Our last read was 'Excellent Women' by Barbara Pym. Barbara Pym wrote for many years with little success before being championed by Philip Larkin and David Cecil in the 70s, and more recently by Alexander McCall Smith, who has written the introduction to the latest issue of the book.
She has been very favourably compared with Jane Austen, with that minute observation of character, and that gentle, engaging humour that makes the reader smile, but not laugh out loud. At the same time, neither of them says anything about the great issues of the time, both write about the world within the narrow boundaries of their experience, and about the small concerns that make up daily lives.
Her character in this novel, Mildred, a daughter of the vicarage, lives alone in her almost self-contained flat somewhere in London. She moves between her home, a part-time job with 'distressed gentlefolk' and the Vicarage. She is a great friend of the Vicar, Julian, and his sister, and personally I thought it would be ideal if she and Julian were to make a match of it, but this will never happen.
We all felt that Mildred comes across as much older than the 30-something she must be. She presents a portrait of a certain kind of woman at a certain period of history, in this case the early 50s, the dreary post-war days before rationing was lifted. Some found her annoying, pious, sanctimonious, boring, a busybody. Others found her funny, very subtle, entertaining, and enjoyed her wry comments on her world.
If you enjoy this book, I can recommend the 'Sunday Philosopher's Club' series by McCall Smith.
Monday 29 November 2010
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Picnic at Hanging Rock
We started talking about the book - some adamantly disliked it, someone didn't even bother to read it while others loved it so I guess that's what a bookclub is all about.
The story reminds one of the mysteries of the Australian outback, the haunting sounds of the wind in the gum trees, the insects in the heat and the calls of the galahs while at the same time the British colonialists try desperately to hang on to their symbols of upper class status - porcelain teacups, cut glass for drinking out in the bush - three-piece suits in the dry hot summer - bonkers we now think.
The story can be read as a strange tale of young girls and their teacher disappearing on Hanging Rock - the hysterics of the two survivors - and the unexplained death of another girl back at the College. It is written in such a way that the reader never really knows if the story is based on any kind of truth - is it? will we ever know? Or it can be read as the old and the new coming together yet remaining apart. Where Nature overcomes Man who is totally unequipped to cope. Even Albert the Australian pitted against the Rock does not find the girls and the local police appear rather timid and wary of exploring too deeply amongst the crevises. In fact it is the more weedy and more inexperienced Michael who finds the crucial piece of evidence. Is this to show that his breeding and upper class fortitude and 'character' are evidence that he is in fact superior to Albert in more ways than just money and class.
We then watched the Peter Weir film - made in the 1970s but set in 1900. It was very beautifully shot with many Pre-Raffaelite allusions. Some of us found it too fluffy, fey, effete, soft focus - not gritty enough as we have sometimes come to expect of Australian movies?
There were certainly some oddities - the marvellous panpipe music was lovely to listen to - but a continent away from its home - a touch of didgerdoo would have added to the tension and the atmosphere. I was reminded of A Passage to India and the cave scenes - indeed the lack of scenes for we don't know there either what actually happened.
But Australia is a mixture of two (and now of many) completely different cultures and the movie industry has sometimes found it difficult to show this. This film is worth seeing for its prettiness rather than for its acting which is rather minimal, for yet another strange story from the bush (the Dingo baby story has just risen its head again as I write this), rather than for any psychological analysis of young women and for a view into what life really was like for a few young women at the turn of a century when Queen Victoria was still on the throne.
British colonialists became a smaller and smaller group yet they still wielded enormous power and influence. Many didn't know how to leave Britain behind and their clinging to the 'old ways' seems to emphasise their insecurity. Many of course did become native, while many others returned to the 'old country' when they retired finding a different place from that which they had left.
Three of our bookclub are children of the colonies. I have been to Hanging Rock and my children have climbed it. It is indeed a weird place with the eerie sounds of wind and the vastness of the empty bush all around.
As an aside on New Year's Day horse races take place at Hanging Rock which are worth going to should you ever get the chance.
The story reminds one of the mysteries of the Australian outback, the haunting sounds of the wind in the gum trees, the insects in the heat and the calls of the galahs while at the same time the British colonialists try desperately to hang on to their symbols of upper class status - porcelain teacups, cut glass for drinking out in the bush - three-piece suits in the dry hot summer - bonkers we now think.
The story can be read as a strange tale of young girls and their teacher disappearing on Hanging Rock - the hysterics of the two survivors - and the unexplained death of another girl back at the College. It is written in such a way that the reader never really knows if the story is based on any kind of truth - is it? will we ever know? Or it can be read as the old and the new coming together yet remaining apart. Where Nature overcomes Man who is totally unequipped to cope. Even Albert the Australian pitted against the Rock does not find the girls and the local police appear rather timid and wary of exploring too deeply amongst the crevises. In fact it is the more weedy and more inexperienced Michael who finds the crucial piece of evidence. Is this to show that his breeding and upper class fortitude and 'character' are evidence that he is in fact superior to Albert in more ways than just money and class.
We then watched the Peter Weir film - made in the 1970s but set in 1900. It was very beautifully shot with many Pre-Raffaelite allusions. Some of us found it too fluffy, fey, effete, soft focus - not gritty enough as we have sometimes come to expect of Australian movies?
There were certainly some oddities - the marvellous panpipe music was lovely to listen to - but a continent away from its home - a touch of didgerdoo would have added to the tension and the atmosphere. I was reminded of A Passage to India and the cave scenes - indeed the lack of scenes for we don't know there either what actually happened.
But Australia is a mixture of two (and now of many) completely different cultures and the movie industry has sometimes found it difficult to show this. This film is worth seeing for its prettiness rather than for its acting which is rather minimal, for yet another strange story from the bush (the Dingo baby story has just risen its head again as I write this), rather than for any psychological analysis of young women and for a view into what life really was like for a few young women at the turn of a century when Queen Victoria was still on the throne.
British colonialists became a smaller and smaller group yet they still wielded enormous power and influence. Many didn't know how to leave Britain behind and their clinging to the 'old ways' seems to emphasise their insecurity. Many of course did become native, while many others returned to the 'old country' when they retired finding a different place from that which they had left.
Three of our bookclub are children of the colonies. I have been to Hanging Rock and my children have climbed it. It is indeed a weird place with the eerie sounds of wind and the vastness of the empty bush all around.
As an aside on New Year's Day horse races take place at Hanging Rock which are worth going to should you ever get the chance.
Sunday 26 September 2010
Mrs Woolf and The Servants, by Alison Light
“An invaluable glimpse into the hidden history of domestic service in an absorbing narrative, beautifully written” The Times
Unfortunately we were all disappointed with this book. It is not clear whether it was;
a) attempting to be an academic thesis about Virginia’s work,
b) a study of her domestic life,
c) a history of Virginia’s servants.
It lacked depth, was too long (a great deal of the material was not relevant) and the text meandered along jumping from one subject to another with no coherent structure - we wondered it if was edited at all. It certainly was not about Virginia’s servants.
It appeared that the book was put together from pieces of research left over from the author’s other work, as if the unused research material was too good to waste and resulted in this mishmash of unformulated ideas.
Despite this there was a great deal of good material and we felt that there was a nugget of a good book within the text (if not three). Some information was telling and informative but it was not well used. If Alison Light had concentrated on one subject in more detail ie the servants (women in service, nannies and childcare, au pairs etc, what’s changed?) she would have produced a much more coherent work.
All in all we felt there was some worthy material here but that the book had missed a trick and brought nothing new to the genre of Mrs Woolf or her servants.
Unfortunately we were all disappointed with this book. It is not clear whether it was;
a) attempting to be an academic thesis about Virginia’s work,
b) a study of her domestic life,
c) a history of Virginia’s servants.
It lacked depth, was too long (a great deal of the material was not relevant) and the text meandered along jumping from one subject to another with no coherent structure - we wondered it if was edited at all. It certainly was not about Virginia’s servants.
It appeared that the book was put together from pieces of research left over from the author’s other work, as if the unused research material was too good to waste and resulted in this mishmash of unformulated ideas.
Despite this there was a great deal of good material and we felt that there was a nugget of a good book within the text (if not three). Some information was telling and informative but it was not well used. If Alison Light had concentrated on one subject in more detail ie the servants (women in service, nannies and childcare, au pairs etc, what’s changed?) she would have produced a much more coherent work.
All in all we felt there was some worthy material here but that the book had missed a trick and brought nothing new to the genre of Mrs Woolf or her servants.
Wednesday 11 August 2010
Grapes of Wrath
Henry Fonda plays Tom Joad in this black and white movie. There is something both nostalgic and haunting about black and white photography. The scenes in the Joad's old homestead are extraordinary in their beauty yet they convey a sense of abandonment and of a past that has gone forever foretelling what will lie ahead for Tom, Casey and the Joad family.
While it is known that Steinbeck consulted on the screenplay it was a pity, though probably in keeping with the times, that the continuity does not always make sense. Characters just disappear, chunks of the book are left out and one wonders why so many of the scenes were so obviously set against immovable backdrops. This affected the sound so that one felt one was at the theatre as the voices sort of echoed. The film ends with one of Ma Joad's long monologues of homespun philosphy rather than with the uniquely poignant and, to me anyway, life-affirming scenes in all literature. Monologues with their intense focus on one person's face are almost unknown in modern films (Hunger is a recent exception and much was made of the dialogue in that film) and black and white filming lends itself to this well. The character cannot escape our scrutiny, we see every line and wrinkle, every twitch and twinkle in their eye - perhaps film actors today would prefer us not to see so much? We enjoyed that.
The book can be read in two ways, either all the way through (a lot of pages indeed) or alternate chapters which contain the story with the intervening ones being commentary on the state of society, politics, history and the ruthlessness and also desperation of people when nature turns against them.
Steinbeck does not, unlike many American authors, bring in religion at all. Indeed it is noticeable that the family do not say grace, nor read from the Bible when they bury grandpa, and Casey's loss of faith may well mirror Steinbeck's - I don't know and guess I'll have to read up on that.
We talked long into the night and ended with Austrian Coffee Cake.
While it is known that Steinbeck consulted on the screenplay it was a pity, though probably in keeping with the times, that the continuity does not always make sense. Characters just disappear, chunks of the book are left out and one wonders why so many of the scenes were so obviously set against immovable backdrops. This affected the sound so that one felt one was at the theatre as the voices sort of echoed. The film ends with one of Ma Joad's long monologues of homespun philosphy rather than with the uniquely poignant and, to me anyway, life-affirming scenes in all literature. Monologues with their intense focus on one person's face are almost unknown in modern films (Hunger is a recent exception and much was made of the dialogue in that film) and black and white filming lends itself to this well. The character cannot escape our scrutiny, we see every line and wrinkle, every twitch and twinkle in their eye - perhaps film actors today would prefer us not to see so much? We enjoyed that.
The book can be read in two ways, either all the way through (a lot of pages indeed) or alternate chapters which contain the story with the intervening ones being commentary on the state of society, politics, history and the ruthlessness and also desperation of people when nature turns against them.
Steinbeck does not, unlike many American authors, bring in religion at all. Indeed it is noticeable that the family do not say grace, nor read from the Bible when they bury grandpa, and Casey's loss of faith may well mirror Steinbeck's - I don't know and guess I'll have to read up on that.
We talked long into the night and ended with Austrian Coffee Cake.
Sunday 20 June 2010
A Little History of the World, by E.H. Gombrich
This delightful recounting of the history of the world (though actually I think it was pretty much euro-centric at heart) is told by the well-known art historian (The Story of Art) and was first published in 1936. Gombrich's aim was to beguile, rather than flumux, a young readership with the magical stories from various episodes of man's history on the planet. The whole book, which spans from 'once upon a time' (which Gombrich describes as standing between two mirrors and seeing an endless reflection), reaches the second world war .
The story has a soap opera feel about it as Gombrich frequently reminds you to think about events , characters and themes that reoccur; Hannibal crossing the Alps on elephants, the strength and determination of the young empire-builder Alexander the Great, the fervour-driven misson of the knights of chivalry, the startling discoveries and revelations of Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo, new appraoches to religion following the lives of Muhammad and Luther.
Having last studied history seriously as a school subject (a long time ago!) in concentrated and disjointed snippets of a particular era or event, it was interesting to grasp it all in one go and to see how events spanning decades and centuries were so inter-related. Most of all, the little history provided a amazing insight into who we are and why we live as we do today. The didactic tone of the story-telling could be interpreted as being slightly patronising. However, if you have such a patchy knowledge of history as I do, you will find the simplified approach both refreshing and memorable.
I chose this book after listening to a talk given by Neil McGregor describing some of the objects from his radio show 'The History of the World in 100 objects.' The first object he talked about was a pair of swimming reindeer carved from a mammoth's tusk. The object, which is serenely beautiful, was carved 13,000 years ago. But when you look at the object there is a flicker of a thought - were people then so differnt from us? Well, our understanding of the world and the objects that control our every day lifes may be very different from the Ice Age, but the emotions ruling our hearts may not be so different ...
The recurring theme of the Little History is that we continue to strive for the same order, wealth and enlightenment as all of our ancestors. The equipment and tools that we use to achieve it, however, are different. What Gombrich does so well is to put it all into a perspective that is manageable and modern.
This delightful recounting of the history of the world (though actually I think it was pretty much euro-centric at heart) is told by the well-known art historian (The Story of Art) and was first published in 1936. Gombrich's aim was to beguile, rather than flumux, a young readership with the magical stories from various episodes of man's history on the planet. The whole book, which spans from 'once upon a time' (which Gombrich describes as standing between two mirrors and seeing an endless reflection), reaches the second world war .
The story has a soap opera feel about it as Gombrich frequently reminds you to think about events , characters and themes that reoccur; Hannibal crossing the Alps on elephants, the strength and determination of the young empire-builder Alexander the Great, the fervour-driven misson of the knights of chivalry, the startling discoveries and revelations of Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo, new appraoches to religion following the lives of Muhammad and Luther.
Having last studied history seriously as a school subject (a long time ago!) in concentrated and disjointed snippets of a particular era or event, it was interesting to grasp it all in one go and to see how events spanning decades and centuries were so inter-related. Most of all, the little history provided a amazing insight into who we are and why we live as we do today. The didactic tone of the story-telling could be interpreted as being slightly patronising. However, if you have such a patchy knowledge of history as I do, you will find the simplified approach both refreshing and memorable.
I chose this book after listening to a talk given by Neil McGregor describing some of the objects from his radio show 'The History of the World in 100 objects.' The first object he talked about was a pair of swimming reindeer carved from a mammoth's tusk. The object, which is serenely beautiful, was carved 13,000 years ago. But when you look at the object there is a flicker of a thought - were people then so differnt from us? Well, our understanding of the world and the objects that control our every day lifes may be very different from the Ice Age, but the emotions ruling our hearts may not be so different ...
The recurring theme of the Little History is that we continue to strive for the same order, wealth and enlightenment as all of our ancestors. The equipment and tools that we use to achieve it, however, are different. What Gombrich does so well is to put it all into a perspective that is manageable and modern.
Wednesday 19 May 2010
A belated posting by the host, but I had to decipher my notes!!
The meeting in May was not book-based, but asked members to bring along their suggestions for readings around the theme of 'Contemplating the Future'. I suggested this not having any idea of how the evening might pan out, but as ever our ideas roamed widely.
As host I started with a future that I cannot begin to contemplate, inspired by the recent film 'The Hurt Locker', and I read 'An Irish Airman Foresees his Death' by W B Yeats. How does a person face the certainty of death? Is it just adrenalin that keeps soldiers going? We did talk a lot about the contemplation of death. Donna read 'As I Walked out one Evening' by W H Auden, where lovers swear eternal faithfulness, but how hopeless it all is:
But all the clocks in the city
Began to whirr and chime:
'O let not Time deceive you,
You cannot conquer Time.
Marion delighted us all with a poem of her own, typically forthright, 'When the future seems bleak and you've nothing to do'. The message? Don't just sit there wondering what the future might hold, just go out there and take it into your own hands and do all the things you've dreamt about for so long.
Sheila read from one of Paul Theroux's books, where he talks about his feelings on being diagnosed with cancer. The future is not always about things ending, but also about new beginnings.
Merinda discussed David Mitchell's 'Cloud Atlas' and the alternative universe that it presents. The chapter we looked at is about the recording and archiving of memories. It is also about dreams of other lives: 'Dreams are all I have ever truly owned'. I am not sure whether they were dreams of an afterlife, the one future we didn't speak of is the possibility of life after death.
Lynne raised the question of the future of bookclubs, and of reading in general, with the rise of new media. The consensus was that the medium didn't matter that much, a question of personal preference, but we'd still be reading!
Finally, I could not resist reading a couple of my favourite poems which take a quirky look at the future, Jenny Joseph's 'Warning' (When I am an old woman I shall wear purple) and Roger McGough's 'Let me die a youngman's death'.
This month's cake was Death by Chocolate, what a way to go!
As host I started with a future that I cannot begin to contemplate, inspired by the recent film 'The Hurt Locker', and I read 'An Irish Airman Foresees his Death' by W B Yeats. How does a person face the certainty of death? Is it just adrenalin that keeps soldiers going? We did talk a lot about the contemplation of death. Donna read 'As I Walked out one Evening' by W H Auden, where lovers swear eternal faithfulness, but how hopeless it all is:
But all the clocks in the city
Began to whirr and chime:
'O let not Time deceive you,
You cannot conquer Time.
Marion delighted us all with a poem of her own, typically forthright, 'When the future seems bleak and you've nothing to do'. The message? Don't just sit there wondering what the future might hold, just go out there and take it into your own hands and do all the things you've dreamt about for so long.
Sheila read from one of Paul Theroux's books, where he talks about his feelings on being diagnosed with cancer. The future is not always about things ending, but also about new beginnings.
Merinda discussed David Mitchell's 'Cloud Atlas' and the alternative universe that it presents. The chapter we looked at is about the recording and archiving of memories. It is also about dreams of other lives: 'Dreams are all I have ever truly owned'. I am not sure whether they were dreams of an afterlife, the one future we didn't speak of is the possibility of life after death.
Lynne raised the question of the future of bookclubs, and of reading in general, with the rise of new media. The consensus was that the medium didn't matter that much, a question of personal preference, but we'd still be reading!
Finally, I could not resist reading a couple of my favourite poems which take a quirky look at the future, Jenny Joseph's 'Warning' (When I am an old woman I shall wear purple) and Roger McGough's 'Let me die a youngman's death'.
This month's cake was Death by Chocolate, what a way to go!
Tuesday 18 May 2010
Contemplating the Future
In the absence of the host's blog here are a couple of thoughts that were discussed, commented on, debated or mulled over.
The effect of time
The importance of the past to determine the future
The impact of electronic media on book sales and bookclubs
The importance or not of face-to-face interaction
What is a book — is it the whole package or is it the words within?
Death — lots on death though not much on the afterlife
We read peoms by the famous and the not-so-famous. We read from books old and new and some of us just came up with ideas of our own. Ending the night with Death by Chocolate cake we left with much food for thought.
The effect of time
The importance of the past to determine the future
The impact of electronic media on book sales and bookclubs
The importance or not of face-to-face interaction
What is a book — is it the whole package or is it the words within?
Death — lots on death though not much on the afterlife
We read peoms by the famous and the not-so-famous. We read from books old and new and some of us just came up with ideas of our own. Ending the night with Death by Chocolate cake we left with much food for thought.
Sunday 9 May 2010
A visit to the theatre
Following on from our last meeting, when we watched 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof', we decided to go as a group to the Oxford Playhouse to see another Tennessee Williams, 'The Glass Menagerie', produced by the wonderful Shared Experience company. TW himself said in his introduction that it is about memory. It certainly seems to be quite autobiographical.
Tom and his sister Laura live with their mother Amanda, played by Imogen Stubbs, in a small flat in run-down part of St Louis. Amanda lives with the memories of her beautiful charmed youth.
Tom works in a warehouse and has been christened Shakespeare by his fellow workers because he is always writing. But he feel his life is too internal, and he yearns to experience the 'real' life he sees in the movies he goes to every evening.
The character of Laura seems to be based on that of TW's sister Rose, who ended her days in an asylum. She has been sent to secretarial college, but never attends her classes, as she cannot deal with people.
Like all TW, very intense and full of the heat and humidity of his settings. An excellent cast.
Enjoyed by all.
Tom and his sister Laura live with their mother Amanda, played by Imogen Stubbs, in a small flat in run-down part of St Louis. Amanda lives with the memories of her beautiful charmed youth.
Tom works in a warehouse and has been christened Shakespeare by his fellow workers because he is always writing. But he feel his life is too internal, and he yearns to experience the 'real' life he sees in the movies he goes to every evening.
The character of Laura seems to be based on that of TW's sister Rose, who ended her days in an asylum. She has been sent to secretarial college, but never attends her classes, as she cannot deal with people.
Like all TW, very intense and full of the heat and humidity of his settings. An excellent cast.
Enjoyed by all.
Tuesday 20 April 2010
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Tennessee Williams gives us a closeup view of family tensions in this controlled film of his play. Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman still in their 20s are beautiful to watch. Liz harangues less than in the written work and Paul is more personable. The no-neck monster children are every bit as annoying. Burl Ives is more avuncular and there is the scene in the basement filled with souveniers his wife has bought on their travels which is an addition to the play - perhaps just to give us all a break from the stifling atmosphere of the bedroom.
Brick and Maggie, though having come to some agreement which we can only guess is that brick will stay with her on the understanding that there is no sex, still have a closeness and there is a telling scene in which she hugs him and he nearly responds. His hands are about to hold her and then he holds off. He is also, at the end of the play, having confronted his 'demons', complicit in her lie about her pregnancy. We are left wondering about their relationship when they are not on view. Will he give up drinking? Will he inherit? Will she ever become pregnant.
As always TW dives into the heart of family life. He keeps the number of characters very small and exposes the underside of relationships. Yet it is not all bad - there is always some kindness, some love, even some joy.
Did we enjoy it - yes I think we all did - if only for the glory of Paul Newman from our and his youth. The colour was exceptionally good on the copy of the film - and it didnt feel 50 years old.
My copy of the play had been heavily annotated alonside TW's directing notes. It is amusing to see how film makers of the 50's, and indeed the 60s too, still felt it necessary to redo a character's hair midway through a scene, to give them clean clothes or as in Taylor's case remove her brastrap when she changes into her evening dress - one minute its there and the next its gone. The style of filming is in itself a window on the social mores of the times - the time of the making of the film rather than its setting.
Brick and Maggie, though having come to some agreement which we can only guess is that brick will stay with her on the understanding that there is no sex, still have a closeness and there is a telling scene in which she hugs him and he nearly responds. His hands are about to hold her and then he holds off. He is also, at the end of the play, having confronted his 'demons', complicit in her lie about her pregnancy. We are left wondering about their relationship when they are not on view. Will he give up drinking? Will he inherit? Will she ever become pregnant.
As always TW dives into the heart of family life. He keeps the number of characters very small and exposes the underside of relationships. Yet it is not all bad - there is always some kindness, some love, even some joy.
Did we enjoy it - yes I think we all did - if only for the glory of Paul Newman from our and his youth. The colour was exceptionally good on the copy of the film - and it didnt feel 50 years old.
My copy of the play had been heavily annotated alonside TW's directing notes. It is amusing to see how film makers of the 50's, and indeed the 60s too, still felt it necessary to redo a character's hair midway through a scene, to give them clean clothes or as in Taylor's case remove her brastrap when she changes into her evening dress - one minute its there and the next its gone. The style of filming is in itself a window on the social mores of the times - the time of the making of the film rather than its setting.
Saturday 20 March 2010
In complete contrast to Esprit d'Corps our March book was Toast - the story of a boy's hunger by Nigel Slater.
Incredibly well written, deceptively simple, with brief descriptions conjuring up whole personalities the book is written from a child's point of view. The black and white frankness of his opinions and feelings was sometimes startling. His relationship with his parents, Josh and Joan came across with vivid realism. Chapters after the death of his mother had particular poignancy especially The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe chapter where as an act of remembrance Nigel puts on his mother's clothes.
I really enjoyed this book and am spurred on to read more by him. The evening ended with lemon meringue pie (pg 154) and talk of childhood food experiences.
Incredibly well written, deceptively simple, with brief descriptions conjuring up whole personalities the book is written from a child's point of view. The black and white frankness of his opinions and feelings was sometimes startling. His relationship with his parents, Josh and Joan came across with vivid realism. Chapters after the death of his mother had particular poignancy especially The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe chapter where as an act of remembrance Nigel puts on his mother's clothes.
I really enjoyed this book and am spurred on to read more by him. The evening ended with lemon meringue pie (pg 154) and talk of childhood food experiences.
Tuesday 16 February 2010
Esprit d'Corps
What an hilarious evening we have had at Lynne's home - the Pooh like Capital Letters, the sparse tight writing, the innuendos and the wit of Lawrence Durrell's short stories reduced us to tears of laughter.
Thanks for choosing it.
Thanks for choosing it.
Tuesday 2 February 2010
Following on from our reading of 'When I Lived in Modern Times', I have just read a very interesting book called 'The last Jews of Kerala' by Edna Fernandes. It is about the surviving members of India's oldest Jewish Diaspora (about 2000 years old) in Cochin. The thing that sets them apart from other Jewish communities is that they have never known persecution. They were welcomed by the local Indian rulers, to quote the blurb, into ' ... a land where Jew and Muslim, Hindu and Christian have lived and prayed in harmony for centuries'. This community is now dying, and many have moved to Israel. We wondered how Jewishness was defined, and this puts an interesting slant on that discussion.
Another good read is 'The Thirteenth Tribe' by Arthur Koestler, which traces the history of the ancient Khazar Empire, a major but almost forgotten power in Eastern Europe, which in the dark ages became converted to Judaism.
Another good read is 'The Thirteenth Tribe' by Arthur Koestler, which traces the history of the ancient Khazar Empire, a major but almost forgotten power in Eastern Europe, which in the dark ages became converted to Judaism.
Monday 25 January 2010
January 2010
Sitting around in Sheila's living room we deconstructed When I lived in modern times.
We discovered that all 5 of us have ancestors far away - 4 in Eastern Europe.
This book is about identity and in particular being Jewish - at least 3 of us have jewish forebears - did we know that it had been pragmatic for some of them to convert sometimes to Catholicism, were the Jews a Race - we think probably yes.
The Bauhaus style of Tel Aviv was news to some.
As with so many novels we didn't think the author had really thought how to end the book. The character's final deception when she actually meets a nice guy in Nice doesn't ring true and tells us that she hadn't learnt anything at all from her time in Israel.
We also talked about the type of women whose husbands filled the posts of civil servants in foreign parts - how adaptable and unflappable they were.
We discovered that all 5 of us have ancestors far away - 4 in Eastern Europe.
This book is about identity and in particular being Jewish - at least 3 of us have jewish forebears - did we know that it had been pragmatic for some of them to convert sometimes to Catholicism, were the Jews a Race - we think probably yes.
The Bauhaus style of Tel Aviv was news to some.
As with so many novels we didn't think the author had really thought how to end the book. The character's final deception when she actually meets a nice guy in Nice doesn't ring true and tells us that she hadn't learnt anything at all from her time in Israel.
We also talked about the type of women whose husbands filled the posts of civil servants in foreign parts - how adaptable and unflappable they were.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)