LETSBuzz Book Club 25th August 2002
Gill thought it was a bit lazy of Lodge to make one of the main characters a writer. It's an intelligent, well-structured book that addresses some big issues but Gill didn't find it "witty and engrossing" as claimed on the cover.
Rory had enjoyed this book. Lodge writes about ideas and books that Rory is interested in and although Lodge is sometimes "showing off" with his writing he is good.
Gill
Gill was attracted to the cover (though it seems to bear no relationship to the book) and thought it was possibly the best part of the book. The concept of dismantling a middle-class Irish patriarch is interesting but some parts of the book are really hard to follow and the book is not particularly well written.
Gill
This was shortlisted for the '96 Booker prize deservedly. The story is about growing up in a Kent village in the 1950s. It starts in a seedy part of London - this bit is a bit grim - and then moves to a tea room in Kent. The issues are explored quite well from a child's point of view.
Bob had also enjoyed this book - it was grim in parts, but not gratuitous.
Gill
A French book which has apparently been very popular in France. Bob hesitates to recommend this as it contains not one sympathetic character. The book spans the last 30-40 years and says a lot about how the world has developed in that time, and the way it has been 'atomized' - broken down into bits. It's packed with ideas. It's a rich and stimulating book but also very grim, violent and bitter.
Bob
This book is about a very fashionable subject: growing up in the 1970s. Bob grew up in the 70s but found this completely soulless, it just seems to be jumping on the 70s bandwagon. Not recommended, in spite of good reviews.
Bob
Bob found this book "turgid" (cries of disbelief from rest of the Book Group). It "smacks of research" and is far too earnest and goes on for too long.
Bob
99% of this book is dialogue. No obvious research, no flashbacks, no bodies in the garden, no incest. A very old fashioned book in many ways. Concerns a son and daughter and their relationship with their mother. Recommended.
Bob
Andrew
This is about the idea of alien abduction. The theory of the book is that all the reported alien abductions have actually been organized by a special department of the U.S. Government. The book is more about U.S. society, and the way the government is a controlling force in society, than about abductions. Although the idea behind the book is amusing it's not very well written - Andrew got bored towards the end.
Andrew
Andrew has read and enjoyed this book several times - it's a classic. Written in 1889. A simple tale of the author and two friends who, having had enough of London life, decide to take a boat up the Thames. A very funny book with some tremendous set pieces, many concerning the difficulties encountered in getting to the start of the journey. Everyone should read this book.
Andrew
Granta - Celebrity
Andrew has struggled to get through the last couple of Grantas but this one is better quality and actually includes some interesting new writers, unlike recent issues which have contained little if any new writing. It includes a very good piece by Andrew Martin on a man who sought celebrity by becoming the world rollercoasting champion - by staying on a rollercoaster 24 hours a day for 3 months. (He was allowed off for 5 minutes every hour). Another entertaining piece concerns the Clintons buying a house - and the bad reaction to this of the local residents.
Andrew
Lane is a painter, writer and educator. This is a very spiritual and impressionistic book about giving up work. Almost too spiritual and "other-worldly" it contains no practical information. A bit waffly. Andrew's reaction to this book: "I see where he's coming from - I just hope I'm not going there."
Andrew
Carolyn heard excerpts from this book on Radio 4 but found they weren't representative of the book. The author is a primatologist and the story deals with his time in Kenya as a researcher, traveling back and forth to the USA over a period of 15-20 years. Carolyn really enjoyed this book and found his irritation with the Masai a refreshing change from the usual politically-correct view. It was also interesting to discover the depth of knowledge the author has about baboons. As a trainee teacher of adolescent males Carolyn found this "the most relevant book I have read this year".
Carolyn
A small book (Gill asked if it was bigger inside). Rory found this book very interesting but not always understandable. The author is a physicist and is writing more about the theory and possibility of time travel rather than a "how to" manual - but the book does contain a lot of diagrams. Quite entertaining.
Rory
The author is Egyptian and Doreen bought this book because she is going on holiday to Egypt. In spite of glowing reviews quoted on the cover and inclusion on the shortlist for the '99 Booker prize Doreen found this book "a bit of a mess". It contains two stories: one is about a young English widow who goes to Egypt, is kidnapped, falls in love with her kidnappers brother and rides across the desert on a camel with him. "Very Mills and Boon". The second story is very difficult to follow - the author seems to expect the reader to know about nineteenth century Egyptian politics. Doreen didn't know much more about Egypt after reading this book. Not recommended.
Carolyn disagreed - she really enjoyed this book, including the romance and the politics.
Doreen
This is partly about Australia and partly about Sudan. The Australian bit is set at the end of the nineteenth century. Bettany's son goes to Australia to be a sheep farmer. An interesting description of the way that Australia was made by such people. The other part of the book is about two sisters, one of whom goes to work for a charity in Sudan. It's about Sudanese politics, aid, famine, and the way in which white do-gooders are seen. The two sisters are descendants of Bettany. This could be seen as a weak device but is very well done. Keneally writes very well and tackles huge issues.
Doreen
One of the reasons I was attracted to this book is that the central character is the same age as me - and there aren't that many books where the main character is an "older woman" (i.e. over 40). I didn't find her sympathetic (have even forgotten her name) but the book does contain some very realistic depictions of the day-to-day banter of a big extended family, and the very entertaining character of Poppy, the hundred year old father-in-law of the central character. Her nerdish academic ex-boyfriend is also all-too-believable.
Jean
A wonderful book, extremely moving. The, presumably autobiographical, story concerns the way in which wartime experiences divide a young couple and their son. The husband is unable to talk about the horrors of his experience in Burma and wants to leave Wigton, the town where they (and Melvyn Bragg) grew up. The descriptions of Wigton, told from the perspective of the father, the mother and the child, are very evocative of the period and place. Can't wait to read the 2nd volume in the trilogy. Highly recommended.
Jean
The frames have gone all funny - click to make it good.