w4mp | book club |

This page holds all the 'Latest Information' bulletins
from July 2006 to up to the end of 2011

Update 9 December 2011

The group met for a pre Xmas lunch at Bellamy's and caught up on a few books we've been reading in the past few months.

"Catch -22" - the classic? Discuss. Well we did and had to say many in the group admitted to not being able to finish the book. It seems perhaps more readable to 'male' book lovers because of the military links but Joseph Heller's novel still remains one of the Top Ten Books to read in many lists. Of course we were still desperate as to what the Catch 22 was and all amazed to see that something in literature - particularly more modern historical literature - has coined a phrase in our daily vocabulary. Shakespeare would be proud of him!

Gail Carregas and her Victorian themed "Soulless" brought fun and atmosphere into the topical vampire genre so devoured by many readers. It's fun, the characters lively but I still can't get my teeth into the whole idea ! (sorry about that)

Donna Leon's series of crime thrillers set in Venice are a joy. Short, evocative of that city and with a police Inspector who's not flawed but fun and spends much time with a happy family enjoying wine and food! What could be more Italian?

So now Christmas approaches and we've chosen some reads to curl up with by the fire whilst resting from the festive fare.

A S Byatt writes thoroughly researched, detailed but excellent novels. We are choosing "Possession" about the discovery of long lost love letters from two Victorian poets. It sounds like the tale of Elizabeth and Robert Browning but the whole story evokes a wonderful time for literature and for courting in the old fashioned sense.

For our crime lovers and staying in Italy - the excellent TV series "Zen" portrayed Rufus Sewell as the Detective. But the stories came from the novels of the late Michael Dibden and are also well worth a read. We recommend "RatKing" which won a number of awards.

And lastly Christmas; especially with 2012 and his 200 anniversary wouldn't be Christmas without Charles Dickens! He's everywhere including an excellent biography by Claire Tomalin but we've picked a classic which we hope is either a favourite or perhaps a first time read by the great story writer "David Copperfield".

Enjoy your Christmas and New Year!

Happy Reading

Next meeting will be on Wednesday 25th January meeting at the entrance to Bellamy's.

Philipa Coughlan

Tel 01424 220337

Update 10 November 2011

Unfortunately colleagues cancelled last weeks Book Club. I was ill so couldn't attend but the next one is already arranged so hope all well then: TUESDAY 6TH DECEMBER - 12.30 PM meet outside Bellamys restaurant for lunch and chat.

In case any of you have forgotten what we are reading: We chose half a dozen books for the summer break including Joseph Heller's classic "Catch 22", Donna Leon's crime series set in Venice and Gail Carriger's "Soulless", a vampire novel with class!

Philipa Coughlan email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com

James Naughtie's Bookclub newsletter - 07/11/2011

I’m fairly sure that Iain Banks is the first guest on Bookclub of whom I have asked the question: have you ever let yourself be psycho-analysed? I was therefore slightly disappointed when the answer was no, but it was worth a try. (Radio 4 Bookclub this Sunday 6 November at 4pm and Thursday 10 November at the new time of 3.30pm.)

If you know The Wasp Factory, the book that launched Iain’s serious writing career 27 years ago, you will know why the question arose. Frank’s story, which gives the book its shape and its spirit, is one of grotesque adolescent excess, particularly in the matter of violence. He has killed three people (at least, we’re told, one of them a sibling) and much of his delight while he is growing up comes from meting out undeserved punishment on any living thing that passes by. Take the alarm clock contraption which involves wasps being pinned to the hands and, as a consequence, being killed to a timetable set by Frank, allowing him to wake up to see his latest victim being squashed as the clock strikes the hour, with another one coming along behind. The book is a picture of disturbance, a kind of punk’s-eye view of the world, which is a place of gothic horror and badness. Yet, as Iain told us, “Frank thinks he is relatively normal – it’s as simple as that.”

You can see why I wondered if he’d ever had his head examined to see where the story came from, and he recalled happily a launch party for one of his books in Edinburgh when an American student asked him if he had experienced a very troubled childhood, expecting the answer yes. Iain pointed out his grey-haired mother in the crowd, who duly obliged with the truth: “Och no, Iain was always a happy wee boy.”

We were talking in the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, where our readers had been re-reading the book, sometimes after several years, and returning to the themes that Iain has picked up in his overtly science fiction books (which he writes under the name of Iain M. Banks, a distinction which I think he now mildly regrets) and which have given him a cult following. The Wasp Factory presents a world where the certainties that Frank lives with are ones that would repel or terrify the average reader – burning dogs, tortured wasps, murders, a bizarre substitute religion in which he believes that the future is foretold by one of his grotesque killing machines, which kills its animal victims in a dozen different ways. So why was the book so popular?

His answer is that he thinks readers get the joke – “it was a hoot and a giggle” – in a way that critics certainly didn’t. A number of reviewers wondered how a publisher could stoop so low in letting the book onto the streets. Why can’t they get it, he wonders? “It’s a simple method, gross exaggeration. Being a science fiction writer helps – the term is extrapolation but it’s basically exaggeration.” When Eric, a brother whom Frank hasn’t killed, emerges from an old-style psychiatric hospital, it allows Frank to appear normal by comparison, but readers learn of the strange happenings in his past. By the end of the story, Franks makes a discovery that is clearly one of the most important of his life and will shape his future. We do mention in the course of the programme what this revelation is, simply because the book has been around for long enough for that to seem reasonable, but I won’t talk about it here, in case some of you are reading the book for the first time. Let’s just say that it changes his identity.

The story is set in a community in the far north of Scotland, which Iain knows well, on an island. Frank’s father Angus, an eccentric doctor, is part of the psychological puzzle of the novel, going every now and again to Inverness to sell drugs, which he makes at home, and perhaps sharing some of the Frank’s attitude towards women – in the absence of a mother in the house, he rails against the betrayals of women, even Mrs Clampy, the housekeeper, who is a bastion of sanity in the place. Iain is happy to describe it as a psychological study : Frank creates not just a physical environment that suits him, and his urges, but a mythological one too. Iain is as convinced as aetheist as you are ever likely to meet (he will acknowledgement that perhaps 1% of him is simply agnostic, but no more). Iain says, as you might expect, that he’s always found Frank a fascinating character, but he echoed the feelings of surely nearly every reader of the book when he said that he wouldn’t like to find himself living next door to him.

I don’t know if you agree with the reviewer who said that he found it incomprehensible that a publisher could have stooped to such levels of depravity (that was The Irish Times) or with one of our readers who said that, having not expected to enjoy it, she found herself reading the gory and funny bits to her husband on a long car journey and laughing out loud. Either way, it was a landmark book – a piece of gothic fiction and fantasy that established Iain Banks’ career and seem to fit happily into the early 80s punk-influenced popular culture. I hope you enjoy the programme.

Our next recording will be with the American writer Art Speigelman on his phenomenon, Maus, an allegory about the Holocaust in graphic novel form. That’s Wednesday 7 December.

And the following week on Tuesday 13 December, we’re discussing God’s Own Country by Ross Raisin, a young writer who’s considered one of our most promising authors. It was his first book, in 2008. So if you want to be one of the group of readers on either of these occasions, both in London, let us know via the website : www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006s5sf.

The next programme on air will be with Sebastian Barry, author of The Secret Scripture, on December 4th (repeated on Thursday 8th) and I can promise you that it is a corker.

And just to remind you, the new time of our Thursday edition is now 3.30pm.

Happy reading

Jim

Visit the Book Club website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/ and the Radio 4 Homepage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/.

Update 18 October 2011

Reminder about our Book Club meeting on Tuesday 1st November 12.30pm at W1 off Westminster Hall and a link to the latest Radio 4 Book Club newsletter below as this is a book many have read.

Philipa Coughlan email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com

On Wed 5/10/11 james-naughtie@lists.bbc.co.uk wrote:

I do hope those of you who heard the first broadcast on Sunday of the Arundhati Roy discussion, on The God of Small Things, enjoyed it. There are very few books of this kind that come our way, so it was a natural for us. Sooner or later we had to come to it. The programme will be repeated, as usual this Thursday (October 6) at the usual time of 4pm, and as you will all know by now past programmes are available at the website : www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006s5sf - a facility which I know many of you appreciate and use a great deal.

The God of Small Things is unusual in so many ways. As Arundhati Roy puts it, the story begins at the end and ends in the middle, and she is determined that she was never going to write a linear story. In our discussion she made it clear that the feeling of a book that has a circular wholeness, so that you can start the story almost anywhere with the same effect, springs from that part of her mind that made her want to be an architect, which is how she was trained. The result is that the book’s power comes not so much from the development of a story along conventional lines – a beginning in the first pages, and an end on the last page - but from the conception of the world in which the action (concentrated in a few days) is happening around you. The book that obviously springs to mind is Ulysses, but I find it hard to think of settings that are more different than Joyce’s Dublin and Roy’s Kerala, where the texture of life is built up of an impossible vast range of smells, c!
olours, tiny objects and competing cultures and religions. Your senses are assailed by the vividness of the world she describes.

And of course it is a story of love and loss, and therefore tragedy. But when we asked her if it was therefore a pessimistic novel, she said that she thought that the fact the kind of love she describes could have come about in a feudal society was in itself “a fantastically hopeful thing”. At the centre of the story, recollected by Rahel as an adult woman, is the love between her Christian mother and a carpenter who, by the rules of caste, is an Untouchable.

In her conversation, especially when we asked her why she had not written another novel since The God of Small Things was first published in 1997, Arundhati Roy revealed the depth of her political commitments : the extent to which she wants her story to reveal not just the intoxicating feel of India, and the way that the mystical and the practical are woven together in everyday life, but the unfairness and cruelties of a system that pitches different religions and cultures against each other. Since she wrote the book, which became a worldwide bestseller and won prizes, including the Booker, she’s devoted most of her energy to various campaigns which she feels to be more important that the writing of another story.

She told us: “I hope I will return to fiction. I don’t want to write books because that’s what the world expects me to do. I want to write a book when I have a book that needs to be written or wants to be written; not just because that’s a profession.” That moment has not yet come.

About her writing technique, which has dazzled so many critics and readers, she say that she knows no rules. She thinks or herself neither as a linear nor hierarchical thinker, and in describing the way she tried to capture the society in which her characters were caught, and the way they lived their lives, it became clear that she wanted to paint a picture of how difficult it is to pursue love – which always produces, she believes, vulnerability – in a society where class and caste impose rigid boundaries and exert hard punishment on anyone who tries to stray across them.

Just as she says that pessimism and optimism aren’t in a binary relationship – being opposites between which you have to choose – so she sees the pain of love as something that’s inevitable if the joy of it is going to be appreciated. She refused to choose between gloom and hope : they’re both there in the book.

I suspect that the reason why it was such a success is that the style in which she tells the story - its layers, the overlapping of time, the back-and-forth twists of the narrative, the idea of the compression of a long story into a brief moment in history – is utterly original. When you put that together with the sheer exultation in the physical presence of India – especially the smells and the colours – you have a powerful mix. One of our readers who had grown up in India said that when he read the passages in the pickle factory it made him want to go and wipe his hands afterwards.

The emotions in the book are very powerful – it deals with death, love that has to struggle to be fulfilled, and a touch of incest (because of a shared feeling of desolation) – yet they seem to sit naturally in a society where the natural world always seems about to overwhelm the people, and the rules that are forced upon them are often impossible to obey.

I’m glad we have come to The God of Small Things because in the end I think we had to.

Next month’s book is a cult novel of a quite different kind. Iain Banks wrote The Wasp Factory in the mid-eighties and it became something of a latter-day version of The Catcher in the Rye in the way that it tried to unpick the difficulties, the cruelties and the contradictions of the early teenage years. It divided readers then, and still does.

It’s our book for November – Sunday 6 November at 4pm - and I hope you enjoy it.

Could add sthing about Patricia Cornwell if I set it up.

Happy reading

Jim

Visit the Book Club website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/

Update: 13 September 2011

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 1st Nov 12.30 pm in W1 Room off Westminster Hall. It's the first of this Parliamentary year and we would welcome any new members who'd like to join the group. We chose half a dozen books for the summer break including Joseph Heller's classic "Catch 22", Donna Leon's crime series set in Venice and Gail Carriger's "Soulless", a vampire novel with class!

If you'd like more information about the group check out our webpage details of past meetings or call Philipa 01424 220337 / email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com

We had a nice email back from Peter James after he came to our June meeting:

From: Peter James <scary@pavilion.co.uk>            Subject: Re: Big thanks!
To: "P COUGHLAN" <pcoughlan@btinternet.com>    Date: Thursday, 30 June, 2011, 9:39

Dear Philipa

It was lovely to meet you too, and I really liked Frank, also.

Thanks so much for these kind words. I really enjoyed the event - what a truly delightful group of people you had there.

Do keep in touch.

All my best

Peter
Peter James (Hons) D.Litt   www.peterjames.com
Find and follow me on http://twitter.com/peterjamesuk
Dead Man's Grip was published in hardback on May 26th!
Perfect People, my standalone thriller, will be published in November.

Mohsin Hamid's novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist. We all read and were moved by the thoughtfulness of this book and it has been interesting to see that it has often been more quality than quantity in relation to novels produced since 9/11. Perhaps in this case 'words couldn't quite describe our reactions'. Philipa

Here's Jim Naughtie's recent email about The Reluctant Fundamentalist:

From: james-naughtie@lists.bbc.co.uk Subject: James Naughtie's Bookclub newsletter 2 September, 2011

The most striking thing about Mohsin Hamid's novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist is not that it took him seven years to write the 200 pages – there are plenty of writers who could match that pace – but that he completed it in the summer of 2001, before the attacks in New York and Washington.
(Radio 4 Bookclub this Sunday 4 September at 4pm and next Thursday 8 September also at 4pm, and online too.)

The book has become inextricably associated with those events...a kind of commentary on some of the feelings that we assume to have lain behind them.
Yet – and this is the second surprising fact about the novel – it is deliberately vague about what the protagonist (Changez) believes, how much of a religious element there may be in his thinking (except that we know there is not very much), and even leaves readers wondering about the character to whom he tells his story, who appears to be an American, but one who is not only quiet, but mysterious. The narrative, nonetheless, is gripping.

When we asked Mohsin at the recording whether The American's gesture to a pocket at the end of the book was an indication that he was carrying a gun (or something more innocent, like a cigarette case) our readers were in no doubt: it was a gun. So we asked the author. The answer? That it was neither a gun nor not a gun. He didn't know, and didn't want to. He wanted to leave possibilities unresolved, a space in which readers might think.

The ending is characteristic of the whole story. We know surprisingly little about Changez, even though he is the narrator, beyond the fact that he worked in high finance in New York, fell in love with Erica (Mohsin read us the passage in which Changez first ogles her on an island beach in Greece) and that he was profoundly affected by watching the assault on the twin towers, live on television. We meet him later in a tea house in Lahore, back home in Pakistan (without Erica), and it's there that he tells his story, in conversation with his shadowy interlocutor.

Mohsin explained how the mysterious quality of the conversation – would it really have unfolded like this? – was a deliberate device, "an unrealistic frame" as he put it. He wanted the reader to have space to play.

He made an interesting analogy with the John Ford Western High Noon in which nothing much happens until the gunfight at the end, the lone rider who comes to the town – the good guy – making us wait for the event. It is tense because it is slow. What's more, he thinks it is beautiful that the film – like his book – deals with events that are happening in real time. When you read The Reluctant Fundamentalist, you probably take about the same time to finish it as Changez takes to tell his story.

It makes the reader feel like a character in the story, he says, and that immersion is one of the ways in which he creates the sense of unease that floats up from the pages.

When his publisher first got the manuscript, in summer 2001, he said he couldn't quite get the story. What was the stuff about a Muslim spending time in the US, then going home and talking about his feelings? A few months later, after the twin towers were down, he asked Mohsin how quickly he could finish a final draft. The story seemed to fit the time, in part because it deliberately, doggedly, avoids simple explanations about motive and "fundamentalist" feelings. They swirl around, but they are ambiguous and hard to catch.

His view is that 9/11 changed the world because it was able to widen fractures that already existed. "It took a potential that was already there and made it manifest."

That potential is lurking in the story of Changez, who has abandoned the particular kind of fundamentalism that grips some Wall Street types, and gone back home, where he speaks in the elegant archaisms of the English that was an inheritance from colonial days for educated classes in the Indian sub-continent. We don't know the name of the man to whom he speaks, and we wonder about him. But his voice seems authentic, and that is the achievement of the book.

Mohsin said that it was only in the 6th or 7th draft that he "found" the voice of Changez. "I knew then I was done."

The reason why the book has struck such a chord around the world (he told us that he was surprised by the warmth of his reception when he spoke about it across America, even in Texas...) is probably that it uses the simplest of techniques to begin to explore the worries and questions that people had about the mindset that brought about 9/11 and had clearly affected many, many people of whom Americans knew very little and whose motives they could barely understand.

Above all, it avoids plunging into a miasma of religious belief. The Reluctant Fundamentalist himself appears to have no strong religious beliefs but he thinks as if he did. The point is made that fundamentalism attaches itself to many systems of belief, and creeps in to take a hold in some rather unexpected ways.

As you may have heard in the reading of the novel on Radio 4's Book at Bedtime this week, this is a book that manages to deal with the fact of 9/11 without ever descending into a clunky political plot or presenting set-piece debates about beliefs or violence. It stands back, and makes you think.

I do hope you enjoy the programme. Our next edition, incidentally, is with another writer from South Asia, Arundhati Roy, talking about The God of Small Things. Details on the website, as ever – www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 and follow the links to Bookclub on the programme menu. You can let us know there if you want to be a reader at one of our recordings. Coming up – Hunter Davies on his authorized biography (the only one) of The Beatles, which we'll be recording in Liverpool on the site of the Cavern Club. One for the oldies, like me. A treat.

Happy reading

Jim

Update: 9 August 2011

To All Readers via the Parliamentary Book Club:

As we have chosen Donna Leon as our crime writer of choice this summer recess you might be interested to catch up (below) with information about her and her detective Guido Brunetti via the excellent Radio 4 Bookclub which we have been involved with for some years.

If you are heading for that glorious city of Venice so much the better!

Philipa Coughlan

Subject: James Naughtie's Bookclub newsletter - 08/08/2011
Date: Friday, 5 August, 2011, 11:42

I’ve read the latest Donna Leon novel in Italy this week, with her Venetian detective, Guido Brunetti, ambling his way along the canals and through the markets. (Radio 4 Bookclub this Sunday 7 August and next Thursday 11 August both at 4pm, and online next week too.)

I like Brunetti, whom I think of as a kind of Italian Maigret, padding the streets with a weary understanding and an ear for the undercurrents. He goes home for lunch, where Paola, his wife, has a delicate way with pasta and good wine, and he finds his city reassuring and mystifying at the same time. How is it that under its crumbling, magnificent façade (“it’s never ordinary, is it?” one of his sidekicks says to him in the latest book) there lurks such violence? In fact, as Donna pointed out when we gathered to talk about the first novel in the series, Death at La Fenice, it is not in reality a dangerous city – more a quiet, provincial, early-to-bed place if you see it when the tourists aren’t filling every campo and the fleets of gondolas. Murders are few and far between, and usually solved in a trice. But her interest is in the death that is always round corner, no matter how unlikely that may seem. She has the feeling that the layers of the city conceal passions that you seldom see.

Our choice is the book that introduces Brunetti. Set against the high drama that is manufactured in the opera house, La Fenice, the death that sets the plot in motion is an exceedingly unexpected one. A world famous conductor is found dead in his dressing room in the course of a performance. The Bookclub rule is that we never give away the endings of thrillers, and I won’t break it. But Brunetti begins to probe, lifting up those layers, and finds himself in a world of passions that he hasn’t come across before.

Donna began to write relatively late, in her forties, when – to her great surprise – she won a thriller competition in Japan, and in our conversation she was revealing about her style. She writes straight through – “I’ve never planned a book” – and says that if she’s lucky she visualises an opening scene from which everything can flow, though she only discovers what it is as she moves through the story. Motive? Everything depends on that, but sometimes it comes later. “I’ve never known the ending to a book. All I need is motive.”

This is refreshing stuff. No masterplans or grand designs, and indeed the beguiling quality of these thrillers is their simplicity – plots that move quite straightforwardly, without over-elaboration or clunky secondary stories and red herrings strewn everywhere. They progress in a Brunetti-like way, taking each day at a time, and building up a picture of the city – its people, the remnants of the aristocratic families (from one of which Paola comes), the corruption, the mystification of northern Italians about the dark south and its people. In police headquarters, the questura, he has to put up with a ridiculous boss, Patta (Donna thinks most people have one) but has the joy of his secretary, Elletra – not introduced until a later book in the series - who seems to know more about the city and its ways than anyone else, and can sort everything out with one phone call or a quiet word. Brunetti’s world, though it has the fantasy of Venice running through it, is one that we all recognize.

I suspect one of the attractions of the books, and Death at La Fenice is a good example, is Donna’s feeling for the spirit of Venice, which has so much to do with decay. The opera audience is elegant, the music perfect, the singers glamorous – yet there’s ugly violence lurking there. And in the streets, where the traditions of centuries hold sway and the buildings still inspire such awe, there is the feeling of a city that is holding on against the odds : increasingly aware that its golden age had passed away by the start of the seventeenth century. Brunetti reflects that ambiguity. He is utterly Venetian, and moves with the city’s rhythms, but he knows that what you see isn’t the whole truth.

Donna has lived there for thirty years, and you may find it surprising (as I do) that the books have not been translated into Italian. Why? “I don’t want to be famous where I live. I’m famous in a lot of places and I don’t like it.” Her decision.

The books keep coming, at a rate of about one a year, and I’m pleased to say that Brunetti and Paola (and their children) don’t age. They’re fixed in time, a little like their city. Long may that be the case.

Do enjoy Death at La Fenice.

Our next choice is an appropriate one for September, the month which marks the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It’s Mohsin Hamid’s the Reluctant Fundamentalist, which is also a Book at Bedtime on Radio 4 Monday 22 August – Friday 2 September at 10.45pm. You can hear our Bookclub at 4pm on Sunday, September 4th and again on Thursday the 8th.

And our next recordings in the autumn are with the Irish writer Sebastian Barry talking about his ghostly novel The Secret Scripture (12 October 12)and with celebrated journalist Hunter Davies on his biography of the Beatles. It was first published at the peak of their popularity in 1968, and appropriately enough we’re recording at the Cavern in Liverpool, on 19 November.

If you’d like to come along and meet either Sebastian Barry or Hunter Davies, tickets are free and available from our website : www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006s5sf.

Until then, happy holiday reading.

Jim

Update: 26 July 2011

Our recent meeting laid to rest the original nymphet novel "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov. Following on from the real tale of a young girl abducted as a sex object by an older man we thought we would compare it with the famous fictionalised account by the Russian author. There were similarities in exploitation - although whether being written by a man 'fantasizing through literature' makes it more acceptable than a true account from the girl's point of view is highly subjective was something more for psychology students than us simple readers.

So now it is recess - what to turn to read after the drama unfolding in newspapers.........

Something 'completely different ' as they say! So here is our selection:-

"Catch 22 " - Joseph Heller. On many a 10 greatest books of all time this classic it took Heller 8 years to write. An American masterpiece that both outrages and delights.

"Soulless " - Gail Carriger. Vampire tales seem now to be the preserve of screaming female teenagers but here our heroine Alexia Tarabotti is not just the classic spinster with no soul who was rudely attacked by a vampire but finds after she kills the vampire, she is being investigated by Queen Victoria! Very witty.

Donna Leon series of hero Commissario Guido Brunetti. Set in Venice these crime novels evoke the beauty and sinister mystery of that wonderful island - just right if you're planning to visit this summer!

"Brighton Rock" - Graham Greene. If your holiday resort of choice is closer to home on the south coast of Britain pack this one and revisit or treat yourself to the murky underworld of Pinkie and gangs amongst the piers and ice creams.

Enjoy your summer - we will organise our next meeting for October following the Conference weeks.

Philipa Coughlan

Update: 12 July 2011

It was certainly a gripping occasion in the Jubilee Room last month when the Parliamentary Book Club welcomed bestselling crime writer Peter James to a special event to celebrate 5 years of the group meeting in Westminster.

With the generous support of Frank Doran MP and his assistant Caitriona Bearryman we were delighted to host the June meeting of the Book Club in the Jubilee Room.

With his latest hardback "Dead Man's Grip" still amongst the top ten best sellers, James himself was both unassuming and inclusive in his discussions with us about his life and his writing. As early as aged 7, an inquisitive James wrote to Enid Blyton questioning her realism in children’s books, and he continued to be fascinated by the human condition and why 'people do what they do'. He had his first story published at school in 1966 and growing up in Brighton during the 1950s and 60s James read Graham Greene's 'Brighton Rock' and found it "changed his life".

Having studied originally at film school (James was one of the Executive Directors of 'The Merchant of Venice' starring Robert de Niro) and moving through script writing for children’s TV puppet shows, and spending some time in Canada learning the discipline of writing he returned to Brighton and became fascinated with the extraordinary world in which policemen live, "much I expect like the world of politicians" James commented. After he himself was burgled at home, having tried to write his first crime novel ' Dead Letter Drop' ("don't read it it's awful!" he laughed) a policeman investigating his burglary saw the book and asked if he would be interested in learning more about what the police 'really do'. The rest is history.

Brighton remains at the heart of his novels, with DS Roy Grace the familiar detective to lead us through James's fast paced stories. Based on a real life Sussex policeman who still helps reading through James's work to ensure the research is up to scratch, James is almost obsessive about investigating actual factual crimes too, never shirking from the real, often unpleasant things that policemen have to face all the time.

"Why are we so fascinated with crime?" asked someone in the audience. "Well do you like Shakespeare? Hamlet, Macbeth or other historical tragedies are all court room dramas with death, murder, discovery, justice. We could all kill, but why do those that do overstep the mark?"

Place is important in novels , particularly crime, so James laughed at the effect his writing might be having on the tourist industry for Brighton, like Oxford for Colin Dexter or Edinburgh for Ian Rankin Place is important and Brighton for James was "A stroke of luck. It has been the murder capital of the UK, with easy escape routes and a reputation for the more violent criminal underbelly of society, but my fans do always contact me after spending time in the town to say 'it's not really like that is it!" Those in the audience familiar with Brighton as a political conference venue could also I suspect vouch for the seediness of certain groups that end up in this seaside resort!

James is in the early stages of hopefully bringing his Detective Roy Grace to the small screen. Suggestions for possible actors were even welcomed from those meeting him! He is also working on a separate 'stand alone' novel about something very different which he hopes to publish later this year.

He writes in the evening, "probably not what most disciplined writers do, after checking emails, walking the dog and chatting to fellow author James Herbert who also lives in the same Sussex village - scary thought for the other residents I guess that both of us are writers who like death and horror!" Settling down after a large alcoholic drink he then sets to with his writing, reviewing the previous day's work and then another "70 pages at least need to be done".

Emailing James to thank him for coming along to talk to us the next day he was quick to respond. "I really enjoyed the event - what a truly delightful group of people you had there". It's not often someone who deals in mayhem, torture, murder and dysfunctional criminals can say that about a group in Parliament!

So do come along to our next Parliamentary Book Club event! Next meeting Thurs 21st July 12.30 pm Room M Portcullis House

We are currently reading "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov and would welcome suggestions for summer recess reading.

Contact Philipa Coughlan email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com

Update 23 June 2011

Parliamentary Bookclub - 5th Anniversary meeting
12.30pm on Wednesday 29th June - In the Jubilee room, Westminster Hall
With special guest crime writer Peter James

The meeting is being hosted by Frank Doran MP.

Peter is one of the UK’s most popular crime and thriller novelists, he will be talking about his books, including his recent novel ‘Dead Man’s Grip’, which was the No 1 bestseller for the first two weeks in June, see www.peterjames.com/. You are welcome to bring along copies of Peter’s books for signing at the meeting.

All who work on the Parliamentary estate are welcome, please do mention & forward to colleagues. Just for numbers, it would be helpful to know if any others are attending, if so, please email Caitriona at bearrymanc@parliament.uk.

The Parliamentary Bookclub meets every month and is open to all who work on the Parliamentary estate.

We look forward to seeing you all next week.

Update 17 May 2011

SOMETHING AMISS WITH AMIS AT PARLIAMENTARY BOOK CLUB!

Oh dear - either we are all literary misfits or just a group who could not see beyond the poor plot and characterisation in Martin Amis's new novel "The Pregnant Widow" but none of us as first time Amis readers feel at all inclined to reach for another of his books ever again! So are we missing something profound about this writer who is obviously well educated (and plants classical and literary references at many points in the novel) because there was nothing redeeming or memorable about either the people or the plot? Some viewed him as male chick lit with a superior tone, or even an autobiographical mid life crisis (one of the female characters is based on his sister we believe). So if you feel differently about Martin Amis let us know! As he's now left the UK with much grumbling about life here, to live in America we are sure he won't care what we think anyway!

Our second choice "Tiger Tiger" By Margaux Fragosa is a compellingly disturbing true memoir about her young life and relationship with a much older man who (and it doesn't spoil the plot) commits suicide after their relationship is revealed. It is hard to feel complete sympathy for Margaux yet she is blatantly being sexually abused. Perhaps this is because she is writing as an older sexually mature woman now. There are some difficult things to read and with which to try and understand but do try.

Because of the discussion this book raised we are now choosing Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita" - written here from the male point of view where famously middle aged Humbert Humbert becomes obsessed with 12 year old nymphet Lolita. Food for thought..... and we will discuss this at our July meeting on Thursday 21st room tbc.

BUT NOW NEWS OF A SPECIAL GUEST AUTHOR IN JUNE!

On WEDNESDAY 29TH JUNE at 12.30 p.m in the Jubilee Room we are delighted to welcome best selling crime writer Peter James to the Parliamentary Book Club. So many of us our crime novel fans and Peter's modern take on the crime underbelly in Brighton has brought him great fame and us as readers great joy! Click here for more about Peter James.

Thanks to Frank Doran MP who has agreed to host the event for the Club we expect a good audience - so if you'd like to come along and work in Westminster to meet Peter and hear more about his books please contact Book Club member Catriona in Frank's office on email: bearrymanc@parliament.uk

Best wishes

Philipa Coughlan

Update 2 May 2011

This month's reading choices from the Book Club couldn't be more diverse.

Martin Amis is one of the contemporary novelist heroes (or hates!) depending on your past reading of him, so we were surprised to find many in the group who hadn't even attempted any of his novels before. Choosing his latest "The Pregnant Widow" certainly might raise a few eyebrows. Upmarket 'male lit' perhaps? but you can't avoid his obvious literary talent so let us know what you think of this one.

Alongside we chose Margaux Fragosa's chillingly frank memoir "Tiger, Tiger". Many are familiar with the classic Lolita story - exemplified with Vladimir Nabokov's tale of a young girl entranced and loved by an older man. But to hear the story from the girl and to know she is speaking from experience? Tough, tragic and thought provoking.

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 11th May 12.30 in Room O Portcullis House - all welcome and we've got some forthcoming news about a bestselling author - so keep an eye on us!

For more information:
Philipa Coughlan
tel 01424 220337
or email pcoughlan@btinternet.com

Update 11 April 2011

At our recent get together we all agreed the small but perfectly formed "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" by Mohsin Hamid was excellent. Some even considered it up there as one of their best books and we see now how it was one of the novels chosen to be passed onto new readers on the recent World Book Night.

Subtle and descriptive we observe the transition by a young Pakistani man arriving with hopes and plans to achieve his 'American Dream' into a changed victim of the 9/11 terrorist plot. His feelings, his homeland now change place for all of us to see.

This month's reads to enjoy we hope over your Easter recess are Martin Amis's "The pregnant Widow" and Margaux Fragosa's "Tiger, Tiger".

Next meeting is on May 11th - 12.30 in a Portcullis Room to be confirmed. Do come along as we have news of a bestselling visitor very soon!!!

Philipa Coughlan
email pcoughlan@btinternet.com

Update 8 March 2011

Our recent meeting had two almost unanimous conclusions: first, our wonderment at quite who or what was the purpose of Philip Pullman's "THE GOOD MAN JESUS AND THE SCOUNDREL CHRIST" and our, second, overwhelming appreciation and praise of Ariana Franklin's "MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH"!

Pulman as we know is an atheist but quite what he wanted to achieve in retelling the Bible through the dual imagined characters of Mary's TWIN sons Jesus AND Christ was slightly lost on us. Easy to read it certainly is - and you think this is a novel twist on the oldest story in the world but was it meant for his usual reading group - young teenagers or questioning believers? Either way it doesn't really seem to have made an impact in sales or in controversy and perhaps as Pulman normally deals in fantasy tales that's exactly perhaps the premise on which he wants us to decide on this novel!

Saddened to hear that just after choosing Ariana Franklin's first tale in her medieval trilogy that the author has sadly died, and we all concluded it was such a shame she hadn't begun her career in novels much sooner. The Mistress in the title is an Italian female doctor who studies dead bodies. Tasked by the King of Sicily who himself is approached by Henry II she leads a small group to Cambridge where children are being murdered and the local Jews are being blamed and imprisoned- thus cutting off valuable taxation to the King. It's atmospheric without feeling overly researched, frighteningly gory but keeps you interested from page one to the end. Her second book in the trilogy "THE DEATH MAZE" also worth a read.

This month we've chosen a book that featured as one of 'giveaways' on the recent World Book Night - so if you were given a copy get reading! It's Mohsin Hamid's "THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST" - where in one evening our narrator (?) Pakistani Changez tells a nervous American about his love affair with and eventual abandonment of America following 9/11.

Also following the medieval crime theme for those who have not already discovered CJ Sansom, we return to his first (2003) published novel set in the reign of Henry VIII, introducing hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake. In "DISSOLUTION" Shardlake works on a commission from his employer Thomas Cromwell to solve the murder of a commissioner in a south coast monastery. 'Has the sights, voices and even smells of the turbulent age ' said PD James - so on that recommendation alone enjoy!

Next meeting Thursday 7th April 12.30 - venue to be confirmed possibly outside Bellamy's for lunch for a change.
If you'd like to join the Book Club or know more contact Philipa: pcoughlan@btinternet.com.

Jim Naughtie's Book Club link is: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/.

Update 27 February 2011

World Book Day takes place this week on Thursday 3rd March and what could be more appropriate than the next meeting of the Parliamentary Book Club taking place that day. Meeting at 12.30 in Room N Portcullis House everyone is welcome to join us to discuss 'your favourite books'. At the moment we are overwhelmed with articles, programmes and book shop offers about reading and the interesting revelations of those interviewed by Anne Robinson in 'My Life in Books'. So have a think about what books map out your life and let us know.

For our group we've been reading Arianna Franklin's gripping "Mistress of the Art of Death" and Philip Pulman's modern fable " The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ" and dipping into J Cleland's "Fanny Hill"!

Do come along - you don't need to have read these books but would like to be involved and spend some enjoyable time discussing books, theatre and any other topic but politics!

We also have some exciting news about a best selling author coming to speak to us in the future which could prove as memorable as our lovely meeting with P D James!

For more information email Philipa: pcoughlan@btinternet.com

Update 3 February 2011

At our first meeting this year we reviewed our ghostly/crime choices over Christmas. Susan Hill's modern twist on a gothic ghost story "Woman In Black" was short and definitely moulded in the classis Victorian style so familiar to readers of Bram Stoker and Henry James (who we also chose) . Highly successful as a West End show Woman In Black is also being made into a movie. The atmosphere can be delivered in the written word in some ways but perhaps doesn't have the 'jump out of your seat factor', and the particular cruel images of children dying in terrifying circumstances is always an emotive trigger for fear.

Worth a read if you've not done so before Peter James is now as famous as his namesake PD on the crime fiction shelves. His fast paced and often terrifyingly gruesome trail of murders are overseen by highly likeable DS Roy Grace who has himself an intriguing life story (yet to be resolved) concerning his missing wife. In his latest "Dead Like You" Grace is concerned that a previous killer 'The Shoe Man' has begun to murder again leaving all the same evidence. Always set in Brighton James's books have this time put his murders in areas where we in the political world will be all too familiar with - starting scarily in the Metropole Hotel on Brighton's seafront. The murders and rapes are very detailed in this book and many women in the group did flinch at the descriptions and sometimes felt uncomfortable about the author's male view of the fallout from sexual crimes. But as usual James sets up a vast amount of red herrings that you must stick with, and want so to resolve - a page turner to the end!

The classic Henry James "The Turn of the Screw" is just that - a classic atmospheric use of narration and setting to turn a simple Governess into a terrified observer of fear and death again with children linking murder jealousy and Victorian isolation. Keep a copy on your shelves for cold stormy evenings.

This month we've chosen RELIGION, MURDER AND SEX! (Well politics is so day to day!) CHOOSE ONE OR ALL THREE...... Well what can you say about Philip Pulman? Established children's author of classics such as 'His Dark Materials' who now in his latest novel controversially produces a modern fable ingeniously retelling the life of Jesus and the sources of the Bible "THE GOOD MAN JESUS AND THE SCOUNDREL CHRIST" - is a story of belief - could it also have been the truth?

Secondly we've been recommended "MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH" by Ariana Franklin and were saddened only a few days after our meeting to hear of her death. Wife of Barry Norman and well respected journalist (the youngest in Fleet Street when she started her career) Franklin tapped into the growing interest in the Middle Ages with this first of a trilogy which is gaining many admirers. In medieval Cambridge four children have died and the Catholic townsfolk blame Jewish neighbours. Fearing the breakdown of law and order King Henry II searches for a leading medical examiner to investigate. There is one in Italy - but there is a problem - she is a woman, and at this time in history women had no influence here in England in such positions. But could she solve the crime?

And lastly the first pornographic novel! (or became so because it was banned!) John Cleland's "FANNY HILL" (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure) stripped bare - in all senses Georgian polite society as the age of anxiety about sexual practices and the revelations about prostitution were told through the confessional eyes of young (15 years) Fanny, an innocent orphan in the brothels of London. Soon that innocence takes a different direction- enjoy!

NEXT MEETING on World Book Day -Thursday 3rd March 12.30 -1.30 p.m. in Portcullis House - Room N. New members always welcome - bring your favourite read along to share!

Philipa Coughlan

Update 14 January 2010

Hi All and a Happy New Year to those of us who come along to meetings or follow our book choices - but also to any new staff across Westminster who'd be interested in joining the popular group that has been running successfully since 2006.

We're a cross Party informal group that has encouraged a wide selection of book choices to whet interest beyond the huge amount of poltical reading so many of us have to do. Please check out our past reads here below on our own Book Club page with many thanks to W4MP again for their great support for us.

Our chosen books over the Christmas/New Year break were a crime thriller "Dead Like You" from popular Brighton based writer Peter James; "Woman In Black" by Susan Hill, west end hit ghost story with Gothic theme and a dip into the classic ghost story by Henry James "The Turn of the Screw". Books with which to curl up by a warm fire on cold winter evenings - so apt with the recent snow!

But even if you haven't managed to read all (or any!) of these recent choices you'd be welcome to join us at our next meeting on Thursday 27th January - 12.30 for your lunch break perhaps? in Room N Portcullis House.

Look forward to seeing you - armed with book choices for our next read!

For more information do contact me
Philipa Coughlan
pcoughlan@btinternet.com

Update: 14 December 2010

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A PEACEFUL NEW YEAR TO ALL READERS

We had our final meeting of 2010 and for the first time seemed unanimously agreed Howard Jacobsen's Booker winning Prize novel "The Finkler Question" did not impress. The characters were not really very interesting and the three leading male figures all seemed short of much sympathy in many respects. The plot dragged and didn't seem to resolve issues for characters or readers. I am afraid we renamed it "The Stinkler Question" - but others obviously with better literary talent than ourselves felt differently!

On the other hand Emma Donoghue's "The Room" left us challenged and in some parts emotionally upset. Getting into the mind of five year old Jack who has been born into a tiny room prison by his young mother started slowly but was psychologically revealing about the effects of imprisonment and the challenges when escape allows people to face 'the real world and want perhaps the comfort of that from which they have escaped'- we think this writer deserved the prize!

So over the festive season we hope you have time to indulge some winter evening reading and have turned to ghost stories and crime.

"THE TURN OF THE SCREW" is Henry James's classic ghost story from 1898. Friends tell ghost stories one Christmas Eve around the fire and the tale about a now dead Governess captures their imagination. She arrives from London to a country house where soon it seems she is the only one to see the ghosts of the previous governess and her lover - who also seem to be controlling her two charges Miles and Flora. Is she imagining things? Are the children lying? And is housekeeper Mrs Grose really a friend?

"WOMAN IN BLACK" by Susan Hill was her first ghost story in the 1970s and has been running in the West End successfully since 1989. In the tradition of classic Victorian gothic ghost stories such as Dracula, Hill's main character young solicitor Arthur Kipps is sent to sort out the affairs of deceased Mrs Drablow. Arriving in the local town near the woman's home 'Eel Marsh House' people start to avoid Arthur as he uncovers the situation around her death. At the funeral he sees the Woman In Black a ghost who starts to take a terrifying interest in his presence.....

"DEAD LIKE YOU" by Peter James continues the work of Brighton based detective Roy Grace. After a lively New Year's Eve Ball in Brighton a woman is raped returning to her room at the Metropole Hotel (a classic Party Conference venue!) A week later another woman is attacked. In both cases the victims' shoes are taken. The detective Grace notices a familiar similarity to unsolved crimes back in 1997. Has the 'Shoe Man' returned? Digging into the past in both the crime and his own personal life Grace is troubled and he has to stop further deaths - fast....

Enjoy your reading and hope to see some more members in 2011.

Our next meeting will be late January - probably Thursday 27th and we usually meet over lunch in Portcullis House (details of room later) - do join us!

Philipa Coughlan

Update: 3 November 2010

Hi All,

Although I'm still struggling with the cult first part of Stieg Larsson's trilogy "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" I can see why the lure of this mystery with intriguing characters has gripped the nation. I find the link to the author's early death without even seeing the publication of his remarkable books as fascinating as his fiction too and guess that in itself is worthy of fuller study.

We also chose Margaret Atwood's "The Blind Assassin" - and many might have found her novel very wordy in description but it did convey a deep sense of the social structure of society in Canada and beyond at the time, and the sub text of the science fiction tale of which the 'Blind Assassin' occurs in the midst of the sisters' love triangle was well thought out. I can see why she is one of the most widely acclaimed authors in Canada.

For next time we have gone straight for the winner of this years Booker Prize Howard Jacobson's "The Finkler Question" - critics have praised his novel as a masterpiece in which Julian Treslove and his school friend Sam Finkler find past prickly friendships called into question over the very elements of their Jewish heredity. Sometimes odd yet moving it is hard to believe Jacobson once said of Booker prize winners "They are an absolute abomination. The same old dreary books year after year" - well take a look and see if he's right!

Alongside Jacobson members extolled the virtues of Emma Donoghue's "Room". She too featured on the Booker List but this novel is a wholly different - and difficult sometimes - read.We have become used to news stories of kidnapped children held hostage often for years in cellars, houses and other places. Here the room which is home to Jack who lives with his Ma is just such a prison. What is his world like? And what happens when he discovers there is life beyond his perceived four walls. Frightening, original and deeply moving.

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 8th December in Room O Portcullis House 12.30 -1.30.
Hope you can join us!

Philipa Coughlan
email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com tel 01424 220337

Update 15 September 2010

Hi All,

We had a lively first get together of the new Parliament last week which saw us reviewing quite a few books we'd got through over the summer.

Our three choices did reasonably well - Dave Boling's "Guernica" surrounding from an historical view point the story behind the massive mural by Picasso which now famously resides on the wall of the UN HQ in New York - and which perhaps more infamously was covered when decisions were being made to get UN backing for invading Iraq........ a good interweaving of a bloody devastating bombing in our history through fictionalised characters.

Everyone seems blown away by Audrey Niffenegger's "Her Fearful Symmetry" so justifying her place as one of the recent bestsellers - not used to ghost stories this one has a very unexpected twist.

Sophie Kinsella's "Twenties Girl" didn't delve into deep spiritual understanding of the spirit world but what the heck a good book for the beach!

Others had recommended: "Captured the castle by Dodie Smith reminding us she doesn't just write about spotty dogs for children! Also "Stone's Fall" a thriller by Ian Piers and from the Dutch writer Michael Faber a strangely titled but good read "The Crimson Petal and the White".

So what to choose to set us off this year? Well everyone seems to have read Stig Larsson's trilogy - well except most of us.....! so please let us know are they that good and deserved of such cult following? Lots of characters in high power - bankers, journalists and computer hackers with deadly secrets and thrilling consequences. It's the first to whet our appetites. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" combine it with the recently released movie and we're trying to discover ourselves 'is it as good as they say?' Combined with this we've turned to a classic writer much loved Margaret Attwood who weaves intelligent writing into stunning plots. We've chosen "Blind Assassin" which begins by returning to a family tragedy that will spark shock waves through those closely linked.

I have recently registered for The Reading Club newsletter and they have asked me to share their website address with you. It's www.thereadingclub.co.uk.

Next meeting due on Thursday 21st October - Room M Portcullis House 12.30 - 1.30 p.m. Do join us after Conference Season - you'll need some light reading relief!

Philipa Coughlan
Tel: 01424 220337

Update 6 September 2010

Just a reminder about the first meeting of 'new term' this Thursday 9 September 12.30 p.m. in Room O Portcullis House. Hope to see you there.

Bring ideas of any books you think worthy of our new choice of Book Of The Month - dare I suggest Blair's Biog - no thought not!

Philipa

Update 28 July 2010

Update and set for recess!

We all seemed to love Alison Weir's "The Lady in The Tower" which with interesting detail outlined the lead up to Anne Boleyn's execution. What a cunning time at Court we all agreed and how difficult for women (even the wife of the King) to escape male domination and the urge for power and hierarchy. Weir writes exceptionally well about complicated histroical issues and makes the characters come fully alive through all their emotions dramas and experiences.

For the summer recess we've suggested 3 books (but sure you'll find more so let us know what you read if you manage to get a break):

Audrey Niffenegger - "Her Fearful Symmetry" - ghost story set around Highgate Cemetery where twin sisters find the past catching up with their lives as they move into a late aunt's flat with macabre but life changing effect.
Dave Boling - "Guernica" - drama love and historical interest for a family and lovers in the Spanish region of Basque. Not only page turning because of the pace of the characters it gives a hugely interesting insight into that area of Spain and its past.
Sophie Kinsella - "Twenties Girl" - chick lit queen Kinsella changes pace with a twist on her usual well known romantic novels. Lara, having a hard time, doesn't expect her mad family attending a funeral to reveal a past reincarnation which will deeply affect her future. But life in the flapper Charleston 20s has more to tell her about life today than she ever imagined - fun for you on the beach!

Our next meeting is Thursday 9th September - Room O Portcullis House 12.30- 1.30 p.m. Hope to see you there and please let any new staff know about our fun group - there is life beyond political reading....!

For more information contact Philipa, email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com

Update 6 July 2010

The Group met on 30 June for the first time since the General Election and there have been many changes. Some have lost their jobs, some are new to Parliament and some have now had additions to their family!

We discussed our past choice - JK Jerome's classic "Three Men In A Boat" - it had a huge variety of views.

Quirky - Amusing in parts, know it's very much from a certain era but found the style of constant pontification a little tiring at times, himbug perhaps! - Jerome is an Edwardian Bill Bryson but I grew up liking PG Wodehouse and those old fashioned 'clubby men' stories - "Idle thoughts of An Idle Fellow" is a collection of his bitesize columns and 'Three Men On The Bummel" is when he and his mates go round Europe by train and saw the Oberammergau play - but if you don't like them in a boat, you won't like them anywhere else!"

So it certainly made people vocal about what they read.

So now onto our next choice.

"The Lady In The Tower" by Alison Weir is another classic from the biographical writer of great figures in our history. This book details the short but traumatic and history changing time surrounding the trial imprisonment and execution of Anne Boleyn. Of course we all know the ending but how Henry VIII and all the other connected characters got to that is fascinating. We hope you enjoy reading it along with us.

We will meet again on Thursday 22nd July 12.30 p.m. for lunch at Bellamys.

Hope to see you there.

Philipa Coughlan
email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com

Further update 29 June:

Hi All,

Hope you all have 30 June in your diary! The first meeting of the Parliamentary Book Club takes place in Room Q Portcullis House on Wednesday 30th at 12.30 - 1.30. Hope to see some familiar faces and also lots of new ones too!

Our book - chosen it seems months ago pre Election - was JK Jerome's "Three Men In A Boat" if you've managed to read it - but don't worry at all if you haven't. Come with any suggestions you've got for a good read for the group - and with summer recess approaching maybe more than one or two novels to store in your suitcase too!

Philipa Coughlan

Update 7 June 2010:

Hi All,

Just to let everyone know the confirmed date for the first meeting of the Book Club in this new Parliament will be on: Wednesday 30th June - 12.30 -1.30 p.m. in Room Q in Portcullis House.

The Editor of w4mp has very kindly allowed me to carry on advertising the Club and giving information about the books and events etc but as I'm now not in Parliament since the Election I want to thank Caitriona Berryman for being my 'link' in booking rooms etc.

I attach (below) the latest James Naughtie Radio 4 newsletter and information. They are interviewing Hilary Mantel next month for a recording to be presented on two shows in July. We read Mantel's mammoth but brilliantly researched "Wolf Hall" about the court of Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell - well worth a listen to I should think.

We are currently reading JK Jerome's "Three Men In A Boat" which is a small quirky little read! But if you have suggestions or have managed to have time during the long campaign to read anything but manifestos let us know!!

Philipa Coughlan

From: james-naughtie@lists.bbc.co.uk <james-naughtie@lists.bbc.co.uk>
Subject: James Naughtie's Bookclub newsletter - 06/06/2010
To: james-naughtie@lists.bbc.co.uk
Date: Friday, 4 June, 2010, 15:12

Lynne Reid Banks Newsletter

Here’s a confession. I had never read The L-shaped Room before preparing for this month’s Bookclub with Lynne Reid Banks.

But I felt as if I had. I had certainly seen the film, by Bryan Forbes, which Lynne told us she hated and which took her twenty years to forgive him for (though she did, in the end). And, of course, I was aware of its significance as a sixties novel that performed a similar function to some of the plays of the angry young men a few years earlier – dealing with a subject just under the surface of polite society that was about to burst through and become part of the discourse of the age. In the case of this book, it was an unwanted pregnancy and the emergence of the independent single woman that was the theme. Sixties’ subjects indeed.

We had a lovely conversation, enlivened by the fact that when a woman has entered the ninth decade of life – and is full of verve and bonhomie – not only is it not indelicate to mention her age, but almost obligatory to do so. In any case, we had to deal with the facts of the case: she began writing the book in spare time when she was working at ITN (as one of the first womenTV reporters) in the late fifties. You can’t speak about this book without placing it exactly in its time, and making the point that the author was a young woman.

Lynne told us that in the course of the two years or so that it took her to write the book she was going through typical early-twenties troubles – though she interjected a helpful 'no – not that!' – in case anyone jumped to the wrong conclusion. In a way, she got comfort from the fact that they weren’t nearly as bad as the difficulties that assail Jane, whose story unfolds in the l-shaped room, her rented bit of a house in Fulham in south-west London, which in those days was the land of the bed-sit and the run-down flat.

Jane is kicked out by her father for getting pregnant – a fairly common occurrence at the time – and perhaps the surprising thing is that her shame would seem even more unlikely today because she wasn’t a teenager but a woman in her late twenties. That was the way things were. Lynne’s mother – an actress of generally liberal views – did ask if she was going to publish the book under her own name, and various friends wrote her letters saying 'my dear, you’ve got us all guessing…'

When she re-read the book for this recording, she said it felt as if it had been written a hundred years ago, not fifty. For example, she couldn’t have described herself at the time as a feminist. That has certainly changed. She told us this:
'To be honest, for a long time – and I’ve found evidence in my own writing – I thought men were the superior sex. What a joke! I don’t believe it now. Men are the most dangerous creatures on the planet.'

That said, Lynne didn’t come across at all as some kind of Boadicea riding into battle. We had a hilarious time, in which she confessed that she missed most of the fun of the sixties (though I pointed out that there was perhaps less of it around than is often claimed) and when she came back to live here in the seventies, after a few years on a kibbutz in Israel, she could scarcely believe the changes that had occurred. The reason that the book has survived through half a century is surely that it does seem to catch that feeling of a new era beginning: the end of a set of social attitudes that, for better or worse, had had their day.

So that’s Lynne Reid Banks on the L-shaped Room on Sunday June 6 and Thursday June 10 at the usual time, 4pm on BBC Radio 4.

And she’ll be followed, on July 4 and July 8, by last year’s Man Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel, talking about her majestic tale from the court of Henry VIII, Wolf Hall. We’ll be recording her at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose on Saturday June 19th.

Happy reading

Jim

Visit the Book Club website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/
and the Radio 4 Homepage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/

Update 26 May 2010 (3 June: Room for meeting on 30 June confirmed as Room Q PCH)

BOOK LOVERS OF PARLIAMENT - READ ON!

The Parliamentary Book Club started nearly 4 years ago. Since then we've welcomed members from all parties, both Lords, Commons and other Departments across the Parliamentary estate. Our current read is Jerome K Jerome's "Three Men In A Boat" which has also been adapted (with comedic licence!) into a recent TV series.

We've read a huge variety of books from crime, historical biography, science fiction to some of the great classics, through poetry to short stories and once or even twice to allow something with a political theme to be our 'book of the month'! Members have also had the chance to meet established authors Baroness P D James and Ken Follett, as well as attending recordings of the BBC Radio 4 Bookclub and enjoy lunches and social events.

There's no joining fee, no equipment required - just a love of reading and the chance to broaden your bookshelves with even more book choices which perhaps you've never considered before. We try to get together once a month but obviously the recent General Election has meant we've missed a few meetings, lost some members, had changes in offices and been reading manifestos rather than fiction (or perhaps we haven't!).

The next meeting is proposed for Wednesday 30th June 12.30 -1.30p.m. in Room Q in Portcullis House.

Would you like to join? Then email me on: pcoughlan@btinternet.com and I'll add you to our list and keep you updated on books and events.

PHILIPA COUGHLAN

Update 30 March 2010

At our final meeting before the General Election we talked about the recent choice AS Byatt’s “The Children’s Book” - comments included:-
– Evocative of the time and it’s social, historical and political themes
– Hard to begin with – but definitely worth carrying on
– Extraordinary read covering many aspects of life, brilliantly researched and written
– Lots of detailed descriptions of family dynamics and underlying emotions

It was certainly a hit with many of us.

Our choice for next time – when not reading Election literature! is: JEROME K JEROME “THREE MEN IN A BOAT”

This famous humorous account of a boating holiday on the Thames intended at first to be a serious travel guide – remains an undated witty read even today – and was recently featured as a fun documentary with Rory McGrath, Dara O’Brian and Griff Rhys Jones. Later J K Jerome transferred the themes to a cycling tour in Germany with “THREE MEN ON THE BRUMMEL”

The Parliamentary Book Club is not meeting now until post- General Election and depending on results either myself (or I hope!) another will carry it on in the next Parliament!

PHILIPA COUGHLAN

Email contact : pcoughlan@btinternet.com

Update 25 February 2010

Many thanks to those who came along to the meeting on 24 February.

The talk from Lesley Pinder about the work of charity BOOKAID INTERNATIONAL was very interesting and we were overwhelmed with donations of books which the charity will be using to raise funds and to distribute. If those that came – or those that didn’t and would like to check out the charity on www.bookaid.org – would also like to make a donation towards their work please let me know.

We discussed the massive novel that is “WOLF HALL “ by Hilary Mantel. You do feel - someone said - that you need to have a notebook beside you to check up on what/who is happening where and when and the theme seems to be that the ending leaves Mantel open to a sequel to fully complete the story of Thomas Cromwell. But overall as with many highly prized historically researched novels it brings depth to a part of history many of us perhaps only scratch across the surface in our past history lessons!

Shorter and much easier was the classic Jules Verne “AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS” - sometimes implausible but yet if we imagine the readers back in the 19^th century discovering these travels and experiences through the written word highly entertaining. Phileas Fogg and his companion Passepartout were opposites that somehow attracted!

This months choice is AS BYATT – “THE CHILDREN’S BOOK” a novel spanning from 1895 to aftermath of the 1^st World war follows the fortunes of 4 families and crosses fictional characters with real life figures of the time. Olive the writer of children’s stories is the main character through whom a wide fantasy of her ideas crossing with her real life dramas are found in the book.

I’ve booked Room W2 off Westminster Hall for Tuesday 23^rd March for a possible next meeting – this might be the last for some of us prior to the General Election! So if you’d rather go for lunch somewhere let me know.

Philipa Coughlan
Parliamentary Assistant
Office of Nick Palmer MP
Tel 0207 219 2553

Updated 10 February 2010

I’m hoping members of the Book Club or any others that receive this email will spread the word to other colleagues across Parliament that at our next meeting on Wednesday 24^th February 12.30 in Room Q Portcullis House we will be having a Speaker from BOOK AID.

Book Aid International increases access to books to support literacy, education and development in sub-Saharan Africa. It supports libraries in schools refugee camps, prisons universities and communities.

Lesley Pinder from the charity will be attending our next meeting, talking about the work the charity does and showing us a film about their projects – she is also cycling from London to Paris in May to raise money for the charity. Check out more information on the charity from www.bookaid.org or about Lesley’s bike ride on http://pedallingpinders.blogspot.com

It is also close to World Book Day on Thursday 4^th March so I’d like to ask all of you, MPs, Peers and other staff in the Houses of Parliament about thinking of donating to Book Aid or planning an event for Book Day.

We enjoy reading and have ease of access and a massive choice of books at our fingertips (this months chosen books are “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel and “Around the World in 80 Days” by Jules Verne !) but just imagine if life contained no such luxury as a book? Also if you are coming to our Book Club meeting – please bring books – either to share/swap or donate – cash raised will be given directly to BOOK AID that day.

PLEASE PASS THE WORD AROUND TO HELP BOOK AID AND I HOPE TO SEE AS MANY OF YOU AS POSSIBLE ON FEBRUARY 24.

Philipa Coughlan
Office of Nick Palmer MP
coughlanp@parliament.uk
ext 2553

Updated 5 February 2010

Next meeting is on Wednesday 24th February 12.30 for an hour or so in Room Q Portcullis House.

Thanks to all of you who have been in touch and to those who came along to last weeks first meeting of 2010.

We discussed Curtis Sittenfeld’s novel “American Wife” which it does seem, reflects the life of Laura Bush and certainly shows that the royalty of America remains the hugely influential political families from where US Senators Congressmen and Presidents get their background influence and ideology. It was a very well written book and although I’m not sure the George W character truly reflected his real counterpart you could easily understand how – especially with families such as the Bush and Kennedy clans – ‘family means everything in politics’.

Does that apply here in Britain I ask or do we just call it the class divide!?

Val McDermid’s latest crime offering “A Place of Execution” seemed less full of her usual gore so other fans told me but the story of a missing girl in the Peak District countryside during the time of an interwoven parallel telling of the missing children/victims of the Moors Murderers was delicately and carefully told. I liked the ‘Heartbeat’ feeling for detective work and the contrast between their journalists and newspapers compared to present day scoops of murder in pre internet/24 hour news times. Well worth a read.

And some of us had delved into Enid Blyton and her vast collection of the Famous Five and Secret Seven books. From the first pages they do take you back to childhood memories – be they good or bad and always with ‘lashings of food and ginger beer’. But I felt it ironic that McDermid’s tale of innocent children going missing or being murdered was being read uncomfortably alongside the tales of children like Julian, George dog Timmy and Co gaily being bundled from boarding schools to unknown and often dubious characters in the countryside or seaside where ghostly/criminal adventures and suspect characters lurked. Escapism for kids at least didn’t in literature perhaps reflect the reality of the world around – and maybe that was a good thing?

For this month we’ve chosen:

Hilary Mantel – ( Booker prize Winning and large hardback!) “WOLF HALL” – History novels, films , TV dramas have all delved into the Tudors – either realistically or even ‘sexed up’ versions! But Mantel who herself is a very interesting deep thinking and consummately researched writer turns from Henry and the wives as lead characters and looks at the life of Thomas Cromwell. Never seen as an attractive historical personality Mantel at least sets him in a family/human context and although I’ve only just started the book (your arms need a rest after a while!) it is gripping stuff. Here’s a Tudor with a real heart but who comes against some of the tyrants and plots that would ultimately transform English history.
Jules Verne – “Around the World in 80 Days” – You have probably watched Michael Palin’s TV series or seen Steve Coogan’s film adaptation but have you read the book? French novelist Verne was said to be the first authentic exponent of modern science fiction. Written in 1873 this well known adventure book about Englishman Phileas Fogg who takes on a bet to go around the world in no more than 80 days is a real classic. Risking his entire fortune Fogg and his French valet Jean Passepartout take on their incredible journey.

We hope it won’t take 80 days to read!

So our next meeting is on Wednesday 24th February 12.30 for an hour or so in Room Q Portcullis House

Happy reading!

Philipa Coughlan
Parliamentary Assistant
Office of Nick Palmer MP

Updated 19 January 2010

A belated Happy New Year to all.

Just a reminder that the first Book Club meeting takes place next week on Tuesday 26th January in Room U Portcullis House at 12.30

We gave ourselves a long list of possible books for the recess so not sure how much reading you all managed to do – but with this year being a challenging one I expect for many I do hope you’ll have time to cast an eye over some of our suggestions particularly those we flag up here on our own Book Club Page on www.w4mp.

I read “American Wife “ by Curtis Sittenfeld – controversially flagged up as a fictional reflection on the life of Laura Bush - it was however a good read about the themes of private and public American political life.

I’ve also started Val McDermid’s “A Place of Execution” I know many of our members are great fans of her books and this one starts off very well with a twist on the crime genre.

We suggested ANY Enid Blyton so after being humiliated to find neither of my sons had been readers of the Famous Five or Secret Seven! I found myself heading out to buy a new copy of those tales of picnics and ginger beer adventures – were you an Enid Blyton fan or were you like some of our members not ‘allowed’ to have access to those terrible stereotypical stories!?

I also note that one book we read some months ago Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” is now a feature film. The book was heart wrenching and from trailers the film looks to have also captured both the bleak and the hopeful themes of what was a very powerful book. If you’ve seen the film let me know.

Hope to see you next week.

Philipa Coughlan
Office of Nick Palmer MP
coughlanp@parliament.uk
ext 0207 219 2553

Updates to end of 2009 below here

Updated 3 December 2009

Hi All,

First, our next meeting is on Tuesday 26^th January – 12.30 for an hour Room U Portcullis House

We had a good and lively meeting on 1 December reflecting on last months 2 book choices:

“NATION” - by Terry Pratchett
For many of us this was a first time dip into Pratchett’s often surreal fantasy world and those familiar with his books still recommend the Discworld series as a better reflection of what is good about his writing. In Nation – primarily a children’s book - we meet Mau who is moving from boy into manhood on an island when struck by a huge tsunami. Left it seems at first as sole survivor he then gathers a rag bag of companions later joined by Daphne the daughter of an English diplomat sailing the High Seas. This novel has now been transferred to the stage with it has to be say poor reviews and we were not quite sure whether trying to make children’s books delve too weirdly into adult themes ever worked by the author in this book. I liked the pukeing birds best which says a lot I suppose!
“PALACE COUNCIL” - by Stephen L Carter. How many conspiracy theories can you stand? Well at least this book tries a different angle with Eddie Wesley a rising writer in negro American society uncovering a plot that only threatens the country but his sister. Set through the fifties and sixties it is a good insight into black power struggles, conflicts over Presidential political hierarchy and intricate plotting with good strong characters. Worth a read

CHOICES FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR:

“A PLACE OF EXECUTION" – VAL MCDERMID - so our crime lovers don’t get withdrawal symptoms!
“THE WIND UP BIRD CHRONICLE" - HARUKI MURAKAMI - Japanese writer giving us a difficult but absorbing story
“MAPS FOR LOST LOVERS" – NADEEM ASLAM - Lovers in an English Pakistani community find themselves at odds with families and culture
“AN AMERICAN WIFE” – CURTIS SITTENFIELD - A fictional memoir of a 21^st century American First Lady – love and sex with Laura and George W??? – well it certainly isn’t West Wing folks – but a fun read!
ANYTHING BY ENID BLYTON - the recent TV biopic with Helena Bonham Carter shattered some people’s cosy view of the Famous Five children’s writer. And amazingly some of our members were badly traumatised in childhood by not being ‘allowed’ to read Blyton’s books – so now’s our chance to make amends – “Anyone for ginger beer!”

MAY I WISH A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE

See you for more reading in 2010

Philipa Coughlan
coughlanp@parliament.uk
ext 0207 219 2553

Updated 4 November 2009

Hi All,

Our choices for this month are:
NATION - by Terry Pratchett
PALACE COUNCIL - by Stephen L Carter

Two very different books and for some of us areas of reading we're not familiar with so comments/views will be interesting.

I've booked Room B in 1 Parliament Street (Ground Floor) for Tuesday 1st December from 12.30 - 1.30 but depending on numbers we could always make our way to the area outside Bellamy's for our lunch if preferred?
Other book suggestions raised at the last meeting which we'd like views on are:

'Weathercock' by Glen Duncan
'Toast' by Nigel Slater
'Friendly Fire' by Patrick Gale
And 'Nella Last's War' - anyone know the author??

Best wishes

Philipa Coughlan
Parliamentary Assistant - Office of Nick Palmer MP
coughlanp@parliament.uk
ext 0207 219 2553

Updated 28 September 2009

Hi All,

Hope you've managed to get some 'time off' and a chance to catch up on relaxing reading.

There was no particular one definite 'read' during the recess/summer but I managed to get through quite a number people have suggested and would be pleased to hear your feedback as well on any you've read.

NOTES FROM AN EXHIBITION - PATRICK GALE
After slating Gale's previous book on our list 'All Day through' I can now see why he is so popular. This was excellent - truly insightful into the life and mind of gifted Rachel Kelly, a brilliant artist but tormented by her mental illness. Wonderfully set in Gale's beloved Cornwall and with insightful and dramatic family relationships this was a thoughtful and enjoyable novel.

THE WHITE TIGER - ARAVIND ADIGA
Past Booker Prize winner choice this begins as a strange idea of letters between struggling Indian entrepreneur Halwai and visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. But soon the realities of the 'new India' give dramatic way to the sharp and satirical view of the evident prejudice and poverty nestling against the capitalist dreams of many Indians. Raw and unsentimental unlike the film 'Slumdog Millionaire' - we are shown what life is really like for those struggling caste and culture.

THE SECRET SCRIPTURE - BARRY SEBASTIAN
After leaving my first copy on the plane! I finally got round to reading this. It was brilliant - I know I have a keen interest in literature associated with Ireland but Barry's tale of forgotten centenarian Roseanne McNulty who's a long time resident of a crumbling Eire mental hospital and her relationship and links with troubled but optimistic psychiatrist Dr Grene are thought provoking and illuminating about both Ireland and people in general. As a past 'mental nurse' who was familiar with Thatcher's community care of the '80s having worked in an old asylum I thought his detail and description both truly accurate but understanding of where we've gone wrong with mental health care. As someone whose husband was Irish I also thought Barry's reflections of Irish history didn't fall into the usual historical and sentimental traps.

Definitely my book of the year so far!!

I have now booked the first Book Club meeting after recess - it is on WEDNESDAY 21ST OCTOBER 12.30 ROOM O in Portcullis House

We've now got a few new members - some not based in Westminster but if you can't manage to get to the meeting please let me have your views and/or suggestions for our next Book Club choices.

As Brucie might say "Keep Reading!"

Best wishes

PHILIPA COUGHLAN
coughlanp@parliament.uk
OFFICE OF NICK PALMER MP
0207 219 2553

Updated: 2 September 2009

Hi,

This month’s message is addressed a bit more widely; not just to those that come along and support the Parliamentary Book Club but also those that might be able to advertise it and to encourage others to join or just to those that I know enjoy books, might want to contribute (by email for example) if they read one of our choices or might just be interested in the world of reading more generally.

The Parliamentary Book Club started back in 2006. I know many people who are members of more than one and the main thing I'd say about a Book Club is that it gets you reading books you might never have considered reading. Obviously we are based in Parliament - but that doesn't stop others outside the 'Westminster village' joining in with the group.

Over the past few years we've covered a lot of books from classics to the latest best sellers. It's interesting to read what others enjoy especially if it's a new author to you. We've also had some authors come along to speak to the group - notably Ken Follett and Baroness PD James. Both meetings were great - real eye openers into the minds of two best selling writers! We've also been ignored by William Hague and Alastair Campbell - perhaps because we didn't offer a fee for an appearance!

We've also linked up with BBC Radio 4 Book Club hosted by James Naughtie - www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/bookclub. Through that connection we've attended a BBC recording of best selling historical author Alison Weir and I know some members are keen to go to another event at the BBC in October reviewing John Irving's book "A Prayer for Owen Meany".

Hopefully you've had time during the summer to do some reading. My first choice "The Secret Scripture" by Sebastian Barry I cleverly left on the plane! So need to borrow someone else's copy to catch up!

But I also finally got round to reading Khaled Hosseini's best seller "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Whilst I was reading the book - a heartbreaking tale of two female characters living through war and sexual oppression in Afghanistan - the recent elections there took place and it was both depressing to realise lives for so many Afghans are still so terrifying but that questions about UK/US military involvement need to be set in the context of what we really understand about the country and its people. I am currently reading American author Tom Perrotta's "The Abstinence Teacher" about a high school Sex Ed teacher in a town where a Christian Evangelical Church and its followers cause clashes. It's an author and book I wouldn't have thought of reading but one of our members had the book and I picked it up to give it a try - and was glad I did!

If you are keen to join the Book Club, have comments about any books you read or would like to come along to our meetings or events - the next one is in Westminster on Tuesday 27^th October 12.30 at Bellamy's but we can meet elsewhere in the vicinity if you'd like let me know.

I'd also like to thank www.w4mp.org and their Editor Dick for their support for us from the start - we now have our own webpage on the site [you are on it now!] and you can read about all the books we've read in the past here.

Hope to hear from you - Happy Reading!

Philipa
Office of Nick Palmer MP
coughlanp@parliament.uk
Tel 0207 219 2553

Updated: 27 July 2009

Next meeting: Tuesday 27^th October 12.30 at Bellamy's

Sorry not to have made the meeting last week – it was probably a bad move try and squash it into the last week before summer recess when we are all so busy.

I hope you enjoyed the classic Wilkiie Collins “The Woman In White” - I was glad to discover this and remember Baroness PD James marking it as one of her all time favourites when she came to talk to the group, and how she felt it was the original detective novel. Also Patrick Gale’s The Whole Day Through” which I had to admit didn’t really catch my imagination. He himself said the publisher’s choice of book cover probably put it into the category of chick lit but for me it didn’t fill any category and wasn’t broad enough in it’s characterisation of what could have been some good characters. Perhaps his other novels are worth a try though!

However lots of people have made recommendations for books for our summer reading so I’m going to offer you a list of possible titles and not choose anything definite.

In no particular order (as they say!):

THE SECRET SCRIPTURE – Sebastian Barry
THE WHITE TIGER - Aravind Adiga
FINGERSMITH – Sarah Walters – or any of her other titles – her latest is A LITTLE STRANGER
BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MUSEUM – Kate Atkinson
A HOUSE FOR MR BISWAS - VS Naipaul
THE INFORMATION OFFICER – Mark Mills

And a couple of classics to try:

TENDER IS THE NIGHT - F Scott Fitzgerald
DEATH ON THE NILE - Agatha Christie

I HOPE YOU ALL MANAGE A BREAK YOURSELVES OVER THE RECESS

Best wishes

Philipa

Updated: 14 July 2009

CHANGE OF BOOK CLUB MEETING DATE - to Wednesday 22nd July - 12.30 outside Bellamy's for lunch and discussion on the books for the month - "THE WOMAN IN WHITE" WILKIE COLLINS "THE WHOLE DAY THROUGH " - PATRICK GALE

Sorry to have changed the date - but it means MPs will have flown their desks here perhaps and hopefully more of you can join us.

We hope to line up some books for the summer recess for those able to take a 'proper' break away.

Hope to see you next week.

PHILIPA

OFFICE OF NICK PALMER MP - TEL EXT 2553

Update 19 June 2009

Hello All

Next get together - ~~Tuesday 21^st July~~ – 12.30 for lunch or drink meeting outside Bellamy’s Bar/ Restaurant 1 Parliament Square

JUNE BOOK CLUB MEETING

We had a good and wide ranging meeting this month focusing first on our two chosen books:

“Public Property” a collection by recent Poet Laureate Andrew Motion. For those of us out of the loop with modern poetry, a chance to pick over some of Motion’s recent offerings including many written about members of the Royal Family during his time as the voice of British verse. He also includes some sensitive poems about his own childhood and particularly his mother. Motion can be quite dark and somewhat depressing but he has a wide range of words that evoke some good visual images. Perhaps we should concentrate more on the poetry section of our bookshops!
“All in The Mind” – a novel by Alastair Campbell. Although a bit slow to start, this incredibly thought-provoking novel gives a thorough insight into Campbell’s knowledge (most of it personal I suspect) about mental breakdown, psychiatrist’s treatments, alcoholism and suicidal thoughts. With the main character as the psychiatrist, we are moved to understand not only his patients but the profound effect he has on them - on either their decline or on their recovery. Very soon its pace leads to tragedy and it’s a great tour de force for most of us might now and again fear we could so easily slip into with our worries and concerns.

Our choices for next month are:

Wilkie Collins' classic “Woman In White” – really the original detective novel with fascinating character. A ghostly frightening and gripping tale.
Also we picked Patrick Gale’s “The Whole Day Through”, a love story of reunited friends but who are now carers with heavy emotional commitments. Gale’s last novel “Notes on the Exhibition” was a great hit so there seems a lot of support for him as a writer. In fact, Gale will be reading from his new book on Thursday June 18^th June at Pages Book Shop, 78 Lower Clapham Road Hackney; tel 0208 525 1452 for more info.

Also recommended “Black Diamond” by Brittani Williams, an edgy tale of 2 best friends divided by secrets; Val McDermid’s “A Darker Domain” more of this classic crime writer; Henning Mankell’s – Inspector Wallander’s series of books now seen on TV with Kenneth Branagh as the Swedish Detective.

Plenty more on offer for summer reads so let me know if you have suggestions.

Thanks

Philipa tel 0207 219 2553

Updated: 4 June 2009

I know the Parliamentary Book Club has been left in the very capable hands of Caitriona whilst I've been away and I'd like to thank her and all those through the group who contacted me over the past few months to offer support and sympathy over my family bereavement.

The next meeting is on Monday 8th June 12.30 - in the area juts outside Bellamy's Cafeteria in 1 Parliament Street where you can get lunch too and chat over our recent choices.

These were:

"All in the Mind" - Alastair Campbell's recent novel about the subject of depression through the stories of a psychiatrist and his patients.
"Public property" a collection of poems by recent Poet Laureate Andrew Motion.

Great to see poetry being included, so if you have read either, want to know more about our friendly group or make suggestions for future reads either come along on Monday email me coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel 0207 219 2553.

Philipa Coughlan
Parliamentary Assistant
Office of Nick Palmer MP

Updated: 11 May 2009

The next meeting of the Bookclub will be at: 12.30 on Monday 8th June. Meet just next to Bellamy's Restaurant in 1 Parliament St (where you can have your lunch at the same time).

We have chosen 2 books this month:

All in the Mind: Alastair Campbell, and
Public Property: Andrew Motion

We thought it was good to have a change from fiction, see http://www.poetrybookshoponline.co.uk/book-template.asp?isbn=0571218598

If you have any other poet/book of poetry that you would prefer to read and discuss that is fine also.

Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. Please do forward to any colleagues who would be interested. New members are always welcome.

Caitríona Bearryman (holding the fort for Philippa, while she away from the office)
Parliamentary Assistant and Researcher - Frank Doran MP for Aberdeen North
Tel 020 7219 6327
email: bearrymanc@parliament.uk

Updated: 9 April 2009

The next meeting of the Bookclub will be at: 12.30 on Monday 27th April. Meet just next to Bellamy's Restaurant in 1 Parliament St (where you can have your lunch at the same time).

We have chosen 2 books this month:

'The Reader' by Bernhard Schlink, and
'The Suspicions of Mr Whicher' by Kate Summerscale

Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. Please do forward to any colleagues who would be interested. New members are always welcome.

Caitríona Bearryman (holding the fort for Philippa, while she away from the office)
Tel 020 7219 6327
email: bearrymanc@parliament.uk

Updated: 7 March 2009

The Parliamentary Book-Club met on Tues 24^th February. The Group had chosen to read ’Revolutionary Road’ by Richard Yates.

There were mixed reviews from our readers. One reader did not like the comparison with ‘The Great Gatsby’. The main female character April was unattractive and she and Frank were doomed from the start. However it was good descriptive writing and drew a picture of 50’s American life doomed into suburbia. Another reader, who enjoyed the story, said it reminded her of how women and families were in America in the 50’s.

Some other crime books had been read and enjoyed.

Peter James: Dead Man's Footsteps
Janet Evanovich: Two for the Dough – part of a series and our reader cannot wait to read some of the others!

The next meeting of the Bookclub will be at: 12.30 on Tuesday 24th March - meet directly outside Bellamy's Restaurant in 1 Parliament St (where you can have your lunch at the same time)

We have chosen ‘The 19^th Wife’ by David Ebershoff for our March reading.

Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. New members always welcome.

Updated: 30 January 2009

The Parliamentary Book-Club met for the first time this year on 27th January in Portcullis House, House of Commons. The Group had chosen Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' to read over the Parliamentary Recess. It was agreed that although a very familiar story, we all enjoyed the author's style of writing and his unique voice that does not always make it into the 'Disney' versions of the tale.

We have chosen 'Revolutionary Road' by Richard Yates to read for this month.

Several books were suggested for future reading:

Peter James: Dead Man's Footsteps
Janet Evanovich: Two for the Dough
Kate Morton: The Forgotten Garden
Oliver James: Affluenza (as featured in Radio 4’s Bookclub recently)

The next meeting of the Bookclub will be at: 12.30 on Tuesday 24th February - meet directly outside Bellamy's Restaurant in 1 Parliament St.

Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. New members always welcome.

Caitríona Bearryman
Parliamentary Assistant and Researcher - Frank Doran MP for Aberdeen North
Tel 020 7219 6327 or email: bearrymanc@parliament.uk

...holding the fort for...........

Philipa Coughlan
Parliamentary Assistant - Office of Nick Palmer MP
Tel 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk

Updated 19 December 2008

Just a final round up for 2008 and we can all head off for recess armed with some more books – or where to aim your Xmas book tokens!

Our Xmas lunch get together was a highly vocal event following on from reading Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road”.

A father and his young son walk alone through burned America – although we never really learn how this devastation has occurred. They are heading slowly fore the coast encountering death despair, ravaged landscapes and everything covered in ash. There is one pistol to defend themselves a cart of scavenged food, worn rags and no proper footwear. And only each other for company.

This is ‘car crash ‘ reading – you’re sucked in to a mire of despair but are hooked. What has happened? Will they survive? Has humanity really resorted to cannibalism and hatred to survive?

The intricate and detailed writing helps move the novel along and you do care greatly for the father and son. But there are many unanswered questions perhaps not right for much of the book which in the end leave a bit of disappointment. Is there hope and what form would it take?

This is said to become a classic modern American novel. I’m not sure. McCarthy writes often of despair and violence but in a highly thought provoking manner. But it sure isn’t a fun read!

Suggestions thrown up for future reads include:

Gilles Kepel – This Frenchman has aptly timed this book for the end of the George W Bush era “Beyond Terror and Martyrdom” with a thought provoking overview of our conflicts and extremism and alternative answers to the world’s situation.
Donna Tartt – “Secret History” - a previous bestseller and one recommended if you haven’t looked into it. Students in an isolated Vermont college during 1982- 1986 find one of their group murdered. The lasting effects of this act profoundly reflect on the academically and socially untouched group.

But our Christmas Quiz offer for those dozing in front of yet another repeat on the TV is: CAN YOU NAME ALL THE BOOKS WRITTEN BY CHARLES DICKENS? Let’s start you off with our chosen read over the next few weeks – topically it’s that feel good classic by Dickens “A Christmas Carol.” Answers next month.

Next Book Club meeting is on TUESDAY 27^TH JANUARY 2009 – 12.30 – 1.30 P.M. IN ROOM M PORTCULLIS

Philipa Coughlan
Parliamentary Assistant - Office of Nick Palmer MP
Tel 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk

Updated 27 November 2008

Hi All,

We had our November monthly book club meeting this week – clashing with the fall out from the Pre Budget Report but there was a surplus of good will about our last book club choice “Birdsong” by Sebastian Faulks. Some of the comments included: “Will be in my top ten favourite books”, “Incredibly moving” “Erotic and sad “, “Wonderful writing - I couldn’t put it down”.

Yes this has to be our favourite so far and deserves its place on top of all those bestseller lists. Faulks is a marvellous writer, his detailed descriptions of tiny events, the scourge of war and the passion of love.

Small pieces of time cover many pages but the reader is totally drawn into every emotion and scene with deep feeling. If you haven’t read it yet – DO!

So for other books that have been brought to our attention:

we will also mention Sebastian Faulks’s “Engleby” – totally different but intriguing – high quality writing again.
C J Sansom “Dissolution “ murder in a monastery as hunchback commissioner for Thomas Cromwell, Matthew Shardlake is sent to the snowy wastes of Sussex to sort out sinful goings on against the backdrop of the revolution against the churches during the reign of Henry VIII
Randy Pausch – “The Last Lecture” – the American Professor who passed away earlier this year from terminal cancer penned this as a lecture but it has become a phenomenally successfully book.
Pauline Rowson “In Cold Daylight” – even coastal Portsmouth and The Solent is not safe from serial killers as this new crime writer makes sure all the clues about local murders aren’t washed away in the sea

For this month we have chosen “The Road “ by Cormac McCarthy.

There is a spate of depressing end of the world programmes on TV at the moment it seems – so we wouldn’t want readers to feel left out! However this American post-apocalyptic book follows the specific journey of a man and his son to seek survival. The theme of strong fatherhood protecting a son is the main theme through the darkness. But though it is about the end of the world the book poignantly reminds us of what we should be enjoying around us at this moment – and what if is was removed we have taken for granted.

We also want to pick a classic Charles Dickens for early 2009 – what’s your favourite?

No meeting in December – but we are getting together for lunch in the comfy area outside Bellamy’s on Wednesday 17^th December at 12.30

Do let me know if you want to join us!

Philipa
Tel 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk

Updated 22 October 2008

Hi All,

I've booked W4 for Tues 25th Nov 12.30 - 1.30 for the next Book Club meeting.

Our recent meeting – the first of this Parliamentary Year - decided to choose Sebastian Faulks’s best selling novel “Birdsong” for our book choice this month. Surprisingly many of us had not read it although it topped the bestseller list for many months and Faulks is himself in the news recently for being chosen to write a new Ian Fleming Bond ‘book’.

However Birdsong mirrors the anniversary next month of 90 years since the Armistice of 1918 and the poignant story reveals the grim horrors of that awful war fought in desperate conditions. But don’t be put off to think this is just a novel about the hardships of war although their descriptions are real and raw. The hero of the story, Stephen Wraysford, is already living in France when we meet him before 1914 and the love affair so passionately described by the author holds the thread of the story from beginning to end.

For another insight into the First World War – that of a nursing Sister behind the front lines – you might like to look at the remarkable diaries of Edith Appleton who was the great aunt of W4MP Editor, Dick Robinson, and served in Northern France throughout the war. You can see them here: www.edithappleton.org.uk. Thanks for the link, Dick.

The Parliamentary Book Club has covered a number of different titles over the years and we hope readers – and new members will want to join our friendly group!

For latest information check our website on www.w4mp.org/html/personnel/book_club.asp or contact me directly.

Philipa
Tel 0207 219 2553
Email coughlanp@parliament.uk

Updated 14 October 2008

Hi All,

Just a reminder that the Book Club meets for the first time this parliamentary session next Wednesday 15^th October 12.30 – 1.30 in Room M Porrtcullis House.

Look forward to seeing you there. New members always welcome!

Also could I plug the following event and ask if you want to nominate any MP for either category please do!

Nick Palmer MP, who has recently introduced a 10 Minute Rule Bill about the use of complicated and unreadable Small Print, is also working alongside the Plain English Campaign to present an award to the MP who communicates most clearly and in easily understandable language through written, spoken or new technology to their constituents. The winning nominations will be announced on Monday 17^th November in the Jubilee Room between 2- 6 p.m. alongside an exhibition by the Plain English Campaign outlining their work to teach the basic principles of plain English and reward those individuals or organisations who communicate their messages most clearly to the wider audience.

There will also be an award to the worst MP for producing the most confusing gobbledygook in their work!

Nick said about the awards “ We all think as politicians that we are presenting clear and understandable words of wisdom to our constituents, but I am sure through these awards we will find there are those that disagree! My Small Print Bill hopes to establish clearer guidelines about the annoying small size print used in many legal documents and agreements and I am working alongside the Plain English Campaign who are champions of rooting out individuals and organisations that use not only small but totally confusing jargon”.

Nominations for politicians in either category can be sent to info@plainenglish.co.uk

And if you would like more information about the Plain English Campaign visit their website www.plainenglish.co.uk or contact coughlanp@parliament.uk for more information.

Philipa
x2553 email coughlanp@parliament.uk

Updated 12 September 2008

Next meeting: Wednesday 15th October 12.30- 1.30 Room M, Portcullis House.

Hi All,

Just a note during recess where I hope you've managed to find some time for reading and perhaps resting too!

Here's a link (www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/wwf_golden_notebook.shtml) to more information about Doris Lessing as I happened to catch her being interviewed by Jenni Murray on Radio 4 a couple of weeks or so ago. I was also intrigued to read about the legacy of her novel "The Golden Notebook" even though I, like others perhaps struggled with the dated interpretation itself. You couldn't however not be impressed by Lessing's firm beliefs and the way she saw changes in the world order destroying her own political ideologies.

Over the past weeks I've finished Victoria Hislop's "The Return" a follow up to her immensely popular first novel "The Island". In her most recent book Hislop explores tales of a family torn tragically apart by the Spanish Civil War and her usual style of linking a main character right into the heart of suddenly discovering unknown family secrets.
It's a great read and features an era I had to admit to being unaware of in detail when so many young men and women from not only Spain but across the world came to counter the threat of Franco. Victoria Hislop is interestingly a guest speaker in my local Library tomorrow evening and I'm looking forward to hearing about her development as a writer.

I've also read John Dufresne's novel "Love Warps the Mind a Little" which I picked up at a jumble sale! This Canadian writer was totally unknown to me but he movingly tells us the story of Lafayette Proulx a seemingly failing writer who moves in accompanied by his dysfunctional dog with his mistress after his wife of 15 years discovers his infidelity. He then has to face his lover's struggle with cancer. It's certainly not as depressing as it sounds as the author takes life, death, love and despair alongside farce to make it believable and very moving. Give it a try.

I hope people still feel interested in continuing with the Book Club after recess? As well as widening our reading we've had the chance to invite writers along to talk to us including PD James and Ken Follett. Even though William Hague has turned down an invite! I've also contacted Andrew Marr who seems keen to come and speak to the group, and although we usually avoid links with politics directly his excellent two books and TV series about Britain's Social History and his journey flying over the landscape of the UK have both been fascinating and he's sure to be a fun guest!

And to prove I'm still in politics I'm reading Michael Dobbs's "Whispers of Betrayal" at the moment - though this tale of a lowly backbench MP thrust into the position of saving not only his corrupt and out of touch Government but the national security of the country from the brink of disaster surely can't be based on truth!!

Unless I see some of you at Conference I've booked a slot for the next meeting - Wednesday 15th October 12.30- 1.30 Rm M Portcullis House.

All the best

Philipa
x2553 email coughlanp@parliament.uk

Updated 6 August 2008

I’ve had a couple of other suggestions for some books for the summer for those involved with the Parliamentary Book Club or for those who might want to pass to friends or colleagues.

Firstly from Mili Patel: I’d like to suggest William Sutcliffe’s ‘Are you experienced?’ – very short simple novel but I remember when reading it some years back how hilarious it was.

Secondly from Dick – editor of W4MP - “The Night of the Mi’raj’ by Zoe Ferraris - a book set in Saudi Arabia.

From me: “Playing for Pizza” by John Grisham - most unlike his usual lawyer/crime novel, this one tells the tale of an American football player who’s been thrown out of every team in America and gets sent to the heart of Italy by his agent. At first he’s totally out of his culture and usual sport zone but soon, through images of opera, the food and drink and trips around the lovely countryside, our hero finds he’s more at home than he thought!

Updated 24 July

Thanks to all those who have supported the Parliamentary Book Club this year. In fact it’s hard to believe we’ve now being going since 2006 and we have our own page on W4MP! We were delighted to welcome Dick, their Editor, to our last meeting of this Parliament before summer recess and to some other new faces joining the group for the first time.

Our latest book read was John Irving’s “The World According to Garp”. This is a very weird novel and it appears Irving has written others in similar vein. He has a very vivid imagination transmitted through peculiar characters who encounter strange - almost surreal - events in their lives often ending in tragic death. But they still make oddly compelling reading and this novel was also turned into a movie – one of the first for Robin Williams.

TS Garp of the title is born in almost unbearably sad circumstances – for his father – yet extraordinarily determined planning for his mother – into a life that fluctuates from sheer lust (Irving has some ‘strange’ sexual ideas going on within the book but again, although firstly difficult to face, evoke the reader’s sympathy for the characters involved) to personal trauma, then happiness to tragic despair and unhappiness. John Irving was himself also a professional wrestler and this sport is also woven into Garp’s life alongside travel abroad, facing up to crisis upon crisis in relationships yet also retaining a wonderful and moving concern for family and children.

If you haven’t read it – give it a try!

So we have the dilemma of what to offer as the books for reading during the summer recess?

One thought was to suggest some of our favourite travel books – not just guides but those quirky tales that bring foreign countries – or places nearer to home to life.

One favourite of many of the group was “Round Ireland with a Fridge” a hugely amusing novel by the comedian Tony Hawks who takes on a bet about travelling around Ireland in a month hiking with only a fridge as company! It’s a great read. He also has written “Playing the Moldovans at Tennis” which is also centred around a bet.

If you have any favourite travel reads let us know.

Other suggestions for us to dip into before we return are:

“Blood River “ by Tim Butcher, a journalist who after visiting Africa around the area of the Congo River sets out to recreate the famous expedition of H M Stanley. The writing is very perceptive and takes us on an emotional and eye opening journey along a river in part of Africa’s broken heart region – usually neglected when we talk more generally about that part of the world.

“No Time for Goodbyes “ Linwood Barclay

“The Soldier’s return” and the sequel “ A Son Of war “ By Melvyn Bragg

Any other suggestions always welcome!

If you would like to pass on our details to other colleagues – we welcome everyone across all political parties and in other Departments across Parliament and you can check out what we’ve done in the past on our dedicated page on W4MP (scroll on down below).

For next year we’re planning a possible link to the theatre for something we might read and a visit from another popular author – this time with some definite political links at Westminster (more news later!)

Information about further meetings will be on the website or you can contact me directly at x2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk

Happy reading!

Philipa

Updated 21 July

We have agreed to meet on Tuesday 22nd July – changed to outside Bellamy's at 1pm [original plan was: 12 noon in Central Lobby for lunch. ~~Perhaps the Terrace or Top Floor restaurant at 7 Millbank.~~]

Updated 2 July 2008

We have been reading Doris Lessing’s book "the Golden Notebook".

She intrigued us after stating that when she won the Nobel prize for Literature she was overwhelmed with all the attention and wouldn’t be writing anything else! So many of us who hadn’t read any of her books were wondering why she was so special? Some of us found “The Golden Notebook” very dated. We know it was ground breaking when it was first published seen as a daring experiment where we, as readers, are taken through the multiple notebooks reflecting the life of Anna Wulf who, it seems, like Lessing, wants to run away but remains trapped by chaos, emotional angst and total hypocrisy from so called ‘revolutionaries’ whirling around the Communist/Socialist parties of the time.

We didn’t feel it was feminist in being ‘anti man’ rather that it portrayed Lessing’s own failures in love and marriage and the ability for those with the means and political ideology to try and say they have a better view of running the world when, in fact, half the time they create another generation only who will replicate their failings. So, not all of our favourite choice of reading matter.

Some of us did dip into her other book “The Good Terrorist” which is more ironic about the people with good intentions swinging from idealism to terrorism linked to the IRA, and a young girl Alice who becomes more embroiled in the revolutionary fray. It was an easier read and more interesting.

For this month’s book choice we have gone for American author John Irving and “The World According to Garp”. This perhaps strange novel was later turned into a film starring Dustin Hoffman. Irving himself was a professional wrestler in the USA and has added a similar character into the novel. Sounds strange but perhaps intriguing.

Instead of a booked room, we have agreed to meet on Tuesday 22nd July – changed to outside Bellamy's at 1pm [original plan was: 12 noon in Central Lobby for lunch. Perhaps the Terrace or Top Floor restaurant at 7 Millbank.]

Let me know if you’d like to come along and meet up or join us for the first time perhaps!

Philipa Coughlan, x2553 email coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 17 June 2008

The next meeting of the Book Club will be on 24 June 2008 from 13:00 - 14:00 in Room M Portcullis House, where"The Golden Notebook" by Doris Lessing will be under discussion.

After winning the Nobel Prize for Literature world famous author Lessing famously said "I don't feel I now want to write anything else"! so we are delving into some of her past books including this one which famously generated a lot of talk about sexual liberation for women when published in the 1970s.

For further information, contact Philipa on 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 3 June 2008

Hello All,

At our last Book Club meeting we were talking about the wonderful read "The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox," by Maggie O'Farrell which movingly tells the story of the discovery by a young woman of a long lost relative who had been locked in a mental asylum for over 60 years. As someone who'd worked in such a place in the early 1980's I remembered many case notes similarly telling such sad tales of a previous generation left incarcerated because of misguided morals. The link to Britain's colonial past and this view of alleged 'insanity' are brilliantly conveyed in this gem of a book.

We talked about a number of books we were reading at the moment including Tim Butcher's "Blood River" and the office comedy "And then we came to the end" but have decided to choose one of Doris Lessing's past books "The Golden Notebook" to read this month.

I have never read anything by Lessing but was intrigued by her recent announcement that she 'wasn't able to write another thing' after having so much media attention at her age (80+) when she received the Nobel prize for Literature.

There are still some places left at the Radio 4 Book Club Reading/discussions which are recorded at the BBC for the event with Colm Toibin in June and if you'd like more information go via their website at www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub.

Our next Parliamentary Book Club meeting is on Tuesday 24th June at 1-2 p.m. in Room M Portcullis House. Hope to see you there.

Philipa
Contact ext 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 2 April 2008

Our recent meeting discussed Dave Eggers “What is the What? The Autobiography of Valentino Deng.

There were fairly supportive views about the book generally – although it is long and follows hard on the heels of our reading of a young boys experiences growing up in Afghanistan.

In Eggers book he uses the voice of the narrator in a very interesting and engaging style to tell of someone else’s autobiography/life.

From the beginning the heart wrenching upbringing of young Valentino Achak Deng is drawn out even though he is now older and ‘safer’ in the US to his story about Sudanese enemy soldiers, liberation rebels and deadly militias. This is an epic story covering a huge backdrop about Sudan but if you want to know what really goes on in trouble torn African nations you would do better to read this book than scan news reports or policy papers.

Various new titles were offered for the group – “Notes from an Exhibition” by Patrick Gale is selling well at the moment but evocatively relates the unravelling of a woman’s life through a totally different approach.

“The Diving Bell and The Butterfly” by Sean D Bauby is based on a true story of a man who recently died after many years in a vegetative state and which is also now out as a film. A seemingly tragic and uncomfortable story is gracefully put over in the novel and will require thoughtful reading.

We previously read Anne Enright’s “The Gathering” but have been alerted to her most recent short story collection “Taking Pictures”. The Man Booker prize winner is not one to read if you’re depressed but her very gritty telling of real life issues relating to marriage, death and sex probably do reflect modern life than we’d like to admit.

We are also dipping into William Hague’s biography of “William Pitt The Younger” – more details later.

But our next chosen read is Maggie O’Farrell’s “The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox”. Esme has been locked away in an institution for 60 years when a young woman suddenly finds she has sole responsibility for her distant and until that point unknown relative. The unravelling of generations of silence, shame and lost lives is very well written.

Our next two meetings have been booked – Tuesday May 20^th and Tuesday June 24^th – both in Room M Portcullis House from 1-2 p.m.

New members always welcome. For more information contact Philipa tel 0207 219 2553, office of Nick Palmer MP or email coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 31 March 2008

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 2^nd April 12.30- 1.30 p.m. in Room W3.

We will be discussing – as hopefully we have managed to complete reading - “What is the What? The Autobiography of Valentino Deng” by Dave Eggers.

New suggestions for future books are very welcome as are any staff with an interest in reading – beyond politics!.

Over the past year we have read a wide variety of books and also had the chance to meet and question authors such as PD James and Ken Follett.

All are welcome!

For more information contact Philipa ext 2553 - Office of Nick Palmer MP email coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 23 January 2008

The first meeting of 2008 took place this month to discuss Khaled Hosseini’s first novel – now being featured as a movie -“The Kite Runner”. Some of our group had already seen the film and there were the usual comparisons between book and movie adaptations – some more favourable than others.

The book is a very good insight into the real lives being lived in Afghanistan during the years of many tumultuous events, from the fall of the monarchy in the country through the Soviet invasion, the mass exodus of refugees to Pakistan (including Amir and his father the subjects of the book) to life in America and the return of an adult Amir not only to experience the harsh reality of the Taliban regime but to resolve some personal relationships and traumas from his early life. The book is an ideal read to gain some knowledge about life in Afghanistan and also a very personal insight into how a father/son relationship can be torn by human frailty, loss and abandonment.

Many have also praised Hosseini’s follow up book “A Thousand Splendid Suns” which deals with women’s experiences under the Taliban – images that many of us in the west perhaps don’t want to read about but should. The theme of life in Afghanistan and the religious and political turmoil has also been recently portrayed in the movie “Charlie Wilson’s War” and it is good to see both novels and films reflecting real life in a country still so scared by upheaval and conflict.

We had a few suggestions for our next book and have decided to choose “What is the What? The Autobiography of Valentino Deng “ by Dave Eggers.

Other suggestions to follow up in the book related world are to visit Persephone Books Ltd, 59 Lamb’s Conduit Street WC1N 3NB which reprints neglected novels – check out there website www.persephonebooks.co.uk

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 26^th February 12.30 in Room M Portcullis House.

For more information about the book club or if you’d like to come to our next meeting call Philipa (Nick Palmer MP’s office) 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 27 November 2007

At our recent meeting we discussed our recent choice the Man Booker Prize Winner “The Gathering” by Anne Enright. In the tradition of a lot of Irish literature it is a grim reality novel about Veronica Hegarty’s large (12 children) family of brothers and sisters and how they ‘gather’ back at the family home in Dublin at the funeral/wake of one brother Liam who was found drowned off the beach at Brighton. Some felt the rawness of Enright’s writing seemed to expose a note of autobiographical link to the sad stream of events in the book – notably highlighting the curses of Ireland – drink, religion and sexual abuse. But the way Enright links to other family memories particularly of her grandmother Ada give the book slightly more literary depth and although it’s not a happy read it’s an absorbing one and perhaps makes us all wince at the true emotions we sometimes feel within our own relationships or close families. Well worth a read we thought.

Our next choice is the first novel published in English by an author from Afghanistan – Khaled Hosseini. “The Kite Runner” soon to be seen at our cinemas tells the story of Amir his love of literature and his journey through not only Afghanistan but to America. We see the country from pre-civil war, Russian invasion and then Amir’s involvement with the Taliban.

We won’t be meeting officially in December except perhaps for a Xmas drink!

So the next main meeting will be on Tuesday 15^th January - 12.30 p.m. in Room N in Portcullis House.

New members always welcome – for more information call Philipa ext 2553 (Nick Palmer MP’s office) or email: coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 30 October 2007

We held our first meeting of this Parliament to discuss two books from the recess.

Firstly the classic “Tom Jones” by Henry Fielding which is a long and sometimes flowery flow of language book. But the story of orphan Tom and his life growing up in a world of deceit, romps and often down right obnoxious surroundings sheds light on a era that we usually don’t associate with such excesses in literature, although there is a lot of satire on the society in which Tom is brought up in. Some readers found that they needed to be selective in their reading through the text as each Book within the novel begins as a rambling introductory chapter before the main events start. But it is worth persevering as this classic tale has remained a firm favourite and has also transferred to a highly popular recent TV series and a past classic film.

Our second choice was Mark Haddon’s “A Spot of Bother” which didn’t disappoint after his first best seller. Readers follow the story of George, recently retired but now facing a family gathering as his daughter Katie is getting remarried back in the heart of a slightly dysfunctional family. In a very sympathetic but funny style George is followed as he goes through a nervous breakdown in front of his family and friends. It’s funny and sad but reveals a life affected by despair at its most touching.

Our next choices are : for the main read straight off the top of the Booker Prize pile – Anne Enright’s “The Gathering” which follows the story set in Dublin of Veronica, a 30 something mother and wife who escapes the clutches of her huge Irish family but is dragged back to a dark family history after her brother commits suicide in England and Veronica has to collect the body to bring in back to rest in peace in Ireland. Lots of raw personal wounds are reopened.

Other suggestions are: Philippa Gregory’s tale about “The Other Boleyn” and many of us are enjoying and can recommend Ken Follett’s new epic “World Without End” after Ken visited us earlier in the year to discuss the background to this massive (1111 page) novel!

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 27^th November 1-2 p.m. in Westminster Hall Room W2.

We also hope to organise a social get together for the December/Xmas event so do join us!

Philipa Coughlan Email coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel ext 2553

UPDATE: 22 October 2007

The Parliamentary Book Club will now hold the first meeting of this session on MONDAY 29^TH OCTOBER – 1- 2 p.m. in Room R Portcullis House. This replaces the previously booked event on Tuesday 30^th.

We will be discussing our chosen books during the summer recess :- Mark Haddon’s “A Spot of Bother” and the classic Henry Fielding’s “Tom Jones”

New members are always welcome and as well as discussing our monthly book club reads we have had guest speakers including PD James and Ken Follett over the past year.

Just come along (no need to have read the books!) if you are interested in hearing more or spending an entertaining hour talking about books ( or the non political variety!)

Philipa Coughlan

Email coughlanp@parliament.uk

Or tel ext 2553

UPDATE: 11 September 2007

Hi All,

Hope you've all managed to get some sort of break over the recess and had plenty of relaxing time to read! I seem to have got through a lot of books - some of which are on the best seller lists, some really tacky ones and some classics I've revisited.

Our two choices for the book club were
- Mark Haddon's "A Spot of Bother" - which I felt was ok, easy to read but not up to the high standard of his best seller "A Curious Incident"
- I've started on Henry Fielding's "Tom Jones" but need to smarten up my reading on some of the earlier classics as I'm struggling with some of the language with which it is written.
Do let me know if you've read them so far and what you think - or if any other books have really got you hooked and you'd like to recommend them to others please pass on the info.

As Conference season is looming and MPs don't actually get into harness until 8th October I've given us all some time still to get reading and booked the next Book Club meeting for Tuesday 30th October - 1-2 p.m. in Room R Portcullis House.

Have a look at James Naughtie's Bookclub newsletter. I'm an avid listener to the events he does with authors on Radio 4 - some of us enjoyed a recording visit to meet Alison Weir earlier this year and I notice he's interviewing Alice Sebold who wrote the remarkable "Lovely Bones." These events are good fun and are held in the early eve at the BBC - well worth a try if you'd like to book a place-they do offer a glass of wine!

All the best

Philipa

New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 7 August 2007

Hi All,

Summer recess has started – and I know many of us are still working, but I hope you do all have a break some time over the next few weeks.

Recently at our meeting the Book Club have chosen the following two books as our reading matter for the summer:

“A Spot of Bother “ by Mark Haddon (bestselling author of The Curious incident of the Dog fame), and
“Tom Jones “ by Henry Fielding – this is a classic read that many of us thought we re visit over the holidays

But other suggestions if you have time and the inclination are:

“Suite Francois” Irene Nemirovsky,
“First Lady” Michael Dobbs,
“Dancing to Almendra” Mayra Montero,
and try anything if you haven’t by Douglas Kennedy

Perhaps some of us could meet up during Conference – if not I will organise the next meeting for October when Parliament restarts.

Whatever you read – do enjoy! And let us know some of your thoughts on the various books and other suggestions if you find something really great we’ve missed!

Philipa

New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 23 July 2007

Just a reminder for those that can make it (with thanks to those who have said already they can’t) about meeting up tomorrow (Tues 24^thJuly) at 6 p.m. in Bellamy’s Bar for an ‘end of Parliamentary session’ get together and to choose some summer books.

I’ve already had some suggestions;

anything by Douglas Kennedy,
Cecilia Ahern – “A Place Called Here” Ahern (the daughter of Irish Premier Bertie ) Chick lit writer weaves a fairytale story about missing things, people and places.
Anthony Capella – “The Wedding Officer” Naples during the war sees inexperienced soldier James Gould experiencing the smells, tastes and love of Italy
Rose Tremain –“The Road Home” - An east European immigrant in London adjusts to a whole new culture
Mayra Montero “Dancing to Almendra” – Cuban author evokes a time before Castro takes power in wild hedonistic Havana

I’ve also still got hold of Ken Follett’s proof copy of “World Without End “ although we’d need all those 12 weeks of summer recess to read it I think!

Any other ideas more than welcome ! Look forward to seeing some of you tomorrow!

Philipa

UPDATE: 27 June 2007

June’s Book Club meeting was delighted to welcome best selling author Ken Follett to come and talk to us primarily about his epic book “Pillars of the Earth”.

Readers more used to Ken’s usual espionage and spy thrillers were treated to a brilliant – if long at over 1000 pages! – historical drama tale set in the middle ages about characters involved in the task of building a cathedral.

Doesn’t sound exciting or dramatic? Doesn’t sound sexy? Well believe us when we tell you it was all of those plus a lot more!

Ken gladly answered a mass of questions about detail and research for a book. It was a labour of love taking over three years and had Ken checking detail with historians to base architectural, religious and daily life drama in true context for those centuries .At the time of its publication (1989) the book didn’t sell too well but as the years have gone by it has proved to be a hit, mainly by word of mouth and has now become one of those “must read” books.

Ken also gave us a sneak preview of the forthcoming sequel to that book “World Without End” which is to be published this autumn. Needless to say this is another epic - but based two centuries later with the Black Death ready to strike the human race - and one which on first glancing through the proof copy given exclusively to the Book Club looks like being a run away success as soon as it hits the bookshelves.

Ken also told us about his life and how though he may be associated with lots of activities and causes “ writing always takes priority”.

Our next meeting is due before the summer recess and we’d like suggestions for reading over the holiday break.

One suggestion is for us to meet at for a drink in the evening possibly on Tuesday 24^th July – 6 p.m. in Bellamy’s Bar perhaps?

Let me know?

New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 30 May 2007

Next Book Club meeting – Tuesday 19^th June 1-2 p.m. Room N Portcullis House. See below for details.

Our Book Club had lots of books to discuss this month.

Many of us had to admit we’d struggled with Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” but if there any readers who have not done so and have some positive feedback please let us know.

We’d been suggested – by PD James who came to our last meeting - to dip into Ian McEwan’s new novel “Chesil Beach” which was short and very sweet although with McEwan’s now usual tragic scenario within the plot!

The day and night reflection on the youthful sexual awakening in the early 1960s is a gem of a book – or rather extended short story/novella perhaps.

It tells of the first honeymoon night of Edward and Florence and delves into deep and soul searching heartache, desire and future needs.

Some of us have come late to Ian McEwan’s writing but can all heartily recommend his books – we suggest also trying “The Innocent”, “Enduring Love “(now a film) and “Saturday”.

We’re also reluctant to leave our detective/crime writers but will have to clear a space in our reading time for our next Book Club book.

It is Ken Follett’s mighty (1082 page) best seller “The Pillars of the Earth”. A medieval tour de force surrounding master stone mason’s building a magnificent cathedral it also draws in Ken’s excellent skill to create good character plots and intrigue. He is promising a sequel to be published later this year.

Are you a Ken Follett fan? Well we are delighted that he will be joining us at our next Book Club meeting – Tuesday 19^th June 1-2 p.m. Room N Portcullis House and if you’d like to come along to meet him you’d be very welcome!

New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 17 May 2007

Reminder about the forthcoming Book Club meeting – next Wednesday 23^rd May 1-2 in Room M.

We still have to feedback on a previous month’s read “Beloved “ by Toni Morrison – I myself have to admit I really struggled with it but would be interested to hear what others thought.

From last month – principally suggested by our guest PD James we decided on the shorter read of Ian McEwan’s new novel “On Chesil Beach” - again I had problems getting a copy from my local library so started on another of his novels “Saturday” which I really enjoyed and have just managed to finish his new one this week ( certainly a quick read – I managed it in a days train journey to and from work so you’ve got time to get through it!).

It’s now been confirmed that author Ken Follett will be able to come along to our June meeting – Tues 19^th – Room N 1-2 p.m. and is keen to hear what we think of his novel “The Pillars of Earth”.

He will also be speaking about the sequel to that 1989 book with “World without End” which is to be published later this year – so if you know of any fans of his work let them know he’ll be at our meeting!

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 23rd May 1-2 p.m. in Room M Portcullis House. New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 25 April 2007

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 23rd May 1-2 p.m. in Room M Portcullis House.

This months Book Club meeting was the eagerly anticipated visit of PD James. For 87 years of age I think we all agreed she was a remarkable lady with a clear and detailed mind who kept us entertained and well informed about her detective writing for well over an hour. She also seemed to enjoy meeting us, signed copies of her books and immersed herself in our choices of favourite crime novels and authors.

It was good to see her in person as her books are so popular and she gave us what we thought was an exclusive about future plans for her Detective Chief Inspector Adam Dalgliesh! Books we shared with her were: Peter James (no relation!) 'Dead Simple', Raymond Chandler 'The Big Sleep' Dick Francis, Patricia Cornwall, John Grisham and an all time classic Wilkie Collins "The Moonstone".

Baroness James was enthusiastic and informative about all our books, answering all questions and showing a great knowledge of all writing, not just crime. She also spoke about her role as a BBC Governor, about the state of the
Beeb at present and the pros and cons of book adaptations on TV and film!

PD James writes her books methodically, likes to use places she's visited in which to set her plots, never goes near a computer and always uses black pens! We have been intrigued by her autobiography "Time to be Earnest" and she discussed her career in the NHS and Home Office, bringing up her family when her husband suffered ill health and
how her life changed after the publication of her first novel "Cover Her Face " in 1962 and then broadened our discussion to the current state of book publishing.

She was asked to pick her favourite detective today - who was Ian Rankin's Rebus although one of her favourite authors remains as Dorothy L Sayers and she recommended us to read "the Nine Tailors" and "Murder Must Advertise". PD James also read from her novel "The Murder Room " where it topically describes a hypothetical plan to murder the Lord Chancellor on the Woolsack! We later prodded her on her views about the Prime Minister but
that remains with us! Our thanks to her for taking time out of a still busy schedule to come and meet us.

Next month we still need to review our ongoing topical read about slavery "Beloved " by Toni Morrison but as partly suggested by PD James and of a lighter vein we also suggest a look at Ian McEwan's latest "Chesil Beach"(http://www.ianmcewan.com/).

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 23rd May 1-2 p.m. in Room M Portcullis House. New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 18 April 2007

Next meeting of the Book Club takes place on Tuesday 24^th April 1-2 p.m. in Room N Portcullis House.

We are delighted to be joined by Baroness (PD) James the world famous crime writer, whose creation Inspector Adam Dalgliesh is well known to many TV viewers.

If you would like to come along please do contact Philipa ext 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE: 22 March 2007

The recent meeting of the Book Club discussed “When we were orphans” by Kazuo Ishiguro. This is a compelling and evocative read which brings pre-war Shanghai and London society to life.

We follow the life story of Christopher Banks from a young boy left orphaned in Shanghai who is brought to England in the 1930s and works his way to establish himself as a leading detective. But his detection skills face their hardest plot to resolve the real mystery that he grows to learn about the unravelling circumstances behind his parents’ disappearance.

A world in turmoil with ideological and emotional clashes are brought together in a book whose author still creates a wonderful style of writing which slowly peels away the layers of this story. Read – and enjoy!

Our next book is topical – Toni Morrison's “Beloved” about the slave trade.

Next meeting: Tuesday 24th April: But we are also setting our sights on uncovering our favourite crime writers/novels because we are delighted to be welcoming PD James to the next meeting in April (Tuesday 24^th)

This is a great opportunity to meet the world famous crime writer and share an hour discussing how, why and who dunnit!

For details about the meeting or the Book Club group contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE 13 March 2007

Next meeting: 1-2pm Wednesday 21st March - Room N, Portcullis House

We are reading “We are orphans” by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Baroness James –international crime writer PD James - will be speaking at our April Book Club meeting.

There were certainly a huge variety of responses to our latest book read “”If Nobody speaks of remarkable things” by Jon McGregor. The previews had raised expectations I think and although it was interesting to delve into a completely different style of writing a novel although it proved to be difficult in some aspects to read.

Some thought it worth carrying through although the beginning part of the book doesn’t explore the characters at all and may prove a huge disappointment. Perhaps a case of sticking with it as some interesting little scenarios develop. The sense of anticipation about ‘what the incident ‘ that happens somewhere in the book proved too much sometimes – one reader, scared to continue ( a plaudit to the writer’s description perhaps) was put off completely. But be reassured it’s not wholly traumatic and in fact fits pretty much into something many of us may have seen in our local street or town. It’s Life I suppose was the conclusion and sometimes that’s boring, sometimes emotional and sometimes one event affects the whole community around the place in which we live.

For next month we’re suggesting Kazuo Ishiguro with “When we Were Orphans”. From the author of “Remains of the Day” which was made into a film Ishiguro now tells a tale of childhood mystery recollections from when the main character was being brought up in Shanghai. With great insight into another culture and somewhat of a mysterious past to delve into this book sounds a very interesting read. Our next meeting will be on 21^st March.

Alongside one book some of the group have been reading PD James’s extremely entertaining autobiography (or one year diary book) “Time To Be Earnest”. A tremendous insight into her life which is wonderfully written. We all wanted to find out more about her – and we will have that chance.

Baroness James has very kindly agreed to accept an invitation to come along to our April meeting to talk about crime writing. If you are a member of the group who would like to meet her or want to find out more please contact me for further information.

Philipa Coughlan (coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel ext 2553)

UPDATE 24 January 2007

Next meeting: Tuesday 27th February 1-2 p.m. Room M Portcullis House

Well those of us that have managed to read through Alison Weir's epic book about Eleanor of Aquitaine certainly know far more about history in the Middle Ages than we'd ever covered in most of our school lessons!

For many this was a book we'd probably never have chosen and although in places hard going because of its intense detail, Weir's descriptions of life in that period and the tremendous backdrop of a Royal Queen in a constant battle not only over land and power but with the men in her life certainly opened our eyes to many of the hardships of living in that time.

Unfortunately by the very nature of that period in history little factual evidence is available to really bring to life Eleanor as a woman in her own right. But her longevity and strength of character did shine through the immense trauma and personal tragedy that befell her and many of her family. Viewing as we do from a world where emotions are freely made public and women are equal (well in most European countries) it is hard as a first time reader of this period to adequately understand how Eleanor struggled through the life that Alison Weir has written about with so much authority.

To us in Parliament Weir's descriptions of Court at Westminster Hall are fascinating and strange to think that for so long the French ruled us all! We are certainly all keen to read other works by this author.

But for next month (Tuesday 27th February 1-2 p.m. Room M Portcullis House) some suggestions:

Our main read will be "If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things" by John McGregor which tells of life on one day in an ordinary street and has received much acclaim. He is an unfamiliar name to some of us but we are guaranteed a good read. See: www.bloomsbury.com/authors/microsite.asp?id=206&section=1
Also a wonderful autobiography/ diary from PD James, "Time to be in earnest". Now in the House of Lords Baroness James is of course the master of the detective novel but in this engaging and frank book she reveals not only her childhood and her family life but an insight into how an acclaimed writer gets her ideas. More news about PD James to follow - so if you are keen on her work keep in contact!!

Some of us will be off to the BBC next week for the Radio 4 Book Club with James Naughtie and Alison Weir so look out for information about how we got on.

Philipa Coughlan (coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel ext 2553)

UPDATE 3 January 2007

A Happy New Year to all Readers!

I hope everyone had a restful Christmas and New Year recess and allowed themselves some time to do plenty of reading. Often the trouble is you end up with yet another pile of books you plan to read when you are still trying to finish the ‘must reads’ from 2006!

Our next Book Club meeting is on Tuesday 23^rd January from 1-2 in Rm M Portcullis House.

We are currently reading Alison Weir’s epic historical tale of Eleanor of Aquitane – a detailed account of not only the controversial French Queen’s life but of the whole historical context in which Europe and the wider world were living at that time.

Some of us will then be attending Jim Naughtie’s Radio 4 Book Club live recording on Jan 30^th – to meet Alison Weir and hear her discuss her success with a whole list of historical books.

In 2007 we already have lined up a few Westminster connected authors to come and meet the group – let me just say ‘Great Crime Writer ‘ and ‘International Best Seller’ to get you guessing?!

So for more information -or if you would like to come along - or let us know your views on the books we are covering contact Philipa Coughlan coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel ext 2553

UPDATE 14 December 2006

We had our last Book Club meeting of the year this week – and our latest read “On Beauty” by Zadie Smith has received unanimous praise it seems by nearly everyone who has finished it. Smith has an easy style of writing that perfectly portrays the lives of two families across the Atlantic and across the happiness and heartache of family life.

Great characters were not only woven into the academic surroundings in which the two male heads of the households battle against each other against the story of the sadness and lost love of the women in their lives. The portrayal of the children (young adults)was also excellent showing both the academic, social and emotional strains of growing up in the world – issues that cross all ethnic divides.

Interestingly some had picked up on the link to E M Forster’s book “Howards End” and we felt we might like to now read that and see how Smith has interwoven that classic book/film into her writing. If you haven’t read any of Zadie Smith’s other books they too are worth a read as well.

Now for Christmas recess reading and your New Year resolution to read more books! Firstly those attending the Radio 4 recording of James Naughtie’s Book Club at the end of January will be reading Alison Weir’s “Eleanor of Aquitane” but don’t let that stop you if you fancy dipping into a historical novel but an author who is a bestseller in this field.

Also suggested were “The Corrections” by Jonathan Franzen and “Utterly Monkey “by Nick Laird (Zadie Smith’s husband and ghost poet writer for her character Claire in On Beauty!)

The next meeting is booked for Tuesday 23^rd January 1-2 p.m. Room M Portcullis House followed by the radio 4 event on Tuesday 30^th – just come along if you are interested.

Look out next year for some special author guests at one or two of our meetings with connections here at Westminster!!

For any more information on the Book Club tel Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE 4 December 2006

Wednesday 13^th December 1-2 p.m. Room P Portcullis House. New members always welcome.

This month we will be talking about Zadie Smith’s “On Beauty”.

For more information contact coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE 22 November 2006

There was a low turnout for our visit to Waterstones in Piccadilly which was a shame as it’s is well worth going and we were surrounded by many other Book Clubs who obviously take time out from the serious business of book reading to enjoy a drink in the 5^th View Bar! Some stayed on to hear the thoughtful, softly spoken author Charles Frazier talk with wonderful atmospheric understanding of past American history about his new book “Thirteen Moons” – another good read from the author of “Cold Mountain” who has a lifelong affinity with landscapes and people.

It would seem we have nearly all struggled with John Le Carre’s “The Constant Gardener” maybe because we were all influenced by the powerful film or that some of the book is quite heavy going and detailed. But then we would expect this from the top spy writer and the book does convey in a more atmospheric way the build up to the reasons for Tessa Quayle’s death as her husband Julian (still seemingly the typical timid English man abroad) seeks revenge for her murder in the murky world of international aid and profit making pharmaceutical companies. I guess recent events may cause John Le Carre to reassess the position of Russia for his next book – post cold war as fact it would seem is becoming as dangerous as any spy fiction!

So for the next book – many readers seem to have taken to Zadie Smith’s most recent “On Beauty” . Set in both London and New England America it revolves around two feuding families – the Belseys and the Kipps. High intellectual morals rub shoulders with past hatreds and new loves. So it is our next choice - happy reading!

The next meeting prior to Christmas and New Year recess is booked back in Portcullis House –Wednesday 13^th 1-2 p.m. in Room P.

For more information contact Philipa tel 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE 8 November 2006

For those not able to make the evening meeting suggest a get together over coffee downstairs at Portcullis House Monday 13^thNovember at 2.30 p.m.

But just a reminder the monthly meeting is at 5^th View Bar. Waterstone’s Piccadilly 6 p.m. Tuesday 21^st November. We are currently reading John Le Carre’s “The Constant Gardener” .

For more information about the books we’ve covered and what we do look at our full page notice on the site. Contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE 19 October 2006:

At our last meeting we discussed “Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon ( a Spanish author) whose book reached number one in many bestseller lists.

This was an evocative and well written novel – translated into English – and set in Barcelona following the Spanish Civil War.

It tells the story of young Daniel Sempere who is taken to the Cemetery of Lost Books by his father where his chosen (or mysteriously chosen for him) book ‘Shadow of the Wind’ leads him on a path of discovery and danger about the author Julian Carax. Interwoven themes cover a decade of Daniel’s life as he uncovers the mysterious author’s pre war past.There were certainly some very interesting minor characters described in the book although overall we felt women weren’t portrayed that well in the situations in which the author put them. But it was generally felt this was a very good read portraying the setting in Spain very well and although long (over 500 pages) with a few contrived answers to some of the plots proved a very enjoyable read and one we felt would make an excellent transition to the film screen!. We will look out with interest for other books by this Spanish author.

Our next read for the book club reverses that theme with John Le Carre’s “The Constant Gardener”. This has already been a successful film but we wanted to try it in book form as it was written by such a well established (John is now well over 70 years old) writer more generally known for his past spy novels and who spent some of his life in the British Foreign Service. It is available on Amazon at the bargain price of £3.99!

Other books that you might want to consider are Roddy Doyle “The Woman Who Walked Into Doors” and the follow up “Paula Spencer” and Zadie Smith’s “On Beauty” the follow up to “White Teeth”.

We hope early in 2007 to attend a Radio 4 Book Club recording led by James Naughtie but for next month have booked a meeting at Waterstone’s in Piccadilly – Tuesday 21^st November - 6p.m. at the 5^th View Bar for a get together with cocktails available! Call me on 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk if you’d like to come along as I need to confirm numbers .The meeting is followed by a reading and book signing by Charles Frazier of “ Thirteen Moons” - £3 a ticket if you fancy staying on for that at 7p.m call Waterstone’s 0207 851 2433 if you’d like to go. We may well also have a get together over coffee as well some time – so watch this space and spread the news to your friends!

Philipa Coughlan – Office of Nick Palmer MP, Rm 254 Portcullis House.
Email: coughlanp@parliament.uk Tel: x2553

UPDATE 12 September 2006: We had our meeting this week and had a good turnout to discuss "We need to talk about Kevin " by Lionel Shriver.

We all agreed this was a deeply harrowing tale and showed what dreadful outcome might be produced by a tortured teenager who wants notoriety by killing his peers in a most sadistic way. If you have any thoughts after reading the book yourself let us know

It also throws up questions about parenting and how the world is maybe only more dangerous and evil because we hear more about it than we used to.

The next Book Club Choice is "The Shadow of the Wind " by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, one that features on many bestseller lists and is a mystery thriller set in Barcelona where a young boys' choice of a book leads to life changing experiences.

We will meet again on Wednesday 18th October in Room N Portcullis House from 1-2 p.m. All welcome.

In the future we hope to organise events such as meeting in Waterstones or attending Book Club events elsewhere.

For more information contact Philipa Coughlan coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel ext 2553.

UPDATE 3 August 2006: An update after the first meeting. The two books chosen for the summer from the Book Club are:

"We Need to talk about Kevin " by Lionel Shriver - a disturbing insight into a mother's worst fears when her 16 yr old son shoots and kills fellow high school students and teachers. A fictional recreation of many true incidents in the US that reveals innermost thought provoking family secrets.

"The Case of the Missing Books " by Ian Sansom - a shy Jewish vegetarian turns up in N Ireland to take up his job as a Librarian. But the council has closed the Library and all the books are missing. What will he do now? A funny quirky story full of great characters.

I have booked a further get together for the book club on Tuesday 12th September 1-2 in Room T, Portcullis House to talk about the books and plan future ideas. All welcome and happy reading !!!!!!

Philipa Coughlan Tel 2553 email coughlanp@parliament.uk

UPDATE 17 July 2006: I have now booked the following for the first get together for the proposed Parliamentary Book Club - Tuesday 25^thJuly, 1- 2 p.m. Room T Portcullis House. Anyone interested in being involved or who wants to come along to meet, bring suggestions for books for the summer recess so we can chose a couple to head off for the summer with let me know.

Philipa Coughlan - Office of Nick Palmer MP - Tel ext 2553

ORIGINAL MESSAGE 4 July 2006: I'm wondering if there are like minded souls who might consider the chance to set up a Parliamentary Book Club. After all if Richard and Judy can do it why can’t we? Also the chance to get some links outside our usual political reading perhaps? Anyone interested?

We could try and have one get together before summer recess and head off on our holidays with one book to mull over and chat about in the autumn.

Let me know if want to get together and any ideas for books?

Philipa Coughlan - Email: coughlanp@parliament.uk Tel: x2553



home news & listings parliamentary book club archive	Search the site
Parliamentary Book Club Archive of 'Latest Information' bulletins Last updated: 31 December 2011 This page holds all the 'Latest Information' bulletins from July 2006 to up to the end of 2011 To go to the current main page of the Parliamentary Book Club click here Update 9 December 2011 The group met for a pre Xmas lunch at Bellamy's and caught up on a few books we've been reading in the past few months. "Catch -22" - the classic? Discuss. Well we did and had to say many in the group admitted to not being able to finish the book. It seems perhaps more readable to 'male' book lovers because of the military links but Joseph Heller's novel still remains one of the Top Ten Books to read in many lists. Of course we were still desperate as to what the Catch 22 was and all amazed to see that something in literature - particularly more modern historical literature - has coined a phrase in our daily vocabulary. Shakespeare would be proud of him! Gail Carregas and her Victorian themed "Soulless" brought fun and atmosphere into the topical vampire genre so devoured by many readers. It's fun, the characters lively but I still can't get my teeth into the whole idea ! (sorry about that) Donna Leon's series of crime thrillers set in Venice are a joy. Short, evocative of that city and with a police Inspector who's not flawed but fun and spends much time with a happy family enjoying wine and food! What could be more Italian? So now Christmas approaches and we've chosen some reads to curl up with by the fire whilst resting from the festive fare. A S Byatt writes thoroughly researched, detailed but excellent novels. We are choosing "Possession" about the discovery of long lost love letters from two Victorian poets. It sounds like the tale of Elizabeth and Robert Browning but the whole story evokes a wonderful time for literature and for courting in the old fashioned sense. For our crime lovers and staying in Italy - the excellent TV series "Zen" portrayed Rufus Sewell as the Detective. But the stories came from the novels of the late Michael Dibden and are also well worth a read. We recommend "RatKing" which won a number of awards. And lastly Christmas; especially with 2012 and his 200 anniversary wouldn't be Christmas without Charles Dickens! He's everywhere including an excellent biography by Claire Tomalin but we've picked a classic which we hope is either a favourite or perhaps a first time read by the great story writer "David Copperfield". Enjoy your Christmas and New Year! Happy Reading Next meeting will be on Wednesday 25th January meeting at the entrance to Bellamy's. Philipa Coughlan Tel 01424 220337 Update 10 November 2011 Unfortunately colleagues cancelled last weeks Book Club. I was ill so couldn't attend but the next one is already arranged so hope all well then: TUESDAY 6TH DECEMBER - 12.30 PM meet outside Bellamys restaurant for lunch and chat. In case any of you have forgotten what we are reading: We chose half a dozen books for the summer break including Joseph Heller's classic "Catch 22", Donna Leon's crime series set in Venice and Gail Carriger's "Soulless", a vampire novel with class! Philipa Coughlan email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com James Naughtie's Bookclub newsletter - 07/11/2011 I’m fairly sure that Iain Banks is the first guest on Bookclub of whom I have asked the question: have you ever let yourself be psycho-analysed? I was therefore slightly disappointed when the answer was no, but it was worth a try. (Radio 4 Bookclub this Sunday 6 November at 4pm and Thursday 10 November at the new time of 3.30pm.) If you know The Wasp Factory, the book that launched Iain’s serious writing career 27 years ago, you will know why the question arose. Frank’s story, which gives the book its shape and its spirit, is one of grotesque adolescent excess, particularly in the matter of violence. He has killed three people (at least, we’re told, one of them a sibling) and much of his delight while he is growing up comes from meting out undeserved punishment on any living thing that passes by. Take the alarm clock contraption which involves wasps being pinned to the hands and, as a consequence, being killed to a timetable set by Frank, allowing him to wake up to see his latest victim being squashed as the clock strikes the hour, with another one coming along behind. The book is a picture of disturbance, a kind of punk’s-eye view of the world, which is a place of gothic horror and badness. Yet, as Iain told us, “Frank thinks he is relatively normal – it’s as simple as that.” You can see why I wondered if he’d ever had his head examined to see where the story came from, and he recalled happily a launch party for one of his books in Edinburgh when an American student asked him if he had experienced a very troubled childhood, expecting the answer yes. Iain pointed out his grey-haired mother in the crowd, who duly obliged with the truth: “Och no, Iain was always a happy wee boy.” We were talking in the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, where our readers had been re-reading the book, sometimes after several years, and returning to the themes that Iain has picked up in his overtly science fiction books (which he writes under the name of Iain M. Banks, a distinction which I think he now mildly regrets) and which have given him a cult following. The Wasp Factory presents a world where the certainties that Frank lives with are ones that would repel or terrify the average reader – burning dogs, tortured wasps, murders, a bizarre substitute religion in which he believes that the future is foretold by one of his grotesque killing machines, which kills its animal victims in a dozen different ways. So why was the book so popular? His answer is that he thinks readers get the joke – “it was a hoot and a giggle” – in a way that critics certainly didn’t. A number of reviewers wondered how a publisher could stoop so low in letting the book onto the streets. Why can’t they get it, he wonders? “It’s a simple method, gross exaggeration. Being a science fiction writer helps – the term is extrapolation but it’s basically exaggeration.” When Eric, a brother whom Frank hasn’t killed, emerges from an old-style psychiatric hospital, it allows Frank to appear normal by comparison, but readers learn of the strange happenings in his past. By the end of the story, Franks makes a discovery that is clearly one of the most important of his life and will shape his future. We do mention in the course of the programme what this revelation is, simply because the book has been around for long enough for that to seem reasonable, but I won’t talk about it here, in case some of you are reading the book for the first time. Let’s just say that it changes his identity. The story is set in a community in the far north of Scotland, which Iain knows well, on an island. Frank’s father Angus, an eccentric doctor, is part of the psychological puzzle of the novel, going every now and again to Inverness to sell drugs, which he makes at home, and perhaps sharing some of the Frank’s attitude towards women – in the absence of a mother in the house, he rails against the betrayals of women, even Mrs Clampy, the housekeeper, who is a bastion of sanity in the place. Iain is happy to describe it as a psychological study : Frank creates not just a physical environment that suits him, and his urges, but a mythological one too. Iain is as convinced as aetheist as you are ever likely to meet (he will acknowledgement that perhaps 1% of him is simply agnostic, but no more). Iain says, as you might expect, that he’s always found Frank a fascinating character, but he echoed the feelings of surely nearly every reader of the book when he said that he wouldn’t like to find himself living next door to him. I don’t know if you agree with the reviewer who said that he found it incomprehensible that a publisher could have stooped to such levels of depravity (that was The Irish Times) or with one of our readers who said that, having not expected to enjoy it, she found herself reading the gory and funny bits to her husband on a long car journey and laughing out loud. Either way, it was a landmark book – a piece of gothic fiction and fantasy that established Iain Banks’ career and seem to fit happily into the early 80s punk-influenced popular culture. I hope you enjoy the programme. Our next recording will be with the American writer Art Speigelman on his phenomenon, Maus, an allegory about the Holocaust in graphic novel form. That’s Wednesday 7 December. And the following week on Tuesday 13 December, we’re discussing God’s Own Country by Ross Raisin, a young writer who’s considered one of our most promising authors. It was his first book, in 2008. So if you want to be one of the group of readers on either of these occasions, both in London, let us know via the website : www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006s5sf. The next programme on air will be with Sebastian Barry, author of The Secret Scripture, on December 4th (repeated on Thursday 8th) and I can promise you that it is a corker. And just to remind you, the new time of our Thursday edition is now 3.30pm. Happy reading Jim Visit the Book Club website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/ and the Radio 4 Homepage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/. Update 18 October 2011 Reminder about our Book Club meeting on Tuesday 1st November 12.30pm at W1 off Westminster Hall and a link to the latest Radio 4 Book Club newsletter below as this is a book many have read. Philipa Coughlan email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com On Wed 5/10/11 james-naughtie@lists.bbc.co.uk wrote: I do hope those of you who heard the first broadcast on Sunday of the Arundhati Roy discussion, on The God of Small Things, enjoyed it. There are very few books of this kind that come our way, so it was a natural for us. Sooner or later we had to come to it. The programme will be repeated, as usual this Thursday (October 6) at the usual time of 4pm, and as you will all know by now past programmes are available at the website : www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006s5sf - a facility which I know many of you appreciate and use a great deal. The God of Small Things is unusual in so many ways. As Arundhati Roy puts it, the story begins at the end and ends in the middle, and she is determined that she was never going to write a linear story. In our discussion she made it clear that the feeling of a book that has a circular wholeness, so that you can start the story almost anywhere with the same effect, springs from that part of her mind that made her want to be an architect, which is how she was trained. The result is that the book’s power comes not so much from the development of a story along conventional lines – a beginning in the first pages, and an end on the last page - but from the conception of the world in which the action (concentrated in a few days) is happening around you. The book that obviously springs to mind is Ulysses, but I find it hard to think of settings that are more different than Joyce’s Dublin and Roy’s Kerala, where the texture of life is built up of an impossible vast range of smells, c! olours, tiny objects and competing cultures and religions. Your senses are assailed by the vividness of the world she describes. And of course it is a story of love and loss, and therefore tragedy. But when we asked her if it was therefore a pessimistic novel, she said that she thought that the fact the kind of love she describes could have come about in a feudal society was in itself “a fantastically hopeful thing”. At the centre of the story, recollected by Rahel as an adult woman, is the love between her Christian mother and a carpenter who, by the rules of caste, is an Untouchable. In her conversation, especially when we asked her why she had not written another novel since The God of Small Things was first published in 1997, Arundhati Roy revealed the depth of her political commitments : the extent to which she wants her story to reveal not just the intoxicating feel of India, and the way that the mystical and the practical are woven together in everyday life, but the unfairness and cruelties of a system that pitches different religions and cultures against each other. Since she wrote the book, which became a worldwide bestseller and won prizes, including the Booker, she’s devoted most of her energy to various campaigns which she feels to be more important that the writing of another story. She told us: “I hope I will return to fiction. I don’t want to write books because that’s what the world expects me to do. I want to write a book when I have a book that needs to be written or wants to be written; not just because that’s a profession.” That moment has not yet come. About her writing technique, which has dazzled so many critics and readers, she say that she knows no rules. She thinks or herself neither as a linear nor hierarchical thinker, and in describing the way she tried to capture the society in which her characters were caught, and the way they lived their lives, it became clear that she wanted to paint a picture of how difficult it is to pursue love – which always produces, she believes, vulnerability – in a society where class and caste impose rigid boundaries and exert hard punishment on anyone who tries to stray across them. Just as she says that pessimism and optimism aren’t in a binary relationship – being opposites between which you have to choose – so she sees the pain of love as something that’s inevitable if the joy of it is going to be appreciated. She refused to choose between gloom and hope : they’re both there in the book. I suspect that the reason why it was such a success is that the style in which she tells the story - its layers, the overlapping of time, the back-and-forth twists of the narrative, the idea of the compression of a long story into a brief moment in history – is utterly original. When you put that together with the sheer exultation in the physical presence of India – especially the smells and the colours – you have a powerful mix. One of our readers who had grown up in India said that when he read the passages in the pickle factory it made him want to go and wipe his hands afterwards. The emotions in the book are very powerful – it deals with death, love that has to struggle to be fulfilled, and a touch of incest (because of a shared feeling of desolation) – yet they seem to sit naturally in a society where the natural world always seems about to overwhelm the people, and the rules that are forced upon them are often impossible to obey. I’m glad we have come to The God of Small Things because in the end I think we had to. Next month’s book is a cult novel of a quite different kind. Iain Banks wrote The Wasp Factory in the mid-eighties and it became something of a latter-day version of The Catcher in the Rye in the way that it tried to unpick the difficulties, the cruelties and the contradictions of the early teenage years. It divided readers then, and still does. It’s our book for November – Sunday 6 November at 4pm - and I hope you enjoy it. Could add sthing about Patricia Cornwell if I set it up. Happy reading Jim Visit the Book Club website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/ Update: 13 September 2011 Our next meeting is on Tuesday 1st Nov 12.30 pm in W1 Room off Westminster Hall. It's the first of this Parliamentary year and we would welcome any new members who'd like to join the group. We chose half a dozen books for the summer break including Joseph Heller's classic "Catch 22", Donna Leon's crime series set in Venice and Gail Carriger's "Soulless", a vampire novel with class! If you'd like more information about the group check out our webpage details of past meetings or call Philipa 01424 220337 / email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com We had a nice email back from Peter James after he came to our June meeting: From: Peter James <scary@pavilion.co.uk> Subject: Re: Big thanks! To: "P COUGHLAN" <pcoughlan@btinternet.com> Date: Thursday, 30 June, 2011, 9:39 Dear Philipa It was lovely to meet you too, and I really liked Frank, also. Thanks so much for these kind words. I really enjoyed the event - what a truly delightful group of people you had there. Do keep in touch. All my best Peter Peter James (Hons) D.Litt www.peterjames.com Find and follow me on http://twitter.com/peterjamesuk Dead Man's Grip was published in hardback on May 26th! Perfect People, my standalone thriller, will be published in November. Mohsin Hamid's novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist. We all read and were moved by the thoughtfulness of this book and it has been interesting to see that it has often been more quality than quantity in relation to novels produced since 9/11. Perhaps in this case 'words couldn't quite describe our reactions'. Philipa Here's Jim Naughtie's recent email about The Reluctant Fundamentalist: From: james-naughtie@lists.bbc.co.uk Subject: James Naughtie's Bookclub newsletter 2 September, 2011 The most striking thing about Mohsin Hamid's novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist is not that it took him seven years to write the 200 pages – there are plenty of writers who could match that pace – but that he completed it in the summer of 2001, before the attacks in New York and Washington. (Radio 4 Bookclub this Sunday 4 September at 4pm and next Thursday 8 September also at 4pm, and online too.) The book has become inextricably associated with those events...a kind of commentary on some of the feelings that we assume to have lain behind them. Yet – and this is the second surprising fact about the novel – it is deliberately vague about what the protagonist (Changez) believes, how much of a religious element there may be in his thinking (except that we know there is not very much), and even leaves readers wondering about the character to whom he tells his story, who appears to be an American, but one who is not only quiet, but mysterious. The narrative, nonetheless, is gripping. When we asked Mohsin at the recording whether The American's gesture to a pocket at the end of the book was an indication that he was carrying a gun (or something more innocent, like a cigarette case) our readers were in no doubt: it was a gun. So we asked the author. The answer? That it was neither a gun nor not a gun. He didn't know, and didn't want to. He wanted to leave possibilities unresolved, a space in which readers might think. The ending is characteristic of the whole story. We know surprisingly little about Changez, even though he is the narrator, beyond the fact that he worked in high finance in New York, fell in love with Erica (Mohsin read us the passage in which Changez first ogles her on an island beach in Greece) and that he was profoundly affected by watching the assault on the twin towers, live on television. We meet him later in a tea house in Lahore, back home in Pakistan (without Erica), and it's there that he tells his story, in conversation with his shadowy interlocutor. Mohsin explained how the mysterious quality of the conversation – would it really have unfolded like this? – was a deliberate device, "an unrealistic frame" as he put it. He wanted the reader to have space to play. He made an interesting analogy with the John Ford Western High Noon in which nothing much happens until the gunfight at the end, the lone rider who comes to the town – the good guy – making us wait for the event. It is tense because it is slow. What's more, he thinks it is beautiful that the film – like his book – deals with events that are happening in real time. When you read The Reluctant Fundamentalist, you probably take about the same time to finish it as Changez takes to tell his story. It makes the reader feel like a character in the story, he says, and that immersion is one of the ways in which he creates the sense of unease that floats up from the pages. When his publisher first got the manuscript, in summer 2001, he said he couldn't quite get the story. What was the stuff about a Muslim spending time in the US, then going home and talking about his feelings? A few months later, after the twin towers were down, he asked Mohsin how quickly he could finish a final draft. The story seemed to fit the time, in part because it deliberately, doggedly, avoids simple explanations about motive and "fundamentalist" feelings. They swirl around, but they are ambiguous and hard to catch. His view is that 9/11 changed the world because it was able to widen fractures that already existed. "It took a potential that was already there and made it manifest." That potential is lurking in the story of Changez, who has abandoned the particular kind of fundamentalism that grips some Wall Street types, and gone back home, where he speaks in the elegant archaisms of the English that was an inheritance from colonial days for educated classes in the Indian sub-continent. We don't know the name of the man to whom he speaks, and we wonder about him. But his voice seems authentic, and that is the achievement of the book. Mohsin said that it was only in the 6th or 7th draft that he "found" the voice of Changez. "I knew then I was done." The reason why the book has struck such a chord around the world (he told us that he was surprised by the warmth of his reception when he spoke about it across America, even in Texas...) is probably that it uses the simplest of techniques to begin to explore the worries and questions that people had about the mindset that brought about 9/11 and had clearly affected many, many people of whom Americans knew very little and whose motives they could barely understand. Above all, it avoids plunging into a miasma of religious belief. The Reluctant Fundamentalist himself appears to have no strong religious beliefs but he thinks as if he did. The point is made that fundamentalism attaches itself to many systems of belief, and creeps in to take a hold in some rather unexpected ways. As you may have heard in the reading of the novel on Radio 4's Book at Bedtime this week, this is a book that manages to deal with the fact of 9/11 without ever descending into a clunky political plot or presenting set-piece debates about beliefs or violence. It stands back, and makes you think. I do hope you enjoy the programme. Our next edition, incidentally, is with another writer from South Asia, Arundhati Roy, talking about The God of Small Things. Details on the website, as ever – www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 and follow the links to Bookclub on the programme menu. You can let us know there if you want to be a reader at one of our recordings. Coming up – Hunter Davies on his authorized biography (the only one) of The Beatles, which we'll be recording in Liverpool on the site of the Cavern Club. One for the oldies, like me. A treat. Happy reading Jim Update: 9 August 2011 To All Readers via the Parliamentary Book Club: As we have chosen Donna Leon as our crime writer of choice this summer recess you might be interested to catch up (below) with information about her and her detective Guido Brunetti via the excellent Radio 4 Bookclub which we have been involved with for some years. If you are heading for that glorious city of Venice so much the better! Philipa Coughlan Subject: James Naughtie's Bookclub newsletter - 08/08/2011 Date: Friday, 5 August, 2011, 11:42 I’ve read the latest Donna Leon novel in Italy this week, with her Venetian detective, Guido Brunetti, ambling his way along the canals and through the markets. (Radio 4 Bookclub this Sunday 7 August and next Thursday 11 August both at 4pm, and online next week too.) I like Brunetti, whom I think of as a kind of Italian Maigret, padding the streets with a weary understanding and an ear for the undercurrents. He goes home for lunch, where Paola, his wife, has a delicate way with pasta and good wine, and he finds his city reassuring and mystifying at the same time. How is it that under its crumbling, magnificent façade (“it’s never ordinary, is it?” one of his sidekicks says to him in the latest book) there lurks such violence? In fact, as Donna pointed out when we gathered to talk about the first novel in the series, Death at La Fenice, it is not in reality a dangerous city – more a quiet, provincial, early-to-bed place if you see it when the tourists aren’t filling every campo and the fleets of gondolas. Murders are few and far between, and usually solved in a trice. But her interest is in the death that is always round corner, no matter how unlikely that may seem. She has the feeling that the layers of the city conceal passions that you seldom see. Our choice is the book that introduces Brunetti. Set against the high drama that is manufactured in the opera house, La Fenice, the death that sets the plot in motion is an exceedingly unexpected one. A world famous conductor is found dead in his dressing room in the course of a performance. The Bookclub rule is that we never give away the endings of thrillers, and I won’t break it. But Brunetti begins to probe, lifting up those layers, and finds himself in a world of passions that he hasn’t come across before. Donna began to write relatively late, in her forties, when – to her great surprise – she won a thriller competition in Japan, and in our conversation she was revealing about her style. She writes straight through – “I’ve never planned a book” – and says that if she’s lucky she visualises an opening scene from which everything can flow, though she only discovers what it is as she moves through the story. Motive? Everything depends on that, but sometimes it comes later. “I’ve never known the ending to a book. All I need is motive.” This is refreshing stuff. No masterplans or grand designs, and indeed the beguiling quality of these thrillers is their simplicity – plots that move quite straightforwardly, without over-elaboration or clunky secondary stories and red herrings strewn everywhere. They progress in a Brunetti-like way, taking each day at a time, and building up a picture of the city – its people, the remnants of the aristocratic families (from one of which Paola comes), the corruption, the mystification of northern Italians about the dark south and its people. In police headquarters, the questura, he has to put up with a ridiculous boss, Patta (Donna thinks most people have one) but has the joy of his secretary, Elletra – not introduced until a later book in the series - who seems to know more about the city and its ways than anyone else, and can sort everything out with one phone call or a quiet word. Brunetti’s world, though it has the fantasy of Venice running through it, is one that we all recognize. I suspect one of the attractions of the books, and Death at La Fenice is a good example, is Donna’s feeling for the spirit of Venice, which has so much to do with decay. The opera audience is elegant, the music perfect, the singers glamorous – yet there’s ugly violence lurking there. And in the streets, where the traditions of centuries hold sway and the buildings still inspire such awe, there is the feeling of a city that is holding on against the odds : increasingly aware that its golden age had passed away by the start of the seventeenth century. Brunetti reflects that ambiguity. He is utterly Venetian, and moves with the city’s rhythms, but he knows that what you see isn’t the whole truth. Donna has lived there for thirty years, and you may find it surprising (as I do) that the books have not been translated into Italian. Why? “I don’t want to be famous where I live. I’m famous in a lot of places and I don’t like it.” Her decision. The books keep coming, at a rate of about one a year, and I’m pleased to say that Brunetti and Paola (and their children) don’t age. They’re fixed in time, a little like their city. Long may that be the case. Do enjoy Death at La Fenice. Our next choice is an appropriate one for September, the month which marks the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It’s Mohsin Hamid’s the Reluctant Fundamentalist, which is also a Book at Bedtime on Radio 4 Monday 22 August – Friday 2 September at 10.45pm. You can hear our Bookclub at 4pm on Sunday, September 4th and again on Thursday the 8th. And our next recordings in the autumn are with the Irish writer Sebastian Barry talking about his ghostly novel The Secret Scripture (12 October 12)and with celebrated journalist Hunter Davies on his biography of the Beatles. It was first published at the peak of their popularity in 1968, and appropriately enough we’re recording at the Cavern in Liverpool, on 19 November. If you’d like to come along and meet either Sebastian Barry or Hunter Davies, tickets are free and available from our website : www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006s5sf. Until then, happy holiday reading. Jim Update: 26 July 2011 Our recent meeting laid to rest the original nymphet novel "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov. Following on from the real tale of a young girl abducted as a sex object by an older man we thought we would compare it with the famous fictionalised account by the Russian author. There were similarities in exploitation - although whether being written by a man 'fantasizing through literature' makes it more acceptable than a true account from the girl's point of view is highly subjective was something more for psychology students than us simple readers. So now it is recess - what to turn to read after the drama unfolding in newspapers......... Something 'completely different ' as they say! So here is our selection:- "Catch 22 " - Joseph Heller. On many a 10 greatest books of all time this classic it took Heller 8 years to write. An American masterpiece that both outrages and delights. "Soulless " - Gail Carriger. Vampire tales seem now to be the preserve of screaming female teenagers but here our heroine Alexia Tarabotti is not just the classic spinster with no soul who was rudely attacked by a vampire but finds after she kills the vampire, she is being investigated by Queen Victoria! Very witty. Donna Leon series of hero Commissario Guido Brunetti. Set in Venice these crime novels evoke the beauty and sinister mystery of that wonderful island - just right if you're planning to visit this summer! "Brighton Rock" - Graham Greene. If your holiday resort of choice is closer to home on the south coast of Britain pack this one and revisit or treat yourself to the murky underworld of Pinkie and gangs amongst the piers and ice creams. Enjoy your summer - we will organise our next meeting for October following the Conference weeks. Philipa Coughlan Update: 12 July 2011 It was certainly a gripping occasion in the Jubilee Room last month when the Parliamentary Book Club welcomed bestselling crime writer Peter James to a special event to celebrate 5 years of the group meeting in Westminster. With the generous support of Frank Doran MP and his assistant Caitriona Bearryman we were delighted to host the June meeting of the Book Club in the Jubilee Room. With his latest hardback "Dead Man's Grip" still amongst the top ten best sellers, James himself was both unassuming and inclusive in his discussions with us about his life and his writing. As early as aged 7, an inquisitive James wrote to Enid Blyton questioning her realism in children’s books, and he continued to be fascinated by the human condition and why 'people do what they do'. He had his first story published at school in 1966 and growing up in Brighton during the 1950s and 60s James read Graham Greene's 'Brighton Rock' and found it "changed his life". Having studied originally at film school (James was one of the Executive Directors of 'The Merchant of Venice' starring Robert de Niro) and moving through script writing for children’s TV puppet shows, and spending some time in Canada learning the discipline of writing he returned to Brighton and became fascinated with the extraordinary world in which policemen live, "much I expect like the world of politicians" James commented. After he himself was burgled at home, having tried to write his first crime novel ' Dead Letter Drop' ("don't read it it's awful!" he laughed) a policeman investigating his burglary saw the book and asked if he would be interested in learning more about what the police 'really do'. The rest is history. Brighton remains at the heart of his novels, with DS Roy Grace the familiar detective to lead us through James's fast paced stories. Based on a real life Sussex policeman who still helps reading through James's work to ensure the research is up to scratch, James is almost obsessive about investigating actual factual crimes too, never shirking from the real, often unpleasant things that policemen have to face all the time. "Why are we so fascinated with crime?" asked someone in the audience. "Well do you like Shakespeare? Hamlet, Macbeth or other historical tragedies are all court room dramas with death, murder, discovery, justice. We could all kill, but why do those that do overstep the mark?" Place is important in novels , particularly crime, so James laughed at the effect his writing might be having on the tourist industry for Brighton, like Oxford for Colin Dexter or Edinburgh for Ian Rankin Place is important and Brighton for James was "A stroke of luck. It has been the murder capital of the UK, with easy escape routes and a reputation for the more violent criminal underbelly of society, but my fans do always contact me after spending time in the town to say 'it's not really like that is it!" Those in the audience familiar with Brighton as a political conference venue could also I suspect vouch for the seediness of certain groups that end up in this seaside resort! James is in the early stages of hopefully bringing his Detective Roy Grace to the small screen. Suggestions for possible actors were even welcomed from those meeting him! He is also working on a separate 'stand alone' novel about something very different which he hopes to publish later this year. He writes in the evening, "probably not what most disciplined writers do, after checking emails, walking the dog and chatting to fellow author James Herbert who also lives in the same Sussex village - scary thought for the other residents I guess that both of us are writers who like death and horror!" Settling down after a large alcoholic drink he then sets to with his writing, reviewing the previous day's work and then another "70 pages at least need to be done". Emailing James to thank him for coming along to talk to us the next day he was quick to respond. "I really enjoyed the event - what a truly delightful group of people you had there". It's not often someone who deals in mayhem, torture, murder and dysfunctional criminals can say that about a group in Parliament! So do come along to our next Parliamentary Book Club event! Next meeting Thurs 21st July 12.30 pm Room M Portcullis House We are currently reading "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov and would welcome suggestions for summer recess reading. Contact Philipa Coughlan email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com Update 23 June 2011 Parliamentary Bookclub - 5th Anniversary meeting 12.30pm on Wednesday 29th June - In the Jubilee room, Westminster Hall With special guest crime writer Peter James The meeting is being hosted by Frank Doran MP. Peter is one of the UK’s most popular crime and thriller novelists, he will be talking about his books, including his recent novel ‘Dead Man’s Grip’, which was the No 1 bestseller for the first two weeks in June, see www.peterjames.com/. You are welcome to bring along copies of Peter’s books for signing at the meeting. All who work on the Parliamentary estate are welcome, please do mention & forward to colleagues. Just for numbers, it would be helpful to know if any others are attending, if so, please email Caitriona at bearrymanc@parliament.uk. The Parliamentary Bookclub meets every month and is open to all who work on the Parliamentary estate. We look forward to seeing you all next week. Update 17 May 2011 SOMETHING AMISS WITH AMIS AT PARLIAMENTARY BOOK CLUB! Oh dear - either we are all literary misfits or just a group who could not see beyond the poor plot and characterisation in Martin Amis's new novel "The Pregnant Widow" but none of us as first time Amis readers feel at all inclined to reach for another of his books ever again! So are we missing something profound about this writer who is obviously well educated (and plants classical and literary references at many points in the novel) because there was nothing redeeming or memorable about either the people or the plot? Some viewed him as male chick lit with a superior tone, or even an autobiographical mid life crisis (one of the female characters is based on his sister we believe). So if you feel differently about Martin Amis let us know! As he's now left the UK with much grumbling about life here, to live in America we are sure he won't care what we think anyway! Our second choice "Tiger Tiger" By Margaux Fragosa is a compellingly disturbing true memoir about her young life and relationship with a much older man who (and it doesn't spoil the plot) commits suicide after their relationship is revealed. It is hard to feel complete sympathy for Margaux yet she is blatantly being sexually abused. Perhaps this is because she is writing as an older sexually mature woman now. There are some difficult things to read and with which to try and understand but do try. Because of the discussion this book raised we are now choosing Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita" - written here from the male point of view where famously middle aged Humbert Humbert becomes obsessed with 12 year old nymphet Lolita. Food for thought..... and we will discuss this at our July meeting on Thursday 21st room tbc. BUT NOW NEWS OF A SPECIAL GUEST AUTHOR IN JUNE! On WEDNESDAY 29TH JUNE at 12.30 p.m in the Jubilee Room we are delighted to welcome best selling crime writer Peter James to the Parliamentary Book Club. So many of us our crime novel fans and Peter's modern take on the crime underbelly in Brighton has brought him great fame and us as readers great joy! Click here for more about Peter James. Thanks to Frank Doran MP who has agreed to host the event for the Club we expect a good audience - so if you'd like to come along and work in Westminster to meet Peter and hear more about his books please contact Book Club member Catriona in Frank's office on email: bearrymanc@parliament.uk Best wishes Philipa Coughlan Update 2 May 2011 This month's reading choices from the Book Club couldn't be more diverse. Martin Amis is one of the contemporary novelist heroes (or hates!) depending on your past reading of him, so we were surprised to find many in the group who hadn't even attempted any of his novels before. Choosing his latest "The Pregnant Widow" certainly might raise a few eyebrows. Upmarket 'male lit' perhaps? but you can't avoid his obvious literary talent so let us know what you think of this one. Alongside we chose Margaux Fragosa's chillingly frank memoir "Tiger, Tiger". Many are familiar with the classic Lolita story - exemplified with Vladimir Nabokov's tale of a young girl entranced and loved by an older man. But to hear the story from the girl and to know she is speaking from experience? Tough, tragic and thought provoking. Our next meeting is on Wednesday 11th May 12.30 in Room O Portcullis House - all welcome and we've got some forthcoming news about a bestselling author - so keep an eye on us! For more information: Philipa Coughlan tel 01424 220337 or email pcoughlan@btinternet.com Update 11 April 2011 At our recent get together we all agreed the small but perfectly formed "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" by Mohsin Hamid was excellent. Some even considered it up there as one of their best books and we see now how it was one of the novels chosen to be passed onto new readers on the recent World Book Night. Subtle and descriptive we observe the transition by a young Pakistani man arriving with hopes and plans to achieve his 'American Dream' into a changed victim of the 9/11 terrorist plot. His feelings, his homeland now change place for all of us to see. This month's reads to enjoy we hope over your Easter recess are Martin Amis's "The pregnant Widow" and Margaux Fragosa's "Tiger, Tiger". Next meeting is on May 11th - 12.30 in a Portcullis Room to be confirmed. Do come along as we have news of a bestselling visitor very soon!!! Philipa Coughlan email pcoughlan@btinternet.com Update 8 March 2011 Our recent meeting had two almost unanimous conclusions: first, our wonderment at quite who or what was the purpose of Philip Pullman's "THE GOOD MAN JESUS AND THE SCOUNDREL CHRIST" and our, second, overwhelming appreciation and praise of Ariana Franklin's "MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH"! Pulman as we know is an atheist but quite what he wanted to achieve in retelling the Bible through the dual imagined characters of Mary's TWIN sons Jesus AND Christ was slightly lost on us. Easy to read it certainly is - and you think this is a novel twist on the oldest story in the world but was it meant for his usual reading group - young teenagers or questioning believers? Either way it doesn't really seem to have made an impact in sales or in controversy and perhaps as Pulman normally deals in fantasy tales that's exactly perhaps the premise on which he wants us to decide on this novel! Saddened to hear that just after choosing Ariana Franklin's first tale in her medieval trilogy that the author has sadly died, and we all concluded it was such a shame she hadn't begun her career in novels much sooner. The Mistress in the title is an Italian female doctor who studies dead bodies. Tasked by the King of Sicily who himself is approached by Henry II she leads a small group to Cambridge where children are being murdered and the local Jews are being blamed and imprisoned- thus cutting off valuable taxation to the King. It's atmospheric without feeling overly researched, frighteningly gory but keeps you interested from page one to the end. Her second book in the trilogy "THE DEATH MAZE" also worth a read. This month we've chosen a book that featured as one of 'giveaways' on the recent World Book Night - so if you were given a copy get reading! It's Mohsin Hamid's "THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST" - where in one evening our narrator (?) Pakistani Changez tells a nervous American about his love affair with and eventual abandonment of America following 9/11. Also following the medieval crime theme for those who have not already discovered CJ Sansom, we return to his first (2003) published novel set in the reign of Henry VIII, introducing hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake. In "DISSOLUTION" Shardlake works on a commission from his employer Thomas Cromwell to solve the murder of a commissioner in a south coast monastery. 'Has the sights, voices and even smells of the turbulent age ' said PD James - so on that recommendation alone enjoy! Next meeting Thursday 7th April 12.30 - venue to be confirmed possibly outside Bellamy's for lunch for a change. If you'd like to join the Book Club or know more contact Philipa: pcoughlan@btinternet.com. Jim Naughtie's Book Club link is: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/. Update 27 February 2011 World Book Day takes place this week on Thursday 3rd March and what could be more appropriate than the next meeting of the Parliamentary Book Club taking place that day. Meeting at 12.30 in Room N Portcullis House everyone is welcome to join us to discuss 'your favourite books'. At the moment we are overwhelmed with articles, programmes and book shop offers about reading and the interesting revelations of those interviewed by Anne Robinson in 'My Life in Books'. So have a think about what books map out your life and let us know. For our group we've been reading Arianna Franklin's gripping "Mistress of the Art of Death" and Philip Pulman's modern fable " The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ" and dipping into J Cleland's "Fanny Hill"! Do come along - you don't need to have read these books but would like to be involved and spend some enjoyable time discussing books, theatre and any other topic but politics! We also have some exciting news about a best selling author coming to speak to us in the future which could prove as memorable as our lovely meeting with P D James! For more information email Philipa: pcoughlan@btinternet.com Update 3 February 2011 At our first meeting this year we reviewed our ghostly/crime choices over Christmas. Susan Hill's modern twist on a gothic ghost story "Woman In Black" was short and definitely moulded in the classis Victorian style so familiar to readers of Bram Stoker and Henry James (who we also chose) . Highly successful as a West End show Woman In Black is also being made into a movie. The atmosphere can be delivered in the written word in some ways but perhaps doesn't have the 'jump out of your seat factor', and the particular cruel images of children dying in terrifying circumstances is always an emotive trigger for fear. Worth a read if you've not done so before Peter James is now as famous as his namesake PD on the crime fiction shelves. His fast paced and often terrifyingly gruesome trail of murders are overseen by highly likeable DS Roy Grace who has himself an intriguing life story (yet to be resolved) concerning his missing wife. In his latest "Dead Like You" Grace is concerned that a previous killer 'The Shoe Man' has begun to murder again leaving all the same evidence. Always set in Brighton James's books have this time put his murders in areas where we in the political world will be all too familiar with - starting scarily in the Metropole Hotel on Brighton's seafront. The murders and rapes are very detailed in this book and many women in the group did flinch at the descriptions and sometimes felt uncomfortable about the author's male view of the fallout from sexual crimes. But as usual James sets up a vast amount of red herrings that you must stick with, and want so to resolve - a page turner to the end! The classic Henry James "The Turn of the Screw" is just that - a classic atmospheric use of narration and setting to turn a simple Governess into a terrified observer of fear and death again with children linking murder jealousy and Victorian isolation. Keep a copy on your shelves for cold stormy evenings. This month we've chosen RELIGION, MURDER AND SEX! (Well politics is so day to day!) CHOOSE ONE OR ALL THREE...... Well what can you say about Philip Pulman? Established children's author of classics such as 'His Dark Materials' who now in his latest novel controversially produces a modern fable ingeniously retelling the life of Jesus and the sources of the Bible "THE GOOD MAN JESUS AND THE SCOUNDREL CHRIST" - is a story of belief - could it also have been the truth? Secondly we've been recommended "MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH" by Ariana Franklin and were saddened only a few days after our meeting to hear of her death. Wife of Barry Norman and well respected journalist (the youngest in Fleet Street when she started her career) Franklin tapped into the growing interest in the Middle Ages with this first of a trilogy which is gaining many admirers. In medieval Cambridge four children have died and the Catholic townsfolk blame Jewish neighbours. Fearing the breakdown of law and order King Henry II searches for a leading medical examiner to investigate. There is one in Italy - but there is a problem - she is a woman, and at this time in history women had no influence here in England in such positions. But could she solve the crime? And lastly the first pornographic novel! (or became so because it was banned!) John Cleland's "FANNY HILL" (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure) stripped bare - in all senses Georgian polite society as the age of anxiety about sexual practices and the revelations about prostitution were told through the confessional eyes of young (15 years) Fanny, an innocent orphan in the brothels of London. Soon that innocence takes a different direction- enjoy! NEXT MEETING on World Book Day -Thursday 3rd March 12.30 -1.30 p.m. in Portcullis House - Room N. New members always welcome - bring your favourite read along to share! Philipa Coughlan Update 14 January 2010 Hi All and a Happy New Year to those of us who come along to meetings or follow our book choices - but also to any new staff across Westminster who'd be interested in joining the popular group that has been running successfully since 2006. We're a cross Party informal group that has encouraged a wide selection of book choices to whet interest beyond the huge amount of poltical reading so many of us have to do. Please check out our past reads here below on our own Book Club page with many thanks to W4MP again for their great support for us. Our chosen books over the Christmas/New Year break were a crime thriller "Dead Like You" from popular Brighton based writer Peter James; "Woman In Black" by Susan Hill, west end hit ghost story with Gothic theme and a dip into the classic ghost story by Henry James "The Turn of the Screw". Books with which to curl up by a warm fire on cold winter evenings - so apt with the recent snow! But even if you haven't managed to read all (or any!) of these recent choices you'd be welcome to join us at our next meeting on Thursday 27th January - 12.30 for your lunch break perhaps? in Room N Portcullis House. Look forward to seeing you - armed with book choices for our next read! For more information do contact me Philipa Coughlan pcoughlan@btinternet.com Update: 14 December 2010 HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A PEACEFUL NEW YEAR TO ALL READERS We had our final meeting of 2010 and for the first time seemed unanimously agreed Howard Jacobsen's Booker winning Prize novel "The Finkler Question" did not impress. The characters were not really very interesting and the three leading male figures all seemed short of much sympathy in many respects. The plot dragged and didn't seem to resolve issues for characters or readers. I am afraid we renamed it "The Stinkler Question" - but others obviously with better literary talent than ourselves felt differently! On the other hand Emma Donoghue's "The Room" left us challenged and in some parts emotionally upset. Getting into the mind of five year old Jack who has been born into a tiny room prison by his young mother started slowly but was psychologically revealing about the effects of imprisonment and the challenges when escape allows people to face 'the real world and want perhaps the comfort of that from which they have escaped'- we think this writer deserved the prize! So over the festive season we hope you have time to indulge some winter evening reading and have turned to ghost stories and crime. "THE TURN OF THE SCREW" is Henry James's classic ghost story from 1898. Friends tell ghost stories one Christmas Eve around the fire and the tale about a now dead Governess captures their imagination. She arrives from London to a country house where soon it seems she is the only one to see the ghosts of the previous governess and her lover - who also seem to be controlling her two charges Miles and Flora. Is she imagining things? Are the children lying? And is housekeeper Mrs Grose really a friend? "WOMAN IN BLACK" by Susan Hill was her first ghost story in the 1970s and has been running in the West End successfully since 1989. In the tradition of classic Victorian gothic ghost stories such as Dracula, Hill's main character young solicitor Arthur Kipps is sent to sort out the affairs of deceased Mrs Drablow. Arriving in the local town near the woman's home 'Eel Marsh House' people start to avoid Arthur as he uncovers the situation around her death. At the funeral he sees the Woman In Black a ghost who starts to take a terrifying interest in his presence..... "DEAD LIKE YOU" by Peter James continues the work of Brighton based detective Roy Grace. After a lively New Year's Eve Ball in Brighton a woman is raped returning to her room at the Metropole Hotel (a classic Party Conference venue!) A week later another woman is attacked. In both cases the victims' shoes are taken. The detective Grace notices a familiar similarity to unsolved crimes back in 1997. Has the 'Shoe Man' returned? Digging into the past in both the crime and his own personal life Grace is troubled and he has to stop further deaths - fast.... Enjoy your reading and hope to see some more members in 2011. Our next meeting will be late January - probably Thursday 27th and we usually meet over lunch in Portcullis House (details of room later) - do join us! Philipa Coughlan Update: 3 November 2010 Hi All, Although I'm still struggling with the cult first part of Stieg Larsson's trilogy "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" I can see why the lure of this mystery with intriguing characters has gripped the nation. I find the link to the author's early death without even seeing the publication of his remarkable books as fascinating as his fiction too and guess that in itself is worthy of fuller study. We also chose Margaret Atwood's "The Blind Assassin" - and many might have found her novel very wordy in description but it did convey a deep sense of the social structure of society in Canada and beyond at the time, and the sub text of the science fiction tale of which the 'Blind Assassin' occurs in the midst of the sisters' love triangle was well thought out. I can see why she is one of the most widely acclaimed authors in Canada. For next time we have gone straight for the winner of this years Booker Prize Howard Jacobson's "The Finkler Question" - critics have praised his novel as a masterpiece in which Julian Treslove and his school friend Sam Finkler find past prickly friendships called into question over the very elements of their Jewish heredity. Sometimes odd yet moving it is hard to believe Jacobson once said of Booker prize winners "They are an absolute abomination. The same old dreary books year after year" - well take a look and see if he's right! Alongside Jacobson members extolled the virtues of Emma Donoghue's "Room". She too featured on the Booker List but this novel is a wholly different - and difficult sometimes - read.We have become used to news stories of kidnapped children held hostage often for years in cellars, houses and other places. Here the room which is home to Jack who lives with his Ma is just such a prison. What is his world like? And what happens when he discovers there is life beyond his perceived four walls. Frightening, original and deeply moving. Our next meeting is on Wednesday 8th December in Room O Portcullis House 12.30 -1.30. Hope you can join us! Philipa Coughlan email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com tel 01424 220337 Update 15 September 2010 Hi All, We had a lively first get together of the new Parliament last week which saw us reviewing quite a few books we'd got through over the summer. Our three choices did reasonably well - Dave Boling's "Guernica" surrounding from an historical view point the story behind the massive mural by Picasso which now famously resides on the wall of the UN HQ in New York - and which perhaps more infamously was covered when decisions were being made to get UN backing for invading Iraq........ a good interweaving of a bloody devastating bombing in our history through fictionalised characters. Everyone seems blown away by Audrey Niffenegger's "Her Fearful Symmetry" so justifying her place as one of the recent bestsellers - not used to ghost stories this one has a very unexpected twist. Sophie Kinsella's "Twenties Girl" didn't delve into deep spiritual understanding of the spirit world but what the heck a good book for the beach! Others had recommended: "Captured the castle by Dodie Smith reminding us she doesn't just write about spotty dogs for children! Also "Stone's Fall" a thriller by Ian Piers and from the Dutch writer Michael Faber a strangely titled but good read "The Crimson Petal and the White". So what to choose to set us off this year? Well everyone seems to have read Stig Larsson's trilogy - well except most of us.....! so please let us know are they that good and deserved of such cult following? Lots of characters in high power - bankers, journalists and computer hackers with deadly secrets and thrilling consequences. It's the first to whet our appetites. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" combine it with the recently released movie and we're trying to discover ourselves 'is it as good as they say?' Combined with this we've turned to a classic writer much loved Margaret Attwood who weaves intelligent writing into stunning plots. We've chosen "Blind Assassin" which begins by returning to a family tragedy that will spark shock waves through those closely linked. I have recently registered for The Reading Club newsletter and they have asked me to share their website address with you. It's www.thereadingclub.co.uk. Next meeting due on Thursday 21st October - Room M Portcullis House 12.30 - 1.30 p.m. Do join us after Conference Season - you'll need some light reading relief! Philipa Coughlan Tel: 01424 220337 Update 6 September 2010 Just a reminder about the first meeting of 'new term' this Thursday 9 September 12.30 p.m. in Room O Portcullis House. Hope to see you there. Bring ideas of any books you think worthy of our new choice of Book Of The Month - dare I suggest Blair's Biog - no thought not! Philipa Update 28 July 2010 Update and set for recess! We all seemed to love Alison Weir's "The Lady in The Tower" which with interesting detail outlined the lead up to Anne Boleyn's execution. What a cunning time at Court we all agreed and how difficult for women (even the wife of the King) to escape male domination and the urge for power and hierarchy. Weir writes exceptionally well about complicated histroical issues and makes the characters come fully alive through all their emotions dramas and experiences. For the summer recess we've suggested 3 books (but sure you'll find more so let us know what you read if you manage to get a break): Audrey Niffenegger - "Her Fearful Symmetry" - ghost story set around Highgate Cemetery where twin sisters find the past catching up with their lives as they move into a late aunt's flat with macabre but life changing effect. Dave Boling - "Guernica" - drama love and historical interest for a family and lovers in the Spanish region of Basque. Not only page turning because of the pace of the characters it gives a hugely interesting insight into that area of Spain and its past. Sophie Kinsella - "Twenties Girl" - chick lit queen Kinsella changes pace with a twist on her usual well known romantic novels. Lara, having a hard time, doesn't expect her mad family attending a funeral to reveal a past reincarnation which will deeply affect her future. But life in the flapper Charleston 20s has more to tell her about life today than she ever imagined - fun for you on the beach! Our next meeting is Thursday 9th September - Room O Portcullis House 12.30- 1.30 p.m. Hope to see you there and please let any new staff know about our fun group - there is life beyond political reading....! For more information contact Philipa, email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com Update 6 July 2010 The Group met on 30 June for the first time since the General Election and there have been many changes. Some have lost their jobs, some are new to Parliament and some have now had additions to their family! We discussed our past choice - JK Jerome's classic "Three Men In A Boat" - it had a huge variety of views. Quirky - Amusing in parts, know it's very much from a certain era but found the style of constant pontification a little tiring at times, himbug perhaps! - Jerome is an Edwardian Bill Bryson but I grew up liking PG Wodehouse and those old fashioned 'clubby men' stories - "Idle thoughts of An Idle Fellow" is a collection of his bitesize columns and 'Three Men On The Bummel" is when he and his mates go round Europe by train and saw the Oberammergau play - but if you don't like them in a boat, you won't like them anywhere else!" So it certainly made people vocal about what they read. So now onto our next choice. "The Lady In The Tower" by Alison Weir is another classic from the biographical writer of great figures in our history. This book details the short but traumatic and history changing time surrounding the trial imprisonment and execution of Anne Boleyn. Of course we all know the ending but how Henry VIII and all the other connected characters got to that is fascinating. We hope you enjoy reading it along with us. We will meet again on Thursday 22nd July 12.30 p.m. for lunch at Bellamys. Hope to see you there. Philipa Coughlan email: pcoughlan@btinternet.com Further update 29 June: Hi All, Hope you all have 30 June in your diary! The first meeting of the Parliamentary Book Club takes place in Room Q Portcullis House on Wednesday 30th at 12.30 - 1.30. Hope to see some familiar faces and also lots of new ones too! Our book - chosen it seems months ago pre Election - was JK Jerome's "Three Men In A Boat" if you've managed to read it - but don't worry at all if you haven't. Come with any suggestions you've got for a good read for the group - and with summer recess approaching maybe more than one or two novels to store in your suitcase too! Philipa Coughlan Update 7 June 2010: Hi All, Just to let everyone know the confirmed date for the first meeting of the Book Club in this new Parliament will be on: Wednesday 30th June - 12.30 -1.30 p.m. in Room Q in Portcullis House. The Editor of w4mp has very kindly allowed me to carry on advertising the Club and giving information about the books and events etc but as I'm now not in Parliament since the Election I want to thank Caitriona Berryman for being my 'link' in booking rooms etc. I attach (below) the latest James Naughtie Radio 4 newsletter and information. They are interviewing Hilary Mantel next month for a recording to be presented on two shows in July. We read Mantel's mammoth but brilliantly researched "Wolf Hall" about the court of Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell - well worth a listen to I should think. We are currently reading JK Jerome's "Three Men In A Boat" which is a small quirky little read! But if you have suggestions or have managed to have time during the long campaign to read anything but manifestos let us know!! Philipa Coughlan From: james-naughtie@lists.bbc.co.uk <james-naughtie@lists.bbc.co.uk> Subject: James Naughtie's Bookclub newsletter - 06/06/2010 To: james-naughtie@lists.bbc.co.uk Date: Friday, 4 June, 2010, 15:12 Lynne Reid Banks Newsletter Here’s a confession. I had never read The L-shaped Room before preparing for this month’s Bookclub with Lynne Reid Banks. But I felt as if I had. I had certainly seen the film, by Bryan Forbes, which Lynne told us she hated and which took her twenty years to forgive him for (though she did, in the end). And, of course, I was aware of its significance as a sixties novel that performed a similar function to some of the plays of the angry young men a few years earlier – dealing with a subject just under the surface of polite society that was about to burst through and become part of the discourse of the age. In the case of this book, it was an unwanted pregnancy and the emergence of the independent single woman that was the theme. Sixties’ subjects indeed. We had a lovely conversation, enlivened by the fact that when a woman has entered the ninth decade of life – and is full of verve and bonhomie – not only is it not indelicate to mention her age, but almost obligatory to do so. In any case, we had to deal with the facts of the case: she began writing the book in spare time when she was working at ITN (as one of the first womenTV reporters) in the late fifties. You can’t speak about this book without placing it exactly in its time, and making the point that the author was a young woman. Lynne told us that in the course of the two years or so that it took her to write the book she was going through typical early-twenties troubles – though she interjected a helpful 'no – not that!' – in case anyone jumped to the wrong conclusion. In a way, she got comfort from the fact that they weren’t nearly as bad as the difficulties that assail Jane, whose story unfolds in the l-shaped room, her rented bit of a house in Fulham in south-west London, which in those days was the land of the bed-sit and the run-down flat. Jane is kicked out by her father for getting pregnant – a fairly common occurrence at the time – and perhaps the surprising thing is that her shame would seem even more unlikely today because she wasn’t a teenager but a woman in her late twenties. That was the way things were. Lynne’s mother – an actress of generally liberal views – did ask if she was going to publish the book under her own name, and various friends wrote her letters saying 'my dear, you’ve got us all guessing…' When she re-read the book for this recording, she said it felt as if it had been written a hundred years ago, not fifty. For example, she couldn’t have described herself at the time as a feminist. That has certainly changed. She told us this: 'To be honest, for a long time – and I’ve found evidence in my own writing – I thought men were the superior sex. What a joke! I don’t believe it now. Men are the most dangerous creatures on the planet.' That said, Lynne didn’t come across at all as some kind of Boadicea riding into battle. We had a hilarious time, in which she confessed that she missed most of the fun of the sixties (though I pointed out that there was perhaps less of it around than is often claimed) and when she came back to live here in the seventies, after a few years on a kibbutz in Israel, she could scarcely believe the changes that had occurred. The reason that the book has survived through half a century is surely that it does seem to catch that feeling of a new era beginning: the end of a set of social attitudes that, for better or worse, had had their day. So that’s Lynne Reid Banks on the L-shaped Room on Sunday June 6 and Thursday June 10 at the usual time, 4pm on BBC Radio 4. And she’ll be followed, on July 4 and July 8, by last year’s Man Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel, talking about her majestic tale from the court of Henry VIII, Wolf Hall. We’ll be recording her at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose on Saturday June 19th. Happy reading Jim Visit the Book Club website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/ and the Radio 4 Homepage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/ Update 26 May 2010 (3 June: Room for meeting on 30 June confirmed as Room Q PCH) BOOK LOVERS OF PARLIAMENT - READ ON! The Parliamentary Book Club started nearly 4 years ago. Since then we've welcomed members from all parties, both Lords, Commons and other Departments across the Parliamentary estate. Our current read is Jerome K Jerome's "Three Men In A Boat" which has also been adapted (with comedic licence!) into a recent TV series. We've read a huge variety of books from crime, historical biography, science fiction to some of the great classics, through poetry to short stories and once or even twice to allow something with a political theme to be our 'book of the month'! Members have also had the chance to meet established authors Baroness P D James and Ken Follett, as well as attending recordings of the BBC Radio 4 Bookclub and enjoy lunches and social events. There's no joining fee, no equipment required - just a love of reading and the chance to broaden your bookshelves with even more book choices which perhaps you've never considered before. We try to get together once a month but obviously the recent General Election has meant we've missed a few meetings, lost some members, had changes in offices and been reading manifestos rather than fiction (or perhaps we haven't!). The next meeting is proposed for Wednesday 30th June 12.30 -1.30p.m. in Room Q in Portcullis House. Would you like to join? Then email me on: pcoughlan@btinternet.com and I'll add you to our list and keep you updated on books and events. PHILIPA COUGHLAN Update 30 March 2010 At our final meeting before the General Election we talked about the recent choice AS Byatt’s “The Children’s Book” - comments included:- – Evocative of the time and it’s social, historical and political themes – Hard to begin with – but definitely worth carrying on – Extraordinary read covering many aspects of life, brilliantly researched and written – Lots of detailed descriptions of family dynamics and underlying emotions It was certainly a hit with many of us. Our choice for next time – when not reading Election literature! is: JEROME K JEROME “THREE MEN IN A BOAT” This famous humorous account of a boating holiday on the Thames intended at first to be a serious travel guide – remains an undated witty read even today – and was recently featured as a fun documentary with Rory McGrath, Dara O’Brian and Griff Rhys Jones. Later J K Jerome transferred the themes to a cycling tour in Germany with “THREE MEN ON THE BRUMMEL” The Parliamentary Book Club is not meeting now until post- General Election and depending on results either myself (or I hope!) another will carry it on in the next Parliament! PHILIPA COUGHLAN Email contact : pcoughlan@btinternet.com Update 25 February 2010 Many thanks to those who came along to the meeting on 24 February. The talk from Lesley Pinder about the work of charity BOOKAID INTERNATIONAL was very interesting and we were overwhelmed with donations of books which the charity will be using to raise funds and to distribute. If those that came – or those that didn’t and would like to check out the charity on www.bookaid.org – would also like to make a donation towards their work please let me know. We discussed the massive novel that is “WOLF HALL “ by Hilary Mantel. You do feel - someone said - that you need to have a notebook beside you to check up on what/who is happening where and when and the theme seems to be that the ending leaves Mantel open to a sequel to fully complete the story of Thomas Cromwell. But overall as with many highly prized historically researched novels it brings depth to a part of history many of us perhaps only scratch across the surface in our past history lessons! Shorter and much easier was the classic Jules Verne “AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS” - sometimes implausible but yet if we imagine the readers back in the 19^th century discovering these travels and experiences through the written word highly entertaining. Phileas Fogg and his companion Passepartout were opposites that somehow attracted! This months choice is AS BYATT – “THE CHILDREN’S BOOK” a novel spanning from 1895 to aftermath of the 1^st World war follows the fortunes of 4 families and crosses fictional characters with real life figures of the time. Olive the writer of children’s stories is the main character through whom a wide fantasy of her ideas crossing with her real life dramas are found in the book. I’ve booked Room W2 off Westminster Hall for Tuesday 23^rd March for a possible next meeting – this might be the last for some of us prior to the General Election! So if you’d rather go for lunch somewhere let me know. Philipa Coughlan Parliamentary Assistant Office of Nick Palmer MP Tel 0207 219 2553 Updated 10 February 2010 Hi I’m hoping members of the Book Club or any others that receive this email will spread the word to other colleagues across Parliament that at our next meeting on Wednesday 24^th February 12.30 in Room Q Portcullis House we will be having a Speaker from BOOK AID. Book Aid International increases access to books to support literacy, education and development in sub-Saharan Africa. It supports libraries in schools refugee camps, prisons universities and communities. Lesley Pinder from the charity will be attending our next meeting, talking about the work the charity does and showing us a film about their projects – she is also cycling from London to Paris in May to raise money for the charity. Check out more information on the charity from www.bookaid.org or about Lesley’s bike ride on http://pedallingpinders.blogspot.com It is also close to World Book Day on Thursday 4^th March so I’d like to ask all of you, MPs, Peers and other staff in the Houses of Parliament about thinking of donating to Book Aid or planning an event for Book Day. We enjoy reading and have ease of access and a massive choice of books at our fingertips (this months chosen books are “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel and “Around the World in 80 Days” by Jules Verne !) but just imagine if life contained no such luxury as a book? Also if you are coming to our Book Club meeting – please bring books – either to share/swap or donate – cash raised will be given directly to BOOK AID that day. PLEASE PASS THE WORD AROUND TO HELP BOOK AID AND I HOPE TO SEE AS MANY OF YOU AS POSSIBLE ON FEBRUARY 24. Philipa Coughlan Office of Nick Palmer MP coughlanp@parliament.uk ext 2553 Updated 5 February 2010 Next meeting is on Wednesday 24th February 12.30 for an hour or so in Room Q Portcullis House. Thanks to all of you who have been in touch and to those who came along to last weeks first meeting of 2010. We discussed Curtis Sittenfeld’s novel “American Wife” which it does seem, reflects the life of Laura Bush and certainly shows that the royalty of America remains the hugely influential political families from where US Senators Congressmen and Presidents get their background influence and ideology. It was a very well written book and although I’m not sure the George W character truly reflected his real counterpart you could easily understand how – especially with families such as the Bush and Kennedy clans – ‘family means everything in politics’. Does that apply here in Britain I ask or do we just call it the class divide!? Val McDermid’s latest crime offering “A Place of Execution” seemed less full of her usual gore so other fans told me but the story of a missing girl in the Peak District countryside during the time of an interwoven parallel telling of the missing children/victims of the Moors Murderers was delicately and carefully told. I liked the ‘Heartbeat’ feeling for detective work and the contrast between their journalists and newspapers compared to present day scoops of murder in pre internet/24 hour news times. Well worth a read. And some of us had delved into Enid Blyton and her vast collection of the Famous Five and Secret Seven books. From the first pages they do take you back to childhood memories – be they good or bad and always with ‘lashings of food and ginger beer’. But I felt it ironic that McDermid’s tale of innocent children going missing or being murdered was being read uncomfortably alongside the tales of children like Julian, George dog Timmy and Co gaily being bundled from boarding schools to unknown and often dubious characters in the countryside or seaside where ghostly/criminal adventures and suspect characters lurked. Escapism for kids at least didn’t in literature perhaps reflect the reality of the world around – and maybe that was a good thing? For this month we’ve chosen: Hilary Mantel – ( Booker prize Winning and large hardback!) “WOLF HALL” – History novels, films , TV dramas have all delved into the Tudors – either realistically or even ‘sexed up’ versions! But Mantel who herself is a very interesting deep thinking and consummately researched writer turns from Henry and the wives as lead characters and looks at the life of Thomas Cromwell. Never seen as an attractive historical personality Mantel at least sets him in a family/human context and although I’ve only just started the book (your arms need a rest after a while!) it is gripping stuff. Here’s a Tudor with a real heart but who comes against some of the tyrants and plots that would ultimately transform English history. Jules Verne – “Around the World in 80 Days” – You have probably watched Michael Palin’s TV series or seen Steve Coogan’s film adaptation but have you read the book? French novelist Verne was said to be the first authentic exponent of modern science fiction. Written in 1873 this well known adventure book about Englishman Phileas Fogg who takes on a bet to go around the world in no more than 80 days is a real classic. Risking his entire fortune Fogg and his French valet Jean Passepartout take on their incredible journey. We hope it won’t take 80 days to read! So our next meeting is on Wednesday 24th February 12.30 for an hour or so in Room Q Portcullis House Happy reading! Philipa Coughlan Parliamentary Assistant Office of Nick Palmer MP Updated 19 January 2010 Hi A belated Happy New Year to all. Just a reminder that the first Book Club meeting takes place next week on Tuesday 26th January in Room U Portcullis House at 12.30 We gave ourselves a long list of possible books for the recess so not sure how much reading you all managed to do – but with this year being a challenging one I expect for many I do hope you’ll have time to cast an eye over some of our suggestions particularly those we flag up here on our own Book Club Page on www.w4mp. I read “American Wife “ by Curtis Sittenfeld – controversially flagged up as a fictional reflection on the life of Laura Bush - it was however a good read about the themes of private and public American political life. I’ve also started Val McDermid’s “A Place of Execution” I know many of our members are great fans of her books and this one starts off very well with a twist on the crime genre. We suggested ANY Enid Blyton so after being humiliated to find neither of my sons had been readers of the Famous Five or Secret Seven! I found myself heading out to buy a new copy of those tales of picnics and ginger beer adventures – were you an Enid Blyton fan or were you like some of our members not ‘allowed’ to have access to those terrible stereotypical stories!? I also note that one book we read some months ago Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” is now a feature film. The book was heart wrenching and from trailers the film looks to have also captured both the bleak and the hopeful themes of what was a very powerful book. If you’ve seen the film let me know. Hope to see you next week. Philipa Coughlan Office of Nick Palmer MP coughlanp@parliament.uk ext 0207 219 2553 Updates to end of 2009 below here Updated 3 December 2009 Hi All, First, our next meeting is on Tuesday 26^th January – 12.30 for an hour Room U Portcullis House We had a good and lively meeting on 1 December reflecting on last months 2 book choices: “NATION” - by Terry Pratchett For many of us this was a first time dip into Pratchett’s often surreal fantasy world and those familiar with his books still recommend the Discworld series as a better reflection of what is good about his writing. In Nation – primarily a children’s book - we meet Mau who is moving from boy into manhood on an island when struck by a huge tsunami. Left it seems at first as sole survivor he then gathers a rag bag of companions later joined by Daphne the daughter of an English diplomat sailing the High Seas. This novel has now been transferred to the stage with it has to be say poor reviews and we were not quite sure whether trying to make children’s books delve too weirdly into adult themes ever worked by the author in this book. I liked the pukeing birds best which says a lot I suppose! “PALACE COUNCIL” - by Stephen L Carter. How many conspiracy theories can you stand? Well at least this book tries a different angle with Eddie Wesley a rising writer in negro American society uncovering a plot that only threatens the country but his sister. Set through the fifties and sixties it is a good insight into black power struggles, conflicts over Presidential political hierarchy and intricate plotting with good strong characters. Worth a read CHOICES FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR: “A PLACE OF EXECUTION" – VAL MCDERMID - so our crime lovers don’t get withdrawal symptoms! “THE WIND UP BIRD CHRONICLE" - HARUKI MURAKAMI - Japanese writer giving us a difficult but absorbing story “MAPS FOR LOST LOVERS" – NADEEM ASLAM - Lovers in an English Pakistani community find themselves at odds with families and culture “AN AMERICAN WIFE” – CURTIS SITTENFIELD - A fictional memoir of a 21^st century American First Lady – love and sex with Laura and George W??? – well it certainly isn’t West Wing folks – but a fun read! ANYTHING BY ENID BLYTON - the recent TV biopic with Helena Bonham Carter shattered some people’s cosy view of the Famous Five children’s writer. And amazingly some of our members were badly traumatised in childhood by not being ‘allowed’ to read Blyton’s books – so now’s our chance to make amends – “Anyone for ginger beer!” MAY I WISH A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE See you for more reading in 2010 Philipa Coughlan coughlanp@parliament.uk ext 0207 219 2553 Updated 4 November 2009 Hi All, Our choices for this month are: NATION - by Terry Pratchett PALACE COUNCIL - by Stephen L Carter Two very different books and for some of us areas of reading we're not familiar with so comments/views will be interesting. I've booked Room B in 1 Parliament Street (Ground Floor) for Tuesday 1st December from 12.30 - 1.30 but depending on numbers we could always make our way to the area outside Bellamy's for our lunch if preferred? Other book suggestions raised at the last meeting which we'd like views on are: 'Weathercock' by Glen Duncan 'Toast' by Nigel Slater 'Friendly Fire' by Patrick Gale And 'Nella Last's War' - anyone know the author?? Best wishes Philipa Coughlan Parliamentary Assistant - Office of Nick Palmer MP coughlanp@parliament.uk ext 0207 219 2553 Updated 28 September 2009 Hi All, Hope you've managed to get some 'time off' and a chance to catch up on relaxing reading. There was no particular one definite 'read' during the recess/summer but I managed to get through quite a number people have suggested and would be pleased to hear your feedback as well on any you've read. NOTES FROM AN EXHIBITION - PATRICK GALE After slating Gale's previous book on our list 'All Day through' I can now see why he is so popular. This was excellent - truly insightful into the life and mind of gifted Rachel Kelly, a brilliant artist but tormented by her mental illness. Wonderfully set in Gale's beloved Cornwall and with insightful and dramatic family relationships this was a thoughtful and enjoyable novel. THE WHITE TIGER - ARAVIND ADIGA Past Booker Prize winner choice this begins as a strange idea of letters between struggling Indian entrepreneur Halwai and visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. But soon the realities of the 'new India' give dramatic way to the sharp and satirical view of the evident prejudice and poverty nestling against the capitalist dreams of many Indians. Raw and unsentimental unlike the film 'Slumdog Millionaire' - we are shown what life is really like for those struggling caste and culture. THE SECRET SCRIPTURE - BARRY SEBASTIAN After leaving my first copy on the plane! I finally got round to reading this. It was brilliant - I know I have a keen interest in literature associated with Ireland but Barry's tale of forgotten centenarian Roseanne McNulty who's a long time resident of a crumbling Eire mental hospital and her relationship and links with troubled but optimistic psychiatrist Dr Grene are thought provoking and illuminating about both Ireland and people in general. As a past 'mental nurse' who was familiar with Thatcher's community care of the '80s having worked in an old asylum I thought his detail and description both truly accurate but understanding of where we've gone wrong with mental health care. As someone whose husband was Irish I also thought Barry's reflections of Irish history didn't fall into the usual historical and sentimental traps. Definitely my book of the year so far!! I have now booked the first Book Club meeting after recess - it is on WEDNESDAY 21ST OCTOBER 12.30 ROOM O in Portcullis House We've now got a few new members - some not based in Westminster but if you can't manage to get to the meeting please let me have your views and/or suggestions for our next Book Club choices. As Brucie might say "Keep Reading!" Best wishes PHILIPA COUGHLAN coughlanp@parliament.uk OFFICE OF NICK PALMER MP 0207 219 2553 Updated: 2 September 2009 Hi, This month’s message is addressed a bit more widely; not just to those that come along and support the Parliamentary Book Club but also those that might be able to advertise it and to encourage others to join or just to those that I know enjoy books, might want to contribute (by email for example) if they read one of our choices or might just be interested in the world of reading more generally. The Parliamentary Book Club started back in 2006. I know many people who are members of more than one and the main thing I'd say about a Book Club is that it gets you reading books you might never have considered reading. Obviously we are based in Parliament - but that doesn't stop others outside the 'Westminster village' joining in with the group. Over the past few years we've covered a lot of books from classics to the latest best sellers. It's interesting to read what others enjoy especially if it's a new author to you. We've also had some authors come along to speak to the group - notably Ken Follett and Baroness PD James. Both meetings were great - real eye openers into the minds of two best selling writers! We've also been ignored by William Hague and Alastair Campbell - perhaps because we didn't offer a fee for an appearance! We've also linked up with BBC Radio 4 Book Club hosted by James Naughtie - www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/bookclub. Through that connection we've attended a BBC recording of best selling historical author Alison Weir and I know some members are keen to go to another event at the BBC in October reviewing John Irving's book "A Prayer for Owen Meany". Hopefully you've had time during the summer to do some reading. My first choice "The Secret Scripture" by Sebastian Barry I cleverly left on the plane! So need to borrow someone else's copy to catch up! But I also finally got round to reading Khaled Hosseini's best seller "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Whilst I was reading the book - a heartbreaking tale of two female characters living through war and sexual oppression in Afghanistan - the recent elections there took place and it was both depressing to realise lives for so many Afghans are still so terrifying but that questions about UK/US military involvement need to be set in the context of what we really understand about the country and its people. I am currently reading American author Tom Perrotta's "The Abstinence Teacher" about a high school Sex Ed teacher in a town where a Christian Evangelical Church and its followers cause clashes. It's an author and book I wouldn't have thought of reading but one of our members had the book and I picked it up to give it a try - and was glad I did! If you are keen to join the Book Club, have comments about any books you read or would like to come along to our meetings or events - the next one is in Westminster on Tuesday 27^th October 12.30 at Bellamy's but we can meet elsewhere in the vicinity if you'd like let me know. I'd also like to thank www.w4mp.org and their Editor Dick for their support for us from the start - we now have our own webpage on the site [you are on it now!] and you can read about all the books we've read in the past here. Hope to hear from you - Happy Reading! Philipa Office of Nick Palmer MP coughlanp@parliament.uk Tel 0207 219 2553 Updated: 27 July 2009 Next meeting: Tuesday 27^th October 12.30 at Bellamy's Sorry not to have made the meeting last week – it was probably a bad move try and squash it into the last week before summer recess when we are all so busy. I hope you enjoyed the classic Wilkiie Collins “The Woman In White” - I was glad to discover this and remember Baroness PD James marking it as one of her all time favourites when she came to talk to the group, and how she felt it was the original detective novel. Also Patrick Gale’s The Whole Day Through” which I had to admit didn’t really catch my imagination. He himself said the publisher’s choice of book cover probably put it into the category of chick lit but for me it didn’t fill any category and wasn’t broad enough in it’s characterisation of what could have been some good characters. Perhaps his other novels are worth a try though! However lots of people have made recommendations for books for our summer reading so I’m going to offer you a list of possible titles and not choose anything definite. In no particular order (as they say!): THE SECRET SCRIPTURE – Sebastian Barry THE WHITE TIGER - Aravind Adiga FINGERSMITH – Sarah Walters – or any of her other titles – her latest is A LITTLE STRANGER BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MUSEUM – Kate Atkinson A HOUSE FOR MR BISWAS - VS Naipaul THE INFORMATION OFFICER – Mark Mills And a couple of classics to try: TENDER IS THE NIGHT - F Scott Fitzgerald DEATH ON THE NILE - Agatha Christie I HOPE YOU ALL MANAGE A BREAK YOURSELVES OVER THE RECESS Best wishes Philipa Updated: 14 July 2009 CHANGE OF BOOK CLUB MEETING DATE - to Wednesday 22nd July - 12.30 outside Bellamy's for lunch and discussion on the books for the month - "THE WOMAN IN WHITE" WILKIE COLLINS "THE WHOLE DAY THROUGH " - PATRICK GALE Sorry to have changed the date - but it means MPs will have flown their desks here perhaps and hopefully more of you can join us. We hope to line up some books for the summer recess for those able to take a 'proper' break away. Hope to see you next week. PHILIPA OFFICE OF NICK PALMER MP - TEL EXT 2553 Update 19 June 2009 Hello All Next get together - ~~Tuesday 21^st July~~ – 12.30 for lunch or drink meeting outside Bellamy’s Bar/ Restaurant 1 Parliament Square JUNE BOOK CLUB MEETING We had a good and wide ranging meeting this month focusing first on our two chosen books: “Public Property” a collection by recent Poet Laureate Andrew Motion. For those of us out of the loop with modern poetry, a chance to pick over some of Motion’s recent offerings including many written about members of the Royal Family during his time as the voice of British verse. He also includes some sensitive poems about his own childhood and particularly his mother. Motion can be quite dark and somewhat depressing but he has a wide range of words that evoke some good visual images. Perhaps we should concentrate more on the poetry section of our bookshops! “All in The Mind” – a novel by Alastair Campbell. Although a bit slow to start, this incredibly thought-provoking novel gives a thorough insight into Campbell’s knowledge (most of it personal I suspect) about mental breakdown, psychiatrist’s treatments, alcoholism and suicidal thoughts. With the main character as the psychiatrist, we are moved to understand not only his patients but the profound effect he has on them - on either their decline or on their recovery. Very soon its pace leads to tragedy and it’s a great tour de force for most of us might now and again fear we could so easily slip into with our worries and concerns. Our choices for next month are: Wilkie Collins' classic “Woman In White” – really the original detective novel with fascinating character. A ghostly frightening and gripping tale. Also we picked Patrick Gale’s “The Whole Day Through”, a love story of reunited friends but who are now carers with heavy emotional commitments. Gale’s last novel “Notes on the Exhibition” was a great hit so there seems a lot of support for him as a writer. In fact, Gale will be reading from his new book on Thursday June 18^th June at Pages Book Shop, 78 Lower Clapham Road Hackney; tel 0208 525 1452 for more info. Also recommended “Black Diamond” by Brittani Williams, an edgy tale of 2 best friends divided by secrets; Val McDermid’s “A Darker Domain” more of this classic crime writer; Henning Mankell’s – Inspector Wallander’s series of books now seen on TV with Kenneth Branagh as the Swedish Detective. Plenty more on offer for summer reads so let me know if you have suggestions. Thanks Philipa tel 0207 219 2553 Updated: 4 June 2009 I know the Parliamentary Book Club has been left in the very capable hands of Caitriona whilst I've been away and I'd like to thank her and all those through the group who contacted me over the past few months to offer support and sympathy over my family bereavement. The next meeting is on Monday 8th June 12.30 - in the area juts outside Bellamy's Cafeteria in 1 Parliament Street where you can get lunch too and chat over our recent choices. These were: "All in the Mind" - Alastair Campbell's recent novel about the subject of depression through the stories of a psychiatrist and his patients. "Public property" a collection of poems by recent Poet Laureate Andrew Motion. Great to see poetry being included, so if you have read either, want to know more about our friendly group or make suggestions for future reads either come along on Monday email me coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel 0207 219 2553. Philipa Coughlan Parliamentary Assistant Office of Nick Palmer MP Updated: 11 May 2009 The next meeting of the Bookclub will be at: 12.30 on Monday 8th June. Meet just next to Bellamy's Restaurant in 1 Parliament St (where you can have your lunch at the same time). We have chosen 2 books this month: All in the Mind: Alastair Campbell, and Public Property: Andrew Motion We thought it was good to have a change from fiction, see http://www.poetrybookshoponline.co.uk/book-template.asp?isbn=0571218598 If you have any other poet/book of poetry that you would prefer to read and discuss that is fine also. Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. Please do forward to any colleagues who would be interested. New members are always welcome. Caitríona Bearryman (holding the fort for Philippa, while she away from the office) Parliamentary Assistant and Researcher - Frank Doran MP for Aberdeen North Tel 020 7219 6327 email: bearrymanc@parliament.uk Updated: 9 April 2009 The next meeting of the Bookclub will be at: 12.30 on Monday 27th April. Meet just next to Bellamy's Restaurant in 1 Parliament St (where you can have your lunch at the same time). We have chosen 2 books this month: 'The Reader' by Bernhard Schlink, and 'The Suspicions of Mr Whicher' by Kate Summerscale Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. Please do forward to any colleagues who would be interested. New members are always welcome. Caitríona Bearryman (holding the fort for Philippa, while she away from the office) Tel 020 7219 6327 email: bearrymanc@parliament.uk Updated: 7 March 2009 The Parliamentary Book-Club met on Tues 24^th February. The Group had chosen to read ’Revolutionary Road’ by Richard Yates. There were mixed reviews from our readers. One reader did not like the comparison with ‘The Great Gatsby’. The main female character April was unattractive and she and Frank were doomed from the start. However it was good descriptive writing and drew a picture of 50’s American life doomed into suburbia. Another reader, who enjoyed the story, said it reminded her of how women and families were in America in the 50’s. Some other crime books had been read and enjoyed. Peter James: Dead Man's Footsteps Janet Evanovich: Two for the Dough – part of a series and our reader cannot wait to read some of the others! The next meeting of the Bookclub will be at: 12.30 on Tuesday 24th March - meet directly outside Bellamy's Restaurant in 1 Parliament St (where you can have your lunch at the same time) We have chosen ‘The 19^th Wife’ by David Ebershoff for our March reading. Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. New members always welcome. Updated: 30 January 2009 The Parliamentary Book-Club met for the first time this year on 27th January in Portcullis House, House of Commons. The Group had chosen Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' to read over the Parliamentary Recess. It was agreed that although a very familiar story, we all enjoyed the author's style of writing and his unique voice that does not always make it into the 'Disney' versions of the tale. We have chosen 'Revolutionary Road' by Richard Yates to read for this month. Several books were suggested for future reading: Peter James: Dead Man's Footsteps Janet Evanovich: Two for the Dough Kate Morton: The Forgotten Garden Oliver James: Affluenza (as featured in Radio 4’s Bookclub recently) The next meeting of the Bookclub will be at: 12.30 on Tuesday 24th February - meet directly outside Bellamy's Restaurant in 1 Parliament St. Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. New members always welcome. Caitríona Bearryman Parliamentary Assistant and Researcher - Frank Doran MP for Aberdeen North Tel 020 7219 6327 or email: bearrymanc@parliament.uk ...holding the fort for........... Philipa Coughlan Parliamentary Assistant - Office of Nick Palmer MP Tel 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk Updated 19 December 2008 Just a final round up for 2008 and we can all head off for recess armed with some more books – or where to aim your Xmas book tokens! Our Xmas lunch get together was a highly vocal event following on from reading Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road”. A father and his young son walk alone through burned America – although we never really learn how this devastation has occurred. They are heading slowly fore the coast encountering death despair, ravaged landscapes and everything covered in ash. There is one pistol to defend themselves a cart of scavenged food, worn rags and no proper footwear. And only each other for company. This is ‘car crash ‘ reading – you’re sucked in to a mire of despair but are hooked. What has happened? Will they survive? Has humanity really resorted to cannibalism and hatred to survive? The intricate and detailed writing helps move the novel along and you do care greatly for the father and son. But there are many unanswered questions perhaps not right for much of the book which in the end leave a bit of disappointment. Is there hope and what form would it take? This is said to become a classic modern American novel. I’m not sure. McCarthy writes often of despair and violence but in a highly thought provoking manner. But it sure isn’t a fun read! Suggestions thrown up for future reads include: Gilles Kepel – This Frenchman has aptly timed this book for the end of the George W Bush era “Beyond Terror and Martyrdom” with a thought provoking overview of our conflicts and extremism and alternative answers to the world’s situation. Donna Tartt – “Secret History” - a previous bestseller and one recommended if you haven’t looked into it. Students in an isolated Vermont college during 1982- 1986 find one of their group murdered. The lasting effects of this act profoundly reflect on the academically and socially untouched group. But our Christmas Quiz offer for those dozing in front of yet another repeat on the TV is: CAN YOU NAME ALL THE BOOKS WRITTEN BY CHARLES DICKENS? Let’s start you off with our chosen read over the next few weeks – topically it’s that feel good classic by Dickens “A Christmas Carol.” Answers next month. Next Book Club meeting is on TUESDAY 27^TH JANUARY 2009 – 12.30 – 1.30 P.M. IN ROOM M PORTCULLIS Philipa Coughlan Parliamentary Assistant - Office of Nick Palmer MP Tel 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk Updated 27 November 2008 Hi All, We had our November monthly book club meeting this week – clashing with the fall out from the Pre Budget Report but there was a surplus of good will about our last book club choice “Birdsong” by Sebastian Faulks. Some of the comments included: “Will be in my top ten favourite books”, “Incredibly moving” “Erotic and sad “, “Wonderful writing - I couldn’t put it down”. Yes this has to be our favourite so far and deserves its place on top of all those bestseller lists. Faulks is a marvellous writer, his detailed descriptions of tiny events, the scourge of war and the passion of love. Small pieces of time cover many pages but the reader is totally drawn into every emotion and scene with deep feeling. If you haven’t read it yet – DO! So for other books that have been brought to our attention: we will also mention Sebastian Faulks’s “Engleby” – totally different but intriguing – high quality writing again. C J Sansom “Dissolution “ murder in a monastery as hunchback commissioner for Thomas Cromwell, Matthew Shardlake is sent to the snowy wastes of Sussex to sort out sinful goings on against the backdrop of the revolution against the churches during the reign of Henry VIII Randy Pausch – “The Last Lecture” – the American Professor who passed away earlier this year from terminal cancer penned this as a lecture but it has become a phenomenally successfully book. Pauline Rowson “In Cold Daylight” – even coastal Portsmouth and The Solent is not safe from serial killers as this new crime writer makes sure all the clues about local murders aren’t washed away in the sea For this month we have chosen “The Road “ by Cormac McCarthy. There is a spate of depressing end of the world programmes on TV at the moment it seems – so we wouldn’t want readers to feel left out! However this American post-apocalyptic book follows the specific journey of a man and his son to seek survival. The theme of strong fatherhood protecting a son is the main theme through the darkness. But though it is about the end of the world the book poignantly reminds us of what we should be enjoying around us at this moment – and what if is was removed we have taken for granted. We also want to pick a classic Charles Dickens for early 2009 – what’s your favourite? No meeting in December – but we are getting together for lunch in the comfy area outside Bellamy’s on Wednesday 17^th December at 12.30 Do let me know if you want to join us! Philipa Tel 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk Updated 22 October 2008 Hi All, I've booked W4 for Tues 25th Nov 12.30 - 1.30 for the next Book Club meeting. Our recent meeting – the first of this Parliamentary Year - decided to choose Sebastian Faulks’s best selling novel “Birdsong” for our book choice this month. Surprisingly many of us had not read it although it topped the bestseller list for many months and Faulks is himself in the news recently for being chosen to write a new Ian Fleming Bond ‘book’. However Birdsong mirrors the anniversary next month of 90 years since the Armistice of 1918 and the poignant story reveals the grim horrors of that awful war fought in desperate conditions. But don’t be put off to think this is just a novel about the hardships of war although their descriptions are real and raw. The hero of the story, Stephen Wraysford, is already living in France when we meet him before 1914 and the love affair so passionately described by the author holds the thread of the story from beginning to end. For another insight into the First World War – that of a nursing Sister behind the front lines – you might like to look at the remarkable diaries of Edith Appleton who was the great aunt of W4MP Editor, Dick Robinson, and served in Northern France throughout the war. You can see them here: www.edithappleton.org.uk. Thanks for the link, Dick. The Parliamentary Book Club has covered a number of different titles over the years and we hope readers – and new members will want to join our friendly group! For latest information check our website on www.w4mp.org/html/personnel/book_club.asp or contact me directly. Philipa Tel 0207 219 2553 Email coughlanp@parliament.uk Updated 14 October 2008 Hi All, Just a reminder that the Book Club meets for the first time this parliamentary session next Wednesday 15^th October 12.30 – 1.30 in Room M Porrtcullis House. Look forward to seeing you there. New members always welcome! Also could I plug the following event and ask if you want to nominate any MP for either category please do! Nick Palmer MP, who has recently introduced a 10 Minute Rule Bill about the use of complicated and unreadable Small Print, is also working alongside the Plain English Campaign to present an award to the MP who communicates most clearly and in easily understandable language through written, spoken or new technology to their constituents. The winning nominations will be announced on Monday 17^th November in the Jubilee Room between 2- 6 p.m. alongside an exhibition by the Plain English Campaign outlining their work to teach the basic principles of plain English and reward those individuals or organisations who communicate their messages most clearly to the wider audience. There will also be an award to the worst MP for producing the most confusing gobbledygook in their work! Nick said about the awards “ We all think as politicians that we are presenting clear and understandable words of wisdom to our constituents, but I am sure through these awards we will find there are those that disagree! My Small Print Bill hopes to establish clearer guidelines about the annoying small size print used in many legal documents and agreements and I am working alongside the Plain English Campaign who are champions of rooting out individuals and organisations that use not only small but totally confusing jargon”. Nominations for politicians in either category can be sent to info@plainenglish.co.uk And if you would like more information about the Plain English Campaign visit their website www.plainenglish.co.uk or contact coughlanp@parliament.uk for more information. Philipa x2553 email coughlanp@parliament.uk Updated 12 September 2008 Next meeting: Wednesday 15th October 12.30- 1.30 Room M, Portcullis House. Hi All, Just a note during recess where I hope you've managed to find some time for reading and perhaps resting too! Here's a link (www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/wwf_golden_notebook.shtml) to more information about Doris Lessing as I happened to catch her being interviewed by Jenni Murray on Radio 4 a couple of weeks or so ago. I was also intrigued to read about the legacy of her novel "The Golden Notebook" even though I, like others perhaps struggled with the dated interpretation itself. You couldn't however not be impressed by Lessing's firm beliefs and the way she saw changes in the world order destroying her own political ideologies. Over the past weeks I've finished Victoria Hislop's "The Return" a follow up to her immensely popular first novel "The Island". In her most recent book Hislop explores tales of a family torn tragically apart by the Spanish Civil War and her usual style of linking a main character right into the heart of suddenly discovering unknown family secrets. It's a great read and features an era I had to admit to being unaware of in detail when so many young men and women from not only Spain but across the world came to counter the threat of Franco. Victoria Hislop is interestingly a guest speaker in my local Library tomorrow evening and I'm looking forward to hearing about her development as a writer. I've also read John Dufresne's novel "Love Warps the Mind a Little" which I picked up at a jumble sale! This Canadian writer was totally unknown to me but he movingly tells us the story of Lafayette Proulx a seemingly failing writer who moves in accompanied by his dysfunctional dog with his mistress after his wife of 15 years discovers his infidelity. He then has to face his lover's struggle with cancer. It's certainly not as depressing as it sounds as the author takes life, death, love and despair alongside farce to make it believable and very moving. Give it a try. I hope people still feel interested in continuing with the Book Club after recess? As well as widening our reading we've had the chance to invite writers along to talk to us including PD James and Ken Follett. Even though William Hague has turned down an invite! I've also contacted Andrew Marr who seems keen to come and speak to the group, and although we usually avoid links with politics directly his excellent two books and TV series about Britain's Social History and his journey flying over the landscape of the UK have both been fascinating and he's sure to be a fun guest! And to prove I'm still in politics I'm reading Michael Dobbs's "Whispers of Betrayal" at the moment - though this tale of a lowly backbench MP thrust into the position of saving not only his corrupt and out of touch Government but the national security of the country from the brink of disaster surely can't be based on truth!! Unless I see some of you at Conference I've booked a slot for the next meeting - Wednesday 15th October 12.30- 1.30 Rm M Portcullis House. All the best Philipa x2553 email coughlanp@parliament.uk Updated 6 August 2008 I’ve had a couple of other suggestions for some books for the summer for those involved with the Parliamentary Book Club or for those who might want to pass to friends or colleagues. Firstly from Mili Patel: I’d like to suggest William Sutcliffe’s ‘Are you experienced?’ – very short simple novel but I remember when reading it some years back how hilarious it was. Secondly from Dick – editor of W4MP - “The Night of the Mi’raj’ by Zoe Ferraris - a book set in Saudi Arabia. From me: “Playing for Pizza” by John Grisham - most unlike his usual lawyer/crime novel, this one tells the tale of an American football player who’s been thrown out of every team in America and gets sent to the heart of Italy by his agent. At first he’s totally out of his culture and usual sport zone but soon, through images of opera, the food and drink and trips around the lovely countryside, our hero finds he’s more at home than he thought! Updated 24 July Thanks to all those who have supported the Parliamentary Book Club this year. In fact it’s hard to believe we’ve now being going since 2006 and we have our own page on W4MP! We were delighted to welcome Dick, their Editor, to our last meeting of this Parliament before summer recess and to some other new faces joining the group for the first time. Our latest book read was John Irving’s “The World According to Garp”. This is a very weird novel and it appears Irving has written others in similar vein. He has a very vivid imagination transmitted through peculiar characters who encounter strange - almost surreal - events in their lives often ending in tragic death. But they still make oddly compelling reading and this novel was also turned into a movie – one of the first for Robin Williams. TS Garp of the title is born in almost unbearably sad circumstances – for his father – yet extraordinarily determined planning for his mother – into a life that fluctuates from sheer lust (Irving has some ‘strange’ sexual ideas going on within the book but again, although firstly difficult to face, evoke the reader’s sympathy for the characters involved) to personal trauma, then happiness to tragic despair and unhappiness. John Irving was himself also a professional wrestler and this sport is also woven into Garp’s life alongside travel abroad, facing up to crisis upon crisis in relationships yet also retaining a wonderful and moving concern for family and children. If you haven’t read it – give it a try! So we have the dilemma of what to offer as the books for reading during the summer recess? One thought was to suggest some of our favourite travel books – not just guides but those quirky tales that bring foreign countries – or places nearer to home to life. One favourite of many of the group was “Round Ireland with a Fridge” a hugely amusing novel by the comedian Tony Hawks who takes on a bet about travelling around Ireland in a month hiking with only a fridge as company! It’s a great read. He also has written “Playing the Moldovans at Tennis” which is also centred around a bet. If you have any favourite travel reads let us know. Other suggestions for us to dip into before we return are: “Blood River “ by Tim Butcher, a journalist who after visiting Africa around the area of the Congo River sets out to recreate the famous expedition of H M Stanley. The writing is very perceptive and takes us on an emotional and eye opening journey along a river in part of Africa’s broken heart region – usually neglected when we talk more generally about that part of the world. “No Time for Goodbyes “ Linwood Barclay “The Soldier’s return” and the sequel “ A Son Of war “ By Melvyn Bragg Any other suggestions always welcome! If you would like to pass on our details to other colleagues – we welcome everyone across all political parties and in other Departments across Parliament and you can check out what we’ve done in the past on our dedicated page on W4MP (scroll on down below). For next year we’re planning a possible link to the theatre for something we might read and a visit from another popular author – this time with some definite political links at Westminster (more news later!) Information about further meetings will be on the website or you can contact me directly at x2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk Happy reading! Philipa Updated 21 July We have agreed to meet on Tuesday 22nd July – changed to outside Bellamy's at 1pm [original plan was: 12 noon in Central Lobby for lunch. ~~Perhaps the Terrace or Top Floor restaurant at 7 Millbank.~~] Updated 2 July 2008 We have been reading Doris Lessing’s book "the Golden Notebook". She intrigued us after stating that when she won the Nobel prize for Literature she was overwhelmed with all the attention and wouldn’t be writing anything else! So many of us who hadn’t read any of her books were wondering why she was so special? Some of us found “The Golden Notebook” very dated. We know it was ground breaking when it was first published seen as a daring experiment where we, as readers, are taken through the multiple notebooks reflecting the life of Anna Wulf who, it seems, like Lessing, wants to run away but remains trapped by chaos, emotional angst and total hypocrisy from so called ‘revolutionaries’ whirling around the Communist/Socialist parties of the time. We didn’t feel it was feminist in being ‘anti man’ rather that it portrayed Lessing’s own failures in love and marriage and the ability for those with the means and political ideology to try and say they have a better view of running the world when, in fact, half the time they create another generation only who will replicate their failings. So, not all of our favourite choice of reading matter. Some of us did dip into her other book “The Good Terrorist” which is more ironic about the people with good intentions swinging from idealism to terrorism linked to the IRA, and a young girl Alice who becomes more embroiled in the revolutionary fray. It was an easier read and more interesting. For this month’s book choice we have gone for American author John Irving and “The World According to Garp”. This perhaps strange novel was later turned into a film starring Dustin Hoffman. Irving himself was a professional wrestler in the USA and has added a similar character into the novel. Sounds strange but perhaps intriguing. Instead of a booked room, we have agreed to meet on Tuesday 22nd July – changed to outside Bellamy's at 1pm [original plan was: 12 noon in Central Lobby for lunch. Perhaps the Terrace or Top Floor restaurant at 7 Millbank.] Let me know if you’d like to come along and meet up or join us for the first time perhaps! Philipa Coughlan, x2553 email coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 17 June 2008 The next meeting of the Book Club will be on 24 June 2008 from 13:00 - 14:00 in Room M Portcullis House, where"The Golden Notebook" by Doris Lessing will be under discussion. After winning the Nobel Prize for Literature world famous author Lessing famously said "I don't feel I now want to write anything else"! so we are delving into some of her past books including this one which famously generated a lot of talk about sexual liberation for women when published in the 1970s. For further information, contact Philipa on 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 3 June 2008 Hello All, At our last Book Club meeting we were talking about the wonderful read "The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox," by Maggie O'Farrell which movingly tells the story of the discovery by a young woman of a long lost relative who had been locked in a mental asylum for over 60 years. As someone who'd worked in such a place in the early 1980's I remembered many case notes similarly telling such sad tales of a previous generation left incarcerated because of misguided morals. The link to Britain's colonial past and this view of alleged 'insanity' are brilliantly conveyed in this gem of a book. We talked about a number of books we were reading at the moment including Tim Butcher's "Blood River" and the office comedy "And then we came to the end" but have decided to choose one of Doris Lessing's past books "The Golden Notebook" to read this month. I have never read anything by Lessing but was intrigued by her recent announcement that she 'wasn't able to write another thing' after having so much media attention at her age (80+) when she received the Nobel prize for Literature. There are still some places left at the Radio 4 Book Club Reading/discussions which are recorded at the BBC for the event with Colm Toibin in June and if you'd like more information go via their website at www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub. Our next Parliamentary Book Club meeting is on Tuesday 24th June at 1-2 p.m. in Room M Portcullis House. Hope to see you there. Philipa Contact ext 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 2 April 2008 Our recent meeting discussed Dave Eggers “What is the What? The Autobiography of Valentino Deng. There were fairly supportive views about the book generally – although it is long and follows hard on the heels of our reading of a young boys experiences growing up in Afghanistan. In Eggers book he uses the voice of the narrator in a very interesting and engaging style to tell of someone else’s autobiography/life. From the beginning the heart wrenching upbringing of young Valentino Achak Deng is drawn out even though he is now older and ‘safer’ in the US to his story about Sudanese enemy soldiers, liberation rebels and deadly militias. This is an epic story covering a huge backdrop about Sudan but if you want to know what really goes on in trouble torn African nations you would do better to read this book than scan news reports or policy papers. Various new titles were offered for the group – “Notes from an Exhibition” by Patrick Gale is selling well at the moment but evocatively relates the unravelling of a woman’s life through a totally different approach. “The Diving Bell and The Butterfly” by Sean D Bauby is based on a true story of a man who recently died after many years in a vegetative state and which is also now out as a film. A seemingly tragic and uncomfortable story is gracefully put over in the novel and will require thoughtful reading. We previously read Anne Enright’s “The Gathering” but have been alerted to her most recent short story collection “Taking Pictures”. The Man Booker prize winner is not one to read if you’re depressed but her very gritty telling of real life issues relating to marriage, death and sex probably do reflect modern life than we’d like to admit. We are also dipping into William Hague’s biography of “William Pitt The Younger” – more details later. But our next chosen read is Maggie O’Farrell’s “The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox”. Esme has been locked away in an institution for 60 years when a young woman suddenly finds she has sole responsibility for her distant and until that point unknown relative. The unravelling of generations of silence, shame and lost lives is very well written. Our next two meetings have been booked – Tuesday May 20^th and Tuesday June 24^th – both in Room M Portcullis House from 1-2 p.m. New members always welcome. For more information contact Philipa tel 0207 219 2553, office of Nick Palmer MP or email coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 31 March 2008 Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 2^nd April 12.30- 1.30 p.m. in Room W3. We will be discussing – as hopefully we have managed to complete reading - “What is the What? The Autobiography of Valentino Deng” by Dave Eggers. New suggestions for future books are very welcome as are any staff with an interest in reading – beyond politics!. Over the past year we have read a wide variety of books and also had the chance to meet and question authors such as PD James and Ken Follett. All are welcome! For more information contact Philipa ext 2553 - Office of Nick Palmer MP email coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 23 January 2008 The first meeting of 2008 took place this month to discuss Khaled Hosseini’s first novel – now being featured as a movie -“The Kite Runner”. Some of our group had already seen the film and there were the usual comparisons between book and movie adaptations – some more favourable than others. The book is a very good insight into the real lives being lived in Afghanistan during the years of many tumultuous events, from the fall of the monarchy in the country through the Soviet invasion, the mass exodus of refugees to Pakistan (including Amir and his father the subjects of the book) to life in America and the return of an adult Amir not only to experience the harsh reality of the Taliban regime but to resolve some personal relationships and traumas from his early life. The book is an ideal read to gain some knowledge about life in Afghanistan and also a very personal insight into how a father/son relationship can be torn by human frailty, loss and abandonment. Many have also praised Hosseini’s follow up book “A Thousand Splendid Suns” which deals with women’s experiences under the Taliban – images that many of us in the west perhaps don’t want to read about but should. The theme of life in Afghanistan and the religious and political turmoil has also been recently portrayed in the movie “Charlie Wilson’s War” and it is good to see both novels and films reflecting real life in a country still so scared by upheaval and conflict. We had a few suggestions for our next book and have decided to choose “What is the What? The Autobiography of Valentino Deng “ by Dave Eggers. Other suggestions to follow up in the book related world are to visit Persephone Books Ltd, 59 Lamb’s Conduit Street WC1N 3NB which reprints neglected novels – check out there website www.persephonebooks.co.uk Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 26^th February 12.30 in Room M Portcullis House. For more information about the book club or if you’d like to come to our next meeting call Philipa (Nick Palmer MP’s office) 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 27 November 2007 At our recent meeting we discussed our recent choice the Man Booker Prize Winner “The Gathering” by Anne Enright. In the tradition of a lot of Irish literature it is a grim reality novel about Veronica Hegarty’s large (12 children) family of brothers and sisters and how they ‘gather’ back at the family home in Dublin at the funeral/wake of one brother Liam who was found drowned off the beach at Brighton. Some felt the rawness of Enright’s writing seemed to expose a note of autobiographical link to the sad stream of events in the book – notably highlighting the curses of Ireland – drink, religion and sexual abuse. But the way Enright links to other family memories particularly of her grandmother Ada give the book slightly more literary depth and although it’s not a happy read it’s an absorbing one and perhaps makes us all wince at the true emotions we sometimes feel within our own relationships or close families. Well worth a read we thought. Our next choice is the first novel published in English by an author from Afghanistan – Khaled Hosseini. “The Kite Runner” soon to be seen at our cinemas tells the story of Amir his love of literature and his journey through not only Afghanistan but to America. We see the country from pre-civil war, Russian invasion and then Amir’s involvement with the Taliban. We won’t be meeting officially in December except perhaps for a Xmas drink! So the next main meeting will be on Tuesday 15^th January - 12.30 p.m. in Room N in Portcullis House. New members always welcome – for more information call Philipa ext 2553 (Nick Palmer MP’s office) or email: coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 30 October 2007 We held our first meeting of this Parliament to discuss two books from the recess. Firstly the classic “Tom Jones” by Henry Fielding which is a long and sometimes flowery flow of language book. But the story of orphan Tom and his life growing up in a world of deceit, romps and often down right obnoxious surroundings sheds light on a era that we usually don’t associate with such excesses in literature, although there is a lot of satire on the society in which Tom is brought up in. Some readers found that they needed to be selective in their reading through the text as each Book within the novel begins as a rambling introductory chapter before the main events start. But it is worth persevering as this classic tale has remained a firm favourite and has also transferred to a highly popular recent TV series and a past classic film. Our second choice was Mark Haddon’s “A Spot of Bother” which didn’t disappoint after his first best seller. Readers follow the story of George, recently retired but now facing a family gathering as his daughter Katie is getting remarried back in the heart of a slightly dysfunctional family. In a very sympathetic but funny style George is followed as he goes through a nervous breakdown in front of his family and friends. It’s funny and sad but reveals a life affected by despair at its most touching. Our next choices are : for the main read straight off the top of the Booker Prize pile – Anne Enright’s “The Gathering” which follows the story set in Dublin of Veronica, a 30 something mother and wife who escapes the clutches of her huge Irish family but is dragged back to a dark family history after her brother commits suicide in England and Veronica has to collect the body to bring in back to rest in peace in Ireland. Lots of raw personal wounds are reopened. Other suggestions are: Philippa Gregory’s tale about “The Other Boleyn” and many of us are enjoying and can recommend Ken Follett’s new epic “World Without End” after Ken visited us earlier in the year to discuss the background to this massive (1111 page) novel! Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 27^th November 1-2 p.m. in Westminster Hall Room W2. We also hope to organise a social get together for the December/Xmas event so do join us! Philipa Coughlan Email coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel ext 2553 UPDATE: 22 October 2007 The Parliamentary Book Club will now hold the first meeting of this session on MONDAY 29^TH OCTOBER – 1- 2 p.m. in Room R Portcullis House. This replaces the previously booked event on Tuesday 30^th. We will be discussing our chosen books during the summer recess :- Mark Haddon’s “A Spot of Bother” and the classic Henry Fielding’s “Tom Jones” New members are always welcome and as well as discussing our monthly book club reads we have had guest speakers including PD James and Ken Follett over the past year. Just come along (no need to have read the books!) if you are interested in hearing more or spending an entertaining hour talking about books ( or the non political variety!) Philipa Coughlan Email coughlanp@parliament.uk Or tel ext 2553 UPDATE: 11 September 2007 Hi All, Hope you've all managed to get some sort of break over the recess and had plenty of relaxing time to read! I seem to have got through a lot of books - some of which are on the best seller lists, some really tacky ones and some classics I've revisited. Our two choices for the book club were - Mark Haddon's "A Spot of Bother" - which I felt was ok, easy to read but not up to the high standard of his best seller "A Curious Incident" - I've started on Henry Fielding's "Tom Jones" but need to smarten up my reading on some of the earlier classics as I'm struggling with some of the language with which it is written. Do let me know if you've read them so far and what you think - or if any other books have really got you hooked and you'd like to recommend them to others please pass on the info. As Conference season is looming and MPs don't actually get into harness until 8th October I've given us all some time still to get reading and booked the next Book Club meeting for Tuesday 30th October - 1-2 p.m. in Room R Portcullis House. Have a look at James Naughtie's Bookclub newsletter. I'm an avid listener to the events he does with authors on Radio 4 - some of us enjoyed a recording visit to meet Alison Weir earlier this year and I notice he's interviewing Alice Sebold who wrote the remarkable "Lovely Bones." These events are good fun and are held in the early eve at the BBC - well worth a try if you'd like to book a place-they do offer a glass of wine! All the best Philipa New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 7 August 2007 Hi All, Summer recess has started – and I know many of us are still working, but I hope you do all have a break some time over the next few weeks. Recently at our meeting the Book Club have chosen the following two books as our reading matter for the summer: “A Spot of Bother “ by Mark Haddon (bestselling author of The Curious incident of the Dog fame), and “Tom Jones “ by Henry Fielding – this is a classic read that many of us thought we re visit over the holidays But other suggestions if you have time and the inclination are: “Suite Francois” Irene Nemirovsky, “First Lady” Michael Dobbs, “Dancing to Almendra” Mayra Montero, and try anything if you haven’t by Douglas Kennedy Perhaps some of us could meet up during Conference – if not I will organise the next meeting for October when Parliament restarts. Whatever you read – do enjoy! And let us know some of your thoughts on the various books and other suggestions if you find something really great we’ve missed! Philipa New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 23 July 2007 Just a reminder for those that can make it (with thanks to those who have said already they can’t) about meeting up tomorrow (Tues 24^thJuly) at 6 p.m. in Bellamy’s Bar for an ‘end of Parliamentary session’ get together and to choose some summer books. I’ve already had some suggestions; anything by Douglas Kennedy, Cecilia Ahern – “A Place Called Here” Ahern (the daughter of Irish Premier Bertie ) Chick lit writer weaves a fairytale story about missing things, people and places. Anthony Capella – “The Wedding Officer” Naples during the war sees inexperienced soldier James Gould experiencing the smells, tastes and love of Italy Rose Tremain –“The Road Home” - An east European immigrant in London adjusts to a whole new culture Mayra Montero “Dancing to Almendra” – Cuban author evokes a time before Castro takes power in wild hedonistic Havana I’ve also still got hold of Ken Follett’s proof copy of “World Without End “ although we’d need all those 12 weeks of summer recess to read it I think! Any other ideas more than welcome ! Look forward to seeing some of you tomorrow! Philipa UPDATE: 27 June 2007 June’s Book Club meeting was delighted to welcome best selling author Ken Follett to come and talk to us primarily about his epic book “Pillars of the Earth”. Readers more used to Ken’s usual espionage and spy thrillers were treated to a brilliant – if long at over 1000 pages! – historical drama tale set in the middle ages about characters involved in the task of building a cathedral. Doesn’t sound exciting or dramatic? Doesn’t sound sexy? Well believe us when we tell you it was all of those plus a lot more! Ken gladly answered a mass of questions about detail and research for a book. It was a labour of love taking over three years and had Ken checking detail with historians to base architectural, religious and daily life drama in true context for those centuries .At the time of its publication (1989) the book didn’t sell too well but as the years have gone by it has proved to be a hit, mainly by word of mouth and has now become one of those “must read” books. Ken also gave us a sneak preview of the forthcoming sequel to that book “World Without End” which is to be published this autumn. Needless to say this is another epic - but based two centuries later with the Black Death ready to strike the human race - and one which on first glancing through the proof copy given exclusively to the Book Club looks like being a run away success as soon as it hits the bookshelves. Ken also told us about his life and how though he may be associated with lots of activities and causes “ writing always takes priority”. Our next meeting is due before the summer recess and we’d like suggestions for reading over the holiday break. One suggestion is for us to meet at for a drink in the evening possibly on Tuesday 24^th July – 6 p.m. in Bellamy’s Bar perhaps? Let me know? New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 30 May 2007 Next Book Club meeting – Tuesday 19^th June 1-2 p.m. Room N Portcullis House. See below for details. Our Book Club had lots of books to discuss this month. Many of us had to admit we’d struggled with Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” but if there any readers who have not done so and have some positive feedback please let us know. We’d been suggested – by PD James who came to our last meeting - to dip into Ian McEwan’s new novel “Chesil Beach” which was short and very sweet although with McEwan’s now usual tragic scenario within the plot! The day and night reflection on the youthful sexual awakening in the early 1960s is a gem of a book – or rather extended short story/novella perhaps. It tells of the first honeymoon night of Edward and Florence and delves into deep and soul searching heartache, desire and future needs. Some of us have come late to Ian McEwan’s writing but can all heartily recommend his books – we suggest also trying “The Innocent”, “Enduring Love “(now a film) and “Saturday”. We’re also reluctant to leave our detective/crime writers but will have to clear a space in our reading time for our next Book Club book. It is Ken Follett’s mighty (1082 page) best seller “The Pillars of the Earth”. A medieval tour de force surrounding master stone mason’s building a magnificent cathedral it also draws in Ken’s excellent skill to create good character plots and intrigue. He is promising a sequel to be published later this year. Are you a Ken Follett fan? Well we are delighted that he will be joining us at our next Book Club meeting – Tuesday 19^th June 1-2 p.m. Room N Portcullis House and if you’d like to come along to meet him you’d be very welcome! New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 17 May 2007 Reminder about the forthcoming Book Club meeting – next Wednesday 23^rd May 1-2 in Room M. We still have to feedback on a previous month’s read “Beloved “ by Toni Morrison – I myself have to admit I really struggled with it but would be interested to hear what others thought. From last month – principally suggested by our guest PD James we decided on the shorter read of Ian McEwan’s new novel “On Chesil Beach” - again I had problems getting a copy from my local library so started on another of his novels “Saturday” which I really enjoyed and have just managed to finish his new one this week ( certainly a quick read – I managed it in a days train journey to and from work so you’ve got time to get through it!). It’s now been confirmed that author Ken Follett will be able to come along to our June meeting – Tues 19^th – Room N 1-2 p.m. and is keen to hear what we think of his novel “The Pillars of Earth”. He will also be speaking about the sequel to that 1989 book with “World without End” which is to be published later this year – so if you know of any fans of his work let them know he’ll be at our meeting! Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 23rd May 1-2 p.m. in Room M Portcullis House. New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 25 April 2007 Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 23rd May 1-2 p.m. in Room M Portcullis House. This months Book Club meeting was the eagerly anticipated visit of PD James. For 87 years of age I think we all agreed she was a remarkable lady with a clear and detailed mind who kept us entertained and well informed about her detective writing for well over an hour. She also seemed to enjoy meeting us, signed copies of her books and immersed herself in our choices of favourite crime novels and authors. It was good to see her in person as her books are so popular and she gave us what we thought was an exclusive about future plans for her Detective Chief Inspector Adam Dalgliesh! Books we shared with her were: Peter James (no relation!) 'Dead Simple', Raymond Chandler 'The Big Sleep' Dick Francis, Patricia Cornwall, John Grisham and an all time classic Wilkie Collins "The Moonstone". Baroness James was enthusiastic and informative about all our books, answering all questions and showing a great knowledge of all writing, not just crime. She also spoke about her role as a BBC Governor, about the state of the Beeb at present and the pros and cons of book adaptations on TV and film! PD James writes her books methodically, likes to use places she's visited in which to set her plots, never goes near a computer and always uses black pens! We have been intrigued by her autobiography "Time to be Earnest" and she discussed her career in the NHS and Home Office, bringing up her family when her husband suffered ill health and how her life changed after the publication of her first novel "Cover Her Face " in 1962 and then broadened our discussion to the current state of book publishing. She was asked to pick her favourite detective today - who was Ian Rankin's Rebus although one of her favourite authors remains as Dorothy L Sayers and she recommended us to read "the Nine Tailors" and "Murder Must Advertise". PD James also read from her novel "The Murder Room " where it topically describes a hypothetical plan to murder the Lord Chancellor on the Woolsack! We later prodded her on her views about the Prime Minister but that remains with us! Our thanks to her for taking time out of a still busy schedule to come and meet us. Next month we still need to review our ongoing topical read about slavery "Beloved " by Toni Morrison but as partly suggested by PD James and of a lighter vein we also suggest a look at Ian McEwan's latest "Chesil Beach"(http://www.ianmcewan.com/). Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 23rd May 1-2 p.m. in Room M Portcullis House. New members always welcome - contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 18 April 2007 Next meeting of the Book Club takes place on Tuesday 24^th April 1-2 p.m. in Room N Portcullis House. We are delighted to be joined by Baroness (PD) James the world famous crime writer, whose creation Inspector Adam Dalgliesh is well known to many TV viewers. If you would like to come along please do contact Philipa ext 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE: 22 March 2007 The recent meeting of the Book Club discussed “When we were orphans” by Kazuo Ishiguro. This is a compelling and evocative read which brings pre-war Shanghai and London society to life. We follow the life story of Christopher Banks from a young boy left orphaned in Shanghai who is brought to England in the 1930s and works his way to establish himself as a leading detective. But his detection skills face their hardest plot to resolve the real mystery that he grows to learn about the unravelling circumstances behind his parents’ disappearance. A world in turmoil with ideological and emotional clashes are brought together in a book whose author still creates a wonderful style of writing which slowly peels away the layers of this story. Read – and enjoy! Our next book is topical – Toni Morrison's “Beloved” about the slave trade. Next meeting: Tuesday 24th April: But we are also setting our sights on uncovering our favourite crime writers/novels because we are delighted to be welcoming PD James to the next meeting in April (Tuesday 24^th) This is a great opportunity to meet the world famous crime writer and share an hour discussing how, why and who dunnit! For details about the meeting or the Book Club group contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE 13 March 2007 Next meeting: 1-2pm Wednesday 21st March - Room N, Portcullis House We are reading “We are orphans” by Kazuo Ishiguro. Baroness James –international crime writer PD James - will be speaking at our April Book Club meeting. There were certainly a huge variety of responses to our latest book read “”If Nobody speaks of remarkable things” by Jon McGregor. The previews had raised expectations I think and although it was interesting to delve into a completely different style of writing a novel although it proved to be difficult in some aspects to read. Some thought it worth carrying through although the beginning part of the book doesn’t explore the characters at all and may prove a huge disappointment. Perhaps a case of sticking with it as some interesting little scenarios develop. The sense of anticipation about ‘what the incident ‘ that happens somewhere in the book proved too much sometimes – one reader, scared to continue ( a plaudit to the writer’s description perhaps) was put off completely. But be reassured it’s not wholly traumatic and in fact fits pretty much into something many of us may have seen in our local street or town. It’s Life I suppose was the conclusion and sometimes that’s boring, sometimes emotional and sometimes one event affects the whole community around the place in which we live. For next month we’re suggesting Kazuo Ishiguro with “When we Were Orphans”. From the author of “Remains of the Day” which was made into a film Ishiguro now tells a tale of childhood mystery recollections from when the main character was being brought up in Shanghai. With great insight into another culture and somewhat of a mysterious past to delve into this book sounds a very interesting read. Our next meeting will be on 21^st March. Alongside one book some of the group have been reading PD James’s extremely entertaining autobiography (or one year diary book) “Time To Be Earnest”. A tremendous insight into her life which is wonderfully written. We all wanted to find out more about her – and we will have that chance. Baroness James has very kindly agreed to accept an invitation to come along to our April meeting to talk about crime writing. If you are a member of the group who would like to meet her or want to find out more please contact me for further information. Philipa Coughlan (coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel ext 2553) UPDATE 24 January 2007 Next meeting: Tuesday 27th February 1-2 p.m. Room M Portcullis House Well those of us that have managed to read through Alison Weir's epic book about Eleanor of Aquitaine certainly know far more about history in the Middle Ages than we'd ever covered in most of our school lessons! For many this was a book we'd probably never have chosen and although in places hard going because of its intense detail, Weir's descriptions of life in that period and the tremendous backdrop of a Royal Queen in a constant battle not only over land and power but with the men in her life certainly opened our eyes to many of the hardships of living in that time. Unfortunately by the very nature of that period in history little factual evidence is available to really bring to life Eleanor as a woman in her own right. But her longevity and strength of character did shine through the immense trauma and personal tragedy that befell her and many of her family. Viewing as we do from a world where emotions are freely made public and women are equal (well in most European countries) it is hard as a first time reader of this period to adequately understand how Eleanor struggled through the life that Alison Weir has written about with so much authority. To us in Parliament Weir's descriptions of Court at Westminster Hall are fascinating and strange to think that for so long the French ruled us all! We are certainly all keen to read other works by this author. But for next month (Tuesday 27th February 1-2 p.m. Room M Portcullis House) some suggestions: Our main read will be "If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things" by John McGregor which tells of life on one day in an ordinary street and has received much acclaim. He is an unfamiliar name to some of us but we are guaranteed a good read. See: www.bloomsbury.com/authors/microsite.asp?id=206&section=1 Also a wonderful autobiography/ diary from PD James, "Time to be in earnest". Now in the House of Lords Baroness James is of course the master of the detective novel but in this engaging and frank book she reveals not only her childhood and her family life but an insight into how an acclaimed writer gets her ideas. More news about PD James to follow - so if you are keen on her work keep in contact!! Some of us will be off to the BBC next week for the Radio 4 Book Club with James Naughtie and Alison Weir so look out for information about how we got on. Philipa Coughlan (coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel ext 2553) UPDATE 3 January 2007 A Happy New Year to all Readers! I hope everyone had a restful Christmas and New Year recess and allowed themselves some time to do plenty of reading. Often the trouble is you end up with yet another pile of books you plan to read when you are still trying to finish the ‘must reads’ from 2006! Our next Book Club meeting is on Tuesday 23^rd January from 1-2 in Rm M Portcullis House. We are currently reading Alison Weir’s epic historical tale of Eleanor of Aquitane – a detailed account of not only the controversial French Queen’s life but of the whole historical context in which Europe and the wider world were living at that time. Some of us will then be attending Jim Naughtie’s Radio 4 Book Club live recording on Jan 30^th – to meet Alison Weir and hear her discuss her success with a whole list of historical books. In 2007 we already have lined up a few Westminster connected authors to come and meet the group – let me just say ‘Great Crime Writer ‘ and ‘International Best Seller’ to get you guessing?! So for more information -or if you would like to come along - or let us know your views on the books we are covering contact Philipa Coughlan coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel ext 2553 UPDATE 14 December 2006 We had our last Book Club meeting of the year this week – and our latest read “On Beauty” by Zadie Smith has received unanimous praise it seems by nearly everyone who has finished it. Smith has an easy style of writing that perfectly portrays the lives of two families across the Atlantic and across the happiness and heartache of family life. Great characters were not only woven into the academic surroundings in which the two male heads of the households battle against each other against the story of the sadness and lost love of the women in their lives. The portrayal of the children (young adults)was also excellent showing both the academic, social and emotional strains of growing up in the world – issues that cross all ethnic divides. Interestingly some had picked up on the link to E M Forster’s book “Howards End” and we felt we might like to now read that and see how Smith has interwoven that classic book/film into her writing. If you haven’t read any of Zadie Smith’s other books they too are worth a read as well. Now for Christmas recess reading and your New Year resolution to read more books! Firstly those attending the Radio 4 recording of James Naughtie’s Book Club at the end of January will be reading Alison Weir’s “Eleanor of Aquitane” but don’t let that stop you if you fancy dipping into a historical novel but an author who is a bestseller in this field. Also suggested were “The Corrections” by Jonathan Franzen and “Utterly Monkey “by Nick Laird (Zadie Smith’s husband and ghost poet writer for her character Claire in On Beauty!) The next meeting is booked for Tuesday 23^rd January 1-2 p.m. Room M Portcullis House followed by the radio 4 event on Tuesday 30^th – just come along if you are interested. Look out next year for some special author guests at one or two of our meetings with connections here at Westminster!! For any more information on the Book Club tel Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE 4 December 2006 Wednesday 13^th December 1-2 p.m. Room P Portcullis House. New members always welcome. This month we will be talking about Zadie Smith’s “On Beauty”. For more information contact coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE 22 November 2006 There was a low turnout for our visit to Waterstones in Piccadilly which was a shame as it’s is well worth going and we were surrounded by many other Book Clubs who obviously take time out from the serious business of book reading to enjoy a drink in the 5^th View Bar! Some stayed on to hear the thoughtful, softly spoken author Charles Frazier talk with wonderful atmospheric understanding of past American history about his new book “Thirteen Moons” – another good read from the author of “Cold Mountain” who has a lifelong affinity with landscapes and people. It would seem we have nearly all struggled with John Le Carre’s “The Constant Gardener” maybe because we were all influenced by the powerful film or that some of the book is quite heavy going and detailed. But then we would expect this from the top spy writer and the book does convey in a more atmospheric way the build up to the reasons for Tessa Quayle’s death as her husband Julian (still seemingly the typical timid English man abroad) seeks revenge for her murder in the murky world of international aid and profit making pharmaceutical companies. I guess recent events may cause John Le Carre to reassess the position of Russia for his next book – post cold war as fact it would seem is becoming as dangerous as any spy fiction! So for the next book – many readers seem to have taken to Zadie Smith’s most recent “On Beauty” . Set in both London and New England America it revolves around two feuding families – the Belseys and the Kipps. High intellectual morals rub shoulders with past hatreds and new loves. So it is our next choice - happy reading! The next meeting prior to Christmas and New Year recess is booked back in Portcullis House –Wednesday 13^th 1-2 p.m. in Room P. For more information contact Philipa tel 2553 or coughlanp@parliament.uk *UPDATE 8 November 2006* For those not able to make the evening meeting suggest a get together over coffee downstairs at Portcullis House Monday 13^thNovember at 2.30 p.m. But just a reminder the monthly meeting is at 5^th View Bar. Waterstone’s Piccadilly 6 p.m. Tuesday 21^st November. We are currently reading John Le Carre’s “The Constant Gardener” . For more information about the books we’ve covered and what we do look at our full page notice on the site. Contact Philipa Coughlan ext 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk *UPDATE 19 October 2006:* At our last meeting we discussed “Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon ( a Spanish author) whose book reached number one in many bestseller lists. This was an evocative and well written novel – translated into English – and set in Barcelona following the Spanish Civil War. It tells the story of young Daniel Sempere who is taken to the Cemetery of Lost Books by his father where his chosen (or mysteriously chosen for him) book ‘Shadow of the Wind’ leads him on a path of discovery and danger about the author Julian Carax. Interwoven themes cover a decade of Daniel’s life as he uncovers the mysterious author’s pre war past.There were certainly some very interesting minor characters described in the book although overall we felt women weren’t portrayed that well in the situations in which the author put them. But it was generally felt this was a very good read portraying the setting in Spain very well and although long (over 500 pages) with a few contrived answers to some of the plots proved a very enjoyable read and one we felt would make an excellent transition to the film screen!. We will look out with interest for other books by this Spanish author. Our next read for the book club reverses that theme with John Le Carre’s “The Constant Gardener”. This has already been a successful film but we wanted to try it in book form as it was written by such a well established (John is now well over 70 years old) writer more generally known for his past spy novels and who spent some of his life in the British Foreign Service. It is available on Amazon at the bargain price of £3.99! Other books that you might want to consider are Roddy Doyle “The Woman Who Walked Into Doors” and the follow up “Paula Spencer” and Zadie Smith’s “On Beauty” the follow up to “White Teeth”. We hope early in 2007 to attend a Radio 4 Book Club recording led by James Naughtie but for next month have booked a meeting at Waterstone’s in Piccadilly – Tuesday 21^st November - 6p.m. at the 5^th View Bar for a get together with cocktails available! Call me on 0207 219 2553 or email coughlanp@parliament.uk if you’d like to come along as I need to confirm numbers .The meeting is followed by a reading and book signing by Charles Frazier of “ Thirteen Moons” - £3 a ticket if you fancy staying on for that at 7p.m call Waterstone’s 0207 851 2433 if you’d like to go. We may well also have a get together over coffee as well some time – so watch this space and spread the news to your friends! Philipa Coughlan – Office of Nick Palmer MP, Rm 254 Portcullis House. Email: coughlanp@parliament.uk Tel: x2553 UPDATE 12 September 2006: We had our meeting this week and had a good turnout to discuss "We need to talk about Kevin " by Lionel Shriver. We all agreed this was a deeply harrowing tale and showed what dreadful outcome might be produced by a tortured teenager who wants notoriety by killing his peers in a most sadistic way. If you have any thoughts after reading the book yourself let us know It also throws up questions about parenting and how the world is maybe only more dangerous and evil because we hear more about it than we used to. The next Book Club Choice is "The Shadow of the Wind " by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, one that features on many bestseller lists and is a mystery thriller set in Barcelona where a young boys' choice of a book leads to life changing experiences. We will meet again on Wednesday 18th October in Room N Portcullis House from 1-2 p.m. All welcome. In the future we hope to organise events such as meeting in Waterstones or attending Book Club events elsewhere. For more information contact Philipa Coughlan coughlanp@parliament.uk or tel ext 2553. UPDATE 3 August 2006: An update after the first meeting. The two books chosen for the summer from the Book Club are: "We Need to talk about Kevin " by Lionel Shriver - a disturbing insight into a mother's worst fears when her 16 yr old son shoots and kills fellow high school students and teachers. A fictional recreation of many true incidents in the US that reveals innermost thought provoking family secrets. "The Case of the Missing Books " by Ian Sansom - a shy Jewish vegetarian turns up in N Ireland to take up his job as a Librarian. But the council has closed the Library and all the books are missing. What will he do now? A funny quirky story full of great characters. I have booked a further get together for the book club on Tuesday 12th September 1-2 in Room T, Portcullis House to talk about the books and plan future ideas. All welcome and happy reading !!!!!! Philipa Coughlan Tel 2553 email coughlanp@parliament.uk UPDATE 17 July 2006: I have now booked the following for the first get together for the proposed Parliamentary Book Club - Tuesday 25^thJuly, 1- 2 p.m. Room T Portcullis House. Anyone interested in being involved or who wants to come along to meet, bring suggestions for books for the summer recess so we can chose a couple to head off for the summer with let me know. Philipa Coughlan - Office of Nick Palmer MP - Tel ext 2553 ORIGINAL MESSAGE 4 July 2006: I'm wondering if there are like minded souls who might consider the chance to set up a Parliamentary Book Club. After all if Richard and Judy can do it why can’t we? Also the chance to get some links outside our usual political reading perhaps? Anyone interested? We could try and have one get together before summer recess and head off on our holidays with one book to mull over and chat about in the autumn. Let me know if want to get together and any ideas for books? Philipa Coughlan - Email: coughlanp@parliament.uk Tel: x2553 Last updated 3 August 2006 Posted: 4 July 2006	You can also See other Essential New Information items


Site map \| About this site \| Help \| Contact Us \| Copyright \| Terms of Use \| Feedback
© []

You can also