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The Sunday Story Club

Doris Brett (Goodreads Author),

Kerry Cue (Goodreads Author)

3.50 · Rating details · 186 ratings · 23 reviews

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cry. But the salons have given me the opportunity to look back and think about my life...I don't talk to anyone about these feelings outside of the salon.'

We all carry stories within us - wrenching, redemptive, extraordinary, and laced with unexpected and hard-won wisdom.

These are the real-life stories that a group of women tell each other when ...more

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Published June 25th 2019 by Macmillan Australia

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· 186 ratings · 23 reviews

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Jun 26, 2019 Jessica B rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Last night I finished The Sunday Story Club by Doris Brett and Kerry Cue. This book feels so deeply personal to me. It’s hard to explain. It feels like I’ve owned it my whole life and read a zillion times instead of just receiving and reading this month. i think it’s because when I was a teenage I fell in love with stories of the human experience through Chicken Soup for The Soul. This book burrowed it’s way into my heart and I will revisit these stories again I am sure. It was stressful, it was ...more

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Jul 13, 2019 Madelyn Baker rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019

I listened to this on audio and it felt like I had invited a group of wonderful women into my living room. I sat and listened to their stories, I laughed with them and cried for them. It perfectly highlights the power of telling your story and the impact it can have on not only others but yourself.

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Dec 26, 2020 Vivien rated it really liked it

I was wary of this book based on some of the reviews, but I quite enjoyed it. The stories aren't trivial, they are reflective and real: troubling childhoods, illness, relationships, self discovery. I feel like some people were expecting trauma porn. Wouldn't want to be in a salon with people who rolled their eyes at these stories. ...more

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Oct 28, 2019 Sandy rated it it was ok

Interesting tales, but nothing I couldn't have found on the internet by reading personal blogs... Their origin and curation is the most interesting part, but not a book I took much away from. ...more

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Jul 04, 2019 Mel rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: from-publishers

4.5 ⭐️

Firstly, I would like to thank Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me with a free finished copy of this book to read and review.

The Sunday Story Club is a hard one for me to review, as it's essentially a collection of stories from real life people. Thus, it's quite difficult to express how I felt overall when each story provoked different feelings from me.

The Sunday Story Club is a collection of intriguing, awe-inspiring, insightful stories by real-life people. These stories provoke th 4.5 ⭐️

Firstly, I would like to thank Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me with a free finished copy of this book to read and review.

The Sunday Story Club is a hard one for me to review, as it's essentially a collection of stories from real life people. Thus, it's quite difficult to express how I felt overall when each story provoked different feelings from me.

The Sunday Story Club is a collection of intriguing, awe-inspiring, insightful stories by real-life people. These stories provoke the reader into wondering about their own lives and their own experiences. The stories spanned a range of different topics, from having a sister who hated you to discovering your ancestor's past. All stories were so different, yet all of them had some element of being easy to relate to. As a younger reader, this sense of relatability was not as prominent as it would be for more mature readers, as I am too young to have done much with my life.

However, I was able to relate to specific elements of each story, such as struggling to gain the courage to speak out and be yourself, losing friendships abruptly, and wanting to learn more about your past. While each story was not relatable to me personally, they all made me realise just how incredible women are and how courageous women can be. There are so many parts in these stories where I would have expected these women to give up or break down. And sometimes they might have. But these women all got back up and continued on with their dreams, goals, and with their lives. In some of these stories, terrible things happened to these women and they still continued to move forward in their lives and move on. These stories have inspired me and make me want to have that kind of bravery in my own life.

The most incredible thing to me about this book is that these are all real stories, told by real women, to a group of strangers. These women all not only had the courage to endure these experiences, but to sit in a group full of strangers, and tell their stories. They then had the courage to allow their personal stories to be published in a non-fiction novel. Their courage astounds me and once again, it inspires me, making me want to be that brave.

This novel is not only insightful but helpful, as it actually provides you with the basic tools to start up your own salon. Before I read this book I thought salons were places where you got your hair done, and so I was quite confused with the use of the word 'salon' when I read the blurb, to say the least. This novel explains that salons were formal gatherings for people to discuss political, philosophical and intellectual topics, originating in 18th Century France. At the end of the novel, the authors compiled a few basic steps and a range of discussion questions to use when creating your own salon. This is incredibly helpful for those who wish to start their own salons, or something similar to one.

Overall, I found this book to be a very interesting read, as it was intriguing to see how different people's lives played out, and their different experiences. It wasn't only entertaining, however, but also inspiring, as it makes you realise just how incredible women and people in the world are, and it makes you aspire to be just as incredible as them.
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Aug 28, 2019 Jessica M rated it really liked it

http://jessjustreads.com

The Sunday Story Club is a compilation of profound, heartfelt, true stories from everyday women who have experienced incredible events in their lifetimes.

Each of the stories possess a unique perspective, a touching, warm voice that guides the reader through a really private moment in their life.

This is non-fiction — each story is the true story of a real woman. The women are anonymous and have given their permission to be in this book; Doris and Kerry have met these wome ...more

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May 02, 2020 Rani Kop rated it did not like it

This book was ridiculous. Great concept, ladies meet up to share life stories and experiences. And this book was meant to be the creme de la creme of the stories. I was hopeful of great tales of overcoming adversity, living your truth, finding your purpose. Instead I kid you not, some of the harrowing stories was how a women read a serial killers diary in university and how she was never the same. Lol. Has she not seen the iTunes podcast chart top 10? Another example of great adversity was someo ...more

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Oct 25, 2020 Rosalie Pedersen rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, personal-essays, 2020

I did like this book, but I think I would have liked it better if I could personally connect with the writers of each personal essay. I think the idea of a salon is amazing, and would be keen to attend one.

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Nov 13, 2019 Edwina rated it it was amazing

This book!.. I don’t even know how I came across it, though I am SO glad I did, I finished it in a day.
Like a huge warm hug. One of the best books I have read in a while, I didn’t want it to end. I cried and I laughed and I cringed and felt like I was having a sleepover. Love, Love, LOVED it!..

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Dec 07, 2019 Kate rated it it was ok

I love the idea of the 'salon' - the whole concept of deep listening; being exposed to new ideas and perspectives; and the power of the narrative, appeals immensely (I attribute this appeal partly to Priya Parmar’s superb historical account of the Bloomsbury group in Vanessa and Her Sister ). Brett and Cue have presented plenty of ideas for establishing your own salon but the bulk of this book is devoted to the stories that emerged at their 'Sunday Story Club'. The stories are mildly interest ...more

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Sep 30, 2020 Sami rated it it was ok

I’m sorry, but the only good thing I found about this book was that I was able to quickly read 1 or 2 stories a day.
The stories for me didn’t really correspond to the question, and I found myself daydreaming and going off course in every single story, nothing captures me.
Nothing jelled for me, I couldn’t get into any of the stories, I couldn’t relate to anything and I was actually pleased when I put the book down and to have rushed through the book just to get it finished for book club.
A big di ...more

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Mar 11, 2020 Judith rated it really liked it

Many of the stories the women shared resonated with me and I was impressed by the generosity of the women in sharing some really important moments in their lives. The is is strong theme of empowerment running through all stories and the voices are authentic and engaging. Interesting hints for running your own story club with great creative and open ended questions which I suspect would have wide application for interesting discussions.

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Jun 01, 2020 Helen rated it liked it

While I was moved by these women’s stories and recognise that what they felt was deeply felt, part of me thought that they were Generation X? ? Z hardships - that they could have researched their grand-parents lives and come up with real hardship and suffering. I was still glad they all reached some resolution by telling their stories.

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Mar 27, 2020 Gia rated it liked it

A nice light read of short but deeply written stories. Private emotional storytelling. Made me think, remember, dwell and participate in. Answering some of those questions would take courage and honesty.

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Jul 19, 2020 Sophie rated it liked it

Interesting idea, but the answers weren’t as profound as I expected.

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Feb 28, 2020 Denise Tannock rated it really liked it

The stories of this eclectic group of women have been told with understanding and empathy and are extremely well-written. I love the idea of a salon.

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Mar 29, 2020 Lani rated it really liked it

I enjoyed the individual stories and the parameters set.

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Nov 24, 2020 Thea rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook, borrowed

I did enjoy this. I listened to the audiobook. I like to hear stories different to my own.

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Oct 22, 2019 Linh rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2019

A lovely collection of real stories.

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Jun 13, 2020 Karisma rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 20, 2020 Amy Perera rated it liked it

Everyone has a story to tell about their lives. This book is a collection of true inspiring and touching stories from women. Some were heartbreaking and some lifted your heart. It reminded me that there is power in a real conversation with people. 3 🌟

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Jan 14, 2020 Pen rated it liked it

Some moving stories and an interesting idea

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Sep 30, 2020 Chookychook rated it liked it

A great idea in these isolated times to start a personal story club for women. Interesting, insightful stories with advise how to start your own club.

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