The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
2009 – Chapter Three
Chapter three, or otherwise known as the spot between the intro and the rest of the story, when things can stall, when reader investment is at the make or break point. Yes it’s all or nothing from this point on.
Luckily we’re all in the firm belief that it’s ALL for us.
We may have a couple of third year itches to scratch (in terms of frequency) but are all still eager and passionate about bookclub. Look out chapter four!
We’re growing too. We have secured a fourth bookclubber – the lovely Ros – who adds a new dimension to our readings which we welcome with open arms.
As mentioned above, our frequency seems to have petered out a little and we have moved to four weekly (yes we have husbands and families to consider in our time management!) Nonetheless we have a varied reading list for the year which includes fabulous classics, New Zealand fiction & poetry and some new releases which everyone is talking about so we thought we better read them and be able to contribute to the many conversations which are circulating.
Tess of The D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy
The Buddha of Suburbia – Hanif Kureishi
The Vintner’s Luck – Elizabeth Knox
Anne of Green Gables – L M Montgomery
The Outcast – Sadie Jones
Twilight – Stephanie Meyer
Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
The Potato Factory – Bryce Courtenay
Ooooooo…!!! – Hone Tuwhare
The 10pm Question – Kate de Goldi
Netherland – Joseph O’Neill
2008 – End Of Year Thoughts
At the end of the year we again headed out for a meal to discuss the year’s readings. This time to Bouterey’s Restaurant. So engrossed were we in our literary discussions we did not notice the restaurateur performing the heimlich manoeuvre on a fellow diner who was choking and in fact did not realise anything was amiss until the ambulance arrived!
Again we discussed our favourite scenes, literary devices, characters and fictional love interests. Though we all agreed Lady Chatterley and Oliver Mellors certainly provided the most interesting romance.
Book of the year:
Rachel: Disgrace
Suzy: And Then There Were None
Nadine: The Child In Time
Runner up:
Rachel: The Child In Time
Suzy: In Cold Blood
Nadine: Middlesex
Favourite character:
Rachel: Cal from Middlesex
Suzy: Kahu from Whale Rider
Nadine: Heath from Wuthering Heights
The Plague – Albert Camus
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Rachel
The story of an Algerian city swept by a plague. The plague begins as a series of portents, unheeded by the people, and gradually becomes an omnipresent reality, obliterating all traces of the past and driving its victims to extremes of suffering. It raises questions relating to destiny and human psychology and warns us that when one plague is beaten another raises its ugly head.
Each of us has the plague within him; no one, no one on earth is free from it. And I know, too, that we must keep endless watch on ourselves lest in a careless moment we breath in someone’s face and fasten the infection on him. What’s natural is the microbe. All the rest – health, integrity, purity (if you like) – is a product of the human will, of a vigilance that must never falter.
♥ “This book’s references to war and plagues of all kinds were significant, as was the author’s dissection of the human condition. There is so much that can be taken from this novel’s warnings. It was a bleak story with no hope of redemption, and I had to ensure I did not let that overshadow the story’s importance. It wasn’t the most rip-roaring read ever but I am pleased to have read this masterpiece.” – Rachel
Published in French 1947
Translated into English by Stuart Gilbert 1991
Vintage
304 pages
And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Suzy
Considered Agatha Christie’s masterpiece, this whodunnit is set on an island where the invitees of a party must work out who is killing off the guests.
♥ “An interesting assortment of strangers are summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All ten guests have something in common however, and that is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal, and a secret that will seal their fate.
“A famous nursery rhyme is framed and hung in every room of the mansion:
Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he’d stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.
“When the guests realise that the murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey.
“As the inspiration for many murder mysteries since, this Agatha Christie classic is a must read.”
♥ “An absolute classic of the genre! My Dad recommended this to me when I was a young teenager and now my own son is reading it. My favourite ‘whodunnit’ ever. I’ve read it a few times now and even though I know what’s coming up I still get the chills. This novel has two former titles that are terrible – you’ve been warned…” – Suzy
♥ “As the book cover says, Agatha Christie is the queen of mystery, and I certainly couldn’t work out exactly who was up to what. Nothing like going back to the original Mr Green-in-the-library-with-the-candlestick murder mystery. Loved it.” – Rachel
♥ “I’m a bit of an Agatha Christie fan, so it was never going to disappoint.” – Nadine
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Published 1939
Collins Crime Club
272 pages
2008 – Bookerthon
The anticipation levels for Bookerthon 2008 has fluctuated for us both. Our love of Bookerthon has increased due to our Back Bookers but our inability to pick the winner last year has frayed our nerves. Plus, the couple of massive tomes shortlisted this year meant we had to read at least 60 pages per day for five weeks to keep up, so timing and persistence were key.
But we got there. Six books that would be considered diverse but which highlight a particular time and place well. They provide a portrait of an era, taking the reader on a journey around the world and through time, showcasing the importance of capturing history.
From the Opium Wars of China, to 1970s Sheffield, the Australian penal system, India’s class system, a remembered life for a 100 year old Irish woman and the persecuted life of a Hungarian Jew, each finalist brings to life a snippet of time that has gone down in history and shaped the future. Alongside the entertainment provided by these novels, there is a sense of importance and education too.
A Fraction of the Whole is so incredibly laugh-out-loud funny and so unusual it would be a long shot for the prestigious Man Booker prize, though a deserved winner if the judges went in this direction.
The Secret Scripture is profound but touching and startling too and could be a strong contender to win. So too The Northern Clemency – this 736-page epic novel deserves some kudos.
The Clothes on Their Back is interesting and very readable though not as polished as the other five.
In the end, Suzy is choosing Sea Of Poppies as her pick for winner, a historically significant and beautiful book.
Rachel is going for The White Tiger for its poignant and entertaining way of highlighting societal injustices.
Best book 1-6: Suzy:
Sea Of Poppies
The White Tiger
A Fraction of The Whole
The Northern Clemency
The Secret Scripture
The Clothes On Their Back
Best book 1-6: Rachel:
The White Tiger
The Secret Scripture
A Fraction Of The Whole
Sea Of Poppies
The Northern Clemency
The Clothes On Their Back
The Secret Scripture – Sebastian Barry
READ FOR BOOKERTHON
Nearing her 100th birthday, Roseanne McNulty faces an uncertain future, as the Roscommon Regional Mental hospital, where she’s spent the best part of her adult life, prepares for closure.
♥ “Set in an Ireland besieged by conflict, The Secret Scripture is a tale of a 100-year-old woman’s life, and a vivid reminder of the stranglehold the Catholic church had on individuals throughout much of the 20th century.
“In the weeks leading up to the closure of the Mental Hospital, Roseanne McNulty speaks with her psychiatrist Dr Grene, who must decide who of his patients are to be transferred, and will be released into the community. He is particularly concerned about Roseanne, and attempts to discover her history.
“Told through their respective journals, the stories that emerge are refracted through the haze of memory and retelling. Roseanne’s story becomes an alternative, secret history of Ireland’s changing character and the story of a life blighted by terrible mistreatment and ignorance.
It is very difficult to be a hero without an audience, although, in a sense, we are each the hero of a peculiar, half-ruined film called our life.
Irish conflict usually doesn’t hold either Suzy or Rachel’s attention, but the centenarian, Roseanne McNulty, in The Secret Scripture stole the limelight here and helped build the poignant tale about loss and broken promises. Rachel found her voice both compounding and personable, revealing much in her story fragments. Suzy wondered what additional layers could have been added to truely convey the female experience at the heart of this story.
—–
Published 2008
Faber & Faber
312 pages
The White Tiger – Aravind Adiga
READ FOR BOOKERTHON
Born in the dark heart of India, the protagonist Balram gets a break when he is hired as a driver for his village’s wealthiest man. From behind the wheel of their Honda City, Balram observes his employers bribe foreign ministers, barter for girls, drink liquor, and benefit from the poor in society’s unfair class system. Over seven nights he explains how he became a success in life, having nothing but his own wits to help him along.
You ask ‘Are you a man or a demon?’ Neither, I say. I have woken up, and the rest of you are sleeping, and that is the only difference between us.
♥ “At the centre of this book is a touching story about India’s class system and the injustices that come with it. On the surface is Balram Halwai, an amoral, endearing but totally charming protagonist who manages to con his way through life, and into your life as the reader, too. The dark humour ties the reality together and produces a provocative novel. I found this book hard to put down.” – Rachel
♥ “Balram’s outlook and observations provide a look at India that most would not ever see. The dirt, the religion, the prostitutes, the back door politics, ancient and modern cultures colliding. Balram uses the corrupt world to make his own way up in the world, and does so in a charismatic, though not always ethical, way. – Suzy
—–
Published 2008
HarperCollins
318 pages
The Northern Clemency – Philip Hensher
READ FOR BOOKERTHON
Covering 1974 to 1996, The Northern Clemency is a portrait of an era, a novel concerned with the lives of two ordinary Sheffield families, the Glovers and the Sellers, and history on the move.
♥ This book encapsulates an era and follows the lives of two suburban families living in the same street. The true-to-life characters are highly detailed and we hear of their births, marriages, emigration, retirement, illness and deaths, all real life stuff. Okay being eaten by a shark is not all that usual but still, the book is very realistic and addictive – Rachel
♥ There is no surprising plot twist here, instead cooking of meals, gardening, family arguments, gossip and relationships fill the pages. The scene I remember the most, which both shocked me and set the realism tone, was when one of the mothers became so enraged she ran outside with her child’s pet snake and stomped it to death. No this actual act is probably not something most of us can identify with, but the pure frustration of motherhood and being pushed to the edge is. – Suzy
—–
Published 2008
Harper Collins
736 pages
The Clothes On Their Backs – Linda Grant
Vivien Kovacs is on a search to reveal the truth to the secrets kept from her by her timid Hungarian refugee parents
♥ “Two Jewish brothers are at the heart of this novel. One escapes Hungary prior to the war, marries and neither parent ever reveals their past to their only child, especially not the fact they are Jewish.
“The other brother, Sandor, stays and suffers life in a slave labour camp. His eventual move to the UK sees him became a criminal and a slumlord who has a desire to wipe the slate clean by revealing all to his estranged niece.
“Vivien’s love of clothes and her hobby of trawling second hand stores for stylish, old-fashioned outfits reveals the theme of the novel: being defined by your appearance, or using clothes as a cover for who you really are.
“Sandor challenges Vivien’s ideas around morality, what he has seen and experienced seems to justify his own behaviours. Though Vivien finds his actions difficult to accept she balances her disgust with the joy that she feels in discovering her family history.
But who can really remember pain? It’s impossible, you don’t remember it, you only fear it returning. These thoughts are like stitches – you see together a memory with them and the flesh heals over into a scar. The scar is the memory.
The relationship between the protagonist and her Uncle holds the story together, but as well as being about appearances it’s also about Hungarian and British history. Other plot lines didn’t seem as developed, nor did many of the support characters. We both found the book an interesting premise but we thought it was a bit of an un-Booker Booker shortlister.
—–
Published 2008
Scribner
293 pages
Sea of Poppies – Amitav Ghosh
READ FOR BOOKERTHON
Set in 1838, at a time of colonial upheaval and shortly before the outbreak of the Opium Wars in China, Sea Of Poppies tells the story of the ship Ibis and her interesting collection of passengers making the journey from India to Mauritius.
Amongst the personalities on board are a fallen raja, an American freed man, a French Orphan, a Chinese Opium addict, and a cross-dressing reincarnated saint to name a few. As they sail away from their pasts they become ship mates and family, each relaying their story with colour and vitality.
How was it that no one had ever told her that it was not love itself, but its treacherous gatekeepers which made the greatest demands on your courage: the panic of acknowledging it; the terror of declaring it; the fear of being rebuffed? Why had no one told her that love’s twin was not hate but cowardice?
The narrative is brimming with accents and dialects, stories which are personal but also factual, historical and political. Each character’s story is moving and significant. For Rachel the vast array of languages and slang was difficult to keep on top of. For Suzy the sample of stories from around the world were mesmorising. Either way it’s clear they are authentic stories that needed to be told.
—–
Published 2008
John Murray
528 pages
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