Members of the Summer Reading Group really enjoyed the selection of books this year, pointing out the exceptional quality of the writing styles and also noting the common themes of war/dictatorship and the immigrants’ life in each one. When time came to voting for the Best Summer Read 2008, an unusual event occurred: 3 of the books tied for first place, confirming the overall high … Continue reading Best Summer Reads 2008
“A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole (U.S.) Review Members of the Book Club enjoyed this book, some really loving it and finding it hilarious, others slightly more reserved in their feelings and finding it sad and monotonous at times. Everybody thought the characters were funny and fascinating and were able to visualise them easily thanks to the vivid descriptions. Readers loved the dialogues, … Continue reading A Confederacy of Dunces
“Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury (U.S.) One of Nicola’s 100 Best Books for Inspiration in the 21st century! Book Club Favourite of Season 5 Synopsis and Review “Fahrenheit 451”: the temperature at which book-paper catches fire and burns In a time in which books are forbidden, Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are the source of all discord and … Continue reading Fahrenheit 451
“The News From Paraguay” by Lily Tuck (U.S.) Synopsis and Review “The News from Paraguay”: Not That Good Set in the mid 19th century at the time of the war of the Triple Alliance that pitted Paraguay against its neighbours, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, “The News From Paraguay” recounts the love affair between Ella Lynch, Irish courtesan, and Francisco Solano Lopez, future dictator of Paraguay. … Continue reading The News From Paraguay
“Oracle Night” by Paul Auster (U.S.) This was the first book we read for Nicola’s Book Club on 3rd March 2005! Synopsis Several months into his recovery from a near-fatal illness, novelist Sidney Orr enters a stationery shop in Brooklyn and buys a blue notebook. It is September 18, 1982, and for the next nine days Orr will live under the spell of this blank … Continue reading Oracle Night
