Mumsnet Talk

this is the thread to come to for June's Bookclub chat on Tues 1st July - I'll keep you posted about the author chat..

Fantastic news - Jonathan Coe will be joining us on Tuesday 1st for a live author chat. He'll log on at 9, after we've had an hour of discussing amongst ourselves. So get your questions ready (and if possible, put a few up here in advance so he can get started...)

Jonathan on Mumsnet? Fantastic! He has some very hardcore fans here. I guess this will be The Rain Before It Falls?

Yes, this is The Rain BEfore It Falls, although I'm sure he'd be happy to answer questions on previous books. Hope you can join us...

<starts making a list>

Message withdrawn

Bibbling is good, we like bibbling. Come along between 8 and 10pm and bibble away.

I'm trying to reach all the Mumsnetters who posted on the Coe fan club thread, if either of you are in touch with any of those fans would you tell them that he's coming along?
Hoping to get everyone there for a massive love-in...

Wow- I just read this! I'm v excited, because I really like his stuff!

I thought this month's book was drivel. I don't understand what the fuss is about, if this is representative.

Cliche-ridden, paper-thin tosh.

Jonathan Coe?

Pruners, I shall bibble along with you.

Coe fan club thread? How did I miss all these fellow Coe-fans?

I was just in the baby names bit, and it reminded me to tell Jonathan Coe off for stealing the name we'd decided on for our future daughter (Coriander).

Sorry, I don't think that's what his daughter is called, it was the child of a character!

here's the fan club thread, cadelaide.

If you can, please pop a question or two up here in advance so I can send on to him before the chat - always nice to start the ball rolling with those. Doesn't have to be about this book necessarily, can be about anything.

Looking forward to seeing everyone there on Tuesday night.

Just a reminder to put any advance questions here, if you can.

see you tomorrow at 8 and Jonathan will be here live from 9 onwards.

I'm not sure whether I'm going to be able to make it, but I have the read the book (I always take part even if I can't make it to the chat!).

Here's a question for Jonathan Coe:

I found I liked Rosamund less and less as the book progressed. I found her to be very self-orientated and I began to feel quite angry with her. There were points in the narrative after Thea's return to her mother where I was thinking why would Rosamund want to tell Imogen this apart from to make herself feel better? My question to Jonathan is, did you intend to make the reader feel this way? (Or was it just me?!)

Also, here's another one: what led you to choose the device of using photographs to map out the narrative?

i have read the book!! normally it wouldn't be enough reason to boast, but i have a toddler and a 6 weeks old, both a bit sleep challenged, so am feeling very proud and smug :-)

however not sure i will be able to log on tomorrow much as i would LOVE to... my question would be as follows:

the theme of mothers/daughters recurs through the book and it is notable that in Gill and her daughters you seem to offer a positive contrast to the dysfunctional Ivy/Beatrix/Thea/Imogen lineage. why did you decide to leave those characters only marginally sketched and not make more of the contrast?

also i second pp on how uneasy i grew around Rosamond as the book progressed- in particular i really didnt get the "inevitability" point, that really made me dislike her!

have fun!

Johnathan as an ex bHAM UNIV GRADUATE I loved your books, but wot no mention of adam's plaice the chip shop or the OVT?

Now I liked Rosamond beforesunrise
I found her much more intriguing than Gill, despite the latter character being much easier to relate to in terms of where my own life has taken me

I'd like to ask Jonathan what he feels about his popularity in France. I found it curiously funny and touching to see a copy of Les Nains de la Mort in a bookshop in Lille, alongside his more recent and extensively promoted novels.

Do you get involved with the translation of your novels into French? Why do you think it is that the French "get" you and appreciate your writing? Could it be that they savoured the bleak picture of modern Britain painted in What a Carve-Up? Interesting choice of title too, Testament a l'Anglaise...

Or The Selly Sausage ..... (was it really called that ??)

BTW I loved the book - will be back tomorrow with something more intellectual to say (apologies !).

Thanks to everyone for the advance questions - have sent them to Jonathan and looking forward to seeing you all at 8pm. Mr Coe will be logging on an hour later at 9pm, hope you can all make it...

(Have had sudden flashbacks of the OVT when my sister was there in the 80s - huge bags of porky scratchings come to mind for some reason)

I'd dearly love to know if I ever served him during my time as barmaid at the Bournbrook Tavern...
Am now having a Dilshad flashback myself...

ah the selly sausage was a parevnu imo
the oddest places were the ggreasy psoon under the railway arches and the tiny sweet shop on alton road

Horrifically, the OVT is now called The Goose or something and the Brook has burned down.

*fondly remembers the selly sausage and OMCO back in the day*

But back to business. I'd like to ask Jonathan Coe 'what did you think of The Rotters' Club telly adaptation'? oh and say ' I LOVE all your books, but particularly adore 'what a carve up' - tis tremendously funny'.