Today is a red letter day for the Cityside Book Club as we launch our own separate blog!
I have transferred most of the previous blog material into the first post just so we have an indication of our history but I can't seem to find our first blog entry which of course was done in conjunction with the Between the Lines Book Club.
Hope you are all enjoying State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. If you haven't collected your copy, pop into the Mackay City Library, show your library membership card and pick up your book club copy.
Our next meeting will be the first Thursday in April - next week already! - Mackay City Library at 6 pm on Thursday 3 April.
At least this rain is great reading weather even if the grass in my garden is fast turning to jungle!
Happy reading!
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
2014 Cityside Blogs transferred to our new Cityside Book Club Blog
Cityside Book Club catch up Page copied into our own separate blog!
As promised - 'State of Wonder' review
Stephen J Burn from The Guardian had this to say about Ann Patchett's State of Wonder. Reviews tend to leave me feeling somewhat inadequate and this review was no different. Reading just a little each evening means I'm hard pushed to remember the story line let alone grasp all the literary
and behind the lines references. I did enjoy this novel even on the superficial level which I appear to operate at.
Here are some quotes from the novel to whet your appetite. I actually remember some of them!
If you did not get to finish our last novel please bring your copy in anyway so that you can pick up your copy of March's novel.
Looking forward to hearing your views on Ann Patchett's State of Wonder on Thursday 3 April at City Library at 6 pm.
Enjoy being entwined in the pages in a State of Wonder!
A Tale for the Time Being - a timeless tale of being
A smaller group turned up but discussion was animated on a diversity of aspects of Ruth Ozeki's novel A Tale for the Time Being. Some found the structure too demanding for their current head space while others really enjoyed the way the stories intertwined. The open ending frustrated some while others thought that an open ending was the perfect ending. There was much discussion as to how the physical setting was a vital part of the story. Readers enjoyed Ozeki's description and enjoyed how the book's variety of characters came alive for them. Ruth Ozeki is a Zen Buddhist priest and the way she incorporated Zen philosophy and viewpoints into the storyline added to the book's appeal for our readers.
Overall our readers enjoyed this multi-facted novel.
Our book for March takes us to the jungles of South America - |Ann Patchett's State of Wonder.
I'll include a review of this novel in our next blog.
Happy reading!
Time for another Cityside Book Club already!
I don't know about the rest of you, but as a Time Being, I find it difficult to believe that a month has nearly passed!
Looking forward to a tsunami of discussion tomorrow (Thursday 6 March) evening at Mackay City Library at 6 pm!
For the time being, keep on reading and keep on enjoying yourself!
See you at City!
Great Start to 2014 Cityside Book Club!
It was great to kick off our 2014 Cityside Book Club with such a wonderful turn-up! There's been an amazing lot of reading being going on over the Christmas Break! We had four new readers turn up, ready to read even more.
Our first book for the year is A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. It was short listed for the 2013 Man Booker Prize.
Looking forward to seeing what everyone thinks of the novel at our next meeting. It certainly appears to have potential.
Happy reading everyone!
2014 Cityside Book Club kicks off tonight!
Hello everyone,
Just a reminder to everyone that we begin our 2014 Book Club journey this evening Mackay City Library at 6pm. Hopefully the weather is kinder to us than last Thursday!
If you have not been before, welcome!
If you are not a library member, come a bit before 6, bring some ID that proves you are a permanent Mackay resident - Driver's Licence with Mackay address, tenancy agreement, electricity account with your name and Mackay address are all acceptable, and join up.
If you are a library member, just bring your membership card so we can update any membership details if you haven't been for a while.
Other than that, you just need to bring yourself and a willingness to join in!
Looking forward to seeing you at 6 pm at City!
'Still Alice' stimulates discussion
Unfortunately 'The Dinner' did not go down too well. The entree was considered just too long and slow to digest, therefore leaving the main course untasted. Further discussion made one participant wish they'd persevered further into the menu though.
The book is rather dark as it poses the question of how far some parents are willing to go to save their children from the consequences of their actions. In an age where rights seem unaccompanied by responsibilties, and the individual's needs override those of the community, 'The Dinner' raises some challenging questions and the path chosen by the characters in this novel would certainly not be everybody's cup of tea. It is an uncomfortable journey but raises questions worthy of discussion and scarily, could be considered possibly pertinent to today's society.
Book for November
After some discussion, we decided that the book for this month is:
This book is the winner of the 2008 Bronte Prize.
The author, Lisa Genova, is a first-time novelist who holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard University and writes for the National Alzheimer's Association in the USA.
According to the blurb on the back of the book:
'An accomplished woman slowly loses her thoughts and memories to a harrowing disease - only to discover that each day brings a new way of living and loving. .........................
At once beautiful and terrifying, Still Alice is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer's disease that is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as unforgettable as Ordinary People.'
Here is what "Good Reads" has to say about it. On this web page are also some videos you can view about the book.
As most of us know someone affected by Alzheimer's Disease, ths book could prove quite challenging from an emotional perspective.
Our last Cityside Book Club for the year will be held:
Hello folks,
Just a reminder that Cityside Book Club will be meeting
THIS THURSDAY, 14 NOVEMBER, AT 6 PM AT MACKAY CITY LIBRARY!
We will be discussing and digesting what we thought of The Dinner by Herman Koch.
See you @ 6 at City!
HOT OFF THE PRESS! ANOTHER CHANGE OF DATE FOR CITYSIDE NOVEMBER BOOK CLUB!!!!!
I know we discussed bringing the meeting back one week because I won't be here on Thursday 7 November but I won't be able to make that date either! I am proposing that we meet at 6 pm on Thursday 14 November at Mackay City Library.
Humble apologies for the schmozzle! I hope "The Dinner" is not giving you too much indigestion.
Looking forward to seeing you at 6pm at City Library on Thursday 14 November!
Cityside Book Club October 10, Wrap Up,
Well, apparently "The Death of Bees" did not quite create the buzz I had hoped. However, the more the discussion progressed the more enthusiasm ensued. Some found the constant change of narrator a little frustrating and made for much slower reading than would be expected for a book of this length and the amount of white space per page. The ending was considered satisfying and it was intriguing how the web of mis-information woven throughout the book eventually unravelled and gave the reader a sense of relief that although all was not well, it was not quite as bad as first thought. Some thought the book was too dark, so now doubt the next book on our list will prove challenging in this aspect.
After much discussion and a check with everyone's diary it was decided that our next Cityside Book Club will be held on Thursday 31 October at 6 pm! (This is a week earlier than usual but that way we'll squeeze another meeting in before our Christmas break.)
Our next read is the "riveting, compelling and deliciously uncomfortable" ( Christos Tsiolkas) "The Dinner" by Herman Koch. It poses the uncomfortable question of how far parents are willing to go to save their children from the consequences of their actions.
As an appetiser here is one review for you to taste:click on appetiser and select "The Dinner" from the menu displayed.
Warning: some of this maybe a little difficult to digest.
Dining out may never be the same again.......
Hello there,
Just another little reminder - we have Cityside Book Club tonight at 6pm at Mackay City Library! We'll be discussing "The Death of Bees".
Looking forward to seeing you there.
If you can't make it, just drop your book in at the counter of any of our libraries and let the staff know that it needs to find its way to my desk!
If you want October's book, just pop into Mackay City Library and ask for a copy of "The Dinner" by Herman Koch and prepare to be a little perturbed!
See you this evening!
Just a reminder folks that our October Cityside Book Club will be on Thursday 10 October which is the second Thursday not the first.
Hoping "The Death of Bees" has you buzzing....... (Sorry)
Here is a review from LitLovers
http://www.litlovers.com/book-reviews/26-a-lighter-touch/9034-death-of-bees-review
Cityside Book Club September ruminations....
It was great to see our inaugural book clubbers return, eager to chat about our August book, "The Light Between Oceans". I guess it's the mark of a good book to create such a variety of comments and opinions. We discussed the characters, pondered the decisions they made, tried to walk the path that they trod and attempted to contemplate whether there were possible alternative directions for them. "Who was right? Who was wrong? When did 'right' become 'wrong'? Did it?" These are just some of the questions this book provoked.
Even our new book book clubber who had not read the book was able to join in the discussion when it turned to ethics and the motives behind people's decisions.
Hopefully our next book "The Death of Bees" provokes such animated conversation.
Next month we will be meeting on Thursday 10 October at 6pm at City Library, that is the second Thursday, not the first Thursday. Looking forward to seeing you then.
It doesn't matter if you did not make it to our last meeting and would still like to come along. If you are not a library member as yet, just bring some form of ID like a driver's licence which has your current Mackay residential address on it and we can join you up so that you can be part of the fun.
Keep those pages turning.....
Hello fellow Cityside Book Clubbers,
Looking forward to meeting this Thursday at 6pm at Mackay City Library to discuss August's pick "The Light Between Oceans" by M.L. Stedman.
The Light Between Oceans Trailer
After our discussion about preferences for real life style books, the pick for September is "The Death of Bees" by Lisa O'Donnell, a contemporary real life drama.
It doesn't matter if you did not make it to our last meeting and would still like to come along. If you are not a library member as yet, just bring some form of ID like a driver's licence which has your current Mackay residential address on it and we can join you up so that you can be part of the fun.
'Still Alice' stimulates discussion
Lisa Genova's novel "Still Alice' provoked much animated discussion. Told from the point of view of the victim of early on-set Alzheimer's disease, this novel was heartbreaking, funny and at times frustrating. The story was told with compassion and the author's qualifications gave it authority. Some of the members knew of folk with Alzheimer's and the novel gave them more insight and understanding of the disease.
'Still Alice' appeared to be enjoyed by all and was far more popular than the previous month's pick.
Our readers decided they would read their own choices over the Christmas break as a treat and that we would meet on Thursday 6 February to discuss our reading experiences over the holiday season.
Wishing you all a happy Christmas and a fascinating 2014 full of fabulous books!
Cityside Book Club
this Thursday 5 December at City Library at 6 pm
Hello Everyone,
Just a reminder that our last Cityside Book Club for 2013 meets this Thursday 5 December at 6 pm at Mackay City Library. We'll be discussing "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova.
We'll also look at some possible titles for 2014!
Looking forward to catching up with you all!
Turn over a new leaf and join a Mackay Regional Council Library Book Club!
Cityside Book Club 14 November Degustation
Unfortunately 'The Dinner' did not go down too well. The entree was considered just too long and slow to digest, therefore leaving the main course untasted. Further discussion made one participant wish they'd persevered further into the menu though.
The book is rather dark as it poses the question of how far some parents are willing to go to save their children from the consequences of their actions. In an age where rights seem unaccompanied by responsibilties, and the individual's needs override those of the community, 'The Dinner' raises some challenging questions and the path chosen by the characters in this novel would certainly not be everybody's cup of tea. It is an uncomfortable journey but raises questions worthy of discussion and scarily, could be considered possibly pertinent to today's society.
Book for November
After some discussion, we decided that the book for this month is:
Still Alice: a novel by Lisa Genova.
This book is the winner of the 2008 Bronte Prize.
The author, Lisa Genova, is a first-time novelist who holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard University and writes for the National Alzheimer's Association in the USA.
According to the blurb on the back of the book:
'An accomplished woman slowly loses her thoughts and memories to a harrowing disease - only to discover that each day brings a new way of living and loving. .........................
At once beautiful and terrifying, Still Alice is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer's disease that is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as unforgettable as Ordinary People.'
Here is what "Good Reads" has to say about it. On this web page are also some videos you can view about the book.
As most of us know someone affected by Alzheimer's Disease, ths book could prove quite challenging from an emotional perspective.
Our last Cityside Book Club for the year will be held:
at 6 at City on Thursday, 5 December, 2013.
If this book appeals to you, just drop into Mackay City Library with your library card and pick up your book club copy or if you just want to chat about reading, mark the above date in your diary and call in.
Happy reading!
Hello folks,
Just a reminder that Cityside Book Club will be meeting
THIS THURSDAY, 14 NOVEMBER, AT 6 PM AT MACKAY CITY LIBRARY!
We will be discussing and digesting what we thought of The Dinner by Herman Koch.
See you @ 6 at City!
HOT OFF THE PRESS! ANOTHER CHANGE OF DATE FOR CITYSIDE NOVEMBER BOOK CLUB!!!!!
I know we discussed bringing the meeting back one week because I won't be here on Thursday 7 November but I won't be able to make that date either! I am proposing that we meet at 6 pm on Thursday 14 November at Mackay City Library.
Humble apologies for the schmozzle! I hope "The Dinner" is not giving you too much indigestion.
Looking forward to seeing you at 6pm at City Library on Thursday 14 November!
Cityside Book Club October 10, Wrap Up,
Well, apparently "The Death of Bees" did not quite create the buzz I had hoped. However, the more the discussion progressed the more enthusiasm ensued. Some found the constant change of narrator a little frustrating and made for much slower reading than would be expected for a book of this length and the amount of white space per page. The ending was considered satisfying and it was intriguing how the web of mis-information woven throughout the book eventually unravelled and gave the reader a sense of relief that although all was not well, it was not quite as bad as first thought. Some thought the book was too dark, so now doubt the next book on our list will prove challenging in this aspect.
After much discussion and a check with everyone's diary it was decided that our next Cityside Book Club will be held on Thursday 31 October at 6 pm! (This is a week earlier than usual but that way we'll squeeze another meeting in before our Christmas break.)
Our next read is the "riveting, compelling and deliciously uncomfortable" ( Christos Tsiolkas) "The Dinner" by Herman Koch. It poses the uncomfortable question of how far parents are willing to go to save their children from the consequences of their actions.
As an appetiser here is one review for you to taste:click on appetiser and select "The Dinner" from the menu displayed.
Warning: some of this maybe a little difficult to digest.
Dining out may never be the same again.......
Hello there,
Just another little reminder - we have Cityside Book Club tonight at 6pm at Mackay City Library! We'll be discussing "The Death of Bees".
Looking forward to seeing you there.
If you can't make it, just drop your book in at the counter of any of our libraries and let the staff know that it needs to find its way to my desk!
If you want October's book, just pop into Mackay City Library and ask for a copy of "The Dinner" by Herman Koch and prepare to be a little perturbed!
See you this evening!
Just a reminder folks that our October Cityside Book Club will be on Thursday 10 October which is the second Thursday not the first.
Hoping "The Death of Bees" has you buzzing....... (Sorry)
Here is a review from LitLovers
http://www.litlovers.com/book-reviews/26-a-lighter-touch/9034-death-of-bees-review
Cityside Book Club September ruminations....
It was great to see our inaugural book clubbers return, eager to chat about our August book, "The Light Between Oceans". I guess it's the mark of a good book to create such a variety of comments and opinions. We discussed the characters, pondered the decisions they made, tried to walk the path that they trod and attempted to contemplate whether there were possible alternative directions for them. "Who was right? Who was wrong? When did 'right' become 'wrong'? Did it?" These are just some of the questions this book provoked.
Even our new book book clubber who had not read the book was able to join in the discussion when it turned to ethics and the motives behind people's decisions.
Hopefully our next book "The Death of Bees" provokes such animated conversation.
Next month we will be meeting on Thursday 10 October at 6pm at City Library, that is the second Thursday, not the first Thursday. Looking forward to seeing you then.
It doesn't matter if you did not make it to our last meeting and would still like to come along. If you are not a library member as yet, just bring some form of ID like a driver's licence which has your current Mackay residential address on it and we can join you up so that you can be part of the fun.
Keep those pages turning.....
Hello fellow Cityside Book Clubbers,
Looking forward to meeting this Thursday at 6pm at Mackay City Library to discuss August's pick "The Light Between Oceans" by M.L. Stedman.
After our discussion about preferences for real life style books, the pick for September is "The Death of Bees" by Lisa O'Donnell, a contemporary real life drama.
It doesn't matter if you did not make it to our last meeting and would still like to come along. If you are not a library member as yet, just bring some form of ID like a driver's licence which has your current Mackay residential address on it and we can join you up so that you can be part of the fun.
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