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Join author Lynn Barber for the discussion of our February Book of the Month.. AN EDUCATION (Tue 23 February 8pm)

89 replies

TillyBookClub · 01/02/2010 11:13

Lynn Barber's memoir, An Education (27 votes), has won our February Book of the Month poll, beating Liz Jenson's The Rapture (25 votes) and Sabrina Broadbent's You Don't Have to Be Good (22 votes).

We'll gather here to discuss the book on Tuesday 23 February, 8-9.30pm.

We're hoping that Lynn will join us for part of the evening and answer questions - will keep you posted.

For those who missed it, here were February's Book of the Month choices (and for anyone new to Bookclub, here's how it works).

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sflower · 05/02/2010 13:13

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stealthsquiggle · 12/02/2010 07:47

Can I join in having only seen the film ?

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GeraldineMumsnet · 12/02/2010 17:55

Yep, please do. We're hoping (it's not definite yet) that Lynn might be able to join us.

Has anyone read it yet? Think it's safe to say that Lynn wouldn't blanch at bumsex threads on MN.

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maryjane71 · 13/02/2010 22:35

I've just finished reading it so looking forward to next Tuesday.

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PhoebeB · 14/02/2010 16:29

Hi there, only just joined Mumsnet. Is it too late to get involved with the Bookclub? Been hearing a lot of things about Barber's new book.

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TillyBookClub · 16/02/2010 10:28

FANTASTIC NEWS - Lynn is going to join us next Tuesday from 8-9pm, and is preparing to answer all your questions. Please do put some advance ones here and we will kick off with those at the beginning of the evening.

Phoebe B, anyone can join in whenever they want - lovely to have you. You too, stealthsquiggle (I haven't caught the film yet so interested to get your angle).

See you all next Tuesday.

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BJN · 16/02/2010 16:22

Hello Everyone
I am new to mumsnet. It is great to see a book club, and I have just ordered this month's book, hoping to read it in time. My daughter is 15mths old and I am newly pregnant again. I miss adult company and UK life. My husband is english too. We would like to return before our daughter starts school. Until that time I hope mumsnet can help me get through the day. If there are any mums out there living near Paris who would like to meet up please feel free to contact me. Happy reading, and thanks mumsnet.

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TillyBookClub · 17/02/2010 11:25

Great to have you, BJN, hope your book arrives, join us even if it doesn't - Lynn is coming on for a webchat so it will be a very lively evening.

(I will completely understand, though, if you're fast asleep by 8pm, pregnancy and toddlers not being a brilliant mix.)

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AnnOdyne · 21/02/2010 10:19

Hi Lynn - i loved the book. I roared at the bit where you repeat poems on the phone and in the supermarket.
You do come across as rather unforgiving though emotionally - do you think that is common in your generation? ( thinking of my mother !)

Second question - if you had a daughter in the same sitation you found yourself in with the older man.. how would you have handled it?

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stealthsquiggle · 22/02/2010 15:09

Vicarious congratulations for Carey Mulligan's BAFTA for the film, Lynn - how weird is it to watch someone win an award for playing you?

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champagnesupernova · 22/02/2010 22:26

Oooh this IS exciting. Hello Lynn
I have other questions for you too but have a couple of showbizzy ones for starters while it's in my head.

Who were you wearing at the Baftas?
Are you even going to the Oscars?
What do you feel about Walter Kirn's tweets
I haven't seen the film yet (stupid late nights at work and stupid late working husband) but plan to very soon.

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GeraldineMumsnet · 22/02/2010 22:37

Thanks v much for agreeing to come on, Lynn.

Can I ask how you felt about Nick Hornby writing the screenplay for your book? Did you have any say in the choice of who did it and were you pleased it was Nick?

How closely did you collaborate on the screenplay, if at all?

There seems to be a big nostalgia-fest for the late 50s/early 60s going on culturally at the moment (An Education, A Single Man, Mad Men etc). Do you share that nostalgia?

And what book had the most profound effect on you as a child?

Thanks v much .

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LynnBarber · 23/02/2010 12:09

Talk properly this evening, but can you change the bit on my biog where it says I write for the Obs? I moved to the Sunday Times before Xmas.

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choosyfloosy · 23/02/2010 12:31

Lynn, I adore you and your writing - I spend much too much time scaring myself silly by imagining being interviewed by you. Thank God it will never happen, but I've worked out where we would sit and what to cook and so on.

One of my favourite pieces of yours was about being a judge for the Turner Prize. Do you get invitations for the subsequent Turner exhibitions? Did you see Richard Wright's fresco - did you like it? What's the best way to get an art education, if you are not an artist?

[sorry, that's three if not four questions]

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GeraldineMumsnet · 23/02/2010 15:51

Hi Lynn, sorry about that. We've removed the link to the biog (we couldn't edit it because not on Mumsnet).

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LynnBarber · 23/02/2010 19:54

Probably am rather unforgiving compared to your generation and of course brought up by parents who had lived through the war and believed in Never grumble!

Dont know what Id have done if my daughters had been seduced by much older men - panicked I guess. I certainly wouldnt have encouraged marriage!

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LynnBarber · 23/02/2010 19:56

wearing Caroline Charles. not going to Oscars.

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LynnBarber · 23/02/2010 19:58

v happy with Nick Hornby's screenplay - I didnt choose him but he chose me, i.e. bought my article. didnt collaborate but he showed me every draft and I made comments.

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DutchOma · 23/02/2010 19:58

Are you close to your daughters now? Were you when they were growing up?

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LynnBarber · 23/02/2010 19:59

thanks for saying you liked my writing, but cant really give advice about art education because I never had one

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TillyBookClub · 23/02/2010 19:59

Evening all

I am delighted to introduce the award winning journalist and author of our excellent Book of the Month ? Lynn Barber.

Lynn, thank you very much for joining us tonight. I thought we could kick off with AnnOdyne?s question, posted earlier:

You come across as rather unforgiving emotionally - do you think that is common in your generation?

If you had a daughter in the same situation you found yourself in with the older man? how would you have handled it?

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ginghamgiraffe · 23/02/2010 20:01

Wow! Straight in! My clock says 1959!
Hello Lynn
First of all I enjoyed the book very much but am yet to see the film (doesn't get out much emoticon)
What do you think David would have made of all the recent fuss publicity?

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Emmmm · 23/02/2010 20:02

i've read the book, got here almost on time, but where is Lynn? Am i in the right place?!

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stealthsquiggle · 23/02/2010 20:04

giraffe - I have seen the film on a 'plane but haven't yet read the book [gets out even less emoticon]

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champagnesupernova · 23/02/2010 20:06

Caroline Charles
Very lovely!

Did you decline the Oscars?

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