Book Club - July '10




BOOK CLUB FORMAT

• All welcome - jump in anytime!
• Books chosen at beginning of the year. 2010 Reading list here.
• One month to read the book.
• Discussion welcome throughout the month (in this thread) but please prefix your post with a *warning* if you want to discuss anything that might expose the plot to other members.
• The last week of each month: Discussion questions posted for reply. Whoever chose that book for the month, is responsible for posting questions.

Have requested my library to transfer it from another branch so will hopefully have my hands on a copy soon! I read the Bride Stripped Bare and thought it was written to cause uproar and didn't think much of the story line at all. Will be interesting to see how I go with this one!

I've read a couple of chapters. This book really interests me, in a cultural/sociological way. She's describing the differences between England and Australia and introducing us to the aspects of British life that are so vastly different to here.

I can relate to it after living in the UK for a while as a 19 year old: for a long time it was difficult to put my finger on where my homesickness came from, because the differences were very subtle at the time. After a while living & working there, I realised that it was very much a forgein country in so many ways. I naively thought it would be just like Australia only much colder, and with real football, lol.

I'm sure there'll be more positive references to Britain, but this observation really stood out in the first couple of chapters:

I finished it over the weekend (managed to find it at another library on Saturday).

***SPOILER ALERT***

I really enjoyed it at the start but by the end I was a bit over it. Yes, I get that she loved the simplicity of the life she had in Australia and that she wished for her children to experience that. I get that she loved the history and opportunity in England etc etc. but I really felt that the last bit was just the same as the beginning.

I liked the writing, thought she did a great job with it but I must admit I got a bit bored toward the end!

I've got my copy, but haven't started it yet, maybe I should now that my daughter is sleeping. I am currently reading another book, but I often have two on the go.

Yeh I'm half way through, and am finding the same Yvette. The affection & sentimentality for Australia is getting a little repetitive. The question that keeps popping up in my head, is how do the kids feel in all this? What about letting them develop their own identities rather than trying desperately to instill your own diluted version? (or am I being harsh with this)?

Her observations of the classic Australian upbringing (in the 70/80's I'm assuming) are pretty spot on though. I'm finding myself nodding and smiling at a lot of the descriptions

j-lo - it's a very quick & easy read. I'm also reading a few books at the moment, so it's taking me a ltitle longer. It's easily a one sit read though if you're keen. Trouble is - when given the choice and free time, I'm reaching for a text book before this biography, lol, which is a worry

Ho hum.

It is soooooo repetitive! If I hear how the cold curls in her bones one more time... If she rambles on about the light again.... ahhhhh

Sorry, she is so not my cup of tea. I need a good meaty plot! She does describe things beautifully, and does have an amazing way of re-creating an image so you can really feel it. But as a story... it would probably be a nice article? Too long and drawn out, and did I say repetitive... ?

Easy read though...

Oh I'm only about 3/4 way though too...

Kate

Well I did make a start this afternoon - you're right it's a very easy read and I'd have to agree about the repetition, it's driving me a little crazy.

Actually I find this kind of book quite self-indulgent. I think it's fine to write this for your children - though I can't imagine them wanting to read a whole book worth of it, maybe a couple of pages - but as for publishing it for widespread consumption there's not a lot to get you 'in' so to speak. Do you think this was publish because she has made a 'name' for herself with other novels? I can't imagine too many publishing houses going for this kind of book by an unknown.

Anyway, like I said I've only made a start, but so far I'm not terribly impressed. Should get it finished in a few days though I would think.

Jo

Oh God I totally agree J-lo - very self indulgent. I think the saving grace here is the writing, because it's colourful and descriptive, in a sparce kind of way. The 'kids marinated in sunshine' line has been a little over used though

Yes, very self indulgent. I think as a letter to her children it would be absolutely beautiful (but it should be much shorter) but as a book - meh. Mind you I thought the Bride stripped bare was a bit blah as well and was only popular for the almost porn factor rather than a gripping storyline.

I just finished reading this a few days ago and really enjoyed it.
I like her writing style and am now going back to re read The Bride Stripped Bare.
I also enjoyed Shiver, many years ago.

Has anyone read her book, Pleasure: An Almanac For The Heart?

******* Spoiler Alert *******

Well I reluctantly made it through this one, finished it this morning and I can't say my opinion of it improved on further reading - self-indulgent to the end.

I also found the writing incredibly repetitive and cliche. I thought some of the quotes she used were interesting, but others didn't add anything to the 'novel'. I did wonder whether her fantasy of the perfect Australian childhood would live up to expectation when they make the permanent shift back to the 'southern hemisphere'. I got the feeling that maybe the grass is always greenier for her.

On a more positive note, I did find a few laughs in there, in particular I liked the sections that were from her notebook, pointing out quinessential Australianess - there were many that had me nodding in recognition. I also quite enjoyed reading the part on the London Library - sounds like my kind of place - and was touched by the part on Black Saturday. Finally, I was thankful for the recognition that the Australian publich school system can be and often is pretty darn good, thanks to hard-working, dedicated teachers and principals - yes I am a public school teacher and proud of it.

Anyway, there are my thoughts, will be interested to see what others have thought.

I finished a couple of days ago and have to agree with you all on the self indulgence, it would have suited a novella length better. The cynic in me says she approached her publisher with the idea in order to fund the trip and here was the result.

The book read as one cliche after another, both on Australia and London. I felt like I was reading an advertisement rather than a family awakening and while some of her sentences were beautifully written with so many bunched together there was no flow. I would have loved to have heard stories from the boys school; the overnight boat trip; the family get togethers. It was all just a little contrived and somewhat superficial for me.

Hi guys

Yes I agree Loubee. The narrative structure was really all over the place. Some biographies flow beautifully, while others seem more of a random collection of thoughts, with no real direction or purpose. The descriptive writing was great though - and held my interest for most of the book, as I really enjoy the well written word. But it really needed more structure. I found it all so repetitve after about the first quarter.

I found the references to British society and class structure really interesting - compared to the social opportunities of Australia. She wrote about society being almost shackled by it's history, meaning that there was less licence to break through class structure (in the UK). Would love to quote her observations, but have returned the book to the library. It was interesting reading



No, but have read a few favourable reviews on it. Might have to go check it out
Allyc - are you going to join us for August's read?

Hi All,

I thought seeings as we finished this months book quite quickly and it hasn't spurred too much discussion unlike last month, that we could all list the best non-club book we've read this year. What do you think?

Jo

Great idea Jo, here on in another thread?

Narrowing it down would be hard but likely to be either The Childrens Book AS Byatt or The line of Beauty Alan Hollinghurst - has anyone read either of these?

Lou I hadn't thought about where, is here as easy as anywhere else?

Haven't read the two you mentioned though I LOVE A. S. Byatt. Have you read Possession?

I'm still trying to narrow it down as well. Will be back later when I've decided.

Jo

If you like Byatt you must read The Childrens Book, I couldn't put it down. It's a long sage begining at the end of the Victorian era moving through the Edwardian period.



The line of Beauty, is set in the UK in the early '80's, I was a nanny in the early '90s to very wealthy families and also befriended some very wealthy English guys and felt this novel perfectly captures the class structure, London and the era.

I have Possession by my bed ready to read along with 15 other books. I'm having a Haruki Murakami & Ian McEwan fest this year so trying to fit books in and around these two.

Well I can't even remember all the books that I read! However, I just read an autobiography called Almost Perfect by Kelly Denley. She is an Australian mum to 8 children. She fell pregnant at 17 and dropped out of school so after she had her 8th child she returned to do her HSC when she was in her 30s. Then her and her husband packed up the family and spent a year travelling around Australia.

It was interesting in that I have always wanted to travel around Australia with the kids but it certainly made me assess how I would want to do it! They did it on such a low budget and it sounded so stressful! Was a very inspiring read.

Hi guys, been away for a week

The non-EB book club book that's stood out for me this year, was Revolutionary Road (Richard Yates).
Powerful, tragic, beautiful.

I'm not sure that this is the best book I've read in the last 6 months, but definitely one that has stuck in my mind is The Corrections. Turned out to be quite sad and touching, but a very unusual storyline and characters.

I've been working my way through the 1001 books you should read before you die. I have a looooong way to go, but I've read some books I would never have looked at otherwise like Passage to India.

The Revolutionary Road sounds great, I'll have to keep my eyes out for that one. And thanks Loubee for the tip about The Children's Book, will also put that on the list - aaaaahhhh the never-ending list. Does anyone else think that there are just too many books you want to read and not enough time. If only someone would pay me to read!!

Anyway, getting towards the end of the month now, so time to get onto the finding the next one on our list. Anyone got a copy yet?

Jo

Ohhh yes, all the time! Walking in to book shops is a terrible distraction - I always walk around thinking "I could read that, and ohhh that one looks good, but wait what about that one..."

I think there's a copy of August's book at our library. Most libraries should have it actually, it's one of those classic reads, and it should invoke a fair amount of discussion. Looking fowd to reading it!

Jo I read The Corrections a few years ago and just loved it. I'd love to read it again but there are so many books to read that I find it hard to reread.

I bought a copy of Slaughterhouse Five a couple of months ago and the book man was really excited I was buying it, said it's his fave Vonnegut so I'm looking forward to it. Will start after I finish The New York Triology

Hi loubee

Are you reading Vonneguts Slaughterhouse Five, or Breakfast of Champions? Actually y'know I'd be happy to read either because I've been meaning to read SH5 for ages now. Happy to switch August's book over to SH5 instead, if anyone else is keen?

Oops, bought the wrong one . I'm easy on either.