Meeting Details
| Frequency | Monthly, September to June |
| Time | 1.45 pm, third Friday of each month |
| Duration | 1 3/4 hours |
| Location | Castle Street Centre |
| Coordinator | Clare Courtier |
What we do
As a group we plan a programme of reading for up to about a year in advance. For each meeting a member introduces the chosen work, and this is followed by a discussion. The books we choose are mainly novels, both classic and modern, but, for variety, we may include a play, a selection of poetry, and/or a biography. We also have regular 'Own Choice' sessions at which members have an opportunity to discuss any book which has interested them.
We are not just a 'reading group'. We like to look in some depth at various aspects of the work in question, such as: How is it structured? What themes are explored? Is the description effective? Are the characters believable?
This is a friendly group and would appeal to anyone with a love of reading and lively discussion. We usually gather a few minutes before 2 pm and begin each meeting with tea/coffee and biscuits. However, at the moment we have 24 members so hope to start a second group in 2009.
We try to keep down cost by borrowing sets of books from the County Library service, and by buying cheap, paperback editions.
Reports
November 2009:
After the successful U3A Coffee Morning in September unfortunately once again we have a waiting list. Perhaps a third book reading group could be started? We were delighted to welcome Anne back in October to lead a lively discussion of ‘The Island’ by Victoria Hislop. In 2010 we have tried to order most of the books in sets from Carlisle Library so that people do not have to buy too many. The first session of the year, on January 15th, is open for everyone to introduce and talk about a book that they have recently read and enjoyed (or even disliked!). Also, for the first time, we will be voting on the books we read in 2009 to see what is our Booker Choice of the Year.
On February 19th we will be discussing ‘The People’s Act of Love’ by James Meek, followed by ‘Arthur and George’ by Julian Barnes on March 19th. On April 16th we will look at, and perhaps read a few sections of the play ‘An Inspector Calls’ by J B Priestley. It looks like an interesting programme.
Clare Courtier
June 2009:
Now that the Tuesday Book Club has opened for business we are having around 12 members attending our meetings. This smaller group helps the discussion as there is no longer a need to wait for a chance to express an opinion. We also hope that there will no longer be a need for the waiting list when people want to join a book reading group.
In June we were grateful to Bill Shepherd who came to lead the interesting discussion of ‘Rogue Herries’, especially as he had already been to the Tuesday Book Club that week to lead on the same book! The books for the rest of the year will be:
- September 18th The Little Friend, by Donna Tartt
- October 16th The Island, by Victoria Hislop
- November 20th Two Lives, by William Trevor
- December No meeting
Clare Courtier
March 2009:
The programme for 2009 is now complete, with the inclusion of The Whitsun Weddings (poetry) and Rogue Herries (a local “classic”) as well as the more modern novels. At the January meeting it was decided to award a Booker style “prize” next January (2010) to the book that gains the most votes from the selection read in 2009.
We are delighted that an additional book group will be starting in May, and hope that means the wait for people wanting to join will not be too long. We also look forward to exchanging ideas and titles of books that make for a “good read”.
Clare Courtier