De quoi s'agit-il
A book club in SE London, everyone welcome. We aim to meet once a month on a Monday 7pm to discuss a book chosen by those who attended the previous one.
There isn't a particular theme to this book club but we'll read more or less equal numbers of books by female and male authors.
Événements à venir (3)
Tout voir- Film discussion: Children of Men (2006) - free on iPlayer til Tue 2 Sep & AmazonThe Shirker's Rest, London
NB the meeting does NOT include a screening of the 1h39m film which is free on iPlayer until the Tue evening before the discussion, so don't leave it too late unless you have Amazon Prime:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001kscd/children-of-menRated 15 for "strong bloody violence and strong language" and adapted from the novel by PD James, Children of Men is a thrilling and moving UK-set dystopia directed by multiple Oscar-winner Alfonso Cuarón.
Cuarón's other career highlights (Y tu mamá también, Gravity, Roma) don't seem to be as readily available, though we may mention other films with attempted-redemption themes such as:
Casablanca (1h38m, on iPlayer til around Mon 8 Sep)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mmc2
The Apartment (2h2m, available indefinitely?)
https://www.itv.com/watch/the-apartment/10a5060a0001B
Pitch Black (1h43m, available indefinitely?)
https://www.itv.com/watch/pitch-black/1a9286
Barbarian (1h37m, from the director of current horror hit Weapons - available til around Mon 8 Sep)
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/barbarianGeneral plan: by 7pm most of us should be in the upstairs room at the pub but we'll start by suggesting films to discuss in future in case anyone arrives late. Typically we'll discuss the selected title until 8ish, when there's a short break to go to the bar, then any further discussion till around 9, though of course you can leave at any point.
The Shirker's Rest takes cards, not cash, and serves a range of soft drinks, wine and spirits in addition to their beer and cider selection
https://theshirkersrest.co.uk/drinks/ - they don't have a kitchen but encourage you to order from https://yardsalepizza.com/menu/ or the Japanese takeaway next door...COVID-19 safety measures
This is indoors though we should be able to open at least one window. Please do not attend if you feel unwell, or have a positive Covid test/symptoms - you are encouraged to a) be as vaccinated as you can, b) wear a mask if you prefer, c) follow current Covid precautions, especially if you're at risk of passing on or catching the virus. - Award-nominated fiction: All Fours (2024) by Miranda JulyThe Shirker's Rest, London
"An irreverently sexy, tender, hilarious, and surprising novel about a woman upending her life... The author and film-maker explores dance, desire, mortality and transcendence on a wild autofictional journey."
The book contains descriptions of sexual activity, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, fatphobia, medical trauma and stalking. Shortlisted for the 2025 Women's Fiction Prize, it is moderately challenging (and fairly long) rather than a plot-driven page-turner - don't forget you can read this free online preview before deciding to attend:
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/All_Fours/wl1OEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1If you've been before and would like to help pay for the Meetup group, you can contribute "£1-2" per meeting (now collected around Dec & Jun). This optional payment does not apply to your first meeting and no-one is turned away for lack of funds.
General plan: by 7pm some of us should be in the upstairs room at the pub but we usually start by discussing books to read in future in case anyone arrives late. Typically we'll talk about the book until after 8pm, when there's a short break to go to the bar, then any further discussion till after 9, though of course you can leave at any point.
The Shirker's Rest takes cards, not cash, and serves a range of soft drinks, wine and spirits in addition to their beer and cider selection https://theshirkersrest.co.uk/drinks/ - they don't have a kitchen but encourage you to order from https://yardsalepizza.com/menu/ ..!
COVID-19 safety measures
This is indoors though we should be able to open at least one window. Please do not attend if you feel unwell, or have a positive Covid test/symptoms - you are encouraged to a) be as vaccinated as you can, b) wear a mask if you prefer, c) follow current Covid precautions, especially if you're at risk of passing on or catching the virus. - Mon book choice: title TBCThe Shirker's Rest, London
If you've been before and would like to help pay for the Meetup group, you can contribute "£1-2" per meeting (now collected around Dec & Jun). This optional payment does not apply to your first meeting and no-one is turned away for lack of funds.
General plan: by 7pm some of us should be in the upstairs room at the pub but we usually start by discussing books to read in future in case anyone arrives late. Typically we'll talk about the book until after 8pm, when there's a short break to go to the bar, then any further discussion till after 9, though of course you can leave at any point.
The Shirker's Rest takes cards, not cash, and serves a range of soft drinks, wine and spirits in addition to their beer and cider selection https://theshirkersrest.co.uk/drinks/ - they don't have a kitchen but encourage you to order from https://yardsalepizza.com/menu/ ..!
COVID-19 safety measures
This is indoors though we should be able to open at least one window. Please do not attend if you feel unwell, or have a positive Covid test/symptoms - you are encouraged to a) be as vaccinated as you can, b) wear a mask if you prefer, c) follow current Covid precautions, especially if you're at risk of passing on or catching the virus.
