LETSBuzz Book Club 23rd September 2001
Heard on the radio. Absolutely brilliant, funny, outrageous & quite shocking. A.A.Gill called it Elizabeth David scripted by Quentin Tarantino & it confirmed all of Carolyn's prejudices about food. Principally set in New York but some experiences from the author's time in Japan.
Carolyn
Very funny at first but drifts into tragedy. About how a series of incidents and coincidences can lead to someone being interpreted as being mad. All told from the protagonist's point of view so the reader cannot be sure if events are real or spun by the narrator. A major reference point is Morrissey & The Smiths as the book is a series of letters to the singer with whom the protagonist is obsessed.
Carolyn
Exquisitely, beautifully written though not for the faint hearted. Concerns a forensic anthropologist who returns to his native Sri Lanka and gets caught up in the local political situation. Precise and evocative descriptions that give the reader the absolute essence of the characters.
Carolyn
Short stories. A very light summer read about food and sex which Caroline thoroughly enjoyed (the read, that is - though possibly the food & sex as well)
Caroline
An author that Caroline read a lot as a teenager.
She really enjoyed this book anew and although it was published in 1975 it didn't seem dated. Superb writing & wonderfully true.
Caroline
Bought on the strength of a Guardian review. Caroline enjoyed this but it was not as good as implied either by the review or by Roddy Doyle's cover copy. Several parallel stories, all very believable, from small town and rural America.
Caroline
A self-help book, that Caroline hesitated to bring to the group, about being creative. A handbook giving hints and tips about tapping your creative sources. It's worked for Caroline because she's started writing since reading it.
Caroline
Jean
Romantic story about teenage lovers who meet again after a 26 year break. Quite mysterious and a rattling good yarn with a very startling ending. A good read without being a great work of art.
Jean
Funny. About a pair of friends who go to India together. They have totally different reactions. He is appalled by the heat and conditions. She is on a different plane altogether, having a spiritual experience. A light and enjoyable read.
Jean
Jean was only about a third of the way through this collection stories all about life in India, which she was finding terribly sad.
Jean
It sounded entertaining and the first chapter was okay. Unfortunately the book consists of only one joke and overall it's not well written and was dropped onto the floor in disgust part way through.
Jean
A very light documentary about the author's search for some form of enlightenment by trying every type of alternative therapy going. Unfortunately, this is a thinly disguised search by the author for a man with whom to have a relationship. The one therapy that the author feels really does her any good is the sports massage, which takes place with absolutely no mystical elements, proving some point.
Andrew
Another light documentary in the "Year In Provence" style but set
in the area of Liguria, Italy. Of interest to Andrew as he went there earlier in the year. Also quite good on the subject of the blood feuds and long held grudges that exist beneath the surface of these apparently idyllic paradises. As with so many of this type of book, Andrew felt it lacked any kind of structure and thus became a bit boring.
Andrew
Although Andrew had praised Irving long & loud in the past he felt this was not only a weak book but an extremely sleazy one as well. Andrew had criticised Irving's previous book "A Widow For One Year" because the characters' main motivation for anything was sex. The Fourth Hand took this theme even further which made for a grubby and totally unrealistic read. Once again, he wanted to wash his hands afterwards.
Andrew
O'Farrell's first novel, after the success of the very good political memoir
"Things Can Only Get Better". Less successful, thought Andrew, because the structure was weaker and although there are a few good jokes, they're directed at rather soft targets and stereotypical behaviour. An undemanding read though.
Andrew
The best of the bunch and Andrew had really enjoyed this, an improvement on "About A Boy". A modern fable about what it means to be 'good' and how this effects the people around you if you try. Some very good characters, especially the children. Andrew didn't have any problem with the narrative being written from a woman's point of view (as some people have). Recommended.
Andrew
A true account of the history of whaling and the real-life story that inspired Moby Dick. Based around the strongly Protestant area of Nantucket in USA.
There is casual and wanton destruction, wiping out loads of wildlife just for a prank. The book describes what a perilous lifestyle the whalers endured but also how whales were regarded as a never-ending resource. Ghastly descriptions of what happen to the body when you starve but recommended.
Gill
Gill was annoyed by this being an entertainment rather than a strictly accurate autobiography. She also didn't find it as screamingly hilarious as her husband
Gill
Roman history brought alive but in a rather patronising way with everything being told to you twice over as per a TV script. Very interesting on the subject of the technology of the times and the way that the Romans used it.
Rory
First book by journalist about the fast food industry in USA and how it has spread around the world. Digresses into discussion on the role of this big business into US politics. Very interesting on the origin of now famous chains like McDonalds, KFC etc. Strong "bugger me!" factor, with amazing facts and statistics every few pages. Truly disgusting stuff about poorly run food processing plants and bound to make every vegetarian (ie, about half the group) feel pretty damn smug. Quite well written though hardly an impartial view.
Rory
13,000 years of man's effort to make a workable calendar. Interesting about how different civilisations tried to devise the way to measure time. Lots of amazing but probably useless facts.
Rory
Doreen didn't like this, it made her feel inadequate because so much of it just passed her by. Totally unrealistic, as if it's supposed to be symbolic of something. But what? she found herself asking throughout.
Doreen
Winner of the Orange Prize. Doreen thought this a very poor book, a Mills & Boon pretending to be something else. Ridiculous, she can't imagine why the author wrote it.
Doreen
The second part of a trilogy. Doreen had read the first book and really enjoyed it, getting very involved with the characters. Bragg is very good at not taking sides in conflicts of all types.
Doreen
A very truthful autobiography of growing up in rural Wales. Sage pulls absolutely no punches about her terrible childhood.
Doreen
The frames have gone all funny - click to make it good.