Book club

[Wendyf]

I don't think I would be tempted to read another Jodi Picoult, unless I was stuck with nothing else to read! I have finished The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and I enjoyed every bit of it. I hope you get your copy soon Gloria. It must be Sue's turn to choose a book for October, unless someone else joins us with a suggestion.

[Sue]

I also loved every minute of it, and what an ending. I have just got back from Venice where I did a lot of reading at night. I am thinking of another book. As you say not Jodie for me either.

[Sue]

I have been told about a book today, I need to check the title

[Wendyf]

Good, I was hoping you might choose something soon as I finished a book this morning and have nothing else to read! I bought Diane Keaton's autobiography for £1, it was a bit of an odd read.

[Gloria]

Off to library tomorrow hopefully that book will have arrived, if not, Sue, it is your book when you remember the name.

[Gloria]

Thunder in the Mountains has arrived but not our book club book

[Sue]

The Secret River by Kate grenville

[Wendyf]

It's not one I would choose for myself, but that's what's good about the book club! I'm reading one of Alexander McCall Smith's Isobel Dalhousie novels at the moment, but as soon as that is finished I'll download The Secret River.

[Sue]

I was recommended the Secret River by a friend, I was interested because I have Australian convicts in my family.The book was written by someone who was researching her family.

I am reading a dreadful book at the moment,The FrenchOrphan. It would make aGOOD film but so badly written, so many' coincidences'

[Wendyf]

I am just waiting for Secret River to download. Looking forward to a good read! I still keep thinking about Harold Fry and his unlikely pilgrimage, I wonder if Gloria has got her copy from the library yet?

[Sue]

I have just started secret river, slow start. I really liked the last book, and it will take a lot to beat it

[Gloria]

I am still waiting for the last one---everybody and their Dad must have ordered it from the lancashire libraries.

[Wendyf]

The problem with ebooks is that you can't pass them on. I could have sent you my copy ages ago if it was a real book!

[Gloria]

Thanks Wendy, I am sure it will be worth the wait.

[Gloria]

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry has arrived at long last. I shall get my head into it later today.

[Wendyf]

Hope you enjoy it Gloria. I am struggling to get into The Secret River. I got distracted by a book that a friend gave me, it's written by Karen Armstrong who was a nun but lost her belief. It's about her struggle to live a normal life once she has left the convent.

[Sue]

Secret River is good story whenyou get in to it, however I have been a bit slow as I have been falling asleep almost as soon as I get in bed. Its been a busy couple of weeks

[Sue]

I have finished Secret River this morning and am now reading the real story behind the story. What a sad book. I felt so angry about the way theAborigines were treated, angry and sickened. It was interesting from a personal view point as both Bob and I have convict ancestors, mine received pardons early. I wonder what life was like for them? I am about to read another book on the same theme calledHANNAH

[Wendyf]

I'm just getting back into it Sue.

[Gloria]

I'm still on The Unlikely Pilgrimage, I just wish I had more time to settle down to read it---but it's good so far.

[Sue]

The book about the book is fascinating. It's a book about how the author researched her convict ancestors and ended up researching the social history of the convicts and the conflicts with the aborigines who were striving to keep their home lands. Fascinating, a must for any genealogist

[Gloria]

Still on the pilrimage and enjoying it.

[Gloria]

Finally managed to remember to review The Pilgrimage. Well, it was certainly different and kept the attention. It gave a lot of food for thought, with the relationship between Maureen and Harold. I enjoyed Harold's stories along the way and wasn't ready for the twist, which I think is a good sign. Would I read another of hers?? I don't know, because I don't know how she would follow that. Did I enjoy it--yes--but a lot different to what I usually read.

[Wendyf]

It puzzled me why she used such old fashioned names for characters who are of my generation....Harold & Queenie are names from the early 20thC rather than post WW2.
I still haven't been gripped by Secret River but haven't given up on it yet!

[Sue]

I followed up the secret river with the truth behind the story. The book neatly falls into place.it is basically a series of true events created around the main characters, who are also based on real people. Fascinating. I followed it with HANNAH,a tue convict story. I now have quite a feel for what my ancestors went through.