May meeting report

Nine of us met on the 27th May, a very hot afternoon, to discuss The Interview by David Simons, normally a short story writer he was a new author for us It was a real treat as we were sent the books free of charge.
An intriguing  story with a real twist at the end that surprised us all. Cal Drummond, the protagonist and former chat show host,  is in hiding in a friend’s hut  in the American South after he’d interviewed the Republican president Sterling Patterson , a disturbing Trump like character, live on air.
It was obvious it was never going to end well as they had totally opposing views. High on drugs and alcohol to combat a twisted knee and facing an aggressive President who discussed  the death of Cal’s parents in Mexico. Cal confronts and swears at the President and goes into hiding. Was it a set up?
After the death of Paterson, Cal is tracked down by an earnest journalist, Nina Fernandez, to whom he gradually opens up and finally agrees to be a guest on the Zack Perry’s chat show where he tells his story

Our next meeting is on the 24th June when we’ll discuss The Kingmaker by Sir Graham Brady.

April meeting report

We managed to sit outside in sunshine for our April meeting when we discussed The Sense of Belonging by Julian Barnes, a new author for all of us. His penultimate book intrigued us all with themes of ageing, memory and regret.
Divided into 2 sections, the first part is set in the 1960’s where Tony Webster  and 3 intellectual, arrogant school boys vow to remain friends for life. There’s a wonderful description of how they feel as though they are in ‘holding pens’ summarising their frustration and rush to get on with life, girls and sex!
In the second section the past catches up with Tony, he is divorced and retired when he receives a solicitor’s letter telling him of a bequest. This forces him to re - establish contact with his first  girl friend and re-evaluate his memories of the past.
A fascinating story that lead to a long discussion on the ending. We did wonder if that was Julian Barnes’ intention!
Our next meeting will be on the 27th May when we’ll have read The Interview by J David Simons.

March meeting report

6 of us met on the 25th March to discuss The House Of Doors by Tan Twan Eng. A fascinating book blending fact and fiction and entwining 3 different stories.
Set mainly  in Penang, the first British settlement in the east, a conservative outpost nicknamed Cheltenham on the Equator. The common theme seems to be the superficiality of ex-Pat life there.
The visit of the author Somerset Maugham and his lover, Gerald, is a highlight for the community. This gives the writer a chance to look into the relationships not only of their hosts Robert and Leslie but also the breakdown of Maugham’s marriage.
I found it interesting that Leslie who was at first very suspicious of Maugham later trusts him enough to tell him some of the secrets of the people there - including that of Ethel Proudlock, who was the first white woman sentenced to death for the murder of her lover.
Next month’s meeting is on the 29th April when we’ll discuss The Sense of and Ending by Julian Barnes. New members are welcome.

February meeting report

We had our meeting on Wednesday the 25th February to discuss Precipice by Robert Harris. Some of us had listened to it when it was book of the week on radio 4 but there was so much more in the novel. It’s a work of faction but, as always, impeccably researched by Harris. Based on Asquith’s relationship with the aristocratic Victoria Stanley who was 35 years his junior and set in the run up and start of World War 1.Becoming increasingly reckless and dependant on Victoria to whom he could unburden himself, he would write her letters - sometimes 3 a day which contained confidential information on British strategy, decoded Foreign office telegrams and affairs of state which they would then discuss.There are more than 700 letters from him in the British Library which Harris had access to but, unfortunately Asquith destroyed all the letters she had sent him.We had so many questions left unanswered most of them started with Why? Was she a support to him or a distraction? Did their relationship affect Asquith’s handling of the war which forced him to agree to a coalition government?

Our next meeting will be on the 23rd of March when we’ll discuss The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng.

January meeting report

We had our first meeting of the year on the 28th January, when 8 of us met to discuss The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, a 700 page book which we read over two months.
Set in  Kerala, India between 1900 and 1977, a 3 generation family saga who suffer a peculiar affliction runs parallel with the story of Digby’s life and dreams first in Glasgow, then India, when, because he was Catholic and lower class, he was advised to join the Indian Medical service. Verghese intertwines the stories seamlessly as he draws every thread together at the end.
We all enjoyed the book with its twists and turns, really well drawn, strong characters who suffer joy, loss and hardship yet remain resilient.
A fascinating look into India’s history and culture, touching on Britain’s role in its development.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 25th February, when we’ll be discussing Precipice by Robert Harris.

November meeting report

All roads used to lead to Rome now they lead to Beijing. Is this change the difference between autocracy and democracy? What does the future hold for Europe? 

Our next book club meeting will be on Wednesday 28th January 2026 when we’ll discuss The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.

Our choice was a non- fiction book  this month.  The New Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan was both a fascinating yet disturbing read. The author has updated his 2015 version of his book in which he discusses the recent rise of Asia’s economic and geopolitical strength in a changed world. He explains  that while Europe  is going through a crisis  the rest of the world is moving on and shaping the 21st. Century. In an age of Brexit and Trump the themes of isolation and fragmentation belong to the western world in contrast to The Silk Roads where, since 2015, ties have strengthened and cooperation established to cope with new challenges.

All roads used to lead to Rome now they lead to Beijing. Is this change the difference between autocracy and democracy? What does the future hold for Europe? 

Our next book club meeting will be on Wednesday 28th January 2026 when we’ll discuss The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.

October meeting report

10 of us met on the 29th October to discuss Tracey Chevalier’s The Glass Maker. Set on the Island of Murano it follows the Rosso’s, a family of glassmakers, through triumph and loss - from a plague devastating Venice, Napoleon plundering the palazzos, the occupation by Austrian soldiers who want to fill in the canals as they don’t like water to the outbreak of covid.
Tracey Chevalier’s characters were as clear as always, she excels  at creating strong characters especially women.
We all agreed that we enjoyed both the history of Venice from 1846 to the present when time moved very quickly and the family story set in the bubble of Murano where time moved very slowly. Were the parallel time lines a clever literary device or a step too far?

Our next meeting will be on 26th November when we’ll discuss "The New Silk Roads" by Peter Frankopan.

September meeting report

We met on the 24th September to discuss The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shajik.
Set in Cyprus during the 1970’s when the violence between the Greek and Turkish communities was escalating. It tells of the forbidden love story of Kostos, a gentle, nature loving, Greek Cypriot and Defne a feisty Turkish Cypriot. The interesting twist is that it’s partly narrated by a  personified fig tree but we agreed, although it took some getting used to, it played a valuable role in the book, explaining the history and background of the period.
It shows the different paths of the young couple as they separate and 25 years later come together again and how their individual struggles affected their future life together.
The book reminded us that it is families who bear the terrible cost of war as everyone loses something.
Our next meeting is on the 29th October when we’ll have read The Glassmaker by Tracey Chevalier

August meeting report

Seven of us met on the 27th August to discuss Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See. A fascinating glimpse into the culture, ritual, superstition and customs of 15th Century China.
Based on the true story of Tan Yunxian, born into an aristocratic family and brought up by her farsighted grandparents, a pharmacist and doctor. Tan becomes one of the first female doctors in a man’s world defying expectations that hers would be a life of living in a compound with her mother in law, uncles, aunts and concubines where she is valued for her beauty and fertility and little else.
Beautifully written, we found the idea of Chinese medicine, an early homeopathy and theories about the body fascinating although we did find some practises difficult to justify!

July meeting report

We met on Wednesday 30th July to discuss Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton, which we all enjoyed. Beautifully written and illustrated it’s Chloe’s first book written during the pandemic when she was away from her high pressure job as a political advisor. It’s the charming story of her relationship with an abandoned  leveret and their mutual trust, a real joy to read.

June meeting report

We met on Wednesday 25th of June to discuss In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner. Semi biographical, the book is set in Cambodia when the Khmer Rouge overthrew the long established monarchy aiming to restructure society.  The Khmer Rouge were in charge from 1975 when Vaddey was just 5 years old until 1979 when they were rescued by the Vietnamese army and the United Nations. Their aim had been to rid the country of its enemies,  so all those who were politically, ideologically or racially impure -  about one third of the population were executed during those years.

The story is movingly told from a child’s point of view, how she tries to make sense of the disappearance of her beloved father, the tiger prince and the change in the family’s circumstances as their homes were taken, the family split up and they were moved from one camp to another under horrific conditions.

Beautifully researched it feels as though the adult Raddey was on a mission to lovingly put together the pieces of her past. We all agreed that, although the book was challenging at times, we were pleased we had read it and had such admiration for the resilience they showed. As you can imagine it led to very interesting discussions!

May meeting report

Nine of us met on Wednesday 28th May to discuss I Dreamed of Africa by Kuki Gallman. We were all gripped by Kuki’s fascinating life story. Born in Italy but longing to live in Africa where she moved  with her husband Paolo to start a new life.

Such a resilient character, overcoming disability after a car accident, the death of her husband and later her son from a snake bite. It lead us to question both colonialism and the rights of man over nature. Although we didn’t all like her style of writing we agreed that her imagery was beautiful, showing her love of the land.

Still alive in Kenya and an active conservationist, she founded The Gallmann Memorial Foundation in memory of her husband and son.