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- Award-winning fiction: Our Wives Under the Sea (2022) by Julia ArmfieldThe Shirker's Rest, London
"After a deep-sea voyage, a woman returns to her wife transformed" - in a debut novel which blends "the suspense of a psychological thriller, the eeriness of cosmic horror, and the emotional depth of a love story, to produce something both deeply unsettling and moving".
The book contains descriptions of mild body horror, death, grief, chronic illness, psychosis and disordered eating. Winner of the 2023 Polari Book Prize, it is moderately challenging rather than a plot-driven page-turner - don't forget you can read this free online preview before deciding to attend:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Our-Wives-Under-Julia-Armfield-ebook/dp/B097N4F7LS/?sr=8-1&asin=B097N4F7LS&revisionId=f7253eb4&format=3&depth=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. - Film discussion: Don't Look Now (1973) - free on iPlayer til around Thu 7 AugThe Shirker's Rest, London
NB the evening does NOT include a screening of the 1h46m film, which is free on iPlayer until around Thu 7 Aug - so don't leave it to the last minute!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0010zjr/dont-look-nowRated 15 for "strong sex, violence and injury detail", adapted from a story by Daphne du Maurier, and ranked 8th in the BFI's Top 100 British Films of the 20th Century, "Don't Look Now is an exploration of the psychology of grief and a relationship after the death of a child... Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland play a married couple who travel to Venice after a tragic accident, and find the claims of local spiritualists difficult to ignore."
Noted for its influence on films as varied as Out of Sight and Antichrist, Don't Look Now will be the main topic of discussion - Nicolas Roeg's other career highlights (Performance, Walkabout, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Insignificance, The Witches) don't seem to be as readily available, though we may mention other UK-made psychological horror such as:
The Wicker Man (91min, originally released as a double-bill with Don't Look Now, on iPlayer til around Wed 6 Aug)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001t443/the-wicker-man
The Shining (114min, mostly filmed at Ealing Studios, on iPlayer til around Sat 9 Aug)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000l4ml/the-shining
The Omen (105min, on iPlayer from Fri 25 Jul)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074cgfGeneral 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. - Recent fiction: Soldier Sailor (2023) by Claire KilroyThe Shirker's Rest, London
"An immersive dive into the baby years... The chaos and horrors of early motherhood are vividly, remorselessly evoked in a woman’s monologue to her son... A compelling, scorching exploration of motherhood, identity and autonomy."
Set in contemporary Ireland, the book contains descriptions of mental illness, suicidal thoughts, sexism, abandonment, self-harm and pregnancy. Although shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2024, this is a short and accessible read - don't forget you can try this free online preview before deciding to attend:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soldier-Sailor-Claire-Kilroy-ebook/dp/B0B928XCFF/?sr=8-1&asin=B0B928XCFF&format=1&depth=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.
