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BOOK CLUB - Galway
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Hi D,
We discussed it but it wasn't suiting people to change the night, and unfortunately we don't have enough to get a second night going. But there have been a few posts saying that people can't make tuesdays, so I'll open it up to the floor:
If anyone is interested in the Book Club, but can't make Tuesdays, please post so that all the non-Tuesdays can make arrangements between themselves!
and also p.s. Tsk Tsk to all those that were no shows on Tuesday evening... the book wasn't that bad
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Hi D,
Would you consider moderating yourself at another BookClub meeting if there was sufficient interest? Another meeting would also be good for current members who cannot make their usual night. I suppose it all depends on numbers anyway.
In relation to our last meeting where we discussed The Motel Life, there were 6 attendees. Poor show :mad:
These were:
Karl W
Pope Buckfast
Damien G
Tristan C
Myself
and Matt Kidd
Overall, everyone seemed to enjoy the book. It was very bleak but it did give a very good insight into some aspects of poverty and alcoholism and their affects on people. It was also a good study of family relations during good and bad times and of the extreme differences in personalities of the characters for example Jerry Lee and Annie's Mother. Addictions either to gambling or to alcohol etc. was a strong element of the story as was people's dependence on one another for good or for bad reasons.
This was possibly my favourite book read so far in BookClub. I found the main characters (The Flannigan Brothers) to be very likable and so it was easy to focus on the story. I highly reccommend it
Pope Buckfast wants to start our next meeting slightly later than usual so instead of 7:30pm, we will aim to meet at 8:00 and start our discussion for 8:30.
Our next meeting is on Tuesday 15th April to discuss Fahrenheit 451 (hope that's the correct title:confused). We also discussed having a bit of a sesion at one of our upcoming meetings whereby we would discuss the relevant book and then hang around afterwards for drinks or coffee or whatever.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for moderating at the last meeting Pope Buckfast0 -
Oh, and by the way
Everyone beware the new penalty points system specially adapted from the Road safety Authority to BookClub
Being late = 2 penalty points
Not showing (when one says they will) = 4
At MattKidd's suggestion the very basic, bottom of the scale (4 penalty points) punishment will be...attending the following meeting in drag
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Hi Everyone,
I just added a new post regarding our outing to The Crane Bar last night to see Willy Vlautin live on our webpage if anyone is interested in reading it or commenting on the gig itself. Just go to:
http://galwaybookclub.blogspot.com/ for details.
The gig was really good and very apt in my opinion 0 -
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Hi Everyone,
Just a bit about our last BookClub meeting where we discussed The Silver Swan by Benjamin Black. First off, I'd like to welcome our newest members; Kate and Frances.
I think that the overall feeling towards this novel was that it wasn't very good at all. It was overly descriptive of scenes and settings. The characters were not very likable and also, it wasn't much of a "mystery." From the beginning of the novel, it was quite obvious who the killer was (not to me though because I didn't manage to finish it on time. Tut tut!). It was suggested that John Banville tried to adapt his tried and tested manner of writning to a different genre of novel, and the end result was that it just didn't work. Perhaps highly descriptive passsages are more at home in his other books such as The Sea etc. for which he was nominated (or won?) the Booker Prize. Personally, I think that he was trying to break the mould in terms of the formula that runs through crime thrillers in the main...even if it didn't work very well. The hero of the story, Quirke, in the end didn't even solve the crime, It was a lesser involved character, Hackett! This is one of the reasons why I believe that Banville was trying alter traditional story-telling formulas. Also, I believe that he was trying to avoid the "easy-read" style associated with this genre by being highly descriptive and historically accurate. The Swastika Laundry did exist in Dublin during the period in which the novel is set for example.
Some of the scenarios in the story were very very unlikely, especially his daughter Phoebe falling in love with one of the villainous characters, Leslie White, who was Quirke's nemesis I suppose.
Ok, I admit, I still haven't finished it yet either. It is a tough read. I find it very easy to loose concentration. The pace is slow and there is no real need for the copiously descriptive passages or the flashbacks (Phoebe and the leverets when she was a child...). However, I'm still enjoying the book. I do like the historical aspects of it and it does paint a vivid picture of Dublin City, even if it is hard to differentiate the period of the story's setting from the present or any other time within the last 100 years.
To surmise, the majority of the members who read the book didn't enjoy it at all apart from myself and Tristan C. But I want to give John Banville the benifit of the doubt. I do think that he was trying something new, not just in terms of the kind of books he generally writes himself, but of the style of writing associated with the mystery/thriller genre overall. That can't be a bad thing altogether in my opinion at least. So, as I won the BookClub lotto this week, I get to choose the next book. I really want to see how The Silver Swan compares to John Banville's other works so therefore, I am choosing another of his books, The Sea. It could be a quiet week in Galway BookClub
By the way, those who attended the meeting were as follows:
Tristan C
Hugh
Anne Marie
Paul P
Sandra
Kate
karl
Hazel
Frances and
TristanPeter
Looking forward to our next meetin and hope to see you all there
p.s. I don't know how to do a spell check on this so please forgive my terrible spelling.0 -
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http://www.booksunlimited.ie/Books/Huxley-Aldous/The-Doors-of-Perception-With-Heaven-and-Hell/9780099458203.htm
I've never ordered from these guys so can't say whether they're any good or not but I would assume that, seeing as they're based in Ireland, they would deliver fairly quickly. They do say 7 days but whenever I order stuff online within Ireland I usually receive it within two days.
I had been looking for it myself, think I'll give this book club a go
There is a shortage of decent book shops in this city. Is the library any good?0 -
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Hello Everyone,
Seeing as only one of the five attendees at last night's BookClub meeting (namely Pope Buckfast) read the nominated book, we decided not to discuss it until next Tuesday night, the 17th of June. That's only one week away, not the usual two weeks we have between books but most of us had some of it read at least.
I was happy with this myself because I really didn't want to know the ending of the story until I had read it. I'm finding it to be a very entertaining read, and also very funny. I think this was the general consensus at the club yesterday evening.
Of course this is going to alter the schedule of books to be read so we will modify it asap.
Kate also nominated a book. Don't have a clue what it was but I'll find out or I'm sure she will fill us in on Boards.ie
So, I hope to see lots of members next Tuesday night if ye can make it. The book is well worth reading...and now you all have a 2nd chance
Oh yeah, at last night's meeting were the following:
Sandra
Kate
Hugh (Pope Buckfast)
Tristan C
TristanPeter0 -
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Hi Everyone,
I collected a book club registation form today from Dubray Books for Galway BookClub. In order to avail of their special book club discount of 10% I have to give them the names of all our Galway BookClub members who are interested. So I would appreciate it if all involved could PM me their full names. I have most surnames but there are a few I'm unsure of. If you intend to come to meetings in future but have not made it as of yet, send me your names also please 0 -
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Hello Everyone,
Yesterday evening we discussed The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G Farrell. Unfortunately it was a very brief discussion because the music in Bar no. 8 got a bit too loud. No one could hear the conversation and this was the book that I was most looking forward to discussing of all of the books so far at BookClub.
Of course the goal of any pub is to make money and the management are going to cater to the needs of the customers who will bring the most business in. There was some party on so I suppose I can't complain, and the staff always do their best to accommodate us.
We are considering changing the venue however. As the summer comes into full swing it will be hard I'm sure to have an evening in Bar no. 8 when it's quiet enough to hold our meetings. Perhaps we should have our next meeting there in 2 weeks time and see how it goes. If again it's very loud we can move on. Hugh suggested The Cottage in Salthill as there are a few small rooms, which maybe we could reserve. I suggested The Bal because this has three floors and the chances are at least one floor won't be busy on a Tuesday night. Architecturally, I really like it also. It's bright and spacious. Parking wouldn't be such a problem in Salthill either. Anyway, suggestions are more than welcome and if we have to change venue, we can try to make an informed decision.
Back to The Siege of Krishnapur; what a brilliant book in my opinion! I found it very very funny whilst also being very serious in dealing with the predicament that the characters find themselves in. It's a great study of traditional/conservative views versus new/modern approaches to different aspects of life. From technology and innovation to the class system of British society at the time the book is set in...and I'm sure this still applies today, but perhaps to a lesser degree in our society.
All the main characters seem to have a protagonist to their ideals...not necessarily an enemy but someone who generally has conflicting ideas in relation to the same subject...spirituality or religion or government or status or materialism and as the book progresses there is a gradual "stripping down" of these ideals which is paralleled with the gradual wasting away of the characters during the siege. By the end of the story there is a complete shift in some of the character's beliefs as to what they feel is important in life, to the opposite end of the spectrum.
The book itself was quite difficult to read. Small text and over 300 pages but I feel that it's not the kind of story that you want to rush. Almost every sentence in it is relevant, holds undertones of satire or illustrates brilliantly the character's pre-occupation with their own beliefs, a preoccupation which is often detrimental to their hazardous circumstances at any given time, which is what made the book for me so enjoyable.
So without a doubt, I would give The Siege of Krishnapur 10 out of 10. Thanks Pope Buckfast for nominating it
All comments are more than welcome re. my own views above about this book. Agree...disagree?
At last night's meeting was:
Anne Marie
Caitriona
Pope Buckfast (Hugh)
Damien G
Sandra
and Myself
Details of the proposed BookClub barbeque will be texted to members shortly
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I came across this thread last week and was all gung-ho to get on the No. 8 wagon so went zooming out in search of it. I could, um, lend it to you at 6pm...? 
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