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The Cruel Mother - book of the month for September

91 replies

Rachel (mumsnet) · 10/08/2004 23:38

Hi all, Just to let you know that the next book we plan to discuss in September is "The Cruel Mother" by Sian Busby, "A true story of motherhood, madness and infanticide after the Great War". In this book the author recounts the story of her great-grandmother who was imprisoned in the early 1900s after drowning two of her newly born triplets. After the birth of her second son, Sian Busby decided to investigate the story once and for all and lay to rest the ghosts which have haunted the family for 80 years....intrigued?

We have eight copies to give away to the first members to send their names and contact addresses to [email protected].

Cheers,

Rachel, Justine and Carrie

OP posts:
Yorkiegirl · 05/09/2004 16:01

Message withdrawn

SenoraPostrophe · 05/09/2004 20:38

YG - I think we all just come onto mumsnet at 9pm on the 23rd and discuss then. Didn't even try to join in with the Babyface discussion but a few others in the past have kind of fizzled out - I think that's why this one has a fixed time.

The book is worth reading even if you miss the discussion though (well, it is so far...)

Freddiecat · 09/09/2004 23:18

I missed the Babyface discussion too.

I think the best thing is if we all think of a few points we'd like to make about the book beforehand. A starter for the discussion if you like.

I've never actually been a member of a face-to-face book group so not sure how things are done.

Carrie (mumsnet) · 14/09/2004 11:05

We'll make sure there's a reminder about the discussion on the home page if Freddiecat you can make sure there's a reminder up here on Talk.

Glad everyone seems to be enjoying it so far

kalex · 16/09/2004 19:07

Arrived from Amazon this PM, so have opened a bottle of wine and about to immerse myself. Hope that I am finfshed by the 23rd

Freddiecat · 18/09/2004 12:21

A reminder that the discussion is 9pm this coming Wednesday evening - 23rd September.

Freddiecat · 18/09/2004 19:50

bump

soapbox · 18/09/2004 19:52

I won the book on mumsnet and have read and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I will be out on Wed evening so won't be able to join the discussion.

If anyone would like to read this book please let me know and I will send it on to them.

Freddiecat · 19/09/2004 10:10

H soapbox - feel free to add anything to the discussion after Wednesday. I'm sure it will carry on afterwards.

If you have anything you really want to share on Wednesday email it to me and I'll add it so people can comment on Wednesday and you can look at the comments later.

Freddiecat · 20/09/2004 22:07

Bump

another reminder of the discussion on Wednesday

Carrie (mumsnet) · 21/09/2004 11:11

For anyone thinking thinking of joining the discussion, but anxious that they don't know what's involved - don't worry - I don't think anyone knows exactly how it's going to go! From talking to folks who go to regular book clubs I think you just turn up and say what you think, what you liked, didn't like, didn't understand, felt you could relate to. It's not an academic tutorial - just a mumsnet chat, so please everyone feel free to join in. I think Freddicat's suggestion of jotting thoughts down in advance is a good one, but I reckon once you start you'll bounce off each other in same way you would on Talk normally. So just turn up at this thread at 9pm on weds and let the fun begin. Hope that answers your query Yorkiegirl and hope to see you there!

Freddiecat · 22/09/2004 08:38

discussion TONIGHT 9pm

Freddiecat · 22/09/2004 17:41

bump

Titania · 22/09/2004 17:54

ive not had chance to read past the first 20 pages yet........gutted

popsycal · 22/09/2004 19:03

bump again for freddiecat

lou33 · 22/09/2004 19:49

Desperately tryig to get kids to bed in time!

Freddiecat · 22/09/2004 21:00

Evening everyone! Hope you're all sitting there with kids in bed, large glasses of wine beside you ready to chat!

I have to say I found the book very compelling. I was reading it whilst my DD was only about 5 weeks old and it was scary thinking that the up-and-down hormones following the birth of a baby could have such an extreme effect. I can see why Sian Busby felt she had to investigate further - if Beth had been my gret-grandmother I think I'd have been unable to let it go too.

Yorkiegirl · 22/09/2004 21:05

Message withdrawn

lou33 · 22/09/2004 21:05

Evening Freddie Mine are pretty much all asleep, but dh is fending them off for me!

I pretty much agree with what you say. Thiswas all set about the time my grandmother would have been born, and I remember my great grandmother v well, as she died at the ripe old age of 90. She came from a v poor background too, and had loads of kids. It really made me see things through her eyes.

SenoraPostrophe · 22/09/2004 21:08

OMG freddiecat - I was thinking as I was reading, "perhaps I shouldn't be reading this until ds is older" - he's 8 months. I did read Angela's ashes when dd was tiny though and became suddenly paranoid about her getting ill.

Anyway, evenin everyone. I also found the book compelling and was very surprised about it - I thought it sounded good from the review, but the first few chapters were just all over the place and I did begin to wonder if it would ever pull together. It did, in a very strange - it was almost as if I was following Busby's thought patterns as she tried to make sense of it herself. It must be the first book I've ever read in which the incoherence (or seeming incoherence, I should say)of the ideas was actually a plus point.

mummytosteven · 22/09/2004 21:08

Hi all. I found the book absolutely fascinating for the most part, particularly the general information about women/healthcare/infanticide. Have to confess I found some of the info about Beth's forbears a bit dull . I was surprised by how much I ended up sympathising with Beth, and how I felt that with all she went through (loss of a child), depression during PG, horrific sounding physical damage during childbirth, loss of a further child, that it was inevitable that Beth's mental health would be gravely endangered.

mummytosteven · 22/09/2004 21:08

Hi all. I found the book absolutely fascinating for the most part, particularly the general information about women/healthcare/infanticide. Have to confess I found some of the info about Beth's forbears a bit dull . I was surprised by how much I ended up sympathising with Beth, and how I felt that with all she went through (loss of a child), depression during PG, horrific sounding physical damage during childbirth, loss of a further child, that it was inevitable that Beth's mental health would be gravely endangered.

Freddiecat · 22/09/2004 21:09

Yes it made me consider my lot a little differently. I was feeling a bit sorry for myself having to look after a 5 week old baby and a 2 year old AS WELL as doing the housework, cooking etc. Then I thought that at least I don't have 4 other children, at least I don't have to make lace all day, at least I have a comfortable home.

Yorkiegirl · 22/09/2004 21:15

Message withdrawn

lou33 · 22/09/2004 21:17

I did find my mind wandering a bit though, when she was describing the past. I had to keep reminding myself that it would come together in the end, and I did find myself getting more absorbed again. Her descriptions of what she though happened the morning the twins drowned made me feel I was there watching like a fly on the wall.

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