Book Club

[bettys]

Would anyone be interested in a book club thread?

The vague idea at present would be to choose a book at the start of the month, and then discuss after a couple of weeks or so. I have no previous experience of Book Clubs so if anyone has, or has any pointers about how it could work virtually, they'd be very welcome!

The first book suggested is 'When We Were Orphans' by Kazuo Ishiguro.

What does everyone think?

Me too, I'm going for Orphans and the aberystwyth book. Should have plenty of time for reading if dd carries on insisting I sit in her room till she falls asleep

bettys - yes there are ex-pat bookshops but they rarely have anything i want. I will look though. Haven't used the Amazon link on the homepage as I know that with most affiliates at least, Amazon don't pay commission unless you buy the thing the link links to (don't know if this is the case with this link though!)

Amazon are currently selling Atonement for half price - £3.99. I've just ordered all 3 books so can't wait !( Doesn't actually mean I'll read them all in time!)

Bettys, I'm happy to nominate three books - not sure if I'll have time to read them all myself, though! When do you want them by?

SueDonim - whenever you like, just so that people can read them in time ie to read during October for discussion in November

Carogee - Good point. Maybe future nominations could bear this in mind, or give out info on book club deals (I'm not very clued up on them)

Currently Amazon are offering Atonemnt for £3.99, and the ohter two for £4.19 (plus p&p). You can also buy used copies through Amazon.

I keep mentioning libraries too, though I appreciate not everyone has access to them

Could someone tell me what type of book the mon amour book is? Not an author I'm familiar with. Looking forward to Atonement tho' and the wine!!!

When we choose, should it be something relatively 'intellectual' and thought provoking, or can it be a bit of a 'trashy' quick read thing now and again - sometimes these are just the best!

I think we should have a mix of books - after all, part of the idea of a book group is to encourage you to read something you'd never normally dream of picking up. So, intellectual stuff and trash are equally valid, I reckon!

Lilibet - Aberystwyth Mon Amour is described as a crime fiction/comic thriller/Raymond Chandler in Wales sort of thing. I agree there should be a mix....thought this one might be light-hearted.

To drink with this selection I am suggesting;
Red; Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon Yellow Label (in Sainsbury's reduced from £7.99 to £5.99)

White; Sauvignon Blanc Vin du Pays du Jardin de la France (with a crocodile on the label, also Sainsbury's reduced from £3.99 to £3.29)

But you don't HAVE to drink the wine!

God thats worrying, I have both the bottles you recommend, bettys

bettys - yes I'll come up with 3 over the next few days. No trash though I'm afraid - just can't bear to read it!

Enid - I don't think that's worrying at all! Hic!

Carrie from mumsnet says they are an Amazon affiliate, which means that mumsnet gets 4% every time a member uses the link to buy from Amazon via the mumsnet home page. It's not very much (£500-600 worth of business for Amazon means under £50 for mumsnet) but as she says, every little helps.
I didn't know this until now (durrr) and as a regular Amazon buyer I'll make sure I do it via mumsnet from now on. If others do the same it'll help mumsnet keep running.

Thanks bettys! sounds good, so do the books!

Thanks Bettys for organising this. I have spent a week off Mumsnet visting parents and was really missing the chat. I've read Orphans too and had a strong view on this book so am dying to see what others think of it.
Can I suggest Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections for future use sometime? Am dawdling my way through this because it is just so brilliant and I can't bear it to end. Best book I have read in ages. And would anyone else like to discuss the Philip Pullman Dark Materials trilogy?

I loved the Dark Materials trilogy. If enough people have read it we could discuss that now while waiting to kick off with this month's nominated books.

Yes Marina, I have jsut finished them, would love a chat about them.

Thnx for the Amazon/Mumsnet info. I'm about to order a load of educational stuff for dd1, so Mumsnet might as well benefit!

Betty's, probably being thick, but are we expected to read all three or will there be parallel discussions on all three books at once? Have read Atonement but willing to give the others a try too.

Aloha - Parallel discussions on all 3, so people can choose whether to read one or all (or none and just drink the wine!)

Has anyone else read the His Dark Materials Trilogy and like to discuss that this month?
(ie the Phillip Pullman books Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass)

I've read the Philip Pullman trilogy, loved it, amd would love to discuss. But can someone else start? I just don't have any confidence in my analytical ability. (Plus the fact I've had 2 glasses of wine, and have been up since 5 this morning and done a 3 hour/200 mile drive.)