shlg   10 #61 Posted November 4, 2008 Not having started it, I won't finish this one so I won't see you on Wednesday.  I have started Dracula, though, ready for the December meeting.  Interesting fact about East of Eden (I've started reading a biography of Steinbeck, too): E of E was originally going to be a history of Steinbeck's family (the Hamiltons), and then sort of morphed into a novel, which explains the excess of detail about unimportant members of the Hamilton family. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
moccainuk   10 #62 Posted November 4, 2008 Ron Blanco? Ist thou still in Sheffield!? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Pupster   10 #63 Posted November 4, 2008 I won't be to make tomorrow as it's Bonfire night so I will be staying in looking after my dog.  I have read the book though and wasn't really impressed. It was very American (would a girl in 1970'a Afghanistan really know the words candy and sidewalk?) and I think the relationship between Mariam and Laila could have been explored further. Any book written about Afghanistan during this period has to mention the history of the country but I got the impression the text was taken straight out of a history book without really exploring the feelings of the central characters.  Not as good as Half A Yellow Sun  What did everone else think? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Code13 Â Â 10 #64 Posted November 4, 2008 Yes Ron! I think it is worse than the Eyre Affair!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
moccainuk   10 #65 Posted November 5, 2008 My thoughts exactly pupster, I also didn't like the narrative written from the perspective of a female when the writer was clearly a man. It was a bit too "oprah book club" for me obviously written at a very basic level for people who have no real concept of what it would have been like for a woman in those/these times but blatantly trying to cash in on the current climate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Ron Blanco   10 #66 Posted November 5, 2008 Ron Blanco? Ist thou still in Sheffield!?  No Mocca, Nottingham. It will be a pleasure to get away from the gun-crime capital of the UK for an evening, assuming I can escape the border patrols. If I fail to show then fear the worst. Mr Hosseini's portrayal of life in Kabul seems fairly tame in comparison to this! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
sarah85 Â Â 10 #67 Posted November 5, 2008 Can't make it tonight :-( stuck in wales, let me know the outcome....although it's looking pretty clear already!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Pupster   10 #68 Posted November 5, 2008 Yes Ron! I think it is worse than the Eyre Affair!!   I would have to disagree with you there Code 13 (sorry Ron - hope you back it safely to Sheffield ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
shlg   10 #69 Posted November 10, 2008 How was the discussion last week? Did everyone hate the book or is there a silent majority of people who enjoyed it?  And was a book chosen for January?  I have started on Dracula, ready for December's meet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Maels   10 #70 Posted November 10, 2008 I think most of us didn't like it, for reasons already mentioned on the thread.  As for January book Margaret (do you have a forum name yet?) suggested a book about Sheffield families that had been on the Booker list she'd heard about - I think it is The Northern Clemency by Philip Hensher but I'm not 100 per cent sure. And we suggested Wednesday 14 January for the January meeting but we talk about it again in December. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Shauna_C Â Â 10 #71 Posted November 10, 2008 Hi Folks, sorry I missed it too - I had terrible wisdom tooth ache (although I really am a little old for teething problems! Â I'll be there on 3 December - can't believe it has been 2 months since I made the last book group! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Code13 Â Â 10 #72 Posted November 10, 2008 I think most of us didn't like it, for reasons already mentioned on the thread. Â As for January book Margaret (do you have a forum name yet?) suggested a book about Sheffield families that had been on the Booker list she'd heard about - I think it is The Northern Clemency by Philip Hensher but I'm not 100 per cent sure. And we suggested Wednesday 14 January for the January meeting but we talk about it again in December. Â 736 pages! Aaaagh! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...