This month, members of the Book Club will be sharing information about book/s they have received and/or read over the holiday period.
Judy: The Dinner by Herman Koch
Two couples meet in a fancy restaurant in Amsterdam to discuss something dreadful that has been done by their sons (cousins). As the evening progresses, civilized behaviour breaks down, revealing that parents are not so different from their children.
This book is a translated from the Dutch, and contains many descriptions of the dinner to satisfy the foodies. The book is divided in to 4 sections, the Aperitif, The Appetizer, The Main Course and the Dessert with each meal described in great detail.
There are also plenty of shocks and twists to get the book through to its conclusion, and leaves the reader posed with the question: just how far would you go to protect the ones you love? It is very thought provoking, it has some humour,....it's about being a parent and the love and fears we have for our children.
Jules: Old School My Life Story by Nathan Hindmarsh and Michael Visontay
As Jules is a dedicated Parramatta supporter, she enjoyed this present at Christmas. Nathan has recently retired as a rugby league player and this tells the story of his life so far, including his wife and family, the charity work he does. He also talks about the 'not so good times' when he had a gambling habit on the poker machines. At one time he was losing over $20,000 a year.
Jules found the book an inspiring read, with amusing parts and some great photos to add to the enjoyment.
She also read Friends in High Places by Donna Leon....."couldn't put it down"
Claurine: Ancient Life by John Banville
John Banville is an Irish writer. This book, the third in the series, is narrated by an elderly semi-retired actor who is looking back to when he began making films and his relations with different women during his life. These include a 15 year old, an affair with his best friend's mother, his wife, relationship with his daughter and a young actress.
Claurine's comment was that he writes beautifully and with a mixture of mystery, sex, and humour, the book was a pleasure to read.
Anne: Standing in Another Man's Grave by Ian Rankin
This is the latest in the series featuring Detective John Rebus. It is 5 years since he has retired but when he returns to works, he finds that little has changed. He is still in trouble with his superiors including Malcolm Fox from the internal affairs unit. Set in Edinburgh, Anne enjoyed the dialogue and the humour and thought the book was up to the high standard of other books by this author.
Jo: Six Geese are Slaying by Donna Andrews
Meg is organising the annual Christmas parade with the theme of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and anything that could go wrong, does go wrong. In the middle of this, Santa gets himself murdered.
Jo described it as a light-hearted murder and absolutely hilarious.
Rosemary: A Painted House by John Grisham.
This is the author's first major work outside of the legal genre and was inspired by his childhood in Arkansas in the 1950s. They are cotton farmers struggling to pay their debts.
Rosemary found it a bit slow, but thought that may be this reflected the life style; it is certainly not the rat race.
The story is told through the eyes of Luke who is 7 years old. Rosemary thought he knew too much for a 7 year old and it would have been more believable if he were 12 or 13.
She is only part way through and can see that more drama is about to happen.
Jane:
Jane only had time to read a trashy novel that she couldn't remember the title of. It was about 3 teenagers, one who has a baby in the toilet at Heathrow Airport. The baby is saved and later in life, the girls all cross paths again!
Sheila: A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French
Sheila was almost put off reading this because of the language in the first paragraph. But she persisted (because of Dawn French). It is the story of a very modern family lurching towards meltdown. The family does sort itself and there are some quite humourus parts.
Sheila gave the warning....the book contains swearing, sex and uncouth behaviours, and not to read it if you don't like this sort of thing.
She did enjoy it in the end, saying it was a light and frivolous type of book.
She also read Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Cruise.
Sheila described it as a very unusual story set over 7 days. Very fast action and very funny.
She normally doesn't read American books, but did enjoy this one.
Pamela: A Place of Greater Safety by Hillary Mantell
Pamela highly recommends this account of the French Revolution, 1789-1794, focusing on 3 main players, all lawyers. They are very young (28-30 years old) and very important people.
On occasions the story is funny, and always interesting. Through the extra-ordinary details that the author describes, you realise how dreadful the time was, and she humanizes it the way history books can't.
Pamela thought it was even better than Wolf Hall!
Wendy: A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy
This is her final book as the author died last year.
The story is set in Ireland and revolves around the first intake of guests for a newly refurbished hotel. In true style of the author, she knits all these mismatched characters together and for most of them it is a catalyst for their future.
Wendy thought it was a grand finale for a good writer. In her opinion, a good writer "brings me companionship and pleasure".
Joan: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Joan read and enjoyed this very light-hearted book by this English writer.
Harold Fry is an old man from a dysfunctional family. He has never really achieved or done anything and now he is retired. When he receives a letter from an old friend Queenie, who is dying, he is unable to post his response, instead reflecting on their younger days when they met, and her kindness to him.
So he decides to take off and walk 627 miles in 87 days to see Queenie. He is totally unprepared, and the story is about who he meets along the way and how he copes. His wife doesn't know how to take it....Harold is finally doing something. He has a purpose and a direction the further he gets away from his wife Maureen.
Joan is now reading Back on the Wool Track by Michelle Grattan
In 1909 Charles Bean wrote a series of articles on the western wool industry. Michelle and her cousin have retraced some of his journeys and the properties he visited.
Connie: Mrs Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn
The Queen is a little depressed and starting to forget things when she decides to take some cheese to one of her horses. When she is in the stable and feeling cold, the stable girl lends her a hoodie. She is now unrecognisable and so walks out the gate. Eventually she finds herself on a train going to Scotland to visit Britannica. By the time the Palace has realised she is missing, she is enjoying her train ride with the other passengers in the carriage. They then have to work out how to get her back without causing too much fuss.
Connie loved it. It was pure fiction, gentle and easy to read and just right for the Christmas holidays.
She had also previously read Alan Bennett's book The Uncommon Reader which is also mentioned in the story.
Dianne: The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry
Dianne described it as black, bleak, upsetting but she enjoyed it!
A very old lady (approx 100-102 years old) lives in an asylum which is about to be demolished and she has to be moved. Her psychologist thinks it is cruel that she should be moved and takes more interest in her case. Why has she been in the asylum for 40 years and what has she done?
There is a twist at the end even though the story is not resolved.
Dianne thought the writing was beautiful and that the author was a "wordsmith". She thoroughly recommends it despite the ending being a little far fetched. She can forgive this because the author is "such a beautiful writer".
She also read My Glass Heart by Karen Gillece.
Dianne described this as very well written contemporary novel. When you read it you are in the world of the story.
It is a story of deception, betrayal, a tale of trying to help a young offender. When he is placed in a florist shop you can see that disaster is going to occur and that lives will unravel.
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