HOVE BOOK GROUP: End of year review 2021

HOVE BOOK GROUP: End of year review 2021

On Thursday 9th December 2021 Hove Book Group took its customary look back over the year that was. Hamish was the only member not in attendance. Sadly he was self isolating having tested positive for C-19. Not only did he miss a most convivial evening he was also not on hand to receive the accolades for nominating our favourite HBG read of 2021

The hardest working book group in Hove

2021 in review…

Favourite read

* 1 Days Without End by Sebastian Barry (Hamish) - 15 *

2 Boy Parts by Eliza Clark (Nigel) - 6

3 Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell (Tristan) - 5

The Man Who Fell To Earth by Walter Tevis (Nigel) -3

Wilding by Isabella Tree (Robin) - 3

The Zero by Jess Walter (Hamish) - 3

A Small Revolution in Germany by Philip Hensher (Keith) - 3

How to rule the world by Tibor Fischer (Keith) - 2

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker (Roland) 2

Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth (Nick)

Favourite music

1 Loving The Alien - Bowie playlist (Nigel) - 9 

2 Power Corruption Lies by New Order (Keith) 8

3 Keith’s Sonic Youth playlist (Keith) - 6

Promises by Floating Points (Roland) - 4

Nocturnes by Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus (Hamish) - 4

Is The Comma Important? playlist (Hamish) - 3

You are the Quarry by Morrissey (Nick) - 3

Planet Earth playlist (Robin) - 2

Cut by The Slits (Tristan) - 3

Psycho playlist (Nigel)

Favourite watch

1 Abigail’s Party dir by Mike Leigh (Tristan) - 7

1 Chinatown dir by Roman Polanski (Nick) - 7

1 If…. dir by Lindsay Anderson (Keith) - 7

Aliens dir by James Cameron (Nigel) - 5

That Obscure Object of Desire dir by Luis Buñuel (Hamish) - 3

American Psycho dir by Mary Hannon (Nigel) - 3

Brooklyn dir by John Crowley (Hamish) - 3

Blackfish dir by Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Robin) - 1

Troy dir by Wolfgang Petersen (Roland) 

Deep Fakes: Can You Trust Your Eyes? - All 4 (Keith) 

Favourite theme

1 Loving The Alien (Nigel) - 9

1 1970s Britain (Tristan) - 9

2 Cancel Culture (Nick) - 8

Psycho (Nigel) - 6

Power Corruption and Lies (Keith) - 4

Rebellious Youth (Keith) - 3

How to Save the Planet (Robin) - 1

Thumbs up to America (Hamish)

Troy (Roland)

Terrorism (Hamish)

Best book you read in 2021 (could be a Book Group choice or something else)

Throw Me to the Wolves by Patrick McGuinness (Nigel)

Boy Parts by Eliza Clark (Roland) 

Days Without End by Sebastian Barry (Robin + Tristan)

One, Two, Three, Four - The Beatles in Time by Craig Brown (Nick)

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart (Hamish)

Memorable 2021 HBG moments

Being able to meet in person (Robin)

Disembodiment of James Bond myth (Roland)

It is a reminder that talking with subjects other than the pandemic is a very healthy thing to do (Nick)

The ongoing debate about album of the year, Floating Points. Getting back in the pub. Seeing you all in the flesh (not literally thankfully!) (Hamish)

Beach gathering, or was that last year? (Tristan)

Best thing about Book Group in 2021

An oasis of easy companionship in a busy and confusing world (Nigel)

Cognitive synchronisation between Nigel and Roland (Roland)

The participants (Robin)

Getting out of the house was good - going to the beach and the beer garden (Nick)

Best set of book choices in many a year - keep it up dudes!! (Hamish)

Just being there - a refuge in this mad covid-ridden world (Keith)

Signal group chat (Tristan)

What defined 2021 for you (news item, something personal etc.)

Covid and a return to relative normality - long may it continue (Nigel)

Acceptance of the glorious mundane (Roland)

Head in the sand nature of politicians (Robin)

Getting back out there - from seeing gigs to travelling for work again. Just not always being a head on a zoom call (Nick)

Hey What!, Water Snails, Black Country, Vaccination, Bewicks Swan, Cathedrals, New Road, Dukes at Komedia, Vurger (Hamish)

New job (Keith)

Pandemic (Tristan)

How do we make Book Group even better?

A reliably quiet and comfortable venue (Nigel)

To solemnly swear never to never alter its ranks (Roland)

The endless quest for the right pub (Robin)

I say the same every year so won't repeat (Nick)

Make sure we do the Devil’s Dyke trip even if it’s chilly (Tristan)

Visit Lewes (Hamish)

What else do you want to say?

HBG will be 17 years old in January 2022 (Nigel)

Marvellous (Robin)

Well done all! (Nick)

Watch the film Hit The Road, an Iranian masterpiece. I love you all. And Happy Christmas! (Hamish)

Just a hearty thank you (Keith)

Nowt (Tristan)