Below are a selection of the previous books the group has read and reviewed….We hope that you might be inspired to pick them up and read them yourselves!
"Running With Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs.
Everyone had enjoyed the book, though to a greater or lesser degree. We all had varying responses to the humour and the dark moments in the story and had our own "favourite" quote.
Nobody found the book bland and the discussion was lively and brisk and could have gone on much longer than the hour we had.
Plot overview – Running with Scissors is a 2002 memoir by American writer Augusten Burroughs. The book tells the story of Burroughs’ bizarre childhood life after his mother, who had an obsession with Anne Sexton, sent him to live with her psychiatrist.
" A Thousand Splendid Suns"
“A Thousand Splendid Suns”, our July selection, prompted another lively and stimulating discussion. It deals with a very painful subject and – although not all members were in agreement – it left us feeling extremely moved by the plight of women in Afghanistan during the Taliban rule.
"Common Murder" by Val McDermid
Our chosen book for this meeting was "Common Murder" by Val McDermid. She’s a writer known for her crime fiction particularly "Wire in the Blood" which is also filmed for TV.
Sadly there was little enthusiasm for this book. Everyone agreed that the ususal suspense was completely absent and the plot continually failed to grab the reader’s imagination.
Many of the group knew her writing well and were great admirers but had to agree that "Common Murder" was not one of her best
"The Night Listener" by Armistead Maupin.
Most people were very interested to note how dissimilar this book was to the "Tales of the City" sequence of novels for which Armistead Maupin is best known. There were differing opinions as to whether this departure from a witty, urbane style of writing was a good thing. However everyone was agreed on the author’s ability to tell a good story, and this was borne out by the strong opinions the group members showed about their favourite characters and which ones , they felt, were treated well or badly by the narrative.
THE CAT SANCTUARY by Patrick Gale
A powerful and moving novel in which Patrick Gale casts a compassionate yet satirically sharp eye over the pains and abuses inflicted by families, friends and lovers. Judith and Deborah are sisters driven apart by traumatic events in their childhood, but thrown back together again when Deborah’s diplomat husband is accidentally assassinated. Judith’s lover, Joanna, the instigator of this awkward reunion, finds that as the sisters’ murky past is raked up, so too is her own, and the three women become embroiled in a tangle of passion and recrimination.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the Cat Sancutary…it’s the first Patrick Gale novel I’ve read and will go back for more!!” Comment from one of our members.
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”by Jean-Dominique Bauby
The majority of the group found The Diving Bell and the Butterfly a disappointing book! It didn’t tell you a great deal about anything other than a glimpse of windows in the life of the author.
"The Uncommon Reader" - Alan Bennet
The book told the story of how The Queen became a member of the mobile library which parked outside Buckingham Palace. She was helped in the practicticalities by a footman, Norman, with whom she struck up a firm, affectionate friendship.
The likelihood of either of these two scenarios ever becoming real made for a very sparky ( and in some cases rather disrespectful) discussion. However all the members of the group found the book extremely well written and very easy to read.
"I really enjoyed it" – Tony Chick#
"Very enjoyable" - Alan Edwards
"An amusing book for a wet afternoon" – Andy/John
An Equal Music by Vikram Seth
As always the book prompted a lively discussion and members of the group varied in their response to the selection.
It was generally agreed that the book told an absorbing story and was well written though some of us felt that not being familiar with all the music written about was a slight hindrance.
"A very pleasant read"
"It didn’t live up to the hype"
"Not so good as ‘A Suitable Boy’ "
