All the Pretty Horses

Very interesting discussion this week about Kafka on the Shore with lots to say and several mixed feelings! The Kings's Head has had a bit of a make-over and was a bit busier - I like to put it down to the fact that we are holding our meetings there now!

The next book is 'All the Pretty Horses' by Cormac McCarthy and the other suggestions included:

Regeneration by Pat Barker

The White Tiger by Ararind Adiga

We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernières

So same place, same time then on the 23rd November.

As an aside, we also set a date for our Christmas Meal (yes, it's coming round quickly!) so put it in your diaries and we will finalise details later: 13 December. Slightly controversially it's on a Tuesday but it seemed to be the best date for most people at the meeting! Last Year was Robarto's tapas in Vauxhall which went down well but other suggestions very welcome.

Cloud Atlas

Our 'summer read' - I suppose we've truly waited until summer is over! Sorry for the postponement of date but i think everyone has at least started it now! (myself as of today's tube journey home!).

It should be a good debate, judging by the conversations already started!

So hope you see all next week 19th October - same time, same place.

(By the way - very jealous of this book cover - anyone seen a copy?!)

Kafka on the Shore

Sorry for delayed post! Great group last week with very mixed feelings about Tinker Tailor - something like love vs confusion!
As always some excellent suggestions, the winner of which was 'Kafka on the Shore' by Haruki Murakami.
The rest were:
The Blind Assassin by Margret Atwood
Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
Back from the Brink by Alistair Darling
Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

Sticking with the Kings Head - enjoyed by all I think. Better sitting on the sofas at the front so bag them if you get there first! Meeting on 2nd November at 7.30pm.

Otherwise have a lovely month - and see most on the 19th for Cloud Atlas (happily I now have a copy - so much for summer reading!)

A visit to the Circus....

Sorry for the delay in setting up this event....apologies. A great group last week, our reminiscing meant that we almost forgot to discuss the books but we got there in the end! Enjoyed the Kings Head (100 Clapham Park Rd), cheap beer and plenty of room. We're going to give it another go next time but other suggestions welcome.

As usual a great collection of suggestions but the winner (after several entries!) was Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy by John Le Carre. For the first time ever I think I'm being dragged to see the film before I've read the book (367 pages in an evening is pushing it a little too far!). We meet again on the 5th October.

The other suggestions were:

Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres

A dry white season by Andre Brisk

A disturbed girl's guide to curing boredom by James Howell

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

After not much deliberation (!) we postponed Cloud Atlas until the 19th October. Sorry to all those who have been diligently reading it but unfortunately the rest need a bit more catch up time.

Hope to see you all on the 5th, take care until then.

It's a double....but still less than 300 pages, phew!

A lovely meeting yesterday, even managed to catch the last of the summer sitting outside! And at least half had managed to finish The Lacuna's 650ish pages so good going!

A great list of possibles for next meeting and frankly not much between them all... so much so that we actually have two books to read! But don't fear, they are both less than 150 pages each!
The Ballard of Peckham Rye by Muriel Spark and The Day of the Owl by Leonardo Sciascia both had 100% of the vote. Fairly certain that they'll be enough variation between them - one an Italian detective story and the other, well, set in Peckham Rye!

Other suggestions were:
A clockwork orange by Anthony Burgess
Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy by John Le Carre
The prince of west end avenue by Alan Isler

We decided on another venue, just to try out the options, so see you all at The King's Head, 100 Clapham Park Road, SW4 7BZ on the 14th September.

We were all very pleased to be sitting outside for the group yesterday, thanks to Charlotte for seeing off the competition for the table! Good discussion about Another part of the wood with varied opinions! Some of us agreed we'd like to read it again to gain full appreciation although others felt the opposite!!

Next meetings choice is The Lacuna by Barbara Kingslover but it was a close vote between them all:

The White Masai by Corinne Hofmann
Watreland by Graham Swift
Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy by John Le Carre
The Waves by Virginia Woolf
The curious incident of the dog in the night by Mark Haddon

We're meeting next on the 24th August at 7.30pm as usual. Sticking with The Stonhouse while there's potential for nice weather but unable to book tables outside so if it's sunny whoever gets there first do your best!

Don't forget about the summer read which is Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, we are still to decide on a meeting date but it will likely be in October sometime.

Until next time...

Tribute to Beryl

Sorry for the delay in posting this, lack of internet at home has hindered me somewhat!

A great group this week, lots of discussion and general agreement that we all enjoyed the Terrible Privacy. Next meeting we're sticking with the Stonhouse, the prospect of the beer garden is too tempting if the weather is good.

A good list of suggestions, it was hard to choose!

The next read then is Another Part of the Wood by Beryl Bainbridge.

Other suggestions were;

The White Masai by Corinne Hofmann

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

The Year of the Flood by Margret Atwood

100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Kafka on the Beach by Haruki Murakami

Lark and Termit by Jayne Ann Phillips

Decision made to have another holiday read and Cloud Atlas was the choice for that. We'll arrange a date in October to discuss that one.

Next meeting: 3rd August at 7.30pm The Stonhouse, 165 Stonhouse St, Off Clapham Manor Rd. I'll try to reserve a table again on the day so if its nice will go for one outside.

Until then, enjoy the summer!