Quercy Readers

In response to:Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:54:03 +0100

hi Val
I just read Your comment re:,,the future home makers of America,,,well commented ,totaly agree with You,though it was not my choice ,it was Margaret,s!!!My book proposal was ,,don,t let,s go to the dogs tonight,,!!!!
thank You for the compliment,I loved the book too.

In response to:The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:00:58 +0200

Sveden!!!!
We know so little about the country and its customs etc.
It was v. refreshing to read it.History and saga of the old family,country laws,country outlook on women,laws of inheritance and all svedishness of the book I enjoyed v.much.
Some characters and situations did not sound possible and logical.ie a girl with the problem in social graces,suddenly
changes to a smart international society high flying lady with charm and super social skills...
Nevertheless,book to remember...

In response to:Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:40:48 +0200

Laurie Graham The Future Homemakers of America.
I quite enjoyed reading this but did get bored towards the end.
I liked the memories of that period in time at Drampton and of life as an airforce wife.I thought the lead character /narrator Peggy was a bit of a drip and why did'nt she get another fella!
I wondered if she was gay for a while with out her knowing what 'gay' was.
Thought it was well written and liked the hidden twist of parentage of Kirk till near the end .Although I think we all quessed at that quite early on.
Hope this does not upset Iga mentioning but this book was totally overshadowed for me by the next book on the list
Don't let's go to the Dogs to-night which I loved ,loved loved.
Happy reding
Val

In response to:Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:37:54 +0200

I believe we all felt the boy not to be a real person but a literary creation based on a.o. Oskar from Der Blechtrommel. Another comment most of us shared: all the graphics were irritating and did not add to the story, even distracted (Dresden bombing text corrections). Personally I found the story the grandfather told far more touching, emotionally true than any of the writing about 9/11. Would this have to do with time, the distance between the moment of the event and the moment of writing? Does such a drama have to be collectively digested? Interesting if so, as writing is such an individual thing.
Finally, the book was too much: too many weird characters, too many graphics, colours, stories, hard to follow dialogues: less is more (or the other way around). Promising writer though if he gets rid of these mannerisms.
MS

In response to:Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:07:15 +0200

Looking at the book and the format and general design,I was not sure if I wanted to read it.But I did.Of course I did.
And of course I have no regrets.We will talk about the book at the meeting,but at the moment I wander...
Having had two boys myself and I thing they are rather smart,the book boy is miles ,miles,miles smarter.
Is it possible to be like that at the age of 9?

In response to:Petite Anglaise

Sat, 10 May 2008 15:44:48 +0200

This book certainly generated discussion even if nobody really liked it. There was some misunderstanding as to where Catherine Sanderson was really coming from, but the general consensus was that she was a rather unsympathetic character and that it didn't really count as a particularly literary piece of work. she was felt to be intelligent but rather fickle and self-indulgent. I felt that there were moments of good writing, such as the description of the three of them in the lift mirror and the drawing together of the end of her relationship with James. I think it's the pitfall of this form (blog/diary), for her to be seen as too wrapped up in her own emotions. She was also quite far removed from her original experiences in that this is the book about the blog so she'd already distilled, edited and analysed her feelings at least once. Maybe her intelligence did her a disservice and she's too articulate and self-aware to come across as genuine. I'm not sure, because I didn't take to her but I can't decide why. Reality TV in book form was one of the comments and I think that's very accurate. One thing we all wondered about was whether she had made much effort to actually repair her relationship with Mr. Frog - it doesn't come across in the book. Her Paris wasn't very vivid to me - we obviously lived in very different parts - and there's certainly not much reference to life in France and dealing with the French system. This might have helped to balance out the book somewhat, and make her seem slightly less self-centered.

In response to:The Other Side of the Bridge

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:49:37 +0200

Interesting ,how many books and films have a ,bridge ,in their titles...
From the philosophy point of view,this would be first decision we have to make in life:cross the bridge or not to cross .To be or not to be...
Later on in life ,or should I say ,when we have been educated,we learn that, we can actually make other choices;(like beeing at multiple crossroads),we may then end up not asking ourselves later ,what if,.
I have liked the book a lot,reminded me of the work of Erskine Caldwell,in its rural community,family drama,location and certain darkness of characters.
Well recommended.

In response to:The Other Side of the Bridge

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:45:00 +0200

This book generated plenty of discussion and was generally appreciated by the book club. The Prologue was considered to be very effective at setting the tone, establishing the characters and creating the dramatic tension. There was some suggestion that the basic story line was a little too predictable and "old hat", but it was generally agreed that the quality of the writing took it to another level. Was the final, terrible accident just a little bit too much? Personally, I don't think so, but I can see how, for some, it may have taken things just a little too far. The other slight reproach was that all the ends were perhaps tied up too neatly, although we never do find out for sure whether Jake and Laura had any kind of second affair. There was some sympathy for Jake, but I didn't feel any. I felt Arthur was an incredibly powerful character in his reticence and the whole story was extremely poignant. I liked Ian as the "needle" pulling the different threads together. The women seemed to be the ones who suffered most and were least content with their lot. Despite Laura being the central pivot for the love story, even she comes across as something of a background character. Maybe that just reflects the attitudes to women at the time.
Finally, what does "the other side of the bridge" refer to? Does it represent life after the incident on the bridge or is it physically and metaphorically the fact that they never made it to the other side? (and what happened to the cow that was there at the time........?)

In response to:Before I Forget

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:27:29 +0200

I didn't make it to the end either, although I had been keen to start and found the opening very well written and exciting. However, I, too, got fed up with the constant sex and referring everything back to it. I found the writing very graphic and powerful at certain points (certain scenes very difficult to get out of my head) and I certainly think that with another subject matter I could enjoy his work more. I'm afraid all the other aspects were overshadowed for me and the political and social matter took too much of a back seat. Still, a striking reading experience, so positive from that point of view!

In response to:Before I Forget

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:18:52 +0200

You don't need to apologise! We all like to encounter the unknown too, it just so happens that this was an unknown no-one wants to revisit! I did like his writing though, so I will try some other books of his. We have to move out of our comfort zones occasionally..........

In response to:Before I Forget

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:24:21 +0200

different man,real man,the same continent.the same political problems,but closer in time and reality:peter godwin.
Books title:when a crocodile eats the sun.
First published 2006,but so up to date!!!Elections in Zimbabwe.Amoving meditation on the nature of family and bravery amid disaster,madness and betrayal...
thanks ms for lending me the book.

In response to:Before I Forget

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:16:23 +0200

I'm sorry the book was such a disapointment to all of you. I fully agree that Mr. Minnaar (Dutch for lover) is quite presumptious in the way he writes about his women. But he convinced me that he does love them in his own, for me curious way. And I do read books to get to know the unknown. And Brink writes well, but alas, not about physical love.
Very sadly, this man has to write about his past loves because, what else has he got left? He is disapointed and alone in both his personal and his public life. The friendship with Ruth and George is peculiar and dishonoust. The society he helped create is falling to pieces (and literary, so is he). I found the politics, life under apartheid, the conversations with his mother, his relationship with his father, his uncle, all very interesting.
I believe the sixties and the morals of that time also to have quite an impact on this man's sex life.
Anyway, I'm afraid I had quite forgotten how tedious this book is at times. Next time around I'll make my choice more carefully, promised!

In response to:Before I Forget

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:52:49 +0100

I am afraid that I didn' quite make it to the end of this one;by the time i stopped i had long since ceased to care how many women he had slept with or what his fantasies were.
Initially i found the politics interesting but it was never enough to maintain my interest.

In response to:Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:44:11 +0100

Salmon fishing in the Yemen struck me as a very good comic read, but as a former director of a large government funded organisation, I also found the politics rung true to life in the way that Yes Minister did a few years ago.The Blair figure could be a portrait of almost every minister thatI met;utterly self serving and with almost no principles that couldn't be jettisoned for a higher poll rating.Of course the situation was farcical or was it;does anyone else remember the ground nut scheme in the 1940s-and that was government sponsored.

In response to:Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:53:16 +0100

This was an easy and entertaining read. But was it more? It was a satire on modern UK government, certainly (obviously exaggerated, otherwise it would be reportage),a morality tale, perhaps - faith can move mountains. A romance, not really, as there are no truly romantic characters. Fred is a sad henpecked man who is fascinated by the unattainable modern woman, whose fiance is out of her reach in a diversionary military line.
The writing is fairly run of the mill But the epistolary technique militates agaist this, as the emails and reports are necessarily shorn of personality (though the character of the writer is often discernable).Even the diary entries do not really shed any objective light on the writers, but concentrate on their own preoccupations).There is certainly no character development.
The sheikh is the most appealing character. Seemingly without prejudices, driven by a dream, but depending on faith in God and the UK Dept of Fisheries) he knows his goal may not be achievable, but is willing to risk all in pursuing it. It is just a shame that while faith may move mountains, you cant always be sure which way they are going to go.

In response to:Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:28:34 +0100

My feelings on Salmon fishing were that it was great fun while being totally implausible. It was a mixture of P.G. Wodehouse, Evelyn Waugh and Yes Minister (but obviously Blairite rather than Thatcherite) and I laughed a lot. Sometimes he went totally over the top - for instance at the moment when the UK was reported as having had no electricity for 2 months. The end came from nowhere for me and seemed very dramatic but I loved the characters. The gentle philosophy of the Sheiksh was particularly appealing and the biezarre images of the Yemeni retinue practicing their line casting. Altogether it was a clever and intriguing idea - perhaps with too many plot strands, not all of them resolved.

In response to:Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:05:41 +0100

Hi everybody. Thanks for coming to my place on the 6th to discuss Salmon Fising in the Yemen by Paul Torday. The book was suggested by IRD who enjoyed it thorougly, as indeed did most of the readers. JS thought the writer to be good at political satire but less capable of creating characters and describing emotions. JB was reminded of her experiences in Africa where a lot of money was spent at times on projects nobody wanted. I did not enjoy the book as I found the whole topic too absurd and was not convinced a serious scientist would go along with it. Also the politicians portrayed here were (to my idea) too vain and stupid to be true. I think I missed a lot of the humour in this book. JT pointed out that the questions in the back were also part of the spoof (missed that too). CW send a nice email with her comments, I'll try and include it here.
We did not discuss the 'believe topic' in this book. Various times it is suggested that people have to believe in something, that to believe is very important as it comes before love and (what was the other thing?). The me it came across as a fashionable 'new age' sauce the writer added to the book. What do you think?
Anyway, all in all I thought we had a nice meeting as we all joined in a lively discussion on the book. Thanks to you all!
The next meeting (12/3)will be held at VJ and we'll be discussing André Brink - Before I Forget.
The 9/4 meeting will be held at JT's. To read: The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson.
In May we'll meet at JB's on the 7th, again at noon.

In response to:Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:15:27 +0100

Dear all,

Thanks for another informative and entertaining (as well as tasty!) book club meeting. Sorry the absentees had to miss out - but they can always add their comments here.......
Anyway, I still haven't quite finished the book, but am still really enjoying it. Very entertaining and funny. Shades of David Lodge in the Fred character for me, but I don't think anyone else agreed. Much debate on whether the satire really reflected the way government works and we were neatly divided between cynics and idealists. Personally I believe every word but can still find it funny in book form (only just, mind). The Peter Maxwell character (Mandelson or Darling?)got a little excessive for me - until I realised he was having a breakdown. Just how many of them really are........? Were the discussion questions at the end pârt of the send-up (I think so) or was it pretentious on the part of Paul Torday?

In response to:Le Grand Meaulnes - The Lost Estate

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:39:46 +0100

It just worked for me, so it seems to be ok.

In response to:Le Grand Meaulnes - The Lost Estate

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:09:34 +0100

P.S. I just tried that blog and it doesn't seem to work! - but if you Google Reading Group: Le Grand Meaulnes by Alain-Fournier it seems to come up as the first entry.

In response to:Le Grand Meaulnes - The Lost Estate

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:59:18 +0100

Bit of a cheat this one but I'm packing and making life easy. Check out elizabethbaines.blogspot.com which I discovered and seems to sum it up for me. NB I'm not the Clare in the blog of course.

In response to:Le Grand Meaulnes - The Lost Estate

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:51:05 +0100

Le Grand Moan
Yes, it is a book which despite the superbly atmospheric evocation of turn of the century rural France, leaves you with an unsympathetic view of the central character; less the great gatsby, rather the big jessie.

I loved the writing and the feel of the translation, I liked the narrator (though he too was a bit of a wimp, and I could imagine that a lost estate could exist where the family wanted to indulge the favourite son in this way. But as a fairy tale it has few redeeming features. The refusal of Meaulnes to acknowledge that a schoolboy passion would lead nowhere - and his fear of doing anything which would substantiate that reality- leaves one feeling that he simply will not grow up.
There were elements that were, by our standards, a bit "soapy", but as it was written in 1913 we can forgive that. Similarly what we would call magic realism and which is rather better done by Marquez, is quite adventurous for the time. But was not "Alice in Wonderland" a successful precursor?
Anyway, though I may sound critical, I really enjoyed reading it again (probably fo the first time in 40 years) and the descriptions and evocations alone make it worthwhile.

In response to:The City of Falling Angels

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:41:34 +0100

I gather from Iga's blog that there were reservations about the personalities in the City of Falling Angels. I agree - even if they did stress that the Venetians are all one big, happy family with the counts and princes greeting the grocer and the baker etc. Hm. Glamorous though certainly. I felt on the whole Mr Berendt oould have been subjected to more stringent editing - perhaps the huge success of 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' gave him 'carte blanche' to be lengthy. In the end he did come full circle and get back to the trials and the completion of the restoration of the Fenice and one could glimpse his vision again. Must now read Henry James and Venice is still top of my list of places to visit a.s.a.p. Love to all readers, Clare.

In response to:The City of Falling Angels

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:43:19 +0100

Hi all,
I have given our last meeting a little thouhgt...
Firstly,thank You all for coming on behalf of Sheila.
Secondly,next meeting is on WENSDAY January 16 th and we are reading ,,the lost estate,, chosen by Sheila.Meeting at Sheila,s house but to be confirmed...
Now,to the point of my thoughts;I agree with a lot of points raised at the meeting re last book,but can ANYONE tell me why the lives of the rich should be less interesting than the poor people.Venice was created by the rich ,there would be no Venice if not for the palaces, frescos,paintings AND churches that were commitioned by the rich.I have finished the book now and apart from the style of the book,I think the general observation of life in Venice and atmosphere was spot on...
What We need now is :everyone(who has not been to Venice)to visit Venice,especially at the carnivalle time.Happy mingling with the rich especially when You wearing masks!!!
love to all IGA

In response to:Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:54:35 +0100

To All,
If YOU liked,, The fallen angels of Venice,, You will like ,,Miss Garnet,s angel,, super book!!!!
love to all,Iga

In response to:Ratking

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 23:46:31 +0100

Save my life Juliette! I had a VERY senior moment regarding decembers meeting at Sheila's house. I thought I was coming back from the UK on the 4th Dec, but actually it's not until the 5th, so I will miss the meeting :(

Apologies to everyone, especially Iga!!!

Please tell Claire I am thoroughly City Falling of Angels ummm hehehe can't of anything more to say, see you all soon, when I can give you my comments in person.

lots of love
Margaret

In response to:Ratking

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:17:40 +0100

This is an interesting one. "Aurelio" suggested to me the French "auréole" for halo........ although the etymology all points to the latin for gold. Still, we remain in the symbols for purity (not drawn into corruption, etc). The Zen aspect could refer to intuition and an ability to reflect, which from my limited knowledge of him would seem to make sense. What do more seasoned readers of his stories think?

In response to:Ratking

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:36:08 +0100

Thank you to Varen 82 for book ideas. With a longish flight coming up I might try Leonardo Sciascia or Fred Varga.
We didn't talk about the name Aurelio Zen, did we? 'Zen' seems to suggest a certain detachment, coolness? I don't know about 'Aurelio' - golden, solid, wise? I shall try another in the series and see how Zen's character grows. Will he have a new romance to go with each new case and will they all fail, due to his prolonged absences?

In response to:Ratking

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:11:27 +0100

I'm not a fan of detective novels but this one was more interesting than I expected. I did have trouble with all the dialogue at the beginning as I found it more irritating than enlightening - but that's just personal taste. Odd moments appealed to me, such as the description of his claustrophobic appartment and the childhood that had followed him. I also liked some of the pithy comments. However, I have to say, it hasn't converted me and I shan't be trying any more of his novels - for the time being at least. I like the romantic Italy far more!

In response to:Ratking

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:43:03 +0100

I read Ratking some years ago and very much enjoyed the writing and being italophile loved the setting. The notion of corruption in the Italian justice service is well established and Inspector Zen (unlikely name?) is not the first to suffer. But far worse fates have befallen real life magistrates and policemen who dared to cross the mafia and its many tentacles.
Perhaps Leonardo Sciascia's novel "The day of the owl" is the best known work in the area, ending as it does on a pessimistic if realistic note.
More lightly, if policiers are to your taste, and you are confident to read relatively accessible French, try Fred Vargas, whose detective Adamsberg is Morse-like in his introspection (though being French is rather more successful with women than his Oxford homologue).
The writer is an archaeologist, but the novels are firmly today, though using old myths and beliefs often as the apparent motive for the crimes. No gore, just detection.