November BookClub: Afternoon Tea Party

What a lovely afternoon Saturday was and how lovely to see so many of us together again. I think that is the first time in a long while that we all made it and welcome to our newest bookclub member. Afternoon tea was a roaring success - who knew drinking out of bone china cups would make us so posh!



This month's book "The Wish List" did get mixed reviews with some liking it and some (little old me) hating it but I think we all agreed that it is not particularly believable and more a fairytale especially the way the addict makes such a speedy recovery. It is a light read and the addition of Father Christmas added to the fairytale element.



So onto the next read, it was decided to go with K's suggestion of "So What If I'm Broken" by Anna McPartlin:



On the 21st June 2007 Alexandra Kavanagh left home, chatted to her neighbour, got onto the DART, arrived at Dalkey train station and disappeared... Tom is distraught. His wife is missing, his world has fallen apart and his only focus is on finding her.



For seventeen years, Jane has cared for her son Kurt, her eccentric sister Elle, and her cantankerous mother Rose. The only person she doesn’t care for is herself. Elle is an artist and recognised as a genius. As such her somewhat erratic behaviour is indulged. Although her life appears perfect Elle’s sadness is sometimes profound.



Leslie has lost her entire family to cancer. She has spent twenty years waiting to die but following radical surgery she’s determined to live again.



Four months after Alexandra’s disappearance Tom steps into a lift with Jane, Elle and Leslie at a Jack Lukeman concert. One hour later the four strangers emerge with their lives forever intertwined.

And it was decided the next meeting will be in the new year and Lisa has kindly offered to host. Can't believe bookclub will be five years old next year!!

Happy Reading.

Books 09

BOOKS 2009 is Ireland's international books festival scheduled over two weekends.

Over the first weekend (10th - 12th September), our city centre based festival, located in the noble surroundings of Trinity College and the Independent Colleges, sees a host of international names coming to town. Sebastian Faulks, Edna O'Brien, William Boyd, Nick Laird, Marina Lewycka, John Banville - reads like a who's who of the literati. There's also a superb crime-festival-within-the-festival featuring an exciting selection of authors renowned in the genre - Tom Robb Smith, Colin Bateman, Alex Barclay, Mandasue Heller, John Connolly, Ruth Dudley Edwards - and naturally we'll showcase the crème de la crème of our popular fiction writers - Patricia Scanlan, Sheila O'Flanagan, Cathy Kelly, Amy Huberman, Anita Notaro, Claudia Carroll et alia.

This year, BOOKS ‘09 has extended its remit to include non-fiction, and among those appearing to discuss their wares are English QC Michael Mansfield, gorgeous gardening guru Diarmuid Gavin and former hostage Brian Keenan. With workshops, seminars, round-table talks, readings, public conversations, panel discussions and a dedicated children's festival the following weekend (19th - 20th September in the glorious setting of the National Gallery) starring among others Roddy Doyle, Celine Kiernan, Sarah Webb and Derek Landy there is something to satisfy every sort of book lover, young and old.

For more information or to book workshops check out: http://www.books2009.ie/

September's Read

So August's bookclub was hosted by K in her lovely home in County Kildare. She cooked yummy enchiladas and we spent an enjoyable afternoon discussing the 19th Wife. We had all read and enjoyed the book - will wonders ever cease?

So we decided on the following book for September's BookClub:

The Wish List By Martina Reilly

Like any married couple, Allie and Tony have had their fair share of heartache. But when Tony's actions force Allie and her young sons out of their home, things take a turn for the worse. Without her husband around, Allie must cope with two inquisitive children - as well as the reappearance of her estranged father. So when her eldest Mark befriends next-door neighbour Jeremy, Allie's glad he's found a distraction. The trouble is that Mark believes Jeremy is Santa Claus and that he can put the family back together.
While Jeremy is increasingly mortified at the mix-up, a little magic never did anyone any harm - did it?

I will be hosting the next bookclub probably towards the end of September so get reading and i'll be in touch with details about the meeting later in the month.

Mountains to Sea Festival 2009

10th - 13th September

The Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival aspires to honour one of the world’s most unique literary landscapes with a festival worthy of that distinction. Mountains to Sea will feature a glittering array of writers both local and international including Paul Auster, Sebastian Faulks, Sadie Jones, Declan Kiberd, John Carey, Douglas Kennedy, Siri Hustvedt, Patrick Gale, Anne Enright, Hugo Hamilton, Diarmaid Ferriter, Julie Parsons, Ross O’Carroll Kelly and Maeve Binchy. Special theatre productions will celebrate the area’s close association with Samuel Beckett, James Joyce and Flann O’Brien. Author readings, theatre productions, political cabaret, grand literary tour, panel discussions, children’s events will entertain, challenge and inspire.
There is no other area more densely populated with contemporary writers than Dun Laoghaire & Rathdown. No other area can boast such rich associations with the great Irish writers of the past, with their memories and their works than DLR.

Come join us at the festival to find out more! Just a 20 minute DART ride from the city centre. Or, in the immortal words of Bagatelle, “Jump on a bus to Dun Laoghaire.” We look forward to seeing you.

For more information, check out http://www.mountainstosea.ie/

July/August Read: The 19th Wife

We enjoyed a lovely garden party courtesy of Shinners on Saturday - it certainly was the weekend for it with blissful sunshine. Shinners put on a lovely spread fresh from the Farmer's Market which we throughly enjoyed. It was a lovely afternoon sitting out enjoying our Irish summer. Baby bookclubber Sean made an appearance and treated us to a strawberry mashing contest!

So it was decided that our next bookclub read is The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff.

Faith, I tell them, is a mystery, elusive to many, and never easy to explain.

Sweeping and lyrical, spellbinding and unforgettable, David Ebershoff’s The 19th Wife combines epic historical fiction with a modern murder mystery to create a brilliant novel of literary suspense. It is 1875, and Ann Eliza Young has recently separated from her powerful husband, Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Expelled and an outcast, Ann Eliza embarks on a crusade to end polygamy in the United States. A rich account of a family’s polygamous history is revealed, including how a young woman became a plural wife.

Soon after Ann Eliza’s story begins, a second exquisite narrative unfolds–a tale of murder involving a polygamist family in present-day Utah. Jordan Scott, a young man who was thrown out of his fundamentalist sect years earlier, must reenter the world that cast him aside in order to discover the truth behind his father’s death.And as Ann Eliza’s narrative intertwines with that of Jordan’s search, readers are pulled deeper into the mysteries of love and faith.

For more information visit the following site:
http://www.19thwife.com/index.html

K has graciously agreed to host the next bookclub due to take place hopefully in August. Looking forward to the road trip to the country and also hot discussions about polygamy and the Mormon community - will be interesting to see if anyone wants to switch religions!

Happy Reading.

BookClub Garden Party: June

Shinners has suggested a Bookclub garden party for our next meeting. To kick off the summer in style, this event takes place on the 27th June - let's hope for sunshine!

It is a chance to meet up and chat about summer reads -favs from previous holidays or ones people are hoping to read on next holiday? It's always good to get recommendations for good summer books!

There will be crustless cucumber sandwiches and tea in china cups on the menu! Floral dresses are optional but would really add to the occasion...of course our mascot (Baby Bookclubber) Seán will be guest of honour, maybe even bring his first book?

The read for this summer event is Leaving the World by Douglas Kennedy

Aged thirteen, Jane makes a vow to herself and to her feuding parents - she will never marry, have children and lead the resentful life they chose. Years later, now a Harvard professor and living with Theo, a filmmaker, Jane falls unexpectedly pregnant. Resolved as she's been to childlessness, she begins to warm to the idea of motherhood, even with a partner who is increasingly absent. But a devastating turn of events takes the decision out of her hands in a way she could never have predicted. Her familiar world torn apart, Jane feels forced to leave her old life behind, and piece by piece begins to destroy the little that is left. She resigns from her job, cuts all ties with friends and family and moves to a place where no one will find her. Isolated, she feels she has finally succeeded in leaving her world. Yet when a young girl disappears, prompting a high-profile police investigation, Jane is drawn in. Convinced that the person at the heart of the case is much closer to her new community than anyone realises, she has to make a decision - stay hidden or bring to light a shocking truth.

More information:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Leaving-World-Douglas-Kennedy/dp/0091795796/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243509819&sr=8-2

Talking Books

Talking Books - a series of conversations with Dermot Bolger

Date: Thursdays, April 16th, May 14th, June 11th, July 9th
Location: Deansgrange Library
Time: 7pm
Cost: Free, but advance booking is essential.Contact Deansgrange Library 01-285 0860 to reserve tickets.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is delighted to present ‘Talking Books’, a series of intimate public conversations by novelist, playwright and poet Dermot Bolger with leading Irish writers about the art of writing and the everyday practices, routines and difficulties involved with creating a sustained piece of literature. Broadening out to include questions and comments from the audience, these evenings are intended to be enjoyed by emerging writers and by anyone interested in contemporary Irish writing. These conversations with Dermot Bolger are presented by DLR Arts in association with the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Library Service and will take place in Deansgrange Library at 7:00 pm on the dates listed below.

Thursday April 16th @ 7:00 pm
Dermot Bolger in conversation with Gerard Donovan, author of Schopenhauer’s Telescope and Julius Winsome.

Thursday May 14th @ 7:00 pm
Dermot Bolger in conversation with Brian Keenan, author of An Evil Cradling and Four Quarters of Light: An Alaskan Journey.

Thursday June 11th @ 7:00 pm
Dermot Bolger in conversation with Deirdre Purcell, author of Falling for a Dancer and Diamonds and Holes in My Shoes.

Thursday July 9th @ 7:00 pm
Dermot Bolger in a final conversation with Claire Kilroy, author of Tenderwire, & John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

Talking Books is part of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s Place and Identity programme of Per Cent for Art commissions funded through the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Further information: Ciara King, Public Art Programme AdministratorE: cking@dlrcoco.ie T: +353 (0)1 271 9529

A Good Reason to Eat Chocolate....

Not that we need any but Galaxy are giving away 1 million books comprised of their ten favourite best-sellers. Simply buy a bar of Galaxy with the promotional wrapper and enter the unique code on their website:
http://www.galaxybookclub.ie/reads/

BookClub on the big screen

Vally hosted the first BookClub goes to the Movies last Saturday 18th April. After lunch, we all settled down to watch 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' on the big screen. The movie was directed by Clint Eastwood and based on the book by journalist John Berendt. It was a true story based on the time the journalist spent in Savannah, Georgia and the characters he met there like the man walking the invisible dog, the sentimental gentleman who plays the piano and hosts parties that last all day and all night, the voodoo lady and of course the man in the mansion. We all agreed that John Cusack was well cast and the movie was both eccentric and quirky.

Looking forward to the next meeting ladies - we just need to decide on a book! Any suggestions?
Also for the next meeting, I came across 21 BookClub Tips on the Ennis Bookclub Festival and think it might be fun to answer some of the questions, go to the website and click on the link to 21 Bookclub Tips at the end of the page:
http://www.ennisbookclubfestival.com/

Dublin: One City, One Book

Dracula by Bram Stoker is the chosen book for 2009’s One City, One Book, an initiative established by Dublin City Libraries to encourage reading.

Abraham “Bram” Stoker was an Irish novelist, best known for his horror novel about the vampire Dracula written in 1897. He was born in Clontarf and attended Trinity College Dublin and graduated with honours in mathematics. He worked for many years as a civil servant based in Dublin castle before moving to London. There have been many film adaptations of the novel.

As part of this initiative, there have been various themed events around the city including:

An Exhibition of Bram Stokers’ Dracula in the National Library of Ireland, Kildare St [1-30 April]

The IFI held a Gothic Film Weekend screening various Dracula movies over the weekend [18/19th April]

An evening of gothic readings and music by candlelight was held in St.Patricks Cathedral. [16th April]

In December 1878, Bram Stoker stole the girlfriend of Oscar Wilde, married her and whisked her out of the country. A re-enactment of the Bram Stoker amd Florence Balcombe wedding took place in St. Ann’s Church, Dawson St. [2nd/4th April]

Read more:
http://www.dublinonecityonebook.ie/

Dine to Read

Came across another cool website called Dine to read:
http://dinetoread.ie/

Dine to Read is an online forum for book lovers, offering you the chance to discuss a wide range of book related topics. To take part in the online discussions simply register for free and you will be issued with a password.

Dine to Read Supper Club

They organise monthly supper clubs where groups of up to ten guests meet to discuss the book of the month over supper in a restaurant setting. Groups are brought together according to interests and location. The philosophy of Dine to Read is to create a book club forum where people assemble on a monthly basis to enjoy great company, great debate and a chance to widen their circle of friends.

The beauty of Dine to Read is that it offers both online and offline book events. Guests can either chat online, join a Dine to Read supper club or do both, the choice is yours. Dine to Read is a relaxed, fun and entertaining way to meet new people. At each book club event Dine to Read provide discussion questions on the book of the month, groups are free to use these as a guide to the discussion or alternatively come up with their own discussion topics.

BookSwap

Came across this site which is well worth checking out:
www.bookswap.ie

It offers complete strangers the opportunity to swap books. You register with the site, list the books you want to swap and then go looking at what the site has to offer. When you find a book you want, you contact the member through the site and arrange the swap.

Bookswap was set up just over a year ago by Martin Gormley, a Scottish IT programmer who has been living in Ireland for 10 years. He decided to act after growing resentful about having to fork out so much so often for books. It has more of a hobby than anything else and has been a slow-burner over the past 12 months. He has seen the number of people signing up “growing steadily” in recent weeks. “If you can’t find a book to swap, there are other things that you can do: post it for free, ask the other person to pay postage, or simply say no,” he says.

He says there are around 400 core users who are typically swapping a book a month. “I believe this is the kind of thing that could really take off during the recession.”

The cost of posting a paperback is around €3, he says and while he accepts that it might be “a pain” to find an envelope, a stamp and then post a book, “if you’re saving a tenner every time you do it, then it certainly is a great idea”.

Great idea – get swapping.

BookClub Goes to the Movies

As suggested by Val, the first bookclub/movie meeting will take place on Saturday 18th April.

The movie/book chosen is Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil By John Berendt (1994)/Clint Eastwood (1997).

More and more books are turned into films every year, bringing the characters and story to life.