Just a reminder that Between the Lines Book Club will be meeting this Thursday at Gordon White Library at 6 pm. We'll be discussing Gillian Flynn's rather dark Gone Girl.
This novel certainly makes me appreciate how wonderful the people I associate with are!
Looking forward to hearing what you thought of Gone Girl!
Happy reading!
Monday, 23 June 2014
Wednesday, 4 June 2014
"A bit sick, but chick lit and melodrama' for June
Our book for June is Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. I know a couple of you have read it but some folk so enjoyed it, I thought it would be a worthwhile read for the whole group.
Peter Craven from 'The Sydney Morning Herald' titled his review 'A bit sick, but chick lit and melodrama make it a winner'. It certainly sounds like a different read from last month. Many folks join book clubs to read outside of their usual genre and this one certainly sounds outside of my comfort zone.
Here is a YouTube clip featuring the official trailer from the soon to be released movie based on the book. The film stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike and Neil Patrick and is directed by David Fincher. (Please excuse the before and after advertising on the clip, I was not sure how to get rid of this so thought it safer to leave it in.)
Here is what Gillian (pronounced with a hard 'G') Flynn had to say about Gone Girl.
I can't say I'm looking forward to this read and have already found a number of 'must-read-right-nows' to ensure the delay of starting it. Certainly sounds like a novel which must be read between the lines and with the lights on......
Our next book club will be at Gordon White Library at 6.00pm on Thursday 26 June.
After all of that, all I can say is keep those pages turning......
Peter Craven from 'The Sydney Morning Herald' titled his review 'A bit sick, but chick lit and melodrama make it a winner'. It certainly sounds like a different read from last month. Many folks join book clubs to read outside of their usual genre and this one certainly sounds outside of my comfort zone.
Here is a YouTube clip featuring the official trailer from the soon to be released movie based on the book. The film stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike and Neil Patrick and is directed by David Fincher. (Please excuse the before and after advertising on the clip, I was not sure how to get rid of this so thought it safer to leave it in.)
Here is what Gillian (pronounced with a hard 'G') Flynn had to say about Gone Girl.
I can't say I'm looking forward to this read and have already found a number of 'must-read-right-nows' to ensure the delay of starting it. Certainly sounds like a novel which must be read between the lines and with the lights on......
Our next book club will be at Gordon White Library at 6.00pm on Thursday 26 June.
After all of that, all I can say is keep those pages turning......
Discussion brought us closer to the heart for the time being
Everyone was keen to share their experience of the last two months' books.
We decided to first discuss each book separately and then discuss their differences and similarities.
We began with Simon Cleary's Closer to Stone. Many readers questioned the motives of the father with some finding it impossible to understand his actions. Some thought the father was intending to try to 'man up' his softer second son. Some enjoyed the mostly linear structure of the story. One reader was very upset with the desert terms being used incorrectly. Most found several scenes upsetting and quite shocking. Very clever structure lulled the reader into a false sense of security which was very abruptly shattered.
Most readers were glad they had read the book. One reader found her second reading of this book far more satisfying than her first. It seemed it was a book of two brothers' spiritual journeys both as a response to a traumatic event in their lives.
Leaving the desert inspired spiritual passage, we moved to Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being which was set in a much damper Tokyo and on an even wetter island off the coast off British Columbia. Our readers thought that Ruth Ozeki captured both the adolescent voice of Nao and the more mature voice of Ruth very well. Some readers found jumping between the two stories confusing while others really enjoyed it. When one of our readers used the quantum physics aspect to tie the two tales together, it revealed the true beauty of this novel's structure. The notion of parallel universes clarified the ending wonderfully for one reader who had been struggling with the ending. One avid reader declared that this particular novel would rate as the best of the book club selections she had read as it was cleverly constructed, beautifully written and told a captivating tale.
At first glance these two novels seemed quite different: one a desert setting with the main characters being male while the other was set both in metropolitan Tokyo and the desolate British Columbian island and the two main characters are female. However the settings for various reasons develop a feeling of isolation for our main characters. Various events are catalysts for our main characters to embark on seeking answers as to their own existence. Thus both of these novels are really spiritual journeys.
Opinions were divided as to which was the preferred book. Overall it seemed to be a successful couple of months of reading. Sharing one's experience of a book really enhances the whole reading experience and adds another dimension of enjoyment.
Thank you to everyone for your enthusiastic input and sharing!
I'll talk about our June book club selection in another post!
Hope you enjoy getting between the lines of our next read!
We decided to first discuss each book separately and then discuss their differences and similarities.
We began with Simon Cleary's Closer to Stone. Many readers questioned the motives of the father with some finding it impossible to understand his actions. Some thought the father was intending to try to 'man up' his softer second son. Some enjoyed the mostly linear structure of the story. One reader was very upset with the desert terms being used incorrectly. Most found several scenes upsetting and quite shocking. Very clever structure lulled the reader into a false sense of security which was very abruptly shattered.
Most readers were glad they had read the book. One reader found her second reading of this book far more satisfying than her first. It seemed it was a book of two brothers' spiritual journeys both as a response to a traumatic event in their lives.
Leaving the desert inspired spiritual passage, we moved to Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being which was set in a much damper Tokyo and on an even wetter island off the coast off British Columbia. Our readers thought that Ruth Ozeki captured both the adolescent voice of Nao and the more mature voice of Ruth very well. Some readers found jumping between the two stories confusing while others really enjoyed it. When one of our readers used the quantum physics aspect to tie the two tales together, it revealed the true beauty of this novel's structure. The notion of parallel universes clarified the ending wonderfully for one reader who had been struggling with the ending. One avid reader declared that this particular novel would rate as the best of the book club selections she had read as it was cleverly constructed, beautifully written and told a captivating tale.
At first glance these two novels seemed quite different: one a desert setting with the main characters being male while the other was set both in metropolitan Tokyo and the desolate British Columbian island and the two main characters are female. However the settings for various reasons develop a feeling of isolation for our main characters. Various events are catalysts for our main characters to embark on seeking answers as to their own existence. Thus both of these novels are really spiritual journeys.
Opinions were divided as to which was the preferred book. Overall it seemed to be a successful couple of months of reading. Sharing one's experience of a book really enhances the whole reading experience and adds another dimension of enjoyment.
Thank you to everyone for your enthusiastic input and sharing!
I'll talk about our June book club selection in another post!
Hope you enjoy getting between the lines of our next read!
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
AT looooong last! IT'S this Thursday!!
Hello everyone,
Time flies but at the same time, it seems a long time since we last met to chat about books. Looking forward to catching up and hearing your views on Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being and Simon Cleary's Closer to Stone.
Apparently there was a bit of a mix-up as to the availability of books as we were spreading them over the two months. Humble apologies for this. Come along with whatever you have read and I'm sure that animated discussion will ensue.
We'll meet at Gordon White Library at 6 pm on Thursday 29 May.
I thought Book Clubbers might enjoy the following quote.
“We read to know we're not alone.”
― William Nicholson, Shadowlands
Keep those pages turning...............
Time flies but at the same time, it seems a long time since we last met to chat about books. Looking forward to catching up and hearing your views on Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being and Simon Cleary's Closer to Stone.
Apparently there was a bit of a mix-up as to the availability of books as we were spreading them over the two months. Humble apologies for this. Come along with whatever you have read and I'm sure that animated discussion will ensue.
We'll meet at Gordon White Library at 6 pm on Thursday 29 May.
I thought Book Clubbers might enjoy the following quote.
“We read to know we're not alone.”
― William Nicholson, Shadowlands
Keep those pages turning...............
Thursday, 27 March 2014
'Still Alice' stimulates much discussion
Lisa Genova's Still Alice certainly provoked much discussion. This novel struck a chord as so many of our readers had personal stories of friends and family members who had or have Alzheimer's disease.
Everyone appeared to have enjoyed the book but opinions were certainly divided as to the morality of the actions of some of the main characters. There was much questioning as to why particular characters had acted in the manner they did. Readers talked about various lines from the book that resonated strongly with them while others found quotes that jolted them into reviewing their own views and opinions.
Overall our meeting was very lively with much animated discussion.
As several of our members are going to be away for our next meeting which was to be on Thursday 24 April, a group decision was made to cancel that meeting and read two books for the following meeting on Thursday 29 May.
So our next Between the Lines Book Club is on Thursday 29 May at 6 pm at Gordon White Library.
Our book for April is Closer to Stone by Australian author Simon Cleary.
Everyone appeared to have enjoyed the book but opinions were certainly divided as to the morality of the actions of some of the main characters. There was much questioning as to why particular characters had acted in the manner they did. Readers talked about various lines from the book that resonated strongly with them while others found quotes that jolted them into reviewing their own views and opinions.
Overall our meeting was very lively with much animated discussion.
As several of our members are going to be away for our next meeting which was to be on Thursday 24 April, a group decision was made to cancel that meeting and read two books for the following meeting on Thursday 29 May.
So our next Between the Lines Book Club is on Thursday 29 May at 6 pm at Gordon White Library.
Our book for April is Closer to Stone by Australian author Simon Cleary.
Jay Daniel Thompson from The Australian wrote this review in May 2012. It appears to be a book slightly different to our normal book club fare, so it will be interesting to hear what our readers think.
Our book for May is Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being which certainly generated much discussion in Cityside Book Club. It will be interesting to hear what Between the Lines readers think about it.
Ruth Ozeki has this to say about her book.
Hopefully I'll get this book set over to Gordon White Library shortly for folks to borrow of if you are near Mackay City Library I'll keep two copies here as well.
Well these certainly are contrasting books: one book set in a desert, another set on an island on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
Keep those pages turning and enjoy the experience!
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
We're still meeting this Thursday at 6 at Gordon White LIbrary
Hopefully this rain lets up and we'll be able to meet this Thursday to discuss Still Alice.
Looking forward to hearing your views on this novel by debut novelist Lisa Genova.
Seeing you at 6pm at Gordon White Library this Thursday 27 March 2014.
Looking forward to hearing your views on this novel by debut novelist Lisa Genova.
Seeing you at 6pm at Gordon White Library this Thursday 27 March 2014.
Wednesday, 5 March 2014
Our book for March is 'Still Alice'
We will be reading Lisa Genova's small but poignant Still Alice.
The following is a summary from Good Reading.
Still Alice
byLisa Genova (Goodreads Author)
Alice Howland—Harvard professor, gifted researcher, and lecturer, wife, and mother of three grown children—sets out for a run and soon realizes she has no idea how to find her way home. She has taken the route for years, but nothing looks familiar. She is utterly lost. Medical consults reveal early-onset Alzheimer's.
Alice slowly but inevitably loses memory and connection with reality, as told from her perspective. She gradually loses the ability to follow a conversational thread, the story line of a book, or to recall information she heard just moments before. Genova's debut shows the disease progression through the reactions of others, as Alice does, so readers feel what she feels: a slowly building terror.
Alice slowly but inevitably loses memory and connection with reality, as told from her perspective. She gradually loses the ability to follow a conversational thread, the story line of a book, or to recall information she heard just moments before. Genova's debut shows the disease progression through the reactions of others, as Alice does, so readers feel what she feels: a slowly building terror.
The Alzheimer's Society had this to say about Still Alice.
Here are some quotes to pique your interest.
Here are some quotes to pique your interest.
Looking forward to the discussion about this book at Gordon White Library on Thursday 27 March at 6pm!
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