Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZEA coming of age about Nila, a girl born in Berlin to Afghan immigrants. For Nila there is a constant negotiation between her inherited grief and her desire to belong in a culture that doesn’t reflect her. As a result she… Continue Reading “Good Girl – Aria Aber”
READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE Nadia Amin, a PhD graduate, publishes an article on deradicalisation, and ends up with a job rehabilitating Isis brides in Iraq. Relishing the opportunity to escape her claustophobic mother and broken relationship she realises she needs to heal herself as… Continue Reading “Fundamentally – Nussaibah Younis”
READ FOR WOMEN’S PRIZE The story of an Iranian family, some of whom flee to the US during times of conflict, and some who stay. Five women from three generations of the Valiat family narrate their past and present as members of the Iranian… Continue Reading “The Persians – Sanam Mahloudji”
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel A study of Germany’s reunification via a collection of people who all represent a different faction or ideology. Kaspar is a West German bookseller whose wife dies. He discovers and tracks down newly discovered family members and attempts to… Continue Reading “The Granddaughter – Bernhard Schlink”
Choosing our reading list each year is a reminder of how many amazing books are out there waiting to be discovered. There are stories profound and life changing, and sometimes it’s pure luck if what we choose ends up being the one that takes… Continue Reading “2025: World Tour”
Realism, or, rather, our perception of it, is a gauge of how we make sense of the world. From debating whether social media posts are genuine and questioning controversial theories and figures, to judging the sincerity of public and private statements, society is increasingly… Continue Reading “2024: End Of Year Thoughts”
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel Cryus Shams is an Iranian immigrant and a recently sober poet grappling with addiction, cultural disconnection and the loss of his mother, whose plane was shot down by the US navy. In his exploration of what it means to… Continue Reading “Martyr! – Kaveh Akbar”
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jodie Irene Redfield is a black woman living an affluent lifestyle in Harlem. She runs into Clare, an old friend who is “passing” as white and married to a racist. Clare struggles with the disconnection from her community and culture,… Continue Reading “Passing – Nella Larsen”
Do you ever feel crestfallen? Do you wonder what is the point? [Orbital] The above quote bears relevance to all the books on the Booker Prize shortlist for 2024. Existence, creation, humanity, the past and the future seem to be the hot topics this… Continue Reading “Bookerthon – 2024”
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