The Major...

The book club met in the beautiful setting of Serra, graciously hosted at the home of Pietro and Marijke. Lingering over the stunning view of La Pania and the delicious edibles brought by members, we eventually got down to discussing Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. As usual, the novel met with mixed reviews and vast differences of opinion. Taken on the surface it seemed to have been an enjoyable read, light, funny, poignant in parts, a little light in the summing up but overall many members seemed to have liked it.

The story follows a connection between two British family groups, the traditionalist Major Pettigrew and his modernist son and a more traditionalist English Pakistani family, all contending with modernist changes. In the generous, astute and objective view it is a story of tradition, preconceptions and cultural baggage as played out in a small English community. The opposing views found it trite, patronizing, bigoted and clichè ridden. While some felt the principle characters were contrastingly drawn from pompous to sublimely elegant others saw more variety and attributed thematic depth.

Though members mentioned that each book we read expands horizons by recommending something we would not normally chose to read, this book would not be highly recommended by many.

The upcoming dates and books are as follows:

June 13th at to be advised - Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi July 25th at Isobel's - Two Women (original title 'La Ciociara') by Alberto Moravia September 19th. (venue to be advised) - The Man who Loved China by Simon Winchester.

Thank you very much to all who participated!

We look very forward to seeing you in June,

Kerry