MAY -- AUTOBIOGRAPHIES AND BIOGRAPHIES

FRED HOLLOWS - MEMORIES BY PAT FISH AND MICHAEL JOHNSON

JO read this biography and said it was a very good book but would have preferred his autobiography with Peter Corris.  It was written after interviews with many patients and people who worked with him.  She enjoyed it.


FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE BY GERALDINE BROOKS

ANN thought this autobiography would have been more about Geraldine's life as a foreign correspondent rather than her life as a lonely child who had been sick with rheumatic fever.  She had few friends and started to collect overseas penfriends to whom she corresponded for many years, among them one from Israel, one from Paris and one from America.  It became the road map for her life and it influenced her to go overseas to visit her penfriends.


WHY BE HAPPY WHEN YOU COULD BE NORMAL BY JEANETTE WINTERSON

CLAURENE thought this was a terrific book. It is semi autobiographical.  Jeanette was adopted into a strange family of Pentecostals.  Her adopted mother, who came from the North of England was horrific and Jeanette left home at 16. Her mother used to say "the devil lead me to the wrong creche".   Libraries and book saved her life.  She started from A and worked her way through the books  She eventually got into Cambridge. Claurene said Jeanette Winterson writes beautifully.

JUDY DENCH -"WITH A CRACK IN HER VOICE" BY JOHN MILLER 

CONNIE was very interested in the first part as it told about Judy Dench's life in York, England. Connie could imagine it as she was brought up in the midlands and born in the same year, 1934. Judy Dench was the youngest in a family of Quakers.   Her two much older brothers went off to act when she was quite young.  She eventually went to art school but decided she wanted to be an actress.  She went to all the plays at the old Vic.  She played Ophelia and one critic said she was too young and immature.  She took this to heart and worked hard to improve it.  She always made it a happy cast and nothing was too much for her. Acting was her whole life.  Connie does not normally like autobiographies or biographies but enjoyed the first part of this book  The last half was mostly about the plays.

BILLY BY PAMELA STEPHENSON

GINNY had been to see Billy Connolly perform and thought he was such a hoot.  The author is his wife, Pamela Stephenson who is a psychologist.  She helped him with the problems of his abusive childhood.  He was brought up by his aunt Mona who was very cruel and beat him.  His aunt was committed to an asylum when a neighbour reported the abuse.  His father was also abusive, yet he was still devastated by losing both father and aunt.

STEVE JOBS BY WALTER ISAACSON

KRIS would not normally have chosen this biography but is thoroughly enjoying it.(only 2/3 into it)  It is a biography requested by Steve Jobs but he wanted no control over it's content and did not want to read it before publication.  He, along with his friend Steve Wozniak, a brilliant engineer with no business sense was the founder of Apple Computers.  He was a very eccentric man who thought he did not need to wash or wear deodorant because of his strict vegetarian diet.  He was rude and lied and sulked and even cried when he did not get his own way but he had a way of making people believe they could achieve the impossible.  He had what they called a reality distortion field.  The book is based on over 40 interviews with hundreds of family members, friends, colleagues and competitors.  It's a riveting story of a man with an intense personality and a passion for artistry and perfection.  Well written.

AGATHA CHRISTIE - AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

JEWELS thought this was a very good read.  It was published in 1977 after Agatha Christie's grandson unearthed her tapes.  She died in 1976.  He compiled the book from tapes first made in the 1950's.  It follows her romances, two marriages, the time she disappeared.  She also writes about her second husband and her travels with him on archeological expeditions to places like Egypt.  It was her work in a dispensary handling poisons, when she was younger,  that gave her the idea to write murder mysteries.  She adored her first husband and was very affected when he left her for another woman and it was at this time she disappeared. Although Jewels hasn't finished the book she finds it interesting.

HERO OF EVEREST - A BIOGRAPHY OF TENZING NORGAY by ED DOUGLAS

KATE found this book fascinating.  It is a biography of Tenzing Norgay written by Ed Douglas. He was the Tibetan born Sherpa who accompanied Edmund Hilary on his successful climb to the summit of Mt Everest.  He was considered one of the best.  The first photo at the summit was of Tenzing as Hilary did not trust him with the camera.


DAPHNE DU MAURIER BY MARGARET FORSTER

MARGARET is not a big fan of biographies or autobiographies.  Daphne du Maurier was born in1907 and died at 81.  She was brought up in London, the second of three girls.  Her father was an actor.  She was talented, shy and slightly odd.  She went to finishing school at Paris.  She loved Paris.  She later stayed with a teacher in Paris and developed a lesbian relationship.  When she returned to London she was introduced to society but it was not what she wanted. She felt women needed to be independent and were powerless without their own money. The first books she wrote were short bleak stories about men and women.  Her anger at her father having affairs may have been an influence.  She did marry and have children but had a nanny so she could continue to write books and newspaper articles.  The battle between her two personas, loving men or women may have fueled her creativity.

BAD BLOOD BY LORNA SAGE

DIANE found every page a joy.  It's an exquisite personal memoir spanning the generations.  Her grandfather was a well educated vicar who married an ignorant woman from South Wales.  She did not cook, do housework or continue marital relations so eventually her grandfather became a philanderer.  Lorna learned everything from her grandfather who was a Latin scholar.  Lorna loved Latin.   Lorna's mother was the same as her grandmother and they lived in a council house.  Lorna got pregnant young and Lorna's mother brought up the baby girl.  Both Lorna and her boyfriend wanted an education so went on to university.  Dianne was taken back to her time growing up in post war England and the changing times for women.  She said it was beautifully written.

CLEMENTINE CHURCHILL- A BIOGRAPHY OF A MARRIAGE BY MARY SOAMES

WENDY read this book .  It was a special book for her as an aunt sent it to her when Wendy's husband died 12 years ago.  Wendy could not read it at the time.  Clementine did not have a privileged childhood. Her father threw her mother out with the three children when she had a fling. Her father was a nasty man.  Clementine was a private woman.  She married Winston Churchill who was 11years older than her.   She was his confidant.  Winston gambled quite a bit and she was forced to sell jewellery to pay the bills.  When Winston was forced out of politics he returned to the army and was sent to the front line.  They wrote many letters to each other.  Politics was his mistress and he was eventually back in politics.  Clementine was his strength and they had a great love for each other.

THE MYSTERY OF THE BAYOUX TAPESTRY

PAMELA  does not like biographies or autobiographies so she chose a story of a famous tapestry.   It is a pictorial narrative describing the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings in 1066.  Pamela found it endlessly fascinating.  It is not actually a tapestry but a wool embroidery on linen strips sewn together to form a continuous panel. The final panel is missing.  Although it is not definitely known who did the embroidery, it is believed to be English women as they were considered the best and nobody did that type of embroidery on the continent. Nobody knows who the patron is but may have been a Norman French.  The last 1/3 of the tapestry is about the war and would be a great anti war statement.

LEONARDO DA VINCI - THE FLIGHTS OF THE MIND BY CHARLES NICHOLL

MERILYN  only got to page 58 where he was about to start his apprenticeship. The story followed his life as an illegitimate child who lived with his father and then later his mother.  He wrote fables.  It waffled on a bit and Merilyn was not interested enough to finish it.

FRED HOLLOWS - AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY with PETER CORRIS

SHEILA said this was well written.  It was almost like Fred Hollows speaking the words.  Fred Hollows was a very interesting man born in New Zealand.  His great grandfather, a miner came to New Zealand in 1870 .Fred's father was a railway man.  Fred was born in Dunedin in 1929. His family were progressive in the Church of Christ.  At 18 he did not know what to do. He studied art and then became a divinity student but felt suppressed.  He got a job as a temporary assistant in a mental asylum and stopped being a christian. He then became a humanitarian.  He changed to a medical course.  He went to England in 1961 and studied eye medicine.   He moved to Australia in 1965. He was a rough diamond.  He was very interested in Aboriginal health and eye problems.  He was an outspoken and outrageous man. Sheila thought he was a great man.

ENID our new member had also read Fred Hollows- An Autobiography with Peter Corris and really enjoyed it.  She said it was like Fred Hollows talking to me.  She said Peter Corris was skillful in the way he edited the book.

APRIL:-Medievil Times

The books that members chose this month are all set in Medieval Times. This was a genre that many had not read before, but many would agree that they enjoyed what they had read and even discovered new authors they will continue to read.

ANNE: One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters

This is the second in the series of the Brother Cadfael Mysteries. During the Civil War between Stephen and Maud and following the siege of the Shrewsbury Castle, 94 survivors of the turncoat garrison are executed. When the bodies are taken for burial, Bro Cadfael counts them and realises there are not 94 but 95 bodies...1 corpse too many.

There is betrayal, treason, buried treasure, a duel, fugitives and romance. She thought it a really good story and enjoyed reading it again.

JO:

Jo had also read the same book and agreed with Anne's opinions.

She also mentioned that Ellis Peters had written the George Felse Mysteries set in Scotland Yard in modern times.

PAMELA:

Pamela had also read One Corpse Too Many and commented on the accuracy of the writing regarding the times and places. The moral corruption of the Civil War meant that men would often change sides for the slightest gain.

JOAN: Heart of the Lion by Jean Plaidy

At the age of thirty-two, Richard the Lionheart has finally succeeded Henry II to the throne. And, against her father's wishes, he intends to make Berengaria, daughter of the King of Navarre, his Queen. But first he must fulfil his vow to his country to win back Jerusalem for the Christian world. Leaving England to begin his Crusade, Richard's kingdom is left in the hands of his brother, John, who casts covetous eyes on the crown, and his sister, Joanna, who is willing to defy even a king.

 Jean Plaidy is a wonderful storyteller who has written a huge number of books using many pen-names but always bases on good historical research.

MERILYN: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

This story tried to explain the mystery of what happened to the two princes in the Tower of London.

Due to other circumstances she hadn't finished it, but thought it would have been worth reading.

knowledge of herbs. It is these rituals that Connie enjoyed reading about.
KRIS: Smoke in the Wind by Peter Tremayne
Sister Fidelma is the protagonist in this Celtic mystery, one of 10 in the series. Set in South Wales, the whole community goes missing and Sister Fidelma is asked to investigate. She is a very strong and interesting character, a qualified dalaigh, or advocate of the law courts of Ireland, thus wielding a lot of power.


KATHY: Wheel of Fate by Kate Sedley
Roger the Chapman (pedlar) solves mystery and murder in his family. Up until almost the last page it was not possible to work out who the murderer was, in fact Kathy was shocked when the truth was revealed. While there is not a lot of historical fact it was certainly an enjoyable read.


KATE: The Heretic's Apprentice by Ellis Peters


MAREE: The Wicked Winter by Kate Sedley
Roger the Chapman (pedlar) meets Brother Simeon an itinerant preacher whose firey sermons are the talk of the countryside. The two join up, although somewhat unwillingly to solve a murder which has occurred at Cederwell Manor.
It was very enjoyable to read, told in a tongue in cheek way. It seemed like a modern day murder mystery but written in the language of the time with many twists and turns.


SHEILA: Dancing with Demons by Peter Tremayne
In this story, the High King, Sechnussach, is assassinated. The murderer, unable to make his escape, turns his knife on himself. Fidelma is summoned to Tara to discover not who murdered the High King, for that was obviously Dubh Dun, whose body was found with the king's, but why the King was murdered.
Although she was originally reluctant to read the book, Sheila opinion having read it, was now that it was a super historical 'who dunnit'.


DIANNE: Apothecary Rose by Candace Robb
 After the village apothecary is murdered, Owen Archer, recently retired captain of the Archers is given the job to investigate the crime.
Although she loves the era, Dianne didn't like the author's style of writing and found she really couldn't get into the book.

WENDY: Prince of Darkness by Jean Plaidy  

The untimely death of Richard Coeur de Lion left his nephew Arthur and his younger brother John in contest for the throne of England. Reluctantly the barons chose John and their choice brought years of evil upon the realm.  His unbridled sensuality, his fierce and terrible temper, his cruelty, idleness and injustice made King John hated and feared. Men came to believe that the House of Anjou was tainted by the devil's blood, that the loathsome monarch was himself Evil Incarnate, the very Prince of Darkness...

He was king by divine right only. 

CONNIE: The Holy Thief by Ellis Peters
This is the 19th book of the Bro Cadfael mysteries and they really should be read in order as other minor characters appear and reappear and the struggle of the Civil War continues.
The story involves the theft of the remains of the Welsh Saint Winifred during a flood and the seemingly related subsequent murder of young Brother Anselm. Bro Cadfael is called upon to investigate, eventually solving the crime using the rituals of the church as well as his extensive This is the 18th book in the series, and Kate enjoyed it so much she went on to read others by the same author.
She also read Medieval People by Eileen Power. This was a factual description of life in those times eg the town revolved around the abbey
     the struggle for power among the monks
     the religious influence on the people was very strong
     the social history about ordinary folk very good

JUDY: Brother Cadfael's Penance
This is the 20th and final book in this series.

With the background of the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud, both arrogant as they literally rip the country apart to gain the throne of England, we have Philip, son of Robert of Gloucester, Maud’s most trusted advisor and half-brother. Philip switches loyalties from Maud to Stephen in an attempt to sway the balance in Stephen’s favour and end the war. Brother Cadfael is finally able to discover the location of his son Olivier, whose fate is intertwined with that of Philip’s.

We now have a story that involves murder, jealousy, father/son relationships, political loyalties, and personal ambition and woven through all this is Cadfael’s personal struggle with his devotion to the church and the possibility that this may be denied him in the future if he continues on this search for his son.

Judy really enjoyed the combination of history and a good mystery. 

JULIA: A Trust Betrayed by Candace Robb

This is the first of the Margaret Kerr mysteries set in the 1300s and the war between England and Scotland. Her husband has gone to Edinburgh and been missing for a year and when she goes to find out what has happened she gets herself into all sorts of trouble. A light but enjoyable read.

OTHER RECOMMENDED READS:

Joan: Saving Private Sarbi by Sandra Lee

The story of the dog missing in action in Afghanistan.

Pamela: The Night Circus by Harvil Secker

Behind the scenes of the circus tents, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

Wendy:  They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie

              Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown

An American perspective of the injustices and betrayals of the US Government. Brown views the government's dealings as continued efforts to destroy the culture, religion, and way of life of Native American peoples.