Thanks to everyone who took part in this month's book club. I thought it went well, so well in fact that I am having another go for this month. The book I've chosen is A Month in the Country by JL Carr
(or check out this lovely illustrated edition.)
There are two reasons that I have chosen this book:
1. It is one of my all-time favourites, and woefully under-known, and
2. It is very short.
I am feeling inclined to only pick short books for The Woman Who Talked Too Much Benign Book Dictatorship, so much so that I may rename it The Woman Who Talked Too Much Benign Book Dictatorship Of Short Books, So That As Many People As Possible Can Read It In Time. Though I don't want to tie myself down, in case at some point in the future I decide that I really want to get you all to read Bleak House because it's just so good (well, it is.)
But in the meantime: A Month in the Country, by JL Carr (not to be confused with A Month in the Country by Turgenev
, though by all means read that as well, only I haven't, and cannot comment on whether it is (a) any good or (b) short.) A young man, scarred both by his experiences of World War One and by the betrayal of his wife, takes a job repairing a fresco in a country church in the north of England. His work, his growing friendships in the community, and the stirrings of love begin to heal him, but can he ever be entirely healed? This book is beautifully written, with a real delicacy and lightness of touch, and a healthy amount of dry humour, and was shortlisted for the Booker prize in 1980. I believe I may have blogged about it before, very much in the context of its pleasing shortness. The late Natasha Richardson was in the film, but the timing of my choice is just coincidence. However it is a nice excuse to illustrate this post with a picture of her with the other two stars of the movie, Colin Firth (nice 'tache!) and Kenneth Branagh. If you are feeling super-keen, you could watch the movie as well, and make a comparison. If you are not feeling all that keen, you could just watch the movie.
Meet back here to discuss it on Thursday April 16th.
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9 comments:
Weirdly, having never been particularly tempted to read this (I cannot explain why, I am sure it is super), I picked up THIS VERY BOOK in Waterstone's this weekend while desperately looking for a Mother's Day present. I decided it wasn't my mum's sort of thing, but that it very well might be mine. So I bought it. I am probably more excited about this coincidence than I ought to be.
It's destiny. Don't fight it.
Now you see, IF you asked us to read Bleak House, I could go huzzah! because I have read it, and I love Dickens and it is very long but I can cheat and say well I read it 20 years ago does that count?? Whereas I know that with all my best intentions and despite shortness of book I probably won't get to A Month in the Country. And I am no wondering how it is possible I still have never seen the film, particularly as Colin Firth is in it... Maybe I should just go for the lazy option.
I saw the film a very long time ago and I know my friend H was a huge fan at the time of the films release. But this is just the incentive I needed to read the book itself.
Thanks for the (short) book club.
"The Woman Who Talked Too Much Benign Book Dictatorship Of Short Books, So That As Many People As Possible Can Read It In Time"
How about "The Woman Who Talked Too Much Benign Book Dictatorship of Books By Authors Who Talked Too Little"?
To be fair, it's more like "The Woman Who Talked Too Much Benign Book Dictatorship of Books By Authors Who Knew How To Be Succinct." But I like yours better... I think we have a name...
If we were being fair, you wouldn't be the woman who talked too much, now would you? ;-)
Besides, we could always argue they needed to go on to write more books but didn't, so they talked too little. That Dickens never finished The Mystery of Edwin Drood, for starters.
Okay, I can't resist. I've put a hold on the public library copy, but I am third in line, so I might not get it by the 16th. (Are there Marie Phillips fans clogging up the request system at Ottawa-Carlton Public Libraries?) I think I've seen the film, but the fact that I'm not sure does not bode well, Colin Firth or no Colin Firth...
There must be a few Sydney-siders in the club too - it's out of stock in Sydney and only due back in mid-April. I found a second hand copy though...
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