Book club...?

[clairesparkle]

Does anyone belong to/know of/want to start a book club in Bristol? I've had a bit of a google and most I've found are closed to new members. I'm in Long Ashton but as long as it's an evening thing, can travel (a bit!)

Thanks!

How about the Hope and Anchor on Jacobs Wells Road? I've usually found on-street parking when going there (though that's always been on a weekend) but if there isn't on-street then there is a multi-storey at the top of the hill. Obv would also have to check for pub-quiz-nights etc.

Are we settled on Hunger Games?

Hope & Anchor was where we went last time, and that was fine - nice and quiet, plenty of space, so I'd have no objections to going there again. What does anyone else think?

Did you? Oops shows how long it's been since I joined in

Hi everyone, sorry to have been a bit quiet - I've been busy reading! I'm delighted to report that The Hunger Games has been the FIRST book I've managed to finish since the arrival of the incredible non-sleeping baby! Really really enjoyed it and I think there'll be loads to discuss.
Have we settled on a venue? Happy to go anywhere. And do we have a definite next book? I'd like to take advantage of having finished this one to start the next. Are we going to do the Ann Patchett? Or does anyone else want to put forward a title?
Oh and MrsWembley, do you still need to borrow The Hunger Games? Welcome to mine if you'd like it.

Yes, I'd still like to borrow a copy, if that's ok.

And I would refer you to my earlier post regarding suggestions for the next book...

I started Hunger Games yesterday and have nearly finished already (yes, I did stay up a bit late).

Future books - I've already downloaded State of Wonder (Ann Patchett) to my kindle so would put in a vote for us to do that sometime in the next couple of months, but am also happy to keep Mrs Wembley happy to do Electric Sheep/Connecticut Yankee too.

(Connecticut Yankee is available free on Kindle, by the way, and there's a £2.50 Collins Classics paperback too.)

So are we going to go the Hope & Anchor again next week, or does anyone have other suggestions?

MrsWembley did you get my PM? I sent it from my phone so am scared it may not have worked!

Ooh, I'll get on my laptop as soon as DS is asleep and check.

I love the iPhone app but it does need to have a link to PMs.

Is it hope and anchor at 8pm tonight?

As no-one else has suggested anywhere else, that's where I'm going

Me too (may be slightly late...).

I am going to be more organised this month - I have placed my order for Ann Patchett - State of Wonder already and so might get around to reading it by the 29th.

I was asked to suggest a few south-of-the-river possibilities. How about:
Star and Dove
Banco Lounge
The Victoria Park
The Windmill

Parking is probably going to be easiest around the Victoria Park out of those 4, but to be honest parking isn't going to get actually easy unless we go much further out from the centre.

Others do feel free to make alternate suggestions!

Shamefully, haven't been to any of those venues yet, so keen on any!

Bugger!

My diary keeping has totally gone to pot - I've read Hunger Games but completely missed that we were meeting last Monday - hey ho, it's either sleep deprivation (courtesy of DS2) or old age

Hunger Games was a great contrast to The Man Who Loved Children - from 'word soup' to pulp fiction - but, a real page turner - I think I finished it in 2 days so that must say something, given that I only ever normally manage to read in 5 minute bursts!

I'm curious now as to what the next book is - was anything decided on on Monday????

Next book is State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, and we are meeting on October 29th to discuss that.

One after that is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick, and I think we agreed on December 3rd for that one.

Venues to be decided...

For those who haven't checked the local boards recently, I am currently herding cats organising a Christmas meet-up. Please add your name to the list if you want to play get drunk and talk bollocks.

Although, just looking more closely at my list, there's pretty much all the regulars there already, except Lamazeroo!

If any of you are (a) of a sensitive disposition liable to be disturbed by reading something awful relating to a tiny baby and (b) haven't yet got to page 69 of State of Wonder may I suggest you stick a postit note over the last dozen lines or so of that page. Summary of what you would miss: "Marina gave up training to be an Ob/Gyn doctor and went into research after having made an awful mistake while alone in charge of a difficult birth whilst a trainee dr"

I really wish I hadn't read what I just did and that I didn't have this image in my mind playing over and over...

Do we know yet where we're meeting on Monday?

Don't think so. I posted a few possibilities but no-one has expressed an opinion on any of them!

The victoria park seems to have a stitch & bitch scheduled for 29th October so prob best not that one. the others would all work - I've checked with the Windmill and they had their fortnightly pub quiz last monday so we're clear for the 29th. If driving it's best to look for a space on Fraser Street or Eldon Terrace but you'll need to be good at reverse parking! - it is right next to Bedminster train station though and it's near a stop for buses 75, 76 and 90. The Star and Dove is also quiz free and happy for us to be there. There's usually somewhere to park on St Luke's crescent and is on the route for the number 20. Banco lounge aren't answering the phone so I haven't checked if they have anything else happening. There's no parking right outside but there are a couple of off-street car-parks within a few minutes walk off st john's lane, and they are on the bus route for the 51 and 54. Anyone have a particular preference for any of those bus routes?

I'm happiest with the best/easiest parking. Bus routes round my way are shite!

Just refound this thread - anyone else getting fed up with the new MN local thing that means you can't actually get to the local chat board?

Easy parking will be the crucial thing for me too - will be rushing around a lot on Monday, no time for buses, and we are going somewhere I can't walk to for a change.

If you know all the pubs, xkcd, why don't you just pick one, since no one else has expressed a preference? And then maybe PM all the regulars, as they may not be able to find the thread either...

OK let's say the Star and Dove then - I think parking will be easiest there (as I said before, you don't get actually easy to park without going way way further south but it's better than some).

The pub is on the corner of St Luke's Road and Windsor Terrace - see the map on the "contacts" section of the link. For finding on-street parking I would first turn down "Hill Avenue" the other side of St Lukes Road - this runs along the edge of the park and there is almost always parking places along there, and a pelican crossing to get over to the pub. If not, then return towards the pub and go up Windsor Terrace, take the immediate left down St Luke's Crescent - there is almost always somewhere to park along there too, but it's second preference as it's a dead end so you'd have to do a 3-point turn to get out of there.

Do we say 7:30 usually? I shall be there.

Think it's usually 8pm, isn't it? Because of people having little ones to get to bed...

I wonder if we should PM the regulars in case they haven't seen this? Spero, Bookworm and Lamazeroo haven't been on the thread for a while, so may not spot this. I'm happy to bung some messages out tomorrow.