The Dublin Book Club Meetup Group Monthly Meetup

Hi there,
Here are the books for the August 19th meetup. And remember, you don't have to read both books! Enjoy, and see you on the 19th of August!

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LOCATION HAS MOVED FROM THE BLEEDING HORSE TO JIMMY RABBITTE AT 87 LOWER CAMDEN STREET.

Note: If these books are difficult to find in bookshops, try online (e.g.: Amazon.co.uk, kennys.ie, easons.com, bookdepository.com to name a few).

AS THIS GROUP DOES NOT TAKE ONLINE PAYMENTS, EVERYONE WILL SHOW AS 'UNPAID'. PLEASE IGNORE.

1. Butter – Asako Yuzuki
There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine. Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination, but Kajii refuses to speak with the press, entertaining no visitors. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back. Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?

2. The Weight of Love – Hilary Fannin
London, 1996. Robin and Ruth meet in the staff room of an East London school. Robin, desperate for a real connection, instantly falls in love. Ruth, recently bereaved and fragile, is tentative. When Robin introduces Ruth to his childhood friend, Joseph, a tortured and talented artist, their attraction is instant. Powerless, Robin watches on as the girl he loves, and his best friend begin a passionate and turbulent affair. Dublin 2017. Robin and Ruth are married and have a son, Sid, who is about to emigrate to Berlin. Theirs is a marriage haunted by the ghost of Joseph and as the distance between them grows, Robin makes a choice that could have potentially devastating consequences.

Séamus