Saturday, 12 July 2014

Murder in the Cathedral -- T.S. Eliot

A play , partly in verse   - well a bit different  and certainly worth reading  . What motivates Becket?  pride , duty, hubris...

Wednesday, 7 May 2014

A Short Gentleman -- Jon Canter

An amusing  if not profound read. Currently serialised on BBC radio4 -Reader H thoughthe sounded too tall!!

Friday, 4 April 2014

On the Road -- Jack Kerouac

Well this divided the group- in an unpredictable way. Half thought it exciting  and half tedious. It was certainly interesting to realise it was written and set just post WWII .

Monday, 24 February 2014

Rabbit, Run -- John Updike

An outstanding piece of writing. Not a likeable main character but ...compelling prose . We will read the rest of the Rabbit series,

Tuesday, 21 January 2014

Mr Loverman -- Bernadine Evaristo

A mixed reception  . Some not getting on with   the ( mild) West Indian timbre of the writing , other finding it just right
An interesting likeable rogue of a character .

Thursday, 5 December 2013

Brodeck's Report -- Phillippe Claudel

All agreed this to be very good  even one of the outstanding books. Set in well somewhere after  the (probably second world) war . Disturbing at times  ,intriguing

Monday, 21 October 2013

The Mayor of Casterbridge -- Thomas Hardy

Some fine descriptions of places  , crowds ,shop-windows , but a narrative far too dependent on unbelievable events and under-develped characters . The soap-opera of its time