The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Category: Literary fiction
2018 – End of Year Thoughts
Our reading this year was characterised by a string of strong personalities. Though unintentional and though the books were written and published over many different decades, it was curious that we should chose such a line-up, at a time when personality hype abounds. The… Continue Reading “2018 – End of Year Thoughts”
The Bridge of San Luis Rey – Thornton Wilder
READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Rachel After five Peruvians perish in a bridge collapse, a friar attempts to determine why it was those individuals who should die. ➽ “The Bridge of San Luis Rey appealed to me for its philosophical exploration, asking, but never answering: are… Continue Reading “The Bridge of San Luis Rey – Thornton Wilder”
2018 Bookerthon
The 2018 Man Booker shortlist was a surprise, with many followers declaring it an unusual list with glaring omissions. We, too, were shocked at who wasn’t present: Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward, Warlight by Michael Ondajtee, Crudo by Olivia Lang, Normal People by… Continue Reading “2018 Bookerthon”
The Overstory – Richard Powers
READ FOR BOOKERTHON An epic story of trees, ecological activism and US logging history. ➽ “It’s no exaggeration to say that they novel has genuinely changed my life. It’s a very solid work of fiction that has given me an awareness of our environment… Continue Reading “The Overstory – Richard Powers”
I Capture The Castle – Dodie Smith
READ FOR BOOKCLUB Recommended by Sophia A coming-of-age novel written as diary entries by a 1930s teenage girl living in poverty in an English castle. ➽ “What at first appears as a simple coming-of-age story is actually a cross-genre mediation on the history of… Continue Reading “I Capture The Castle – Dodie Smith”
When I Hit You: Or A Portrait Of The Writer As A Young Wife – Meena Kandasamy
READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Rachel An unnamed narrator tells a story of domestic violence and modern marriage in India through the beauty of literature. ➽ “Named for James Joyce’s debut novel, this book examines modern Indian marriages and brutality in a way not… Continue Reading “When I Hit You: Or A Portrait Of The Writer As A Young Wife – Meena Kandasamy”
Salt Picnic – Patrick Evans
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Mimicking Janet Frame’s travels, a young woman arrives on the island of Ibiza in 1956 and falls into a relationship with an American photographer. ➽ “Patrick Evans is an accomplished writer and obviously has a lot of intelligent thoughts swirling around… Continue Reading “Salt Picnic – Patrick Evans”
Baby – Annaleese Jochems
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS In this debut novel, young lovers run away, stealing money to buy a boat but inciting disaster wherever they turn. ➽ “I think we are all capable of horrible acts, depending on circumstances and surely we all sometimes wonder… Continue Reading “Baby – Annaleese Jochems”
Oryx & Crake – Margaret Atwood
READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Jo An unforgettable story of love, friendship and biologically modified humans in an alternative reality where pharmaceutical companies rule. ➽ “Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake is another one of her chilling dystopian novels which kept me gripped right to the end.… Continue Reading “Oryx & Crake – Margaret Atwood”
2018 – Setting the scene
Sometimes you put a book down late at night after a long reading session and you can still “see” it, see the landscape or the building or the room so clearly in your mind. And it’s then that you know the setting has received… Continue Reading “2018 – Setting the scene”
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