Five Minutes Peace

BOOK CLUB - February: White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

As February is a short month I thought we shouldn't dilly-dally, so I'm jumping in with the introduction of the book club pick for this month.

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga isn't my usual sort of book and it's not the usual sort of book we review (just two of the reasons I chose it!) - it's written by a man, it won the Booker Prize in 2008 and it's set in India. But I thought it would do me good to get out of my reading "comfort zone" (I almost always read books by British or American women) and I would love for you to join me so I have someone to discuss the book with when I've finished...

I hope you won't be put off by this choice - yes, it won a major literary prize, but I hear it's more accessible than most Booker winning novels. It's also less than £4 in paperback almost everywhere, so it's no big loss if you hate it (though I really hope you don't).

As usual, we'll discuss the book at the end of month - see you then, I hope!

Book Club 2010: first three books

Another year, another book club! But we've made some changes. Last year, I (Keris) chose all of the books. This year, Diane, Helen and I have chosen four books each: one non-fiction, one fiction, one young adult and one modern classic. And following heated negotiations, we've also got a schedule. But we're keeping it to ourselves just for the moment and only revealing the first three choices. 

There will be another couple of changes too. The person who chose the book will introduce it and reveal their reasons for choosing it and then, at the end of the month, will kick off the discussion with a few book club-type questions (let me warn you now, I am rubbish at this, but I'll do my best). 

We'd love for you to join us. Check out the first three choices over the cut. 

BOOK CLUB: December - Waiting for Birdy by Catherine Newman

I think everyone probably knows what I think of this book by now, since I've gone on and on about it here, there and everywhere. 

It is, quite simply, one of my favourite books of all time. It changed the way I felt about having a second child. It changed the way I feel about parenting in general. It made me laugh a lot and cry quite a lot too. I want everyone to read it. 

Did you read it? (Please say yes!) Did you love it? (You MUST have loved it!)

December book club reminder

Just a quick reminder of the last book club book of the year - Catherine Newman's Waiting for Birdy.  

This is one of my favourite books of all time and everyone I know who's read it has loved it. So if you haven't had a chance to read it yet, please do. I guarantee* you won't regret it. There are copies from 1p on Amazon.

* This is not a guarantee! ;)

BOOK CLUB: November - The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society

Turns out we're not moving anywhere, at least for now. It was all just too messy and difficult. So we're back and we're posting. I hope people are still reading... 

November's book club book was a total gem, didn't you think? I absolutely loved it, didn't want it to end. In fact, I rationed the last 50 or so pages and I NEVER do that. 

So what did you think? I really hope you loved it too or we might have to fall out...

BOOK CLUB: October - Peyton Place by Grace Metalious

Well I suppose it had to happen sooner or later, but I'm quite surprised it was this book... I couldn't finish Peyton Place. I actually chose it because I read it years ago and I've always remembered it as completely thrilling, but after drudging through the first few chapters I found I just couldn't go on.

I think I may just have been in the wrong mood and I'll certainly give it a go again in the future, but oh my goodness, I found it quite painful. I remembered it as being so involved and exciting, but this time I thought the writing was dreadful and lumbering and I just couldn't go on.

Did anyone else read it?

BOOK CLUB: September - 30-Something and Over It by Kasey Edwards

September's book club book was Kasey Edwards' 30-Something and Over It. Did you read it? Could you finish it? I haven't quite... yet. But I am persevering.

Anyone else want to kick off the discussion in the comments and I'll join in later today? (I found a couple of alternative covers to make up for having nothing to say. Which do you like best?)

BOOK CLUB: Next three selections

Have you been enjoying the book club? I can't believe that we're coming up to the last three books of the year. Where has this year gone? And, yes, I know that makes me sound Very Old.

Anyway. I'm quite excited about the last three selections. There's a classic novel, a current (and very popular) novel and one of my favourite non-fiction books of all time. Check them out over the cut.

September's book club reminder

For any new readers (or for old readers with bad memories), September's book club is Kasey Edwards' 30-Something and Over It.

We'll be discussing it right here in the last week of the month. We'd love you to join us. (Yes, YOU!)

BOOK CLUB: August - Fly on the Wall by E Lockhart

I love E Lockhart's books and I read Fly on the Wall on a flight to Canada a couple of years ago. I started reading as a distraction during take-off and, a couple of chapters in, turned to my husband and said, "What's taking so long?" He looked at me like I was an idiot and said, "What?!" Yeah, we'd long since taken off and I, engrossed in this book, HADN'T EVEN NOTICED! Now that is some good writing, don't you think?

I re-read the book for the book club and loved it just as much (for some reason, possibly even more - I don't remember welling up at the ending last time). But what did you think of it? Leave a comment and we'll chat.

I've also added both the latest US (left) and UK (right) covers to this post. What do you think of them? Which do you think is most representative of the book and why?