The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad

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The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver

If you have read this book & would like to discuss it then comment on this blog entry

The Gathering by Anne Enright

If you have read this book & would like to discuss it then comment on this blog entry

So to get us going...

There has been an enormous* response (ahh the power of Facebook) to the book club resurrection. Unfortunately, the response coincided with me having to go back to work and therefore losing the time to 'strike while the iron was hot' so to speak. Well, kind of. I suspect it's still warm.

So, after discussions with the lovely, wonderfully well-read Elena we think the best thing is to pick a couple of books from the BBC book club (we're thinking 2007/8 list) to keep us going until March when the Orange Prize shortlist gets announced and then the race is on to finish the 6 nominees before the award ceremony.

Personally I am suggesting 3 books which I hope will be easily accessible to our global members:
1. The Gathering by Anne Enright (winner of the Booker Prize 2007)

2. The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver (BBC book club read from Nov 2007- you can listen to the interview with the author from Radio 4 here) and

3. The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad, which is the BBC March 2008 read so there's a possibility of some of us London members being able to go to the radio recording with the author on March 4th. (Let me know ASAP if you're interested & I'll get us free tickets)

I will put three individulal blog entries up for these books and when and if people read them add your comment to that blog entry.

If anyone has any other suggestions please feel free to make suggestions by commenting on this post.

Similarly if you find you have trouble posting on this blog let me know and we'll see if we can fix the problem!

Happy Reading

*9+ people!! (okay, that's including myself)

Resurrecting the Book Club 2008

Some of you may know about my 50 things to do list. Well, this year, I have quite a bit of emphasis on books I'd like to read. Wondering if any of you would care to resurrect the book club either online or in person and join me with any of the following?

1. Read the winner of the Man Booker Prize 2007 (The Gathering, Anne Enright) & the runner's up. (See post below)

2. Read the 6 books shortlisted for the Orange Prize for fiction before the winner is announced!! (Usually announced in March and awarded some time in June) Try and get tickets to the final award ceremony (in June)

3. Read 12 out of the BBC's bookclub previous (& current) reads- at least 2 before the BBC radio show is on and possibly even attending a recording

4. Meet at least 4 times through out the year- that's once every 3 months- surely we can do that!!?!! (London members)

Anyone in?

And the winner is...

The Gathering by Anne Enright

Man Booker alert

Just so you all know- the shortlist has been announced and the winner will be announced Oct 16th. couple of good ones on there this year I think...

Darkmans by Nicola Barker (Fourth Estate)
The Gathering by Anne Enright (Jonathan Cape)
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (Hamish Hamilton)
Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones (John Murray)
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan (Jonathan Cape)
Animal’s People by Indra Sinha (Simon & Schuster)

Books for the summer read:

Hi all. Well done everyone for doing their homework reading Half of a Yellow Sun & The Observations, (except one, you know who you are)! I must confess, there was a bit of Kath & Kim speed reading going on towards the end on my part. Ending is a bit fuzzy. Could be connected to the amount of alcohol consumed the night before too.

Some books we thought about reading over the summer are:

If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
Winter in Madrid by C.J. Sansom
The Little Friend by Donna Tart

Other suggestions are welcome if people read good things over the holidays!
Happy travels & reading to all- let's keep in contact over the summer.

Books for June decided:

Well, we had our book club meeting and have chosen 2 books to read before the meeting on July 14th

the first is the Orange Prize for Fiction winner 2007 and the second is one of other nominees.

1. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun Find out more >>

2. Jane Harris, The Observations Find out more >>

Happy reading.

Drat. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie did win.

The only book I hadn't read. What are the chances??!! Kieran says 1 in 6. He is such a smarty pants.

Still, it does mean this could be a good contender for the next Book club read and possibly none of us have read it yet... London members decide tomorrow.

Adichie's the favourite

I can't believe that Adichie is the favourite to win the Orange- hers is the only book of the 6 that I haven't read!! (Currently half way through Rachel Cusk's Arlington Park).

Something tells me I won't get it read before the winner is announced tonight!!

Ah well, it was worth a shot, and there's always next year.

For all London members.

We are planning on having a quick meeting in Victoria on Thurs 7th June, probably just after 6. Location to be decided. At this 'meeting' we will decide on the next book to read before Elena's garden meeting.

look forward to seeing you there fellow bookworms.

!!6th June Deadline!!

Gasp- just realised the Award ceremony for the Orange Prize is the 6th Jun. I'd better get a move on in my (and Elena's) quest to read the 6 shortlists! (3 down, 3 to go). So far my pick is The Observations by Jane Harris, but I wouldn't be surprised (or disappointed) if the prize goes to Kiran Desai, The Inheritance of Loss as it is a beautifully written piece. Ofcourse, who knows what treasures lie in store with the other three.

Well, can't stay around blogging too long, I've got books to read!

The Inheritance of Loss.

Ahh.. I loved this book. Yesterday I rushed out and bought the other 5 Orange nominees (see below) based on how much I enjoyed this even though they are clearly not connected in brillance. A part of me wanted to have something to look foward to, reading wise, after I turned the last page of this beautifully written book.

My plan is to read all the ones on the shortlist before the winner is announced. That way I can nod and say "ooh yes I completely agree/disagree with the judges" (circle as appropriate) and look all knowledgeable and well informed.

Shortlist announced for Orange Prize for Fiction

Hey girls, the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction, the UK’s only annual book award for fiction written by a woman, today announced the 2007 shortlist:

I might try and get my hands on a few of them and see which one I think should win- anyone want to join me? I'll probably start with Kiran Desai as I got this book for my birthday (and it won the last Man Booker last too!)

1. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Half of a Yellow Sun
Find out more >>
2. Rachel Cusk Arlington Park
Find out more >>
3. Kiran Desai The Inheritance of Loss
Find out more >>
4. Xiaolu Guo A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers
Find out more >>
5. Jane Harris The Observations
Find out more >>
6. Anne Tyler Digging to America
Find out more >>

The Tenderness of Wolves

Has anyone else read it? It's great- quite an interesting comparison between this (being set in the late 1800s in Canada) and The Secret River (set in 1700s in Australia). Both really good at capturing, what I imagine, the sights and sounds and smells would have been like, as well as delving quite deeply into the characters and exposing their various prejudices. Plus the Tenderness of Wolves also has a ripping "Who dunnit" murder plot (and several other intriguing plot lines) to keep you on your toes.

Gosh- can't believe it was last October when we had the last post. (message, not trumpet tune).

I propose we resurrect the old online book club.

For London members I'm happy to have the next meeting at my place (maybe end of March). I know Elena has offered her place too, but she has a fabulous garden and maybe we could have one there when the weather is better and the nights longer!

For overseas members- Anyone interested?

If so, what shall we read?

I'm working my way through the Man Booker 2006 (see list below) so far have read: The Nightwatch, Carry me Down and The Secret River.

My absolute fav was the Secret River- would be interested to hear what others thought of it...

The Man Booker 2006 is announced this Tuesday-10th October- has anyone read any of the shortlisted? I know Elena has read Sarah Walters The Night Watch and I'm keen to but it's still in hardback only...

Desai, Kiran The Inheritance of Loss - Hamish Hamilton
Grenville, Kate The Secret River - Canongate
Hyland, M.J. Carry Me Down - Canongate
Matar, Hisham In the Country of Men - Viking
St Aubyn, Edward Mother’s Milk - Picador
Waters, Sarah The Night Watch - Virago

Post for

October

Tamarind Mem by Anita Rau Badami

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Post for

September

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

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