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The Aveyron Book Group
Keen readers gather around France for regular book readings
and reviews, usually over a cup of tea or a glass of wine.
French News Online, in collaboration with one of these – The
Aveyron Book Group – here introduces a regular book lovers’ page.
The Aveyron Book Group was set up in 2003 with just 5 members
and now with a full house at 14, it meets regularly in the afternoons
for tea, visiting each other’s homes on a rota basis. (For
further information regarding the Aveyron Book Group – please
click this link).
Five members met in June to discuss their chosen book — A.S.Byatt’s
Little Black Book of Stories.
Anne Dyson, a member of the Aveyron Book Group writes:
Little Black Book of Stories
Review
It was a very animated meeting in June with just about everyone
beginning their report with “I do not like short stores
but………
The story that brought the greatest liking or loathing was
the Stone Woman – one member thought it was geological poetry.
Two or three members were ravished by the washday plus stove
blacking in Raw Material.
Everyone agreed that the stories were exceedingly dark and
on reflection darker than first reading might suggest. Everyone
also commented on the great quality of the writing itself.
One member said she would like a recommendation for a full
length novel by A.S.Byatt. I would be happy to recommend many,
but I think my favourite is ‘The Children’s Book‘ which
I couldn’t put down and just felt privileged to be able to read.
I can’t wait for her new book to be published in the autumn
called, I believe, ‘Ragnarok‘ I personally feel A.S.Byatt
is one of our greatest modern novelists, I love her style and
the content is always fascinating. The frequent recourse to
poetry is unusual in a novel and all the better for that. The
score for The Little Black Book was 73% a very creditable
score with two members giving it a 9, and three each giving
it an 8, a 4 and a 5.
Black Book of Stories by A.S.Byatt, Paperback:
288 pages Publisher: Vintage; New edition (4 Nov 2004) ISBN-10:
0099429950
Eight members gathered in July for
their choice: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,
(Mary
Ann Shaffer)
Anne Dyson, a member of the Aveyron Book Group writes:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel
Pie Society
July’s chosen book was very different. We had read two dark
novels/short stories for our last two books so that it was somewhat
of a relief to turn to lighter matters though our book also
had its darker moments.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society engendered
much good discussion. Comments from the eight members present
included –
“a nice book,’ ‘a bit sentimental, a good holiday read’,
‘sweet,’ ‘I couldn’t recognise the different voices’, ‘a bit
innocent, tame’,’ I liked it – delicate and sparky, warm hearted
but a bit predictable’, ‘cleverly crafted, interesting, moving
and funny’ ‘the book made me laugh but there were also some
moving parts, I loved it’ ‘disappointed’ ‘Gentle, kind without
much depth. Perfect for reading on the beach’.
Members also commented on the darker side of the book, the
occupation, the Todt worders plight, one member suggested that
the negative Amazon reviewers were Guernsey people and another
member said, in much the same vein, that what actually happened
there in the war bore no resemblance to this gentle tale.
Some members felt that the epistolary style, whilst it could
have worked well, in this case failed because there were not
sufficient differences in the styles of the letters to give
the characters a real voice. The score was a healthy 72% which
probably reflected the ease of reading and the comparisons with
our last two choices!
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie
Society by Mary-Ann Shafer Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publishing PLC; Open Market ed edition (5 May 2009) ISBN-10:
0747598800
We are not meeting in August as everyone is far too busy.
The next meeting is in mid-September when we shall be discussing
‘A Thousand Acres‘ by Jane Smiley.
Reviews: Anne
Dyson, Aveyron Book Group
annedyson@wanadoo.fr
Anne
Dyson
Anne Dyson, in cooking mode!
Anne Dyson runs the well known Greedy Goose cooking school which
is associated with Maison Dyson, her charming retreat in an area
bordering the Tarn and Tarn et Garonne. For
further information about Anne and her two enterprises, The Greedy
Goose and Maison Dyson, please click this link to pop-up a new
window.
The Greedy Goose, Cookery School
Links
Greedy Goose
Cookery School
Maison
Dyson
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