Join Christos Tsiolkas to talk about THE SLAP - our March Book of the Month - on Weds 23 March, 8-9pm

[TillyBookClub]

Our March Book of the Month has inflamed critics, readers and journalists across the world. The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas, longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize, is also a Top Ten bestseller in the UK, Australia and Canada. A zeitgeist-capturing exploration of multiculturalism and the limitations of liberal values, it will definitely provoke some strong reactions...

Atlantic books are offering 100 copies of The Slap to Mumsnetters. To bag your copy before they run out, please email [email protected] with your full postal address and "Mumsnet The Slap offer" in the email subject line.

We'll post on this thread once the copies have all been sent out but if you're not lucky enough to bag a free copy, buy it here instead.

We are delighted that Christos will be joining us on Wednesday 23 March, 8-9 pm, for the bookclub discussion - look forward to seeing you all there...

[ChristosTsiolkas]

@withagoat

CHRISTOS

the sex thing

did you ever think " ok this is a BIT explicit"?

all that cunt this and cunt that?

It is such a contentious word, I know that. But I also knew that it is a word that I wanted to use, that there is a certain fear/apprehension about. This fear, this apprehension fascinates me as a writer. Is there a way to use the word without offence? Is it a different word when used by a female character, different again when used by a man? What of its use to describe a part of the female body? What of its use when it is a term of abuse? It is because I was scared of the word myself I wanted to use it, to think about it. If you are writer words are your tools, of course they fascinate you.
You have to understand that the success of the novel has taken me completely by surprise - a very welcome one - but a surprise nevertheless. I didn't use the word to "shock". I didn't write the novel with fantasies of being a "bestseller". I wrote the novel, in the same way I have written all my books, because I was driven to write it, to get it out. I wanted to say something about my culture, my world, to try and examine the aspects of it that confuse me and disappoint me - part of that is the silences and evasions that occur between men and women, part of that is to ask what responsibility as adults we have to young people. Does the book disturb readers? If so, good. We need to be disturbed.

[ChristosTsiolkas]

@BestNameEver

A follow on to the sex question, I read the book and thought - this was written by a gay man. Have you found that the majority of readers did not relate to the sex in the book?

A friend once said to me, Christos, you can't stand behind every one reading your work, trying to discover if they understood it, if they "got you". It was good advice.
So I don't know the percentage of readers who do or don't get the sex in the book. But I do think our squeamishness about sex has to do with some of the fears and anxieties we carry into sex, the lies we tell each other in sex. I'm a writer, of course this fascinates me, the unspoken conversation we have while we are engaged in sex. Great sex, good sex, bad sex, revenge sex, sympathy sex, passive-aggressive sex, selfish sex, selfless sex.
If I have failed to accurately get to the heart of women's experience in sex in the novel I think this has more to do with my masculinity than my sexuality.

[withagoat]

it didnt shock me the cunt thing,
tbh in a way I thought its use was a bit 6th form provocative. And i loved the book.

[withagoat]

the artist guy and his wife DROVE ME NUTS
her "organic" lifestyle was painted as a weakness.


was there no way of painting her sympathetically, bearing in mind she had Gary to endure?

[ChristosTsiolkas]

@poppygolucky

Hi Christos - may not be able to make it tomorrow night so wanted to ask a couple of things.

1. What do you make of the misogynist accusations? I personally found it to be quite a lazy criticism; as others have pointed out, the characters who have misogynistic tendencies are not portrayed sympathetically. However, what is your personal take on it?
   
2. Was it a deliberate decision to include the younger characters to make the story more 'hopeful', particularly ending on such an uplifting note with Ritchie? And how did you decide which characters would have their own chapter ahead of others? (I would've loved Bilal's story or Sandi's...perhaps a sequel!).
   

Thank you!

(1) I was surprised that there as this conflating of the characters with the author. Yes, I did think this is lazy and I also think it says something about how safe and conservative the English language novel has become. It scares me that we have become censors of ourselves as writers, that we might fear using certain language or exploring certain topics or revealing certain human frailties because we do not want to be accused of misogyny or racism? In turn I was equally surprised when critics were angered by my refusal to take their punches on the chin, so to speak. If you call me a racist or a misogynist then of course I am going to get angry. They are big charges - the questions of racism and misogyny have been a challenge all my adult life and I think people who turn away from the novel claiming, "Oh he's just racist/misogynist etc etc" are turning away from really examining themselves.
What do I think? I think its about class. I think The Slap is a novel about a new middle-class that doesn't act/look/sound/think the way an old middle-class acts/sounds/looks. I think this scares the shit out of the traditional middle-class.
(2) Yes, I started writing the novel on turning forty. I am a proud uncle, godfather, mentor to many kids who are now adults. I can be a grumpy old man but I did want to write against the demonisation of kids in our culture, I wanted to see hope there. And I do. I think young people are less self-righteous than my generation. I like that about them.

I wish I had written Sandi chapter now. There was a Shamira chapter in the original draft. I can only see my mistakes now, the driections I should have gone in.

[ChristosTsiolkas]

@withagoat

it didnt shock me the cunt thing,
tbh in a way I thought its use was a bit 6th form provocative. And i loved the book.

I wonder if part of my generation's problem - I'm thinking of the men now - is that we are stuck in adolescence for so long, that we don't grow up. I detest it when I hear fifty is the new forty or forty is the new thirty. I worry we don't have a language anymore to do with maturity, to do with coming to terms with ageing, a language about honour and restraint and compassion.
I also worry about what pornography is doing to our imaginations, how it affects how we see ourselves, our partners, sex, bodies. I wanted to get some of that concern into the book. I don't like that we don't grow up, that we chase being young for so long in the contemporary world.

[SerialComma]

Christos thank you for this conversation. Your words are very thoughtful and interesting. I have only read a chapter of the book so far and can't comment much, beyond saying that on the first page I disliked Hector so much that I thought I couldn't read on, but by the end of the chapter I was 'with him' enough to entirely accept his take on the slap, to entirely enter his satisfaction on hearing its sharp sound. I was conscious of having to decide to step back and remember that his perspective wasn't the whole of your created world.

[ChristosTsiolkas]

@BestNameEver

Christos I might be wrong here but I feel that there are very many people just dying to talk to you about the book but we were expecting you tomorrow evening? I could be mistaken but you are billed as Wed 23rd 8-9pm and I take it that is GMT?
I wonder if a lot of people are missing this?
Can anyone comment? Should we let others know somehow?

Oh God, and I thought all of you hated me. Listen, I thought this chat was for Tuesday your time but if this is not the case I am more than happy to log on again tomorrow morning (which would in fact be Wednesday your time, more than happy to do that).

This is where you realise how geography does make a difference regardless of the speed of new technologies.

Many many apologies but please believe me I am more than happy to continue the discussion tomorrow if you will have me.

[SerialComma]

Ah! Wonderful if you are coming back tomorrow: I too was surprised at your being here today. So this is an unexpected bonus? And there will be more of this thoughtful conversation tomorrow!

[ChristosTsiolkas]

@SerialComma

Ah! Wonderful if you are coming back tomorrow: I too was surprised at your being here today. So this is an unexpected bonus? And there will be more of this thoughtful conversation tomorrow!

If you will have me, consider me here tomorrow!

I really appreciate this, I like the honesty of this discussion.

Many many thanks and apologies for being a confused antipodean when it comes to getting the times right.
Till tomorrow,
Best,
Christos

[ChristosTsiolkas]

@BestNameEver

Phew, yes I've checked and you are everywhere as Wed 8-9pm. People would be so disappointed to have missed you as they've been busy reading the book. Please do come back tomorrow as well as tonight, its been a wonderful sneak preview for some of us and in case I dont get a word in tomorrow, congratulations on the success of your novel. It really transported me and it has us all arguing and debating, which we like to do on mumsnet!
See you tomorrow Christos.

Thank you very much. I will certainly be back tomorrow.

[thecatatemygymsuit]

Ooh thanks Christos, I don't really approve of smacking, but reading the book I was just itching... and itching... to slap Hugo myself, you know?
Also I am bemused by the fact that so many people claim to dislike the novel because the characters are unsympathetic; to me that's a bizarre notion. Plus, I actually didn't completely hate Hector!

Anyway I read it on holiday lazing in the sun and really felt in the moment - it was very filmic somehow. Going to shut up now before this becomes a fan thing...
(ps I think this was meant to be tomorrow night too but you have made my almost birthday with your excellent replies)

[TillyBookClub]

I've woken up to a flurry of messages from a very contrite Christos - he thought the chat was down for HIS Wednesday (i.e our Tuesday) but he's all ready to come back tonight and do it properly. In fact, I think this taster has whetted his appetite as he's even offered to stay longer than 9pm. So please come and throw your questions at him tonight, 8pm onwards...

My head is still spinning trying to work out what day it is in Australia today. I might just work it out by this evening...

[MrsKwazii]

Excellent news that Christos is coming back tonight, this is shaping up to be a really interesting chat already. Will redouble efforts to get back tonight - am really chuffed that he's already answered my questions - some real food for thought. Thanks Christos!

[Wheelybug]

I am no where near finishing unforetunately so won't join in tonight but I am finding it really readable and enjoying it, so thank you ! Will look forward to reading hte thread once I've finished.

[TillyBookClub]

Evening everyone

For those of you who didn't meet him already (and welcome back to those who did...) I'm absolutely thrilled and exited to introduce Christos Tsiolkas as tonight's Author of the Month. THE SLAP has sparked heated debate amongst all who've read it and there is so much to discuss, I'm delighted that we have the chance to ask a few questions.

Christos, firstly - congratulations on a hugely successful book. And thank you very much indeed for taking the time to talk to us (twice!). You've already answered the advance questions with illuminating and thoughtful answers. We'll aim to get through as many more as possible over the next hour. I'd like to kick off with a couple:

You said in one of your earlier posts that we 'need to be disturbed'. Do you feel it is an essential part of the writer's role to provoke and challenge?

And what childhood book most inspired you?

[ChristosTsiolkas]

@TillyBookClub

Evening everyone

For those of you who didn't meet him already (and welcome back to those who did...) I'm absolutely thrilled and exited to introduce Christos Tsiolkas as tonight's Author of the Month. THE SLAP has sparked heated debate amongst all who've read it and there is so much to discuss, I'm delighted that we have the chance to ask a few questions.

Christos, firstly - congratulations on a hugely successful book. And thank you very much indeed for taking the time to talk to us (twice!). You've already answered the advance questions with illuminating and thoughtful answers. We'll aim to get through as many more as possible over the next hour. I'd like to kick off with a couple:

You said in one of your earlier posts that we 'need to be disturbed'. Do you feel it is an essential part of the writer's role to provoke and challenge?

And what childhood book most inspired you?

Greetings everyone. Firstly thanks again for having me here and apologies for getting the time wrong.

I'm not sure that there is any one "role" for a writer or an artist. The truth is that we do what we do because we love it, I do realise how fortunate I am in having my working life be my passion. But as a reader I know that so many of the books that stand out for me are the ones that have challenged me, made me reassess my opinions, the way I look at the world. I remember as a late adolescent throwing Bret Easton Ellis's Less than Zero against the wall because I a version of self within its pages that I hated. But I'm glad I took it up again and confronted those fears.

As a child I loved the Narnia stories, they made me realise that the imagination could take you anywhere. I also loved David Copperfield. I love that grand sprawling narrative, those amazing characters. I loved disappearing in that world.

[defineme]

Hi Christos, I really enjoyed the book (see my earlier posts!) and was hoping you'd be able to tell me which novels you've enjoyed recently?

[MrsKwazii]

Evening/Morning! If I may sneak another general Q in. Which book by another author would you have loved to have written and why?

[ChristosTsiolkas]

@ChristosTsiolkas

[quote TillyBookClub]

Evening everyone

For those of you who didn't meet him already (and welcome back to those who did...) I'm absolutely thrilled and exited to introduce Christos Tsiolkas as tonight's Author of the Month. THE SLAP has sparked heated debate amongst all who've read it and there is so much to discuss, I'm delighted that we have the chance to ask a few questions.

Christos, firstly - congratulations on a hugely successful book. And thank you very much indeed for taking the time to talk to us (twice!). You've already answered the advance questions with illuminating and thoughtful answers. We'll aim to get through as many more as possible over the next hour. I'd like to kick off with a couple:

You said in one of your earlier posts that we 'need to be disturbed'. Do you feel it is an essential part of the writer's role to provoke and challenge?

And what childhood book most inspired you?

Greetings everyone. Firstly thanks again for having me here and apologies for getting the time wrong.

I'm not sure that there is any one "role" for a writer or an artist. The truth is that we do what we do because we love it, I do realise how fortunate I am in having my working life be my passion. But as a reader I know that so many of the books that stand out for me are the ones that have challenged me, made me reassess my opinions, the way I look at the world. I remember as a late adolescent throwing Bret Easton Ellis's Less than Zero against the wall because I a version of self within its pages that I hated. But I'm glad I took it up again and confronted those fears.

As a child I loved the Narnia stories, they made me realise that the imagination could take you anywhere. I also loved David Copperfield. I love that grand sprawling narrative, those amazing characters. I loved disappearing in that world.

[/quote]

I should add that I was a very lucky child in that Mum and Dad, who didn't know the English language, were like so many migrant parents, very encouraging of my reading. I've talked about this, how every pay day Dad would go to the nearest bookshop on the high street and buy two books. As he couldn't read english sometimes it would be Dickens, sometimes Mills and Boon, sometimes Henry Miller. I had an (accidental) uncensored reading and I am grateful for that. (And given some of the objections to The Slap that promiscuous early reading probably has influenced my writing ...)

[constantlywrong]

I am going to be REALLY boring and VERY predictable...but out of curiosity, what is your actual stance on extended breastfeeding? I actually have only just bought the book, and am about 2/3rds of the way through, and half of the time I feel you're ridiculing it, and the other half that you're actually showing how ridiculous people's attitudes to it can be. Sorry, wouldn't feel right asking any "real" questions having not finished it yet.

[poppygolucky]

Christos, thank you for your candid and interesting reponses to previous questions - I agree that a new middle class is emerging here in England too, a class that is very hard to classify: unlike previous generations, it is no longer about simply wealth and occupation. So can I press you further to ask what you define as the new middle class, and how do your characters fit in to this? Gary, for example, has middle class 'lefty' ideals but without the financial position? Harry, vice versa etc.

Also, having recently seen the film 'Animal Kingdom', a different side to Melbourne has been shown once the surface has been scratched, a darker side of the city to the cosmpoliatn, European image that many of us in the UK had. What is your take on this?

Thanks again!