Devon Book Club discussion
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Reading Challenge # 3 2015
Okay, that's easy. Our next Library RG book in Kingsbridge is The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai. I have not read it before, and I always read RG books ... even when I don't like them - though I do draw the line at reading one I've already read and not liked. So: it should be finished by this time next week, as we meet on the Thursday: better get started.
Mod
Sounds good. See if you can encourage a few more of your RG members to join us as well
Yes, I've been planning to do that all along, and have talked to our Library Manager about it. However, as not everyone in the group does email - plus they would all be a bit preoccupied during these few weeks - I was waiting until this coming session to tell them all about the site. I want to encourage them to contribute, and also to ask if they are okay with me posting our 'Group Summary' accounts of books we read. I write them after each session, based on everyone's comments, and then circulate them to all, both for their reference, but also for any group members who missed the discussion. They are very much composite reviews, based on all our input - and we rarely agree - but so far no one has disagreed with the way I've summarised. I'm just not sure, yet, where would be the best strand to post them - assuming the Group give me the go-ahead. What do you think? Would you welcome such a 'Group' review?
Mod
That sounds great. You could just add apost under the Reading Group topic - avoiding spoilers of course
D. Pigs in Clover - Simon Dawson. Set on Exmoor the story of Simon and his wife, Debbie, who leave their high-powered London jobs for a small-holding. Lovely account of their early years told by Simon who I felt was pretty honest when describing his feelings for what he was leaving in London and his new life.
Mod
What a great choice a D and set in Devon too - did you ahev to hunt long to find that?
Cant remember Ian. I probably googled books set in Devon! It was a nice one to start with even as a vegetarian!I could see where he was coming from even though I could never go along with him.
I've just completed this challenge (Ta da!):D: Davies, Peter Ho The Welsh Girl
E: Eng, Tan Twan The Gift of Rain
V: Vlautin, Willy The Free
O: Ogawa, Ito Restaurant of Love Regained
N: Nesbo, Jo The Snowman
B: Bates, Laura Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard
O: Obreht, Tea The Tiger's Wife
O: O'Farrell, Maggie The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox
K: Kent, Graeme W Devil-Devil
C: Camus, Albert The Outsider
L: Lewycka, Marina A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian
U: Upfield, Arthur W Death of a Swagman
B: Bowen, James Street Cat Bob: How one man and a cat saved each other's lives. A true story.
Most of those books I read for one of the other challenges so have posted some reviews as I went on. I thought I'd find it difficult to get more than one "O" author but in the end I came across several...!
Mod
D: Davies, Peter Ho The Welsh Girl
E: Eng, Tan Twan The Gift of Rain
V: Vlautin, Willy The Free
O: Ogawa,..."
Congratulations - the first to complete! And you did 3 Os as well - you were only required to do 1 - dedication indeed.
How about, as your prize, that you get to choose the next Challenge? Challenge#5 will run from July to September, so needs to be something we can complete in a quarter.
Oh dear on to no 2!!E. The Merchant's House - Kate Ellis. Set in Dartmouth -under a pseudonym - a really good read about an archelogical dig and a missing child. Glad it was no 1 in a series. Will be looking out for more!
Ian wrote: "Ellen wrote: "I've just completed this challenge (Ta da!):How about, as your prize, that you get to choose the next Challenge? Challenge#5 will run from July to September, so needs to be something we can complete in a quarter..."
OK! How about a summer holiday themed challenge next quarter: Read as many books as you can with any of the words "summer", "summertime", "holiday"/"vacation", "sun" and "beach" in the title. They don't have to be about summer but just need to have summer themed words in the title. This should give plenty of scope to suit all tastes from easy holiday trashy novels to proper literature. Some examples I recognised from a quick search: A Thousand Splendid Suns, Half of a Yellow Sun, Summertime, On Chesil Beach, The Beach, Prodigal Summer, The Vacationers, Rachel's Holiday. I'm sure others can come up with plenty of other examples too. How does that sound?
That's a great idea! I'm a wimp at keeping to the challenges but that makes it appealingly accessible - 'as many as you can' - and is very topical. (Or would be if we get a summer...!)
Ellen wrote: "I've just completed this challenge (Ta da) ..."Well done! Like your idea for summer challenge ☺
Mod
Well done! Like your idea for summer challenge ☺"
Great suggestion Ellen. I will post the challenge now so eager beavers can get going as soon as they like.
Just want to add my first author for this challenge - I know, it's taken a while! I'm ticking off the letter D, for Arthur Conan Doyle
For some reason I'm not picking up facebook posts so only just found out about What Lies Within set on Dartmoor by Tom Vowler. So that will be V sorted. And there's a copy just waiting for me at the library. :). Anybody read it?
Mod
I havent Sue - but it looks good. I am in e-mail contact with Tom at present, hence the FB post and the new post in Goodreads about the Short Fiction magazine. I'd be interested to know what you think of Tom's book when you read it.
V.
. Enjoyed it - read in a day (sitting in the sun). Set mainly on Dartmoor.
O. Dart
. Short book but long poem about the river, from source to sea, interspersed with memories of people who lived/worked on it. Very tempted to buy a copy to enjoy again and visit some of the places mentioned.
Sue wrote: "O. Dart . Short book but long poem about the river, from source to sea, interspersed with memories of people who lived/worked on it. Very tempted to buy a c..."Had a look at this and it looks fascinating. What an original and imaginative idea. And it's such a beautiful river too - I must add this to my TBR...!
Mod
. Short book but long poem about the river, from source to sea, interspersed with memories of people who lived/worked on it. Very tempte..."Me too Kathy - looks like teh kind of book you could lose yourslef on, on a sunny day, sittign by the river. Interesting that you've read Tom Vowler book Sue. I've recently made contact with him ( a really nice guy) on behalf of the Book Club and hope to involve him in future. He's also on FB. He cant make our Sidmouth event but I am hoping he might join us in Credition in November. I think I also posted about the "magazine" he edits called Short Fiction. A annually published collection of short stories. I have subscribed to it and am pleased I have - a diverse range of writers in there.
N.
set in 1500s on Dartmoor. Gentle romance. Some info about the tin industry and Tavistock then. Enjoyed it.
Mod
set in 1500s on Dartmoor. Gentle romance. Some info about the tin industry and Tavistock then. Enjoyed it."interesting - how many letters to go?
That's only Devon done so another 8! Have ordered B! The tinner one was borrowed from ..... Barnsley! Currently enjoying the second one in Kate Ellis' DS Wesley series,The Armada Boy.
Mod
Im very impressed. So far Ive done D_von B__k Cl_b
However, mine are nto all about Devon adn I did say at the beginning of the year that people only had to do one O!
I've got one more 'o' and the 'u' to go before I've finished this particular challenge - I don't think any of mine were Devon based books particularly though
Mod
Excellent. Be great to hear once you've completed and what the best reads have been
B. The Calling of the Grave - Simon Beckett. Murder mystery set on Dartmoor. Enjoyed it - no idea who done it (but never do!). Learnt about properties of peat and underground workings on the moor.Now to find where I put those Os!
L.
. Out of order but never mind. Love this series - best read in order for the personal bits. This one is set in London (where the apothecary lives) , Sidmouth and Exeter. Good light read with some interesting hiztorical details. There is also one set in Topsham.
O.
. Needed a bit of light relief and this provided it. One of those books that you know how it will end after a couple of pages it's how you get there that's the story!! Well it was set near Okehampton but anywhere with a couple of highwaymen, yokels and a field of violets would have done - regency setting! On to the next O!
Mod
. Needed a bit of light relief and this provided it. One of those books that you know how it will end after a couple of pages it's how you get there that's..."Great to know that the challenge is still alive and kicking. I must think of another one - or all suggestions welcome
O.
. Set in Exeter. Unfortunately I dont know the city well enough to know how accurate the descriptions are. The Inspector models himself on Sherlock Holmes, which got a bit tedious. The book is set towards the end of WW2 and I got a bit fed up with the descriptions of bosoms and apple cheeked barmaids. The story was quite good though (one of a series) and early forensic work played a part. In any event that was the last O!
Mod
. Set in Exeter. Unfortunately I dont know the city well enough to know how accurate the descriptions are. The Inspector models himself on Sherlock..."Oh those happy, jolly buxom serving wenches - those were the days haha
I'm impressed by your dedication to the challenge
I like this sort of challenge because you never know what's coming next. Unless I am very unlucky I'll always enjoy the location. All books lined up now but also trying to complete 3 other challenges and sadly not a lot of overlap!!
K.
Sherlock Holmes again but this time related by his wife. The Moor is of course Dartmoor where nefarious goings on continue in the wake of The Hound of the Baskervilles. I did like his wife but the story palled in places but descriptions of Dartmoor were good and plot plausible.U.
Hair standing on end time. Don't think I got the best from it reading it straight through. Just hope I don't remember the stories if I ever go to any of the places.2 to go!
C.
. Well, I read this in a day - could hardly put it down! I like crime books which have short chapters as it really drives the action along. Set in a village near Dartmoor, a group of friends meet for a night out .........Just B to go - think it's back to Dartmoor!
B.
. Aling the old Lych Way. Girl is killed visiting her friend snd her two brothers come to find out what happened. YA book - a bit spooky! Written mainly from the point of view of the younger brother. Not short on violence but interesting nonetheless particularly with gypsy culture.And that, for me, completes the challenge. Devon Book Club - books set in Devon. Nice one, Ian!
Kathy wrote: "Congratulations, Sue!"Thank you Kathy
Mod
. Aling the old Lych Way. Girl is killed visiting her friend snd her two brothers come to find out what happened. YA book - a bit spooky! Written mainly fr..."Fantastic. Great achievement - If you've kept a list could you just set them all out - make a great post here and on FB.
Any ideas for a new challenge? - I like to ask people who complete a previous one
D. Simon Dawson. Pigs in Clover. ExmoorE. Kate Ellis. The Merchant's House. Dartmouth
V. Tom Vowler. What Lies Within. Dartmoor
O. Alice Oswald Dart. River Dart
N. Irene Northan. The Tinner's Wife. Tavistock
B. Simon Beckett The Calling of the Grave. Dartmoor
O. Patricia Oliver. The Runaway Duchess.
Okehampton
O. W H Oxley. The Body at the Brickworks.
Exeter
K. Laurie R. King. The Moor. Dartmoor
C. Sam Carrington Saving Sophie. DartmoorL. Deryn Lake. Death at the Wedding Feast.
Sidmouth
U. Peter Underwood. Ghosts of Devon
B. Kevin Brooks. The Road of the Dead. Dartmoor
As requested, Ian. Did it in 3 as previous attempts had ended up deleted!! Really enjoyed it. Shows the pull of Dartmoor. Sadly no Plymouth or North Devon.So next im going to try to fill in the other letters to make an a-z. Identified at least 1 book per letter except x and z, so if anyone knows .....
Then - about 2020 - perhaps by region. I think one of the ladies at the Killerton meet had written a novel set somewhere round east devon.
Hello SueMy novel Secret of the Song is a time-slip and half of it is in contemporary Exeter - mentions of RAMM, the Cathedral and also, rather poignantly now, the Royal Clarence.
I see you have something for Exeter already, but thought I'd mention it anyway!
thanks Cathie. I think you will come under 'not Devon book club"!!!! I only thought of the regions when I had a good look at where the books were set. I am enjoying other challenges set around the world, the UK and France so wondered if it was possible to extend it into Devon itself. lots of authors I want to revisit too.
Cathie wrote: "Hello SueMy novel Secret of the Song is a time-slip and half of it is in contemporary Exeter - mentions of RAMM, the Cathedral and also, rather poignantly now, the Royal Clarence.
I see you have ..."
Cathie I love the sound of your book! I had a bit of trouble finding it, but have now added it to my 'Want To Read' list.
My own book 'Losing Time' is also partially set in Exeter, (partly on Dartmoor too,) and includes time travel.
Devon Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Road of the Dead (other topics)The Road of the Dead (other topics)
Saving Sophie (other topics)
Ghosts of North Devon (other topics)
The Moor (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Sam Carrington (other topics)Kevin Brooks (other topics)
Peter Underwood (other topics)
Deryn Lake (other topics)
Laurie R. King (other topics)
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You can double count across challenges if you are doing more than 1