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2012 Dates Both Book Groups (Book Group 1 and Women of Words - WoW) meet at the same time and day (2nd Saturdays of the odd months of the year (January, March, May, July, September, November) but at different locations. Next Meetings: * 12.30 pm Saturday, 10 March WOW:- Persuasion by Jane Austen - a classic about which it is said, that of all her books, it is the most autobiographical. Book Group1:- The Conductor (Shostakovichs 7th Symphony) by Sarah Quigley * 12.30 pm Saturday, 12 May WOW: “The Kashmir Shawl” by Rosie Thomas Book Group1:- To Be Decided
* 12.30 pm Saturday, 14 July * 12.30 pm Saturday, 08 September * 12.30 pm Saturday, 10 November
Suggestions for Future Books "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen - an historical novel set in the USA during the depression era about circus life, prohibition and love. "Infidel My Life" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali - How one determined woman can change more history than her own. Nancy Wake: Code Name “The White Mouse” by John Stanton is only available as a DVD. There are also available "Nancy Wake: SOE's greatest heroine" by Russell Braddon and "Nancy Wake: a biography of our greatest war heroine" by Peter Fitzsimons. This could be an opportunity for the group to read either of the books and then watch the DVD together before a discussion. Michelle McDonald After growing up in a privileged and cosmopolitan Iraq during the 1950s and 1960s, Selma Masson is plunged into a world of despair and intrigue when she discovers first-hand the brutality of her country's dictator. While Iraqi Ambassador to Spain, her husband is imprisoned and tortured by the Hussein government - for Selma, securing his freedom will mean an unforgettable encounter with Saddam Hussein. She is now an Australian citizen. The Kiss of Saddam takes you on Selma's incredible journey, drawing an evocative picture of life in Iraq. It shows just what one woman will do to save the people she loves. "A Small Island" by Andrea Levy "Gang of Four" by Liz Byrski Inspired by 5W.It's never too late to find yourself. When Isabel decides she needs a break she doesn't opt for a couple of weeks in a classy resort. No, she wants to take a year out and leave her husband, children, grandchildren and friends behind while she backpacks across Europe. Feeling incomplete, she wants to do something for herself and, at the same time, get to know her dead mother better by retracing her journey decades ago. When Isabel tells her closest friends - Sally Robin and Grace - of her plans, they initially think she's crazy. But soon enough each of the remaining members of the 'gang of four' are embarking on their own journeys. Sally heads off to San Francisco for a year's study, hoping also to lay a guilty secret to rest. Robin, sick of being 'the other woman', rents a country hideout, hoping for time to heal and to make plans for her future. Grace, the sensible one, isn't sure she needs to 'do' anything, but finds herself heading off for a short holiday in England - where she has to confront someone she hardly knows: herself. These four very different women, separated by geographical distance, but united by their decades-old friendship, each learn about themselves, their past and their future in very different ways. New friendships are formed, life-changing decisions are made, but when one of the friends needs the others, they are able to come together once more. Gang of Four is a very different coming-of-age story in that the protagonists are all in their fifties. Author Liz Byrski does a superb job of crafting four very different stories which overlap, diverge and merge again throughout the book. The reader is given the opportunity to know each of the four women intimately and to witness their friendship and their growth on a first hand basis. Click here for Discussion Points for Gang of FourMr Pip by Lloyd Jones Story of life on island in the Solomons as seen through the eyes of an 11 year old girl as school children are introduced to Dickens’ ‘Great Expectations’. Love in a Torn Country by Jean Sasson - Story of a female Kurdish freedom fighter’s life in Iraq. Protect and Defend by Richard North Patterson - Multi-layered story revolving around the abortion issue and includes court room drama. The Road Home by Rose Tremain - A gentle story of a man’s contemporary migration from Romania and England. The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Toibin - Three generations of intelligent, articulate women facing issue of the brother of one having AIDs. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - Author of “The Kite Runner” tells story of life in Afghanistan through the eyes of several women. The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard - Story set in post-WWII Europe, Hong Kong and Japan, and includes a romance. Kennedy’s Brain by Henning Mankell - Many faceted mystery set in Greece, Stockholm, Mozambique and Australia. Awareness by Anthony de Mello - Non-fiction spiritual guide which is a good read for an individual. The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham - The return of an internationally successful fashion designer to Australian country town; story contains strong descriptive language. Between Victor and Vanquished by Arthur Page – Wartime exploits of an Australian interpreter and his life story, Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss – amusing story of the traps of punctuation Death Sentence by Don Watson – discusses the current excessive use of jargon. No Snow in December by Naria Lewitt - autobiography of young Jewish couple from Poland migrating to Australia after WWII. For Love & A Beetle by Ivan and Beth Hodge - entertaining story of a young couple driving a VW beetle from England to New Zealand and then repeating the journey 30 years later.The Shifting Fog - Within its four walls lay a secret that would last a lifetime. Summer 1924: On the night of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again.The Forgotten Garden - A lost child... On the eve of the first world war, a little girl is found abandoned on a ship to Australia. A mysterious woman called the Authoress had promised to look after her - but the Authoress has disappeared without a trace. The Distant Hours - Edie Burchill and her mother have never been close, but when a long lost letter arrives one Sunday afternoon, with the return address of Milderhurst Castle, Kent, printed on its envelope, Edie begins to suspect that her mother’s emotional distance masks an old secret. Explore The Parthenon: An Ancient Greek Temple written with Ian Jenkins - The Parthenon in Athens is the most famous Greek temple in the world and an icon of Ancient Greek art. It was built to house a colossal statue of the goddess Athena, and the temple itself was decorated with sculptures and reliefs of the most magnificent quality. These sculptures are now on display in London and Athens, and are admired by thousands of visitors each year. This book explores in detail these lovely carvings, with the aid of new detailed digital photography. Who are the people, animals, and gods and goddesses shown on the frieze and what are they doing? Why were they shown on a temple? How were the sculptures made, and how did the carvers give such an amazing illusion of ranks of horsemen, chariots and people in carvings only a few centimetres deep? Ian Jenkins, a world expert on Ancient Greek sculpture, describes and explains these wonderful sculptures in a vivid and simple way for children, and puts them in the context of Ancient Greek religion, life and art. Children will enjoy discovering the wonders of the Parthenon sculptures for themselves but in the process they will also gain a much greater understanding of the people who created the Parthenon and of the world of classical Athens.
Last updated 04/02/2012 |
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