Book Club Report: January 2014

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A Working for an MP Guide
Parliamentary Book Club
First Published 22 January 2014 w4mp
Last Updated 22 January 2014 w4mp
Last Reviewed 22 January 2014 w4mp
Revision notes

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FALL AND RISE OF BOOK CLUB…….

Our planned theatre trip was cancelled due to the collapse of the ceiling at The Apollo Theatre. Thank goodness there were no serious injuries and although the play ‘Curious Incident of the dog in the night’ will be transferred to another theatre in the summer our January get together was rather last minute.

Many of us are reading Nelson Mandela’s ‘ Long Walk to Freedom’ – which is a comprehensive and detailed description of Mandela’s life, struggles and the politics of South Africa. However the insights into his personal life and family were also intriguing and in some cases surprising. Many have also seen the performance of Idris Elba in the recent movie version which brings to the screen the impact his life has had for so many.

We also shared the novel ‘Hothouse Flower’ by Lucinda Riley. As someone familiar with the Norfolk landscape I found it intriguing, however the plot became somewhat ridiculous but it still proved an easy read – although how her other offerings may appeal we are not so sure.

Possible suggestions for the next month are:

‘Two Brothers’ by Ben Elton.

Set in Berlin after WW1 two brothers are born in a time of turbulence as Germany marches towards Nazi leadership through WW11 and beyond. A naturally sensitive subject matter is dealt with in Elton’s style by bringing humour and humanity to life and its tragedies.

‘Eleven Kinds of Loneliness’ by Richard Yates

We rarely choose a collection of short stories yet this American writer, known for ‘Revolutionary Road’ brings together tales from 1950s American. They are varied and cover all aspects of lives – young and old.

Interesting choices as the two different countries portrayed are seen at similar times to compare societies either side of the Atlantic, with characters for whom we can gain much insight into their lives.

Next meeting is on Tuesday 25th February – 12.30pm at Bellamy’s, 1 Parliament Street – we usually meet outside the cafeteria in the seated area. Look out for a group with books/Kindles who do a lot of chatting!

New members are always welcome across Westminster!