October Meetup

Great to see you all again for the September meetup which saw our usual excellent book chat with both books generating much good discussion. The Garden of Evening Mist scored 73 while Hello Beautiful scored 62.

For October wehave two relatively short books that promise to pack a big punch one set in Scotland during the Highland Clearances, the second, continuing this year’s interest in Asian literature, based in late 20th century South Korea.

Please note, with thanks, we appreciate attendees making a contribution of £1.50 at the meeting to help cover meetup charges.

Happy Reading.

Clear by Carys Davies (nominated by Jennifer)

1843. On a remote Scottish island, Ivar, the sole occupant, leads a life of quiet isolation until the day he finds a man unconscious on the beach below the cliffs. The newcomer is John Ferguson, an impoverished church minister sent to evict Ivar and turn the island into grazing land for sheep.

Unaware of the stranger's intentions, Ivar takes him into his home, and in spite of the two men having no common language, a fragile bond begins to form between them. Meanwhile, on the mainland, John's wife, Mary, anxiously awaits news of his mission.
Against the rugged backdrop of this faraway spot beyond Shetland, Carys Davies's intimate drama unfolds with tension and tenderness: a touching and crystalline study of ordinary people buffeted by history and a powerful exploration of the distances and connections between us.
Perfectly structured and surprising at every turn, Clear is a marvel of storytelling, an exquisite short novel by a master of the form.

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo (nominated by Julia)

Kim Jiyoung is a girl born to a mother whose in-laws wanted a boy. Kim Jiyoung is a sister made to share a room while her brother gets one of his own.

Kim Jiyoung is a female preyed upon by male teachers at school. Kim Jiyoung is a daughter whose father blames her when she is harassed late at night.

Kim Jiyoung is a good student who doesn’t get put forward for internships. Kim Jiyoung is a model employee but gets overlooked for promotion. Kim Jiyoung is a wife who gives up her career and independence for a life of domesticity.

Kim Jiyoung has started acting strangely. Kim Jiyoung is depressed. Kim Jiyoung is mad.

Kim Jiyoung is her own woman. Kim Jiyoung is every woman.

Other books nominated were:
Sea Room: An Island Life by Adam Nicolson
Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor E Frankl
Lies of Silence by Brian Moore
Going Solo by Roald Dahl
October Sky by Homer Hickam
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome