The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
2012 – Critical Review
Any entity with five years’ history should be open to review: analysis and self review to continue with realised successes, and a thick-skinned willingness to shoulder the opinions and expectations of others.
For example, when we ask ourselves what are we doing right, we realise the answer is everything and we get back to reading 😉 What else would you expect when a group of A-type personalities get together?!
On the flipside there are a few comments from outsiders that pop up with regular frequency. There’s the ‘an excuse to get out of the house, eh?’ from the ladies, and the ‘oh, bookclub‘, with speech marks fingered in the air, from the guys. And from less enthusiastic bookclubbers: “do you never finish your books either? We just drink wine and talk all night”.
Hmmmm, actually we discuss books in depth, keep up to date with award nominees and get excited about new releases. We talk books all night and squeeze in a quick catch up before it gets too late and we all turn into pumpkins. While some consider such banter excessive or punishing, for us, bookclub is the highlight of the month.
As such, the four of us have settled into a wonderful rhythm and we continue to head in the right direction. This year we have chosen to continue to theme our book choices. Rachel’s looking into Banned and Controversial Books, Suzy has chosen New Zealand Writers, Jo will investigate the work of Iris Murdoch and Sophia introduces us to Poetry.
Rangatira – Paula Morris
Slaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut
Under The Net – Iris Murdoch
Poetry (Sophia’s NZ Favourites)
The Parihaka Woman – Witi Ihimaera
Tropic Of Cancer – Henry Miller
The Bell – Iris Murdoch
Poetry (Ways To Be A Successful Woman)
The Angel’s Cut – Elizabeth Knox
Of Mice & Men – John Steinbeck
A Servered Head – Iris Murdoch
We’re currently reading:
Books read:
How many books have we read for bookclub in the past 17 years?
The Free-Range Bookclub 
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