Month: July 2020

#22 Book Club meeting

Published on by nancysylapranyLeave a comment

Dear Book Club members,

Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough

On Thursday, 25th June, we met for our 22nd meeting (again, it was a socially distanced Book Club meeting). Mrs Lacey joined us in person for the first time – finally! Welcome, Mrs Lacey 🙂  

Our conversation began with a chat about how we find books to read with most of us finding that we all have books on our long TBR (to-be-read) lists or small piles of books at home to be read.

So, how do Book Club members find books to read? These were some of your comments:

  • Browse the library shelves
  • Recommendations from others (but some of us never actually get around to reading those recommended books! I think that this is sometimes because it is enjoyable to discover new books and authors that you ‘stumble’ across yourself when browsing bookshelves)
  • Browsing bookshops – and snapping photos of books of interest – thus, creating an instant reading list
  • Creating typed lists of books to read
  • Again, recommendations from others – and creating a TBR list 
  • Looking through a pile of books at home to read  

It seems we all have lots of books we would like to read, and simply not enough time to read! Ms McNamara commented that there are other interests to balance (such as spending time outdoors or bushwalking) which is a consideration when allocating time to different activities and interests.

This led into a conversation about finding time to read which led into a conversation about listening to audiobooks. For some of us, we enjoy the audio experience, especially the way in which audiobooks can support us in tackling more ‘dense’ reads, while others commented that finding the concentration power to stay ‘focused’ on listening to an audiobook can be challenging. In Nitika’s experience, seeing printed text on a page was necessary. 

This 2018 Time magazine article about research into audiobooks is interesting to read:

Are audiobooks as good for you as reading? Here’s what experts say

For students who listen to audiobooks, I would encourage you to read along with the print book so that you can benefit from the visual reading of the text, along with the enhanced reading experience complemented through listening to the audio simultaneously.  

A few good books in audiobook format were shared including:

  • Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey (recommended by Ms McNamara). I would agree with Ms McNamara that this was a challenging book at times. I wish I had thought about listening to the audio many years ago when I read the novel. I did manage to read the novel right through to the end and I am glad I did!
  • Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (recommended by Bethany)
  • Stephen King books in audio (recommended by Nitika)
  • Becoming by Michelle Obama (recommended by Mrs Lacey). Watch a short trailer here.
  • The Wife Drought by Annabel Crabb (recommended by Mrs Lacey).
  • See you in the cosmos by Jack Cheng (recommended by Mrs Sylaprany)
  • Cloudstreet by Tim Winton (recommended by Mrs Sylaprany)
  • Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe by Benjamin Alira Saenz (recommended by Mrs Sylaprany)

Some of these books are available in Sora (in ebook or audiobook format). You can also browse more audiobooks here. While on holidays, you might like to listen to an audiobook or read an ebook in Sora. 

The cosy teashop in the castle by Caroline Roberts

We then commenced our conversation about contemporary romance fiction. Mrs Hanratty began with a fun, light-hearted, feel-good romance called The cosy teashop in the castle by Caroline Roberts. While Mrs Hanratty did not necessarily recommend this book, if you feel like an ‘escape’ read, then this could be just the right book for you. It is a part of a series of ‘cosy teashop’ books. 

This was followed by an entertaining discussion of contemporary romance in LGBTQIA books. Mrs Hanratty noted that the complications that arise in LGBTQIA books are just the same as regular contemporary romance fiction. To which, Ms McNamara’s keen observation was “… it’s called humanity.” In other words, we are all people, with the same needs and issues, to belong and connect, to love and care. Our interesting conversation about LGBTQIA books led to a few YA books featuring LGBTQIA characters or stories including:

Finally, we finished with a quick chat with Mrs Ryan about One of us is next, which she enjoyed as much as the first book. So much so, that she would be interested in reading Karen McManus’s other book, Two can keep a secret. I have a feeling that our conversation about One of us is next will continue as more book club members have the time to read it. Fortunately, we have not spoilt it for anyone yet!

Next meeting …
In regards to contemporary romance, we will continue this conversation for our next Book Club meeting in Week 3 of Term 3. If you are looking for a contemporary romance to read, check out some of the books available in Sora.

Book Club genre survey
Thanks to everyone who completed the Book Club survey for future genres. If you missed completing this, you can access the form here. At the moment, the most votes are in for:

  • Best teen fiction of 2019 (as recommended by Novelist)
  • Adult books for young adults
  • Must-read classics (teens)

We can discuss our choices at our next meeting.

Enjoy the rest of your holidays!

Until our next meeting,

Stay safe and well.

Mrs Sylaprany, Mrs Ryan & Mrs Hanratty

Reference
Heid, M. (2018, September 6). Are audiobooks as good for you as reading? Here’s what experts say.  Retrieved from https://time.com/5388681/audiobooks-reading-books/

Haywire by Claire Saxby & Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Published on by nancysylapranyLeave a comment
Haywire by Claire Saxby
Haywire by Claire Saxby

Haywire by Claire Saxby 

It seems appropriate that I review two books about the Second World War, as we remember the 75th anniversary of the end of the war. This war had a profound impact on the rest of the 20th century and into the 21st. Interestingly one book I really enjoyed and the other was less successful.

Haywire by Claire Saxby is based on real events – the arrival of Germans who had been declared ‘enemy aliens’ from Britain and sent to Australia for internment. The first group arrived in NSW in 1940 and settled in Hay, a typical country town … “this road runs out … disappears in dust. What a town. A nowhere place.”

The two protagonists are teenage boys. Tom Hanlon, an Australian boy, trapped in the town working for his father in the bakery, denied the chance to further his education as his older brothers have joined up. Max Gruber, who left Germany and his parents and escaped to England and now finds himself in Hay. Both boys suffer loss. For Tom, his chance for high school and university and for Max, it is the loss of his life, his family and country.

During the course of the novel the boys find friendship and an understanding, even though they are on opposite sides, they find they have more in common, especially food!

This novel explores the impact of war on families and the stress it puts on relationships. This is explored particularly with Tom’s family. The other issue is prejudice and how people make judgements about others, without knowing their situations or on the basis of their race.

This is an easy read (243 pages), which flows well and keeps one interested, although I found the end rushed and slightly anti-climactic. It is a good read for years 9 and 10 students and helps fill out the homefront, which they will study.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

The other novel is based on true experiences of the role played by British agents in occupied France during WWII, however, the novel itself is fiction. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein is about two friends who both act as narrators through the novel. Julie (code name Verity) who is captured by the Nazis in France, is tortured and confesses. This confession takes the form of written notes, which tells the story of the friendship between Julie and Maddie (who was the pilot who flew Julie to France). 

The second part of the novel is from Maddie’s perspective. After dropping off Verity her plane crashes and she finds herself marooned in occupied France. This leads to an incident which defines the novel.

Can I say I really found it difficult to engage with this book. While the ending was surprising and the role of women in the war was interesting, the narrative style of Verity was particularly hard to follow.

However, don’t let me put you off, try the book yourself, the ending is certainly riveting and maybe you can write an alternative review.

The author’s site for this book can be visited here: https://www.elizabethwein.com/code-name-verity

Novels reviewed by Mr Llewellyn-Evans
June 2020