LETSBuzz Book Club 19th May 2002
Rory was particularly interested in this book as he has friends in Thailand. The book is mostly about the current king, probably the longest-reigning king in the world as he first came to power in 1947. The king has been in a fairly precarious position throughout his reign, threatened by the military and big business. He has remained very popular with the people which may be the reason he has retained his position for so long. The author, who spent ten years in Thailand, has had an varied career including time spent in the secret service and diplomacy, and has written on a range of world politics. Not particularly well-written.
Rory
Doreen was initially a bit put off by the knowledge that the book contained a Dunblane-type school massacre. However the book is not gruesome as the massacre has already happened. The story is about an insurance investigator sent to the village to investigate suspected fraud. Parchment had fallen out of the sky in the village and had been collected by the families who had lost children. This had been seen as an act of God - but also as a potential money-making scam. The investigator is very cynical, having lost his faith of God when his young son had died in an accident. Doreen enjoyed this book and found it very positive, simply written and effective.
Doreen
Doreen found the first fifty pages of the book simple-minded and stupid. It then started to get quite interesting but tailed off again towards the end. Not a good book but it has its moments. It's about a community living a very basic lifestyle and at first it's not clear whether the book is set in the past or in the future. Gradually it becomes clear that it is a contemporary community living on a remote Scottish island, somehow bypassed by civilization. Scotland may have seemed very remote to the (American) author but Doreen found this aspect of the book unconvincing. An anthropologist arrives on the island and, in spite of her attempt not to alter anything, things start to change. The book loses its way at this point. Not recommended.
Doreen
This book was a happy discovery at the South Bank Centre bookshop which had a display of Maxwell's books. Maxwell is an American, born in 1908, who was an editor of the New Yorker. The book is about two male friends in a farming community. One of the men has an affair with the other man's wife. A standard story but beautifully written with very elegant prose. Doreen loved this book and looked forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommended.
Doreen
Emily decided to read this book after seeing the film. She found it very light-hearted and amusing and laughed out loud in places. The book gave more depth to the characters than the film but otherwise she didn't get much more from it than she had from watching the film. Emily enjoyed the way that the book was written from the point of view of the children, and the way in which they were constantly embarrassed by their mother.
Emily
From the beginning of the book it is clear that there is going to be a tragic death but when the death came Emily found it disappointing, having hoped for something more dramatic. (Some other members of the Book group thought death by snake was quite dramatic enough for them...) Generally a very perceptive book and Emily was impressed at the way the author moves from one character to another and yet keeps each character so distinct and recognizable. It was also interesting to learn more about the history of the Congo. Overall a brilliant book.
Emily
Andrew liked this 'rattling good yarn' which provides an epic sweep through the character's lives. There are two central characters, an Englishman and a Bangladeshi man. The book describes their friendship and the bonds that grow between their extended families. There is a lot of plot, and probably some holes in the plot but the story moves so fast there is no time to notice these. Well-written, good dialogue, very cosmopolitan and very engaging characters. Recommended.
Andrew
A first novel (not yet published) set in 1960s Minnesota but with very little reference to the modern world. Very Wild West. The story is told from the viewpoint of an asthmatic boy of eleven. His older brother commits a murder and goes on the run. The family decide to go ahead with their plans to move to California even though they cannot contact the older brother. Andrew found the style of writing very annoying, particularly the excessive use of the word 'atop' (an Americanism?) The book title is the title of a Paul Simon song but there is no apparent relevance. The ending was a bit too sweet - made Andrew's teeth hurt.
The glowing blurb on the back cover includes the information that this book is 'Backed by an inspirational Transworld marketing campaign'. But Andrew doesn't recommend that anyone should bother reading this.
Andrew
These are, respectively, the second and third volumes of Pullman's 'Northern Lights' trilogy. Jean enjoyed both of these but found the second volume a bit insubstantial, a bit of a 'filler' and not a book that could stand on its own. The final volume was excellent and altogether a deeper and darker book than the other two. The description of the world of the dead, and Pullman's way of conceptualizing death was particularly impressive. Highly recommended.
Jean
This is an unusual book that was originally published on the internet and could be read in any order. It consists of a series of portraits of the 252 tube passengers, and the driver on a southbound Bakerloo line train. Each portrait is written in exactly 253 words. There are also some footnotes, some of which are true and some fictitious. Each portrait describes the appearance of the character and what they appear to be doing or thinking, and also what they are really thinking. An element of drama is introduced at the start of the book when we realize that the train is probably going to crash. This lends a potency to some of the characters' impulse decisions to stay on the train, or to get off at a different stop. Not a book to read through at one sitting but ideal for hospital/doctor/dentist waiting rooms or anywhere where it's difficult to concentrate. Tube journeys will never be the same again...
Jean
Doreen had recommended this to Jean as one of Iris Murdoch's more accessible books. (Jean had been put off this author by having to read her works at school but wanted to try again after seeing the film 'Iris'). An extraordinary book that remains in the mind long after being put down. Andrew and Doreen could both remember parts of the book twenty years after reading it. The story centers on an egocentric retired theatre director who moves to a lonely, and slightly spooky house by the sea. He rediscovers the lost love of his childhood living in the village and becomes obsessively involved with the idea of rescuing her from her husband, marrying her and living happily ever after. The book becomes quite theatrical as other characters from his past (ex-lovers, their husbands, etc.) turn up on his doorstep and become re-entangled in his life. Jean usually finds it hard to be bothered about books that concern unsympathetic and unlikeable characters but this one is an exception. Not exactly an easy read but rewarding. It is worth reading for the evocative descriptions of the sea alone. Highly recommended.
Jean
The frames have gone all funny - click to make it good.