People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (to be discussed on 31 January 2012)

Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornsby (discussed on 29 November 2011)

The title refers to a, previously unreleased, recording of some early and unedited studio work on a twenty year old album entitled Juliet. 

The book examines the obsessive and interconnecting lives of the three main characters, the American musician, a fanatical English fan and his long suffering girlfriend. Unusually, almost all of the group found little empathy with any of these characters and, indeed, there was some antipathy towards the plot devices of the book as a whole.

However, the discussion was one of the liveliest of the year!

Jo Robertson

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (discussed on 25 October 2011)

This seemingly simple story focuses on the dreams of Santiago, a shepherd boy, who sets forth on an exotic journey that leads him from his native hills in Andalusia to Tangiers and then into the Egyptian desert where he meets the alchemist.
The story contains a message for the reader - listen to your heart and follow your dreams.
There were varied reactions from the group, ranging from disappointment over the ending to irritation at the repetition of ideas. Most of us enjoyed what was an easy read and agreed that the story contained many thought provoking ideas.

Dorinda Charnaud

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson (discussed on 27 Sept (evening) and 28 Sept (afternoon) 2011)

Helen Simonson's first novel is set in an English village. This seemingly simple story covers racial and cultural issues, aging, religion, the generation gap and urbanization versus respect for the environment. A heady mixture that had both the evening and afternoon book groups engaged in lively discussions.
Most members liked Major Pettigrew and enjoyed the unusual modern love story that developed between him and Mrs Ali - A relationship that caused much consternation to their families and villagers and the main participants.
There is a lot of humour in the story and complications over a misunderstood inheritance and the planning and execution of a golf club dinner dance will make you smile.
Kate Saunders wrote in The Times, "Gentle and charming, but these words can't convey the slow-burning pleasure of this novel".

Jean Webster

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (discussed on 26 July 2011)

We completed our final read before the summer break with the charming little novelette which postulates the Queen discovering a mobile library visiting the servant's entrance at Buckingham Palace and becoming enrolled as a borrowing member. This leads to a hilarious series of confrontations with various advisors who think that her new passion is bad for the monarchy and the country.

Most of the group thoroughly enjoyed this light-hearted but minutely observed frolic into unknown territory and found it surprisingly thought provoking.

The occasion of our 'end of term' discussion was enhanced by being held on the sunlit terrace of Pat Willmore's lovely new home. Everybody brought food and drink so that it was a party for both afternoon and evening groups. Our heartfelt thanks to Jean Webster for organising us throughout the year.

Michael Jean-Jakobsson

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (discussed on 28 June 2011)

This debut book was well received by most of our members.

The story of Lily, a motherless 14 year old (narrated by her), living on a peach farm in South Carolina during the 1960's. Her father is abusive and unloving. Lily is raised by Rosaleen, the black housekeeper with whom she runs away as a result of the race issues during these turbulent times. Searching for the truth about her dead mother she finds herself living with three black sisters with whom she forms an enormous attachment.

The group thought it an easy read that 'enveloped one in the warm honey described in the story'. The bees could also symbolise 'strong females' of which there were many in the book, contributing to the thought that it was a 'woman's book'.

Annie Huxley

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (discussed on 31 May 2011)

Fifteen year old Kambili lives in fear of her father, a charismatic yet violent Catholic patriarch who, although generous and well respected in the community is repressive and fanatically religious at home. The background of the story is Nigeria at the time of a military coup which affects most of the Country. Kambili and her brother visit their aunt and begin to see how different their lives are.

All who discussed the book found it to be a beautifully crafted story which dealt sensitively with painful issues. The characters within the book were brought to life in a very touching way. It is a book which is recommended as a good read.

We went on to have a lively discussion about many topics and a good night was had by all.

Meg Henderson

The Secret River by Kate Grenville (discussed on 26 April)

This powerful but harrowing book was the April choice for Mylor Book Group. The author's original intention was a non-fiction book. However, turning her meticulous research into the conflicts between convict settlers and the aboriginal people of Australia into a work of fiction makes for a tremendously compelling but uncomfortable read.

The central character, William Thornhill, finds himself at the bottom of the economic heap in 18th century London. Transported for life for a theft committed as the only means of providing for his family, William seizes the opportunity of a new life. However, the impossible co-existence of the newcomers with the Aborigines leads to savagery against the 'savages' and the inevitable domination and extermination of the indigenous peoples by the white men. Although Thornhill eventually achieves wealth and status he is never comfortable in his new life.

This book explores many themes and forces the reader to confront the terrible and shameful reality of the events. It is beautifully written with well rounded characters and a great feel for local colour. Not a light hearted book but one well worth reading.

Pat Willmore

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin (discussed on 29 March 2011)

I liked this story of lives quietly led, and how the course of a life can turn on chance events made at a young and impressionable age. Eilis's life is dictated by those around her - her mother, her sister, her neighbours, her first employer and her priest, all of whom lay plans without consulting her. She is vulnerable and follows the enormous decision, made for her, to emigrate to Brooklyn without complaint or challenge.

As soon as she leaves she has to grow up rapidly, make decisions, deal with an alien environment and decide who to trust. After much suffering she discovers that she can survive and thrive as her own person, but she is pulled into an intense relationship and secret marriage with a young Italian. He uses emotional blackmail to make her commit herself to him when she is at her most vulnerable.

The world she has built for herself is shattered by the death of her sister and she is forced back to Ireland by the grief and need of her mother. Brooklyn starts to recede, and temptations appear - another relationship, work, status, things once denied are now available. In a final twist the shopkeeper, whose actions altered the course of Eilis's life in the first place, pushes her into making a final decision - once more having to leave to an uncertain future.

This book is powerful because it is precise and sparsely written, showing the havoc caused by repressed emotions and the cruelty of everyday events. It is sad but illuminated by humour and it met with a mixed response from the group.

Sue Kinley

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (discussed on 23 February 2011)

Set in Jackson Mississippi, in 1962 against the backdrop of a deeply rooted attitude to segregation, The Help is narrated by three women; Minnie and Aibileen are both working for ladies from the close knit cream of white society, who rely on black maids to look after their houses and raise their children and Miss Skeeter who, although part of this white society, is not prepared to compromise her life for the sake of a 'good marriage'. Her ambition to be a writer and her recognition of the injustices of their society is the catalyst which brings these three women together on a radical and clandestine project to produce a book which will, for the first time, give black domestic maids a voice through the collation of their stories.

While it is the planning and fruition of this project which sets the plot and shape of this book, it is the use of the three different narrative voices and their relationships with a whole cast of characters and each other, which gives a depth of humour, poignancy, empathy and an insight into multi-layered prejudices and the manipulative power of the strong over the weak, through all levels of society, but, which also gives an abiding sense of hope that things can be different.

Jo Robertson

The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (discussed on 25 January 2011)

The Night Watch by Sarah Waters was a finalist for both the Orange prize and the Man Booker prize and was not an easy read for the group's members. The novel moves backwards from 1947 to 1944 and then back to 1941 and is set in war torn London.

I found the descriptions of women working as night time ambulance workers interesting and the hardships of post war Britain were carefully explained in several storylines.

The interaction of the characters and their complicated lives led to passionate opinions. One member felt that it could have been written with an eye to a screenplay and that it would make a good film.

Jean Webster

The Road Home by Rose Tremain (discussed on 30 November 2010)

"Wickedly lovely free-range chicken breasts stuffed with mushrooms, shallots and herbs, served with a totally brilliant jus. Watermelon sorbet with no black seeds or rubbish in it." This quotation reminded me that although this is a book with a serious message, Rose Tremain also uses humour to communicate her ideas. The Road Home tells the story of Lev, an immigrant who travels to the UK to work and send money home to his family.

The Evening Group had a lively discussion about the characters he met and the friendships he formed that helped him survive the gruelling lifestyle he endured. Food plays a central role in the story as a celebrity restaurant is one of the settings for the novel. Enjoy Greek, Indian, and haute cuisine without leaving your fireside!

As Lev struggles to overcome his challenges he realises that there is a threat at home that he needs to address. Why not read the book and find out what happened next? Although bleak at times this is an uplifting story that is inspirational and the Book Group wanted to read more of Rose Tremain's novels.

Jean Webster

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
(discussed on 26 October 2010)

The last Tuesday of October saw the group discussing this unusually titled book. It is written as a series of letters between author Juliet Ashton and members of a book club on, surprisingly, Guernsey at the end of the occupation of the Channel Islands in 1946. Some of us were a little unused to a story told in this way but were quickly drawn into the narrative. Having finished, I think we all felt better informed about life at this difficult time without feeling that we had read another book about the war.

Perhaps more importantly though, all the members of the book club here in Mylor had had a thoroughly good read! I, for one, was dismayed to find that this was the only book written by Mary Ann Shaffer, but have subsequently recommended it to several friends and indeed many of the copies on Tuesday night looked very well loved! So what can I say, if you want a 'charming, delightful, quirky, book to curl up with' then this is for you.

Catherine McCabe

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks (discussed on 28 September 2010)

How does one dare to write a review of a masterpiece? Many of the group would agree that Faulks is one of our greatest living writers and his books affect you so deeply that you could almost say that they review you!

Love and war are probably the most fundamental forces shaping our lives and Birdsong is steeped in both to a degree that is compulsive to read and impossible to forget. The eroticism of the pre-war section when a young Englishman lives with a French family and runs off with the young wife is swiftly eclipsed by the observational sensitivity and the sheer horror of life in the war when the narrative moves on to the young man now ageing rapidly in the trenches. There is much that the story teaches one about life in Flanders, particularly the role of the non-military miners who burrowed under no-man's-land and laid great charges under the opposing trenches. Abiding memories are of mud, lice, hunger, disease and the horror of the crazy attacks during which he witnesses appalling injury and death, not to mention the fear of being buried alive in the tunnels.

This is the first of a trilogy of books dealing with the two wars and their effect on French society and it is only at the very end of the third book, Charlotte Gray, that some of the great issues are resolved. The whole group loved Birdsong and many read it more than once - it's that kind of writing. One member of our group gave a moving account of her two children returning from modern wars and I think all of us had been affected deeply by the extraordinary narrative of this wonderful book.

One of the great benefits of being in a group like this is that we all read books chosen by others which we might not have selected ourselves. We would urge anyone to read this book. It is enriching and it will change you.

Michael Jeans-Jakobsson

England's Mistress by Kate Williams (discussed on 29 June 2010)

Lady Hamilton and Lord Nelson were the ultimate glamorous couple. 'England's Mistress' charts the infamous life of Emma, the Princess Diana of her time. Starting her life in incredible rural poverty, Emma managed to claw her way up to become one of Europe's most famous and beautiful women, with pictures of her hanging in the majority of houses across the county.  She held influence among both the masses and high society with all clamouring to follow her fashion style.  Interwoven into this incredible life story are a myriad of facts, research and a snap shot of English society during the eighteenth century.
 
A girl born into the 1700's had few ways of creating her own destiny.  Starting from a poor base, women had few chances to improve their lot. Ill health, rickets, bad teeth and disease were rife.  However, Emma's mother must have had a benefactor as Emma grew up to be a great beauty, with thick, glossy hair, smooth, clear skin and bright eyes. Emma was able to use these assets to her advantage and after going through phases of stage work and prostitution, found comfort in becoming the mistress of Charles Greville and the muse of Romney. But true to the times, Emma was at the mercy of the conventions of the eighteenth century, with women being powerless in the face of men's desires. Women could have their children banished from them for ever, be sent away and have the course of their life altered on a whim by the man on whom they were dependent.
 
The book takes us through Emma's great love for Greville and how he sent her away to Italy, eventually to marry his uncle Lord Hamilton. Life in Italy was good and Emma reached the pinnacle of her fame, so it was a natural progression that she should end up as Nelson's mistress, the most famous war hero of his time. It was with great sadness that having reached this high point in her life, Emma once more became victim to the power of men. Following Nelson's death, with little control over her own destiny Emma once more spiralled downwards, ending her life in poverty.
 
The group largely enjoyed the book. Several members felt that the early parts resembled a history lesson, with too much supposition interspersed with facts, but the story certainly triggered lively discussion and was quite thought provoking regarding how women's role in society has changed. Everyone at the group said it may not have been a book they would have naturally chosen, but all were glad that they had read it and felt that they had learned a lot.

Jillie Dale

The Brimstone Wedding by Barbara Vine (discussed by afternoon group on 26 May 2010)

Sun Meilan wrote on the Helium website, 'Barbara Vine, the author of this book, is a pseudonym for Ruth Rendell, well known for her Wexford mysteries. As Barbara Vine, her books tend to have a more mysterious aura - this one, for example, delves into mysticism and charms - and they tend to be more psychological, so that, although this is still a mystery, there is nothing of the police procedural about it. And the mystery does seem to be buried rather deeply in this book - at first glance, it seems to be the story of two women's affairs, and certainly much of the book is taken up with this. There is a mystery though, and it is one that burns slowly, involving a missing wife.'

The majority of the group had enjoyed reading the book and there was a lively discussion over tea and a delicious cake.

Jean Webster

Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama (discussed on 25 May 2010)

Robert McCrum wrote in The Guardian, 'Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama is a remarkable story, beautifully told, and inspired by its author's divided family history. The son of a black African farmer from Kenya and a white American mother from the Midwest , Obama was two years old when his father walked out on the family. Years later, after many vicissitudes, Obama received a call from Nairobi to say that his father had been killed in a car crash. This news triggered a quest in which Obama sought to discover the truth about his father, in the process becoming reconciled to his troubled inheritance. Travelling to Kansas , Hawaii and finally Kenya , Obama undertook a journey of heart and mind into a family maelstrom of identity, class and race. Many reviews have singled out the exceptional grace of Obama's prose, its honesty and freshness.'

Most members had enjoyed reading the autobiography although some of us would have preferred it to be shorter. Barack Obama has since said that he would make it leaner too!

This was the first autobiography that the group had discussed. Some time was spent discussing the genre and favourite autobiographies that we had enjoyed.

Jean Webster

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (discussed on 27 April 2010)

A very contemporary book (first published in 2003) that describes the idyllic but ultimately doomed friendship of two Afghan boys during their childhood in the 1970s. Amir is desperate for the love of his father, Baba, but Baba seems mysteriously to be more concerned for his friend, Hassan, even though he is a humble servant. There are many twists and turns in their lives but a very dramatic and shocking event leads to the loss of his friend and leaves Amir with a lifelong guilt that is not resolved until the final page.

Khaled Hosseini was born in Afghanistan and like Amir in his novel, he gained political asylum in the USA after the Russians invaded. He is a doctor and this was his first book which was widely acclaimed as a literary masterpiece. His ability to describe people, places and events is spellbinding and utterly convincing. His writing is both transparently simple and beautifully constructed.

The group was unanimously bowled over by a book that many had hesitated to read until the book group provided the incentive. Many declared it to be one of the most perfect books they had ever read. Praise indeed for a book that is far from our own experience and yet strikes a chord in every soul. If you have not read it, we would urge you to do so. You will not be disappointed.

Michael Jeans-Jakobsson

When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson (discussed on 30 March 2010)

The book starts dramatically with a shocking act of violence. This sets the scene for what is to follow in this fast moving and intricate novel. It combines a mixture of genre: part crime, part mystery, and part thriller. It is at times harrowing, at others insightful and often very funny. A wide range of themes are explored including fate, love, loyalty, greed, death and the apparently random nature of life events and coincidences that change the course of people’s lives.

This is Kate Atkinson’s third novel to feature Jackson Brodie. He is a man haunted by tragedy in his childhood who finds himself drawn to others who are dealing with past and present traumatic events. Jackson accidentally finds himself on a train bound for Edinburgh, where he survives the train’s terrifying derailment. To say the plot thickens would be an understatement: it is full of twists and turns and richly studded with interesting characters.

Some of the members of the group said that although they enjoyed the novel on some levels they would not recommend it to others, some enjoyed the novel so much that they said they had been inspired to read the two preceding novels. In any event the discussion that followed was lively and interesting and enjoyed by all.

Linda Coburn

Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell (discussed on 23 February 2010)

This Victorian novel deals with the plight of a young woman who, tragically orphaned, finds herself without family and support. She is seduced by a young man of a higher class who, in true dastardly fashion, abandons her and leaves her pregnant. She is taken in by a truly good man, a dissenting minister , and his sister who pass Ruth off as a young widow. Eventually Ruth’s secret becomes known and she is shunned by many who had supported her.

The novel deals with hypocrisy, faith, the strictures of a patriarchal society and ultimately the triumph of sheer ‘goodness’. Despite these profound themes Elizabeth Gaskells’s writing displays a lightness of touch and subtlety which makes the book a delight to read and a real page turner.

Many of the club members were reluctant to tackle this book but it was unanimously enjoyed by the whole group. One of the aims of a book group is to persuade members to read an author outside of their normal preferences. I would imagine many ofus will read other works by this fine author.

Pat Willmore

Two Caravans by Marina Lewycka (discussed on 26 January 2010)

Two Caravans is the second novel by Marina Lewycka, her first being the highly successful and funny A History of Tractors in Ukranian. This book follows a group of migrant strawberry pickers whose reasons for coming to Britain are as varied as their backgrounds, but who all have their dreams and a naïve faith in their lives becoming better and brighter in this “land of opportunity” They are thrown together as the inhabitants of two shabby and cramped caravans in the strawberry fields of Kent and remain together as circumstances force them to embark on a road trip around the country. The experiences of the characters (including a stray dog) during the journey gives each a voice, within the narrative, an
insight into their backgrounds and a pointer to their fates as they slowly disperse.

Our discussion on Two Caravans divided the group fairly evenly between those who had enjoyed the book and those who had not. The book is described as humorous and this is certainly true as the motley group set off, one of the caravans in tow. The use of the dog as occasional narrator, the assorted levels of English and the creative mangling and stretching of language provides wit, but was felt could be charming or irritating in turn,
However, most crucially, this book is comic writing in the blackest sense and explores the darkest facets of legal and illegal economic migration, the naivety of the exploited and, to some extent, the exploiter. Some in the group felt that black humour was an effective devise for dealing with such issues and that, essentially, the book retained a positive note, while others felt that the large and small tragedies encountered on the way were progressively too sinister for humour.

Jean Webster