And September's Sebastian Faulks novel is....A WEEK IN DECEMBER (discussion 8pm, Thurs 30 September)

[TillyBookClub]

September's poll is now closed and we have our winner: A WEEK IN DECEMBER steamed ahead with 49 votes, putting BIRDSONG in second place with 41.

Sebastian will join us for discussion night on Thursday 30 September, kicking off at 8pm and finishing at around 9.30pm.

We also have two tickets to give away for the London theatre production of BIRDSONG - we'll pick a name out of a hat at the end of the evening.

For those that missed it, here were the choices and the September poll results.

And for anyone new to Bookclub, here is how it works.

Very good twist.
Have you ever thought about becoming a politician? Seems you have a better understanding of society than most.

I listened to this as an audio book over the summer and thought whoever read it did a great job with some cracking material - worth a listen if anyone wants to catch up and multi task - I could make sandcastles and watch child/ren in pool while "reading" a fab book... Anyway MN top tips aside.....

Contrary to others I was so happy that Hassan didn't go through with it - but everyone knows I'm a sucker for a happy ending:) Did you speak to anyone who had had contacts with Muslim fundamentalists - and - at the risk of getting you into a fatwah situation do you think fundamentalism is a form of mental illness?

Also want to know if you've been challenged by any bankers since you wrote this (not going to comment on their mental state)

Loving Engleby at the moment - tho now of course know whodunnit....

Its interesting that Human Traces is your favourite of your books-would you agree that its maybe the least accessible? i enjoyed it but found it harder work then say Birdsong and Engleby.

I really enjoyed On Green Dolphin Street which hasn't been mentioned much

potketle black

On Human Traces. WEll there was tons I knew and id not put in.
It was very very hard to decide how much details people could bear. I took a lot of advice and much of it was contradictory!
I could perhaps go over it again and take out five per cent of Jacques' lecture and five per cent of Thomas's.
but that's about it.
What I tried to do was to reward the reader. so once you finishe done of the medical bits you had a nice comic or loe scene to relax with.
i do think about my readers a lot.
I try to find a balance between what I want to ell you and what I feel you can take -- if you see what I mean!
SF

Thank you. I think you are right to be angry, everything that is created now is so short-termist, whether government policies or internet companies. It all seems to glorify the fast buck or the famous 15 minutes.

Went to see Tamara Drewe at the cinema last night, some similar points in there, especially with the bored teenagers full of celebrity gossip. Wondered if you'd seen it, and what you thought of Nicolas Hardiment and the writers retreat... made me laugh a lot.

Looking forward to BBC series very much, will keep eye out for the book.

Thanks for all your answers Sebastian - hope my question didn't offend. I am a big fan. I will revisit Human Traces - I suspect it well deserves a re-reading to take in more of the detail.

snice

yes Human Traces is the hardest to read. But I think the rewards are correspondingly greater.

Glad you like Dolphin Street. It was a transitional book for me. I had almost run out of things to say but could not look into that abyss.

I could not understand what it was about until quite late on. it is about dying. Mary's mother. And how love feels or can feel almsot indistinguishable from dying.

Once I understood what it was about, I liked it more. It was a nightmare to write as I had to keep going to New York for ideas. Cost a fortune!
SF

I'm glad you think about your readers so please, i n your next book, cut down on the football. Being surrounded by football fanatics as I am, I really didn't want to read about it in a novel, however well it was written.

carriemumsnet

I had a hard time when the book came out and some horrible man (not a true muslim, a rabble rouser now I think expelled form this country) tried to make trouble.

As for bankers, there has been no come back. Few of them read. Also they don;t understand what the problem is. They operate in a closed world where profit is the only Good.

\If you raise ethical question they do not understand them.

SF

To everyone:

This has been very good fun. i have loved talking to you all.
But unlike the characters in A Week in December, I have a love of Real Life.
I must now re-engage with it -- with my wife, my daughter, little boy and charred dinner.

Thank you very much for having me on your site.

Happy reading to you all.

Sebastian

Thank you !!

I really enjoyed the book, the characters were so well written that I began to feel that I knew them and would like to know what happens next. Any chance of a sequel?

PS Grandmabet

No more football. EVer . Promise!

Thanks so much for coming on, Sebastian - great chat. I won't take it personally that you skipped my question, not least because Birdsong is one of my fave books ever .
Come back soon!

Sebastian, thank you so much for a brilliant night - you have made it highly informative and entertaining. I'm about to hunt down Human Traces (only book of yours I haven't read) and can't wait to see what you write next.

And congratulations again on a fantastic book.

Many thanks.

THANK YOU

I struggled with some of the financial stuff and afraid it just went over my head - but didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book - got the gist that what he was doing was wrong! But did you not find it hard to come to grips with? I loved the relationship between the lawyer and the train driver (sorry haven't got book with me and have no memory these days). I also really loved the dinner party - made me howl. I can see why folks ask you about research for muslim and city bits (and second life :)) but did you have to research other bits or were they based on folks/situations you knew or just imagined.

Goodbye - hope your food isn't charred :)

whoops - typical - lurk for ages then just too late... ah well

Thanks anyway!

Thanks Mr Faulks. Always a pleasure.

bebee (and any other lurkers) - that's probably my fault: I advertised the chat ending at 9.30 but Sebastian could only do an hour.

Apologies to anyone whose questions remain unanswered - I reckon we might have to ask Sebastian to come back when his telly series is on, and he can finish off then...

Thanks to everyone for a great evening.

sorry i disappeared - drain issues

thank you Sebastian (and Tilly!) - really interesting chat and will definitely work my way through the rest of your books :)

Thanks for a great evening, much more interesting than watching tv!

that was an interesting discussion, and certainly added to my appreciation of the book. I felt that the fake names rather left a false note for me - it was obvious what they were meant to be rather than just a satire on a genre. Plus, I am not sure I understood why a long stay mental hospital was the target of a bomb plot. But otherwise I really enjoyed its pace, and characters, handily summarised on P5 so I could keep referring back when I forgot who was who!

When do we find out who won the tickets please?