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| Hove Book Group - 13 December 2011 @Leonardo's Restaurant, Hove |
On 13 December 2011 the Hove Book Group got together to celebrate Christmas, another year of enjoyable cultural discourse, and to review the year.
We missed Don and Jason who could not make the meal.
I made copious notes of our review of 2011 however I appear to have lost them, so the following is based on what I can remember....
1. What was our favourite book that we read this year?
After agreeing a scoring system - and each nominating a favourite and a runner up - the winner (by quite a long way) was...
"The City and The City" by China Mieville
Congratulations to China Mieville for his highly original and stimulating novel that captured our imaginations (well most of us).
Philip K Dick's "The Man In The High Castle" came second.
We realised that, of the nine books we read in 2011, five were biography or memoir. We resolved to try and read more fiction in 2012.
2. What was our favourite film and music?
Our favourite film was Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, that beat off stiff (ahem) competition from The Wall live DVD, David Lynch's Mullholland Drive and Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye.
Apropos of not much, one member of the group described The Social Network as "boring". Clearly the trauma of a trying journey from London to Hove had clouded his judgement.
Our favourite music was a selection of big tunes by Fleetwood Mac.
3. What was the best book we each read this year?
Alas, the loss of my notes, means I cannot remember who mentioned what except that I really enjoyed "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" by Mohsin Hamid and "Apathy For The Devil" by Nick Kent.
4. What defined 2011 for us?
We talked about holidays, the recession, the Murdochs, the riots, the Euro, and the amount of dramatic news stories. And some other stuff. Probably.
5. What was the best thing about Book Group in 2011?
That would be the free sandwiches at The Poets Corner pub, and The Poets Corner pub itself, which is our pub of choice. We *really* like The Poets Corner pub.
What else?
The rest of the evening was a mix of Harveys, pizza, Peroni, bonhomie, wine, seasonal tunes and good vibrations.
In conclusion...
The Hove Book Group has been going strong since January 2005, and 2011 (our seventh year) has been another thoroughly enjoyable 12 months.
Lloyd's sabbatical continues. We wondered if it will ever end.
Don's work has meant he can't always attend and we lamented this.
Jason has moved to the country however, we are delighted to say, is still managing to make quite a few of our gatherings.
New boy Keith has settled in and is no longer a new boy. Hurrah.
Robin, Nick, Hamish, Tristan and Nigel are pretty much ever presents.
Here's to the next 12 months.
My favorite non-bookclub book was The Windup Girl by Paulo Baccigaluppi - rollocking science fiction set in a future Bangkok, with a liberal does of sex and violence. You still have my copy (hint, hint).
ReplyDeleteAs for "Our favourite music was a selection of big tunes by Fleetwood Mac.": this alone means I either have to take my own life to preserve what vestiges of self respect I still possess, or find another bookclub, whichever is easiest.
Ha ha. Yes indeed. That's the problem with a democratic process - people can vote for any old rubbish. I just looked back at the Fleetwood Mac entry and noticed you "saw some merit" but also described them as "mildly irritating" - 4/10. Thanks to your hint I have now located The Windup Girl and will move it up my books to read list especially as i have finished Room (our next choice) already with a few weeks til our next gathering.
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