The Barga Book Club met in June in a home of significant recent historical value. Memories were made here at a large table on long fragrant summer evenings. One member recalled wistfully their many children laughing and splashing in the small pool in the courtyard and hours spent in intense discussion. To her solace the home has been preserved almost as it was by the next owners right down to the beautifully stenciled walls and wood stoves.
And thus began another evening of intense discussion amongst the Book Club members as we discussed the novel Harvest by Jim Crace. The story, set in a generic rural English area at an undefined period of historical value marked by the Enclosure Act, begins with fire and ends in fire, both arson, the first possibly unintentional the second clearly retribution. Smoke and fire themes throughout included the concept that when a squatter made a fire and the smoke was seen he or she had the right to stay on the land.
An area of common lands worked by its peasants is the setting for a feud between its noble family owners, the in-law resident owner wishing it to remain as is, is overcome by a blood relative whose claim is stronger and wants to modernize and turn farmland into sheep grazing and wool production in what is to become the beginning of the industrial revolution.
Margaret, who had recommended the book on its strong reviews was very disappointed. She had trouble with the first person narrative and disliked the voice, citing meticulous descriptions which became shopping lists, and a decided lack of emotion. It didn’t make her feel a thing.
Cynthia mentioned its relevant echoes of her own life experience in the main character, Walter Thirsk, who had come from elsewhere and never felt he belonged and the connection that he wasn’t “of the soil” and estranged. She also observed the powerful theme of the veneer of civilized behavior and how quickly it cracks, as violence is never far from the surface. She appreciated its detailed research, and themes of refugees, outsiders, socio-economic class system, and thought of it as a power based allegory.
Elisabeth referred to it as an historical novel but would have preferred more history and less novel. Salene managed to finish it but found it dry, lacking dialogue but the imagery poetic. Marijke loved the descriptions of the countryside, daily life, its environment and the themes of trust and suspicion, and disillusionment, and reality. Pietro found it fantastic, appreciated the inner thought monologue style but found elements unbelievably cruel and unrealistic, yet insightful.
Helen pointed out its capitalist theme. How primitive life was where superstition overrides any kind of rational behavior, but that characters were not well developed, except nature and the environment which was a strong character in itself. In consensus it was felt that the landscape was the deepest, and most beautifully, poetically drawn and moving character, as Salene had pointed out. Bill’s adjectives were: metaphorical and gutless.
Kerry addressed a misogynist undercurrent in that, of two female characters one represented exclusively a sexual utilitarianism and the strongest female character was so because she was primitively and undefinably sexually attractive, although not physically so and, to the men she seemed to beguile, that came down to sorcery. The book seemed an excuse to take a pivotal period theme and develop it but that it ended up as an insensate story, all smoke and no fire.
Thank you to everyone who contributed, to the rousing discussion and delicious dishes.
The next books and meetings are as follows:
July 31: The Tin Ring by Zdenka Fantlova, date to be announced at Marijke and Pietro’s.
September: Dear Life by Alice Munroe, date and venue to be announced
October: Canada by Richard Ford, date and venue to be announced
November: The Following Story by Cees Nooteboom date and venue to be announced
