Saying Hello

[Kathy]

Hello Harriet - and Dev. Welcome!

[B J]

Hello Harriet. Good to have you along. I see you love Kipling. I've never Kipled. (The old jokes are the best.)

[Harriet]

Thank you Kathy :-) Ha, B j , boom boom! I recommend participating in a Kiple - I've got some amazing copies from war years that have clearly been carried in someone's back pocket. Amazing to think about where those books have travelled. What sort of books do you enjoy?

[B J]

That's a surprisingly difficult question to answer. My current favourite authors are William Boyd and Martin Cruz Smith, but I do like to ring the changes. I regularly re-visit Dickens and Hardy while mixing in a lot of modern writers - for example, I recently read and enjoyed Kathy's novels.

[Carol]

Hi Harriet. Welcome.

[Harriet]

Hi thank you Carol :-) I havn't made time to explore this group yet - Kathy's novels? I'm intrigued and will investigate further! I must admit I haven't revisited Dickens since I was well and truly put off at school but I really do intend to give him another chance! The same applies to Dylan Thomas although I fear he may be lost to me forever. I recently dived back into Orwell and absolutely loved it. What are Kathy's novels about?

[B J]

You're an early riser, Harriet! It's probably easiest if I provide a link to one of them. Try this one: Deep Water Thin Ice

[Kathy]

B J wrote: "You're an early riser, Harriet! It's probably easiest if I provide a link to one of them. Try this one: Deep Water Thin Ice"

Gosh, BJ, thanks for the name check! Perhaps I should say the cheque's in the post... :) (Does anyone else still write cheques?)

[Kathy]

Harriet wrote: "Hi thank you Carol :-) I havn't made time to explore this group yet - Kathy's novels? I'm intrigued and will investigate further! I must admit I haven't revisited Dickens since I was well and trul..."

I quite enjoyed Dickens at school but was put off by the length of his work. I read A Christmas Carol recently and thoroughly enjoyed it (but it is short!)

[Ian]

Kathy wrote: "Harriet wrote: "Hi thank you Carol :-) I havn't made time to explore this group yet - Kathy's novels? I'm intrigued and will investigate further! I must admit I haven't revisited Dickens since I w..."

I have always loved Dickens but havent read him for a while. I know his stories are ridiculous but I love the way he takes people and stretches their characters into caricature and then relates that to the times demonstrating an acerbic wit and devestating critique of the institutuions. I think Bleak Houseis a masterpiece - albeit very long. (NB Harriet, you may notice that when a book or an author is referred to we try to use the add book/author link above the dialogue box - this enables people to find the reference quickly)

[B J]

I think Dickens had the advantage that most of his novels were written in instalments that were published in periodicals. He was then able to study public reaction and adjust his writing accordingly; so if, for example, a character was proving popular with readers, he involved that character more. Two things shine through for me - his humour and his hatred of the legal profession.

[Ian]

B J wrote: "I think Dickens had the advantage that most of his novels were written in instalments that were published in periodicals. He was then able to study public reaction and adjust his writing accordingl..."

Yes - others like Trollope I think published in the same way - and maybe Wilkie Collins?

Bleak House certainly rips into the legal profession

[B J]

I'm sure you're right, Ian. There were a lot of literary periodicals published at that time, ranging from the highbrow to the penny dreadfuls. Dickens and Collins were close friends. Dickens published some of the periodicals and no doubt included Collins' works. He also had his own theatre company that put on Collins' plays.

[B J]

Kathy, on the very rare occasions that we need to write a cheque the action is always preceded by the question, 'Where's the cheque book?' and a long search.
I can still remember how to bank one, though. ;-)

[Kathy]

B J wrote: "Kathy, on the very rare occasions that we need to write a cheque the action is always preceded by the question, 'Where's the cheque book?' and a long search.
I can still remember how to bank one, t..."
Oh dear, can you...? :(

[Harriet]

Gosh I feel perhaps I shared too early with my feeings toward READING Dickens! I apologise if I have inadvertently offended any fellow book lovers. We can all appreciate the skill of writing without necessarily enjoying the writing I feel. Kathy I am excited about reading your books - sound like they are right up my alley x

[B J]

No apologies necessary, Harriet. You didn't say anything anti-Dickens. In fact, you said you intend giving him another chance. Isn't it odd how often schools manage to put us off the very thing they were supposed to be teaching us to appreciate? I don't think Kathy's books are yet school texts, so she's safe for a while.

[Kathy]

Harriet wrote: "Gosh I feel perhaps I shared too early with my feeings toward READING Dickens! I apologise if I have inadvertently offended any fellow book lovers. We can all appreciate the skill of writing withou..."
Don't worry about offending with your views on books, Harriet. We all have different tastes - and we express those opinions all the time! It's all very subjective, isn't it?
(And thank you for your interest in my books. I know it's always a bit of a gamble: trying on a new writer for size!)

[Kathy]

B J wrote: "No apologies necessary, Harriet. You didn't say anything anti-Dickens. In fact, you said you intend giving him another chance. Isn't it odd how often schools manage to put us off the very thing the..."
I like the 'yet'...

[Carol]

Am not a fan of Dickens, although I appreciate the work he did as a social reformer. Once spent an Easter sitting in West Ham Public Library researching 19th century original documents concerning pollution problems in the local area. (It was not a green and pleasant land there at that time!) Dickens was one of my sources.

[Ian]

This has been a great discussion. Thanks for triggering ur Harriet. That's what makes this forum so interesting - different experiences of books and authors. I guess we all read differently. Authors often say that, once published, their work is no longer entirely theirs as each reader reads it in a different way. Always fascinates me when listening to author podcasts, when someone offers an insight and the author discovers something new that may have been un their mubd (or may not) when they were writing.

[Ian]

Changed my profile picture so that you can recognise me at the Totnes Bookshop next Saturday!! Looking forwdr to meeting those of you who are able to make it

[B J]

Your friend's giving you a funny look, Ian.

[Ian]

B J wrote: "Your friend's giving you a funny look, Ian."

Yes. His name is Woody. Hw doesn't talk a lot bur he's always there when you need him.

[Carol]

I am not sure which of you is which, Ian. Do you think you ought to wear a red carnation or something?

[Ian]

Carol wrote: "I am not sure which of you is which, Ian. Do you think you ought to wear a red carnation or something?"

Ohhh - now that is wicked. I'm not sure I am going to let you in the bookshop now!

[Dev]

Sorry! Forgot to say hello! I'm based in Newton Abbot and the Teignbridge area of South East Devon, very excited to get in touch with fellow readers. As for books, right now I'm getting stuck into Bone People by Keri Hulme and finishing off Ulverton by Adam Thorpe. Anyway I look forward to a summer of book suggestions and conversations. Thanks, Dev

[Carol]

Hi Dev. Welcome.

[Ian]

Dev wrote: "Sorry! Forgot to say hello! I'm based in Newton Abbot and the Teignbridge area of South East Devon, very excited to get in touch with fellow readers. As for books, right now I'm getting stuck into ..."

Hi Dev - great to hear from you and thanks for the message. Interested to know what you think
of Bone People - it's on my (very long) reading list. Maybe as you are Newton Abbot based, you might be able to pop in to Totnes Bookshop next Saturday (2-4pm)to meet some of us? Hope so.

[B J]

Hello Dev. Welcome to the South Devon contingent.

[B J]

Ian wrote: "B J wrote: "Your friend's giving you a funny look, Ian."

Yes. His name is Woody. Hw doesn't talk a lot bur he's always there when you need him."

I'm guessing he's a member of a splinter group.

[Carol]

Hi BJ. I seem to remember you said you played the ukelele. On my walk this morning I noticed that the Babbacombe Cliff Railway is holding a ukelele festival on the 29th and 30th May. Lots of bands evidently.

[Kathy]

B J wrote: "Ian wrote: "B J wrote: "Your friend's giving you a funny look, Ian."

Yes. His name is Woody. Hw doesn't talk a lot bur he's always there when you need him."

I'm guessing he's a member of a splint..."
That's awful...

[B J]

Carol wrote: "Hi BJ. I seem to remember you said you played the ukelele. On my walk this morning I noticed that the Babbacombe Cliff Railway is holding a ukelele festival on the 29th and 30th May. Lots of bands ..."

Thanks for the tip-off Carol. I hadn't seen it advertised.

[Carol]

B J wrote: "Carol wrote: "Hi BJ. I seem to remember you said you played the ukelele. On my walk this morning I noticed that the Babbacombe Cliff Railway is holding a ukelele festival on the 29th and 30th May. ..."
It's a very attractive site for it, as long as the weather holds up. The Babbacombe Cliff Railway is quite adventurous in its various activities. More used to seeing it though in the context of Xmas elves and Halloween creepy things etc, rather than ukeleles!

[Ian]

B J wrote: "Ian wrote: "B J wrote: "Your friend's giving you a funny look, Ian."

Yes. His name is Woody. Hw doesn't talk a lot bur he's always there when you need him."

I'm guessing he's a member of a splint..."

Spare me! He's pretty chilled and likes to go with the grain

[Kathy]

Hi Helen! Welcome to the group. I live near Kingsbridge. Sorry I couldn't get to the event on Saturday to meet you.

[B J]

Hello Helen - good to have you join us. Unfortunately, I also missed Saturday's gathering as we've been away for a few days. I live in Brixham, that world centre of culture - and fish.

[Ian]

Helen wrote: "Hello,
I'm Helen, and I've just joined Devon Book Club after meeting Ian at the event at Totnes Book Shop yesterday.

I'm a poet, so most of my reading matter is poetry, but I do fit in time for no..."

Thanks for the introduction Helen. It was lovely to meet you on Saturday and I am sure we will meet again and get to know one another through this Book Club. You will see that there is a poetry thread on the main page. It would be great if you could post some of the poems/discussions on there and spread the word amongst your group members. Great to have you with us. Best Wishes Ian

[Carol]

Hi Helen, Lovely to meet you here, as well as at the event on Saturday.

[Carol]

Very much looking forward to seeing your poetry in our poetry section, Helen.

[Jenny]

Hello there,

My name is Jenny, and I have been living in Devon for the past ten years. I've been any author for many years, and just love to read. Pleased to meet you.
Jenny Kane x

[Carol]

Hi Jenny. Welcome.

[Ian]

Hi Jenny. You are most welcome and I look forward to getting to know you. Hope you'll drop by often.

[Kathy]

Hello Jenny. Good to meet you. :)

[Carol]

Helen wrote: "Carol wrote: "Very much looking forward to seeing your poetry in our poetry section, Helen."

Hello Carol - I'll get round to it eventually. Currently trying to catch up on reading/writing after be..."
Yes, it's impossible to be creative if you're not in the mood, isn't it?

[Jenny]

Carol wrote: "Hi Jenny. Welcome."

Thanks Carol x

[Jenny]

Kathy wrote: "Hello Jenny. Good to meet you. :)"

Hello x

[James]

Hi all, my names is James.

I'm a young entrepreneur current working abroad in Paris, I'm North Devon bred and hope to return in the following few months.

My main career is a mechanical engineer, I manufacture turbine blades for jet engines.

I have my own small nutrition company designing and creating diet plans for people to help people lose weight.

I'm a great fan of investment and the stock market and hope to begin my property investment company at the end of this following large investments in multiple properties, creating my portfolio.

Since working in Paris and learning a second language, I've really enjoyed getting my teeth into some great literature (which I brought over with me in Paris).

The best books have definitely been those `I'm not sure so I'll take a risk' books.

Looking forward to having a browse at the currently read section.

Thanks :)

[Kathy]

Hi James. Welcome! Paris? I'm so jealous... Beautiful city.