SP Book Club - May
We had rather a different format this month (decided while I was disarmed).
Instead of all reading the same book and discussing what we felt about it, it
was decided to take a subject and then read around it. The subject chosen was
Samuel Pepys. I have to admit I wasn't very enthusiastic about the
decision: for me the pleasure of the club is sharing views of books that have
or have not given enjoyment and thus extending one's knowledge of different
authors. However, having said that, I found this subject fascinating.
Biographers varied in the quality of their writing, (you can't always believe the blurb on the cover) but what came shining through was what a giant of a man Pepys was. Only knowing him as a diarist present at the Great Fire of London in 1666 is to know only a fraction of the man. He was a civil servant par excellence; a founder of the modern navy; a cultured, intelligent man who mixed with the intelligentsia of his time, including royalty; an MP who had to fight his corner repeatedly; and also a man of wide physical appetites. In addition, he was an extremely hard worker, risking his sight, his reputation and his life on occasion, for his beliefs. At one point he underwent surgery (without anaesthetic) for kidney stones.
This format has certainly extended the knowledge of at least one member of the group, with wide discussion around the subject, often sparking more personal contributions, which makes for a stronger group.
We are reverting to the original format for next month, (2nd June venue to be decided later) the choice being
Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
Can I also ask if you still have any book from the library, please return it, either to me or the library, asap)