It was book-club/group last night, at the charming, elegant and very comfortable home of one of the gang. Our hostess had prepared a small repast which we sat round her dining table and enjoyed (with a glass of something pink and sparkling) and caught up with our news. We moved into the sitting room, taking our glasses and our books with us and began to discuss the book. I’d struggled with ‘Thunderclap’ by Laura Cummings so it was interesting hearing the others’ opinions and thoughts. I always feel a little guilty and shallow when I hear their opinions, but as I’ve recently been to Amsterdam, where the subject of the book, Carel Fabritius, had lived,I was able to contribute to the more general discussion. Then came the tricky part – what oh what should we read next time? It didn’t take us long, and we all agreed – to revisit “A Room With A View” by E.M. Forster.
As usual when we were home, we each messaged thanks to our hostess, and also suggested books for future meetings perhaps. I had three ideas – and I will read them anyway:
: “The Collected Works of Thorne Smith” – or a couple of stories from the book: James Thorne Smith Jr. (27.3.1892 – 20.6.1934) an American writer of humorous supernatural fantasy fiction – best known today for his two Topper novels -comic fantasy fiction involving sex, frequent drinking and ghosts. With racy illustrations, popular paperbacks of the 1950’s.
:”Last One Out” by Australian author Jane Harper – I very much enjoyed her previous novels, ‘The Dry’, ‘Force of Nature’, ‘The Lost Man’ and ‘The Survivors’,
: “And Cello Came Too” a memoir by Robin Lustig, the journalist and broadcaster
All of us in the group, have very different tastes in reading, I think I’m probably the most different and – I confess – the most fussy and sometimes intolerant!!
Lois Elsden 