White Fang (Jack London) or My Father's House (Joseph O'Connor)
Details
Remember you only have to read one of the books, there will be a group to discuss each on the night.
At the end of every meeting we vote for two new books to discuss for the meeting after next. It would be great if you could prepare your own suggestions to nominate on the night. This could be any kind of book e.g. novel, non-fiction, biography, but ideally it should be less than 400 pages long.
March's books:
White Fang (Jack London): Born in the wilds of the freezing cold Yukon, White Fang - half-dog, half-wolf - is the only animal in the litter to survive. He soon learns the harsh laws of nature and of the world's indifference, yet buried deep inside him are the distant memories of affection and love. Will this fiercely independent creature of the wild learn to trust man again?
First published in 1906, and told through the eyes of the magnificent White Fang, Jack London's classic adventure story keenly observes the extraordinary workings of one of nature's greatest gifts: the power to adapt.
*Note - This book is available on Project Gutenberg so can be read online for free, if that is your preference.
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My Father's House (Joseph O'Connor): September 1943: German forces occupy Rome. Gestapo boss Obersturmbannführer Paul Hauptmann rules with terror. Hunger is widespread. Rumors fester. The war’s outcome is far from certain.
Diplomats, refugees, and escaped Allied prisoners flee for protection into Vatican City, at one fifth of a square mile the world’s smallest state, a neutral, independent country within Rome. A small band of unlikely friends led by a courageous Irish priest is drawn into deadly danger as they seek to help those seeking refuge.
Book 1 in the Rome Escape Line Trilogy, My Father’s House is a powerful, heartbreaking literary thriller based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, who risked his life to smuggle thousands of Jews and escaped Allied prisoners out of Italy under the nose of his Nazi nemesis. A deadly high-stakes battle of wits ensues in this astonishing, unforgettable story of love, faith and sacrifice, exploring what it means to be truly human in the most extreme circumstances.
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We will be meeting again in April, when we will be discussing To the Lighthouse by Viriginia Woolf and Orbital by Samantha Harvey.