LETSBuzz Book Club 19th October 2003
Andrew didn't like this quasi-mystical book. Might be appreciated
by 17 year olds unsure of their direction in life. Otherwise not
recommended.
Andrew
The basic theme of this book is that terrible things happen but
life goes on. The detailed stories seem a deliberate device to
underline how complex simple lives can be. Interesting
characters. Recommended.
Andrew
Proulx has immersed herself in the whole culture of the Texas
panhandle. A major work, but very boring and only a flimsy story.
Lots of research and huge digressions that seem to last for
hundreds of pages. Doreen thought it funny but Andrew disagreed.
Gill found the characters unsympathetic. Lots of peculiar names -
Andrew wondered whether Proulx took these from senders of email
spam.
Andrew
One for the geeks and conspiracy theorists. Andrew didn't
understand a lot of it - lots of computer-speak and jargon.
Andrew
Written from the viewpoint of Christopher, a teenage maths genius
with Asperger's syndrome. Extremely good, and also funny, in
spite of the fact that Christopher can't understand humour. Two
versions of the book have been published, one for adults and one
for children (Haddon is a children's author). Much of the book is
about his parents' inability to deal with him. Highly
recommended. Rory had also read this but hadn't found it funny.
Very well written and optimistic. Interesting to see how well
Christopher could function in spite of his disability. Rory's
website [www.rorysjava.intelynx.net] has a program that
demonstrates the Monty Hall problem (a maths problems included in
the book).
Andrew
A month by month story of a Richmond allotment. Gill could relate
to this book but couldn't imagine anyone other than allotment
holders, or aspiring allotment holders, enjoying it.
Gill
Shortlisted for the Booker. Gill found this book informative. It
gave her an insight into the lives of Bangladeshis living in
England. The story centers on a young Bangladeshi woman who comes
over to England for an arranged marriage and then leads a very
sheltered life in the East End. The book depicts the Bangladeshi
community as having a sense of not belonging, not knowing where
they belong. Doreen found the book depressing and grim -
"everyone in the book is so unhappy all the time".
Gill
A great vegetable cookery book.
Jean
Jean had been desperately searching for recipes for the pattypan
squashes that keep turning up in her vegetable box - this book
has lots of interesting options.
Jean
Shortlisted for the Booker. An interesting story, or rather four
intertwining stories. The book revolves round four characters: a
woman dying of cancer, her two adult sons, one of whom is
struggling with both his marriage and career, the other seems to
have lost his direction; and a melodramatic gay Hungarian.
Recommended.
Jean
A true story of a retired American professor who is dying of a
rare disease, ALS, which is gradually wasting his muscles. The
author is an ex-student who meets up with the professor many
years after leaving college and, inspired by his attitude to life
(and death) decides to visit him regularly and tape their
discussions. A book that might be expected to be either
unbearably depressing or over-sentimental is readable and
inspiring. Recommended.
Jean
Rory found this book a bit morbid "but at least it's short". A
book about a lost generation, isolated people with broken
relationships and lives falling apart. Rory thought the book
might be partly autobiographical. A bit of a downer but has some
interesting ideas and a few laughs.
Not one of his best.
Rory
Bob and Andrew had both liked this book but Doreen didn't and
pronounced it a 'boy's book'. The story centers on a youngish
man, playing in a wedding band, who gets engaged to his long-term
girlfriend and then panics and has a fling with another women.
Lots of stuff about music - could equally have been about
football, darts, railways or any other diversionary activity.
Doreen had no patience with this book. A lad's book and not
nearly as funny as Nick Hornby.
Doreen
This is a short story from the website
www.saveourshortstory.org.uk (now apparently defunct) which sends subscribers two short
stories each month (free of charge). Doreen liked this one a lot.
About a woman who is a heroin addict having a supervised visit
with her son and going to the swimming baths. The book is about
her life and relationship, or lack of relationship, with her son.
Also good about swimming. A raw, powerful and moving story.
Doreen
This book had mixed reviews which initially put Doreen off. When
she saw the book she liked the feel of it, and its unusual shape,
and found the content very different to the reviews. A very
philosophical book with, for example, a chapter headed 'On
anticipation'. A wide-ranging book with a lot about art,
Flaubert, being in Egypt and a whole chapter on Wordsworth which
gave Doreen a new enthusiasm for this poet. An unexpected
pleasure. Highly recommended.
Doreen
The frames have gone all
funny - click to make it good.