writing style of this novel rather difficult because it took a long time for the characters to be developed. Even the main character Juliet Ashton took some time and until the characters came alive I wasn’t really pulled along by the novel. And of course there are lots of characters. Also the quaint way the letters were written in a kind of PGWodehouse nineteen twenties style, irritated me after a while so at times the book didn’t really engaged me. I kept on thinking about whether people at that time really spoke like that or wrote like that.
Those who had rarely read anything more than scripture, seed catalogues and the Pigman’s Gazette would they have read ‘Selections from Shakespeare”
selected essays of Elia by Charles Lamb, ‘The Letters of Seneca”
However the things I liked about it were:
It was accessible and easy to read and not too long thank goodness.
I liked the warm heartedness of the characters and the way they were brought together through books, and their wartime camaraderie which continued after the War.
The book was a great idea; the Nazi occupation of Guernsey, which historically is very interesting. It prompted me to think about what it would have been like if the Germans had occupied England and how my grandmother learnt German when war broke out in case England was invaded. She said that if she was going to be dominated by a load of foreigners she at least wanted to know what they were saying. It made me realise that the fear of occupation must have been ever present.
The contrasts between the horrific stories of Nazi brutality and the gentile lives of the characters.
I also liked the romance between Juliet and Mark
Kerry:
Overall, while most felt that the premise was fascinating and well covered through research, Anne observed that it sounded like writing by number and detracted from any interest one might develop in the actual story. Taken as a light read, as Diane suggested, it was enjoyable, but that was difficult to do considering the subject matter.
Krysia also thoughtfully compiled a list of classics from which to choose the book for February which will be: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. The list also included:
Dickens, Bleak House, Great Expectations
Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
Wilkie Collins, Woman in White
Mishima, The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea
Murakami, After Dark
Guy de Maupassant, Bel Ami
Collette, Cheri
Simone de Beauvoir, She Came to Stay
Melville, Typhee
Raymond Chandler, Farewell my Lovely
It was a lively discussion in any case and thanks to everyone for making it such an enjoyable evening.
We look forward to seeing you all on 21 December at Sheila's.
Margaret contributed these observations:
The book discussed this month was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Anne Shaffer. It is written in the epistolary form which all agreed is a very arduous undertaking and the general consensus was that the difficulties inherent in this form were not overcome. Set in 1945 the book did not ring true with regard to London post war. Despite research it was felt that the author was unable to recreate the atmosphere either there or in occupied Guernsey. The language used in the letters is unconvincing, and perhaps as an American the author did not understand speech usage of the time (or moreover, at all, kb).
The first part of the book deals with Juliet’s (the main character, an author) first contact with the literary society, which was set up in Guernsey on an impulse, to deflect the attention of the German occupying forces when a curfew was not respected. One of the members, Darsey, finds a book with her name in it and writes to her. There then follows a series of letters about the members of the society and she becomes intrigued and eventually goes to Guernsey to meet them.
The main interest for most was the fact that Guernsey suffered five years of German occupation of which many were unaware. That this was inevitable is proved by the fact that the British authorities evacuated all the children from the island, before the arrival of the occupying forces. The occupation is the focal point of the book. From it came about the society, with an unlikely choice of books, Charles Lamb and Seneca. The other character of great importance is Elisabeth, who invented the society and she is a strong character, despite her physical absence, probably the most convincing in the book. She was arrested and deported for harbouring a Polish worker who was starving to death. Her child, the result of a love affair with a German officer who is sickened by the war, will help bind Juliet to Darsey.
The general feeling was that the book was unconvincing for the era in which it was set, superficial and at times flippant.
Krysia added:
We examined the book in detail and everyone contributed to a most interesting critique. We ate supper most elegantly and most deliciously. Next month's meeting on December 21st.will be at Sheila's. The book is 'One Day' by David Nicholls. Several of us have already read the book, but if you haven't, there are copies circulating. Let me know if you need one.
I found the epistolary writing style of this novel rather difficult because it took a long time for the characters to be developed. Even the main character Juliet Ashton took some time and until the characters came alive I wasn’t really pulled along by the novel. And of course there are lots of characters. Also the quaint way the letters were written in a kind of PGWodehouse nineteen twenties style, irritated me after a while so at times the book didn’t really engaged me. I kept on thinking about whether people at that time really spoke like that or wrote like that.
Those who had rarely read anything more than scripture, seed catalogues and the Pigman’s Gazette would they have read ‘Selections from Shakespeare”
selected essays of Elia by Charles Lamb, ‘The Letters of Seneca”
However the things I liked about it were:
It was accessible and easy to read and not too long thank goodness.
I liked the warm heartedness of the characters and the way they were brought together through books, and their wartime camaraderie which continued after the War.
The book was a great idea; the Nazi occupation of Guernsey, which historically is very interesting. It prompted me to think about what it would have been like if the Germans had occupied England and how my grandmother learnt German when war broke out in case England was invaded. She said that if she was going to be dominated by a load of foreigners she at least wanted to know what they were saying. It made me realise that the fear of occupation must have been ever present.
The contrasts between the horrific stories of Nazi brutality and the gentile lives of the characters.
I also liked the romance between Juliet and Mark
Kerry:
Overall, while most felt that the premise was fascinating and well covered through research, Anne observed that it sounded like writing by number and detracted from any interest one might develop in the actual story. Taken as a light read, as Diane suggested, it was enjoyable, but that was difficult to do considering the subject matter.
Krysia also thoughtfully compiled a list of classics from which to choose the book for February which will be: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. The list also included:
Dickens, Bleak House, Great Expectations
Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
Wilkie Collins, Woman in White
Mishima, The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea
Murakami, After Dark
Guy de Maupassant, Bel Ami
Collette, Cheri
Simone de Beauvoir, She Came to Stay
Melville, Typhee
Raymond Chandler, Farewell my Lovely
It was a lively discussion in any case and thanks to everyone for making it such an enjoyable evening.
We look forward to seeing you all on 21 December at Sheila's.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Back in the saddle
The Barga Book Club met on Wednesday after an extended hiatus and we're off and running again for the season.
After much needed catching up we concluded the meeting with an intense discussion of numerous excellent suggestions for up coming titles. The suggestions included:
The Twin, by Gerbrand Bakker
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer
Maps for Lost Lovers by Nadeem Aslam
Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier
Arthur & George by Julian Barnes
Sense of an Ending, the new novel by Julian Barnes
Case Histories is a 2004 detective novel by Kate Atkinson
One Day by David Nicholls
The Blackhouse is a crime novel by Peter May
Sex & Stravinsky by Barbara Trapido
Win, Place and Show, the books selected for November, December and January in this order are:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer
One Day by David Nicholls
The Blackhouse by Peter May
Enormous thanks to Krysia (and Chris) for their delectable dishes and delightful hosting and to all who brought other delicious fare and especially for all of the book recommendations and an exceptionally productive and enjoyable meeting.
The November 23rd meeting will be held at Kerry's, Via di Mezzo 51, and the December 21st meeting will be held at Sheila's.
After much needed catching up we concluded the meeting with an intense discussion of numerous excellent suggestions for up coming titles. The suggestions included:
The Twin, by Gerbrand Bakker
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer
Maps for Lost Lovers by Nadeem Aslam
Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier
Arthur & George by Julian Barnes
Sense of an Ending, the new novel by Julian Barnes
Case Histories is a 2004 detective novel by Kate Atkinson
One Day by David Nicholls
The Blackhouse is a crime novel by Peter May
Sex & Stravinsky by Barbara Trapido
Win, Place and Show, the books selected for November, December and January in this order are:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer
One Day by David Nicholls
The Blackhouse by Peter May
Enormous thanks to Krysia (and Chris) for their delectable dishes and delightful hosting and to all who brought other delicious fare and especially for all of the book recommendations and an exceptionally productive and enjoyable meeting.
The November 23rd meeting will be held at Kerry's, Via di Mezzo 51, and the December 21st meeting will be held at Sheila's.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Engleby
Having survived an adventuresome trip over the bridges and through the woods to Krysia’s house we went. The threesome, folded into the Smartcar, made a bridge party and had a rollicking discussion of Engleby by Sebastian Faulks.
Without delving into Pop-psych, the story unfolded, in an obsessively detailed recount of the early life of a possibly schizophrenic, assuredly obsessive/compulsive, addictive, psychotic- savant, personality disordered young man and his obsession with a fellow co-ed at Cambridge. The psychosis was inherent in the telling of the tale, not unlike Poe’s The Raven, in which we experience, in the repetition of sound and imagery, the protagonists illness.
The story itself is a study in schizophrenia as the two halves are as different as night and day. The first half unfolds with the monotonous, repetitive account of his obsessions including a laundry list of early seventies popular music and an account of continual hazing by his house mates, which ultimately add up to the delusions of a psychopath.
In the second half of the story the protagonist develops, seemingly by happenstance, a successful career as a journalist, which to no one’s surprise is what the author did and the author’s voice and perhaps experiences are too audible.
As always there is the specter of socioeconomic conflict. With reason, some readers felt real empathy and identified strongly with the protagonist.
In consensus it was a valuable read to study the devices which the author uses to portray character and develop plot.
As ever, the food was delicious and thank you to everyone who participated.
The next meeting will be held on the 9th of March at the home of Isobel Dodds, during which we will discuss The Hare with the Amber Eyes by Edmund De Waal. The books for the following months were chosen and will be April: Disgrace by J M. Coetzee, and for something totally different in May: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Without delving into Pop-psych, the story unfolded, in an obsessively detailed recount of the early life of a possibly schizophrenic, assuredly obsessive/compulsive, addictive, psychotic- savant, personality disordered young man and his obsession with a fellow co-ed at Cambridge. The psychosis was inherent in the telling of the tale, not unlike Poe’s The Raven, in which we experience, in the repetition of sound and imagery, the protagonists illness.
The story itself is a study in schizophrenia as the two halves are as different as night and day. The first half unfolds with the monotonous, repetitive account of his obsessions including a laundry list of early seventies popular music and an account of continual hazing by his house mates, which ultimately add up to the delusions of a psychopath.
In the second half of the story the protagonist develops, seemingly by happenstance, a successful career as a journalist, which to no one’s surprise is what the author did and the author’s voice and perhaps experiences are too audible.
As always there is the specter of socioeconomic conflict. With reason, some readers felt real empathy and identified strongly with the protagonist.
In consensus it was a valuable read to study the devices which the author uses to portray character and develop plot.
As ever, the food was delicious and thank you to everyone who participated.
The next meeting will be held on the 9th of March at the home of Isobel Dodds, during which we will discuss The Hare with the Amber Eyes by Edmund De Waal. The books for the following months were chosen and will be April: Disgrace by J M. Coetzee, and for something totally different in May: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
At Sea
Sometimes an author's, or an artist's, work touches us deeply in a way that we cannot explain, but our affinity is palpable. The 2005 Booker Prize winning novel The Sea by John Banville is one of the works which seems to have touched many readers, but left others unmoved.
The story develops amidst the reminiscences of a bereaved widower as he tries to come to terms with his life and the death of his wife, and work through its connection with his coming of age experiences and tragedy in a seaside resort town involving a larger than life family of four and their governess. He rents a room in the resort home occupied by the Grace family in his youth, now a boarding house, and goes adrift on a storm of remembering. He has a life and death struggle against the maelstrom of grief and tries to forget by diving into alcohol abuse. The tide turns when he has a near death experience and is saved by another boarder. Missing links in the story are neatly replaced and eventually he gains a foothold and moves on.
The settings are beautifully presented and universally evocative. He successfully describes settings with which we could all identify. The characters are drawn in vivid detail involving all the senses. The language is rich with allusion. The vocabulary exercised all of ours. Descriptions often used metaphor, personification or anthropomorphism. The sea is an ever present leitmotif against which and on which the author drifts.
In the words of Krysia Bell: Like several of his other books which deal with death and bereavement the narrator, a bad tempered, egotistical, intolerant, inebriate speaks openly and honestly about his feelings even to the point of uncomfortable rawness. But concedes that she would quite happily spend hours with a dictionary by my side reading about ‘every detail of every smell in every room’ as long as it was written by John Banville.
Margaret Moore emphasized the apparent mythological references citing Diana and Apollo, Demeter, an Edenic moment being offered an apple, like Eve the temptress, and the siren's song...he is Ulysses, as we all are, on a seemingly endless journey.
Some readers were very moved either by the language or the story itself. One either connected with it or not, there was little middle ground.
Thank you once again to Krysia for most gracious hosting and to everyone who contributed in all ways. We will meet again at Krysia’s on the 16th of February to discuss Engelby by Sebastian Faulks. (This is a change from our agreed upon date and book.)
We look forward to seeing you there,
Kerry
The story develops amidst the reminiscences of a bereaved widower as he tries to come to terms with his life and the death of his wife, and work through its connection with his coming of age experiences and tragedy in a seaside resort town involving a larger than life family of four and their governess. He rents a room in the resort home occupied by the Grace family in his youth, now a boarding house, and goes adrift on a storm of remembering. He has a life and death struggle against the maelstrom of grief and tries to forget by diving into alcohol abuse. The tide turns when he has a near death experience and is saved by another boarder. Missing links in the story are neatly replaced and eventually he gains a foothold and moves on.
The settings are beautifully presented and universally evocative. He successfully describes settings with which we could all identify. The characters are drawn in vivid detail involving all the senses. The language is rich with allusion. The vocabulary exercised all of ours. Descriptions often used metaphor, personification or anthropomorphism. The sea is an ever present leitmotif against which and on which the author drifts.
In the words of Krysia Bell: Like several of his other books which deal with death and bereavement the narrator, a bad tempered, egotistical, intolerant, inebriate speaks openly and honestly about his feelings even to the point of uncomfortable rawness. But concedes that she would quite happily spend hours with a dictionary by my side reading about ‘every detail of every smell in every room’ as long as it was written by John Banville.
Margaret Moore emphasized the apparent mythological references citing Diana and Apollo, Demeter, an Edenic moment being offered an apple, like Eve the temptress, and the siren's song...he is Ulysses, as we all are, on a seemingly endless journey.
Some readers were very moved either by the language or the story itself. One either connected with it or not, there was little middle ground.
Thank you once again to Krysia for most gracious hosting and to everyone who contributed in all ways. We will meet again at Krysia’s on the 16th of February to discuss Engelby by Sebastian Faulks. (This is a change from our agreed upon date and book.)
We look forward to seeing you there,
Kerry
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