Author: BembridgeWI

Pam opened and welcomed 13 members to this postponed meeting which had been unavoidably moved to this week due to THE SNOW last week and that, although the original meeting had been arranged to take place on World Book Day, today was actually International Women’s Day!!! She gave apologies for those 7 members unable to attend but added that ALL of those members had given her their views and thoughts on the book!!

It became very apparent quickly that this was a book that all our members had thoroughly enjoyed reading. Comments such as very emotional; overpowering; moving, funny; sad; shocking; poignant; heartbreaking; a real page turner; so well-written, were voiced by absolutely everyone leaving some members unable to find the right words to describe their love of the book which had not already been mentioned. This had only ever happened once or maybe twice previously in our 10 years!!!

Several members had read the book for a second time and found it still, if not more as engaging as the first time of reading it. The language and humour was thought to be fabulously authentic and powerful and it helped that each of the main characters were given chapters of their own with several members saying that it was easier to be able to see so much more in the lives of both sides of the story. With the maids, the hardships and prejudices, their absolute love and devotion to their charges, the abuse suffered and of their total acceptance.

Several members loved the quotes from Minny “yes ma’am. I tell her” (in about 100 years!) and many others. “That’s what I like about Aibileen, she can take the most complicated things in life and wrap them up so small and simple, they’ll fit right in your pocket” and Aibileen’s “You is intelligent, you is kind” to her little charge Mae Mobley when ignored by her own mother – so touching and definitely struck a chord with members. Hilly came out as a typical “star” bully who liked to be the leader but definitely got her come uppance which everyone absolutely loved! Skeeter’s role in the book was admired and everyone enjoyed the way that she was a woman before her time and her courage.

Members found the social history of the time interesting but also very shocking, with comparisons made of their own fairly carefree lives in the 1960s. They commented on their own “sort of ignorance” of this life on the other side of the world and its very real open racist prejudices – within their own lifetimes! Members found it very shocking too that women “morphed” into horrible women and could treat other women that way. As in the case of Skeeters mother’s behaviour towards Constantine because she is “told” to deal with her by her peers and needed to conform!! But everyone had memories of the case of Rosa Parks in the news and of course Martin Luther King’s work and relentless campaigning and his “I Have a Dream”. Several members said that it really made them feel ashamed of those terrible women. You would like to think things have improved and moved on but everyone had their doubts and there then followed a lengthy discussion on prejudices over the world today and all agreed sadly it was still a prejudiced sorld on many accounts.

Back to the book …… Everyone liked the ending of the book as it was realistic in that it was not all good going and things went wrong. It was sad and frightening that it was not actually set 200 years ago when history was what it was then and all agreed it was a really fantastic good read – daring; vitally important and very courageous and an immensely compelling read.

TOTALLY RECOMMENDED BY EVERYONE PERHAPS EVEN TO BE PLACED AS A COMPULSORY SCHOOL READING LIST BOOK!!

Twelve members met together in January to discuss the book Snapper which had been the Christmas read.

Brenda opened the meeting by giving out some notes of interest and an apology from Pam who was unable to attend on the night.

The opening the lively discussion revealed that most members were unable to enjoy (or finish!!) the book, or “get into it” as anticipated.

It was viewed as a journal, a journey and a meander through the main character’s life. There appeared to be little storyline and no continuity in the narrative. The storyline “leapfrogged” and seemed disconnected.

However, on a more positive note, members enjoyed the outstanding description, the occasional witty episodes and the information given on Indiana.

One member in particular found much to be enjoyed and several noted the political and social issues broached in the book. The member who had not yet finished the book had not been deterred from doing so by the comments so this was viewed as positive.

It was noted that the reviews on the book cover didn’t really convey a true reflection of the book, but as it was pointed out by another member reviewers rarely comment that are “boring, badly written and un-captivating”!!!!!!!

Members would not recommend to a friend without a qualifying comment and another member compared the book from Christmas last year to that of this year as “Snappy” not happy!!!!

An apt comment on which to end the meeting!

The next meeting to discuss The Help by Kathryn Stockett will be held on March 1 at the Cloisters.

Brenda opened the meeting by welcoming 17 members together with new member Hilary; there were also apologies received from 3 other members unable to be at the meeting.

The evening’s discussion commenced with members saying that generally they had found this book an easy and quick read, absorbing and very informative with regards to the art of weaving the tapestries.  At times it was felt to be a bit mundane by a few members.  Quite a few members said they had started the book with a little trepidation expecting to hate or not like it at all, mainly due to its content, setting and period but had been pleasantly surprised by it and found it to be an enjoyable read with an interesting topic.

Members did find it interesting from the historical aspect with regards to the different levels of women’s representation, and social conditions of the time; women being totally suppressed in the workplace and in the case of the tapestries not being allowed by the Guild to weave, although totally competent to do so. It became very obvious that rich and poor social conditions markedly mattered especially as far as women were concerned with them having absolutely no choice in their plight.

Although it was felt women’s personalities were quashed, in the main, the book was sensitive in its portrayal of some of the main characters.  One who stood out and was liked by everyone was the master weaver George’s daughter, Alienor, who was so sensitive and shone through her blindness “finishing off” by feel, the cutting ends of the tapestries, working through the nights when the other weavers were not able to through lack of light, so saving the much need valuable time and space. She with her mother Christine, even wove some of the background flowers!  She spent long hours nurturing her garden which was full of every flower for every season knowing by touch and smell their names.  Everyone was relieved that she was able to escape an unpleasant (and would have been rather smelly!) marriage to the wool dyer Jacques de Boeuf.  Philippe was thought a bit of a hero stepping in to claim the baby was his so releasing her from the fate.

******* ********   X RATED BIT !!!!!!   ************

It was felt that the book was quite “saucy” and naughty in parts with members agreeing the artist Nicholas was definitely a bit of a creep!!!  One member even saying “He was good at what he did!!!” (we think she meant as an artist of course????!!). Talented in his work, capturing, especially as these were not battle scenes his usual form of design, the feel of the tapestries and the story that unfolded.  Several members warmed to him a little (only a little!) as it was felt he was observant to other situations (as in the case of Alienor) and with his art he was still willing to learn the ways of weaving and how it worked with his paintings.  His “naughtiness” with the female population in the end proved some “come-uppence” with the birth of Claude (daughter of Marie-Celeste taken in by Claude (daughter of Jean le Viste) yes confusing – are you keeping up!!) Phew!!! Where is the popcorn???

Other characters were then discussed briefly. A lengthy and interesting discussion followed re women accepting their plights through the ages and how far it has come in this day and age.  As too were the making and history of the tapestries which drew the general agreement that the book had been really written as two halves. Some feeling it was well-researched, cramming in everything so that it really didn’t enhance the book.  But everyone quite enjoyed it. There were no real surprises.  All ends tied up well with several characters having happier endings than others!!

We would recommend this book to others and all agreed we would look at tapestries in a totally different light.

Fourteen members and a visitor were welcomed by Brenda who also reported that we had received apologies, together with some of their thoughts on the book, from nine of our members who were unable to be with us for the meeting held at The Cloisters.

She then opened the discussion by asking Jeanie to kick off the proceedings for her thoughts on the book. Several members agreed with Jeanie’s comments that the book was well-written and was quite true to life for this day and age, but she herself had found sadly that she had not really enjoyed the content of the story with its focus on addictions.  It was generally agreed that it was a book to think about, with an intense structure overall and with real life comparisons, be it a bit twee at times.

Many felt very cross and angry with Martha, the mother, who just buried her head in the sand over her daughter Sacha’s drug addiction with a false belief that she alone could help her deal with this problem without professional help. Also, how she could keep this, with all its attached guilt, a secret, as she had witnessed Sacha pushing her 5-year-old brother Finn over the balcony.  It was also felt by some that they did not like nor understand how she could favour Finn over Charlie, who really wasn’t mentioned much and yet he was his twin with a special relationship with his brother. This was shown at the hospital when he touchingly just wanted him to come home to all be together again.  Also more so that she had just uprooted everyone with no real discussion, especially a teenage daughter, a talented flautist, away from her friends, adored grandfather, school and absolutely everything she knew and as one member said leaving her “rudderless” without them. Martha moved to satisfy her own need to protect and give her alcoholic husband Kit a new start, and perhaps to solve his addiction to drink(?) with no real thought of leaving her own loving widowed father, sister Lou and brother in law (and as it came out in a later part of the story, Sacha’s real father!).

But others had said they had felt differently about Martha, that she found herself between a rock and a hard place and that they had felt sorry for her with her torn loyalties and conscience and with her strive for perfection, her daily dilemmas to keep everything “normal” and that she had to be strong and controlling for husband Kit who was not always a great support. It was felt that although Kit was instrumental to the book, the author had then kept him in the background. The tension increased as the book progressed and several felt involved in it and wanted to know how it would all end as Sacha’s downward spiral into her drug addiction and dealing had caused her deteriorating behaviour to seriously impact on the family in so many ways. But Sacha did come good as she was able to go back to England under the protective wing of her grandfather and eventually resume her flute playing. The book’s closing chapter also unfurled to disclose that she had been accepted at a University to train as a paediatrician – so she had turned her life around completely because of what life had thrown at her.

Relationships were then discussed with members feeling that Bianka’s character was too good to be true in real life. Several members spoke of Sacha’s quest to look for her real father which had been threaded through the book being quite pointless to the story. An interesting discussion then took place on how perceptions might have changed had there been a reversal of gender to the characters.  Would it have been acceptable to the storyline had Sacha’s character been a teenage boy throwing his 5 year old sister off the balcony? Several members commented on how much they liked her mother’s quips in her ear and a few liked Hama’s “Crocodile Dundee” character and the grandfather who picked up the pieces and put them together again.

So to conclude………  Generally it was felt it was a well-written story with a strong plot, strikingly good at the beginning leaving us with thoughts that the author lived it herself.  Perhaps better suited to its original published Book Title of “Second Chances”. One member’s summing up described it as a modern day family who had to face their gremlins. The story had no real loose ends, used likeable language, quite poetic at times too with a few interesting lines, but with one in particular that made everyone smile “He lowered himself down into a deckchair and scuba dived into the Merlot”. Thank you Brenda!! Cheers!!

We would recommend it to a friend and so given the “thumbs up”.

Eleven members were present on a very hot July 8^th evening with apologies received from those unable to make it this time. Brenda started thanking everyone for turning out on a very warm evening and by asking what we thought of the book straight away. It became very apparent that this had indeed proved a hard read with several members having to restart and make several attempts returning to the beginning of the book before getting into it properly. Comments were made initially by several members who had had high expectations from reading a previous, popular and funny title of the author, that it had generally been quite disappointing and not “as billed”: ‘extremely funny, hilarious and an excellent follow up of her first novel which won the Bollinger Everyman prize for Comic Fiction!!’.

Most agreed that on the whole that the book, although well written, more so in the second part, had been one that was fairly depressing and really only splattered with odd moments of a comedic and entertaining nature (most had to really look for the humour it contained) e.g. the dog’s comments, whilst rounding up and saving the chickens, about the stupidity of Irina, the old chap in the nursing home and the language misinterpretation caused by the mixing up of the words canal and carnal!!

Most struggled and could not identify with the characters with the Farmer and his wife being the most disliked and the “plot” (which because it changed felt had lost its way) which did not really improve at all throughout with several members becoming bored and fed up and feeling it had become too predictable and not entertaining. Absolutely everyone found the chicken scenes very distressing reading and felt the need to step away from the despair and cruelty and to then try to concentrate on the chaos and mayhem unfolding. But the dog “saved the day” and not just the chickens! It was felt he was the real star of the book and the most liked character with members feeling quite sad about his demise and his loyalty in giving his life.

As the discussion progressed it was thought generally that this book was one that humanised people of all nationalities (of which there were many) its social commentary threaded its way cleverly through the put-down of various cultures of the migrant workers – a book touching on “slavery” and that possibly believably dreadful things do happen and, although upsetting, it was agreed, sadly, this is how it actually was, but we were amazed that they could not see what was going to happen time after time!

So in conclusion…………. It was generally felt this book was not a page turner or a holiday read! Possibly a book for young adults to read to gain an understanding of the above. One or two thought it was written in a way so that the reader understood the narrative interaction – but obviously the characters didn’t once they disbanded!! The dedication to the cockle pickers was very touching.

But not a book to recommend or read again for most of the members. So a thumbs down from us!!!