For the enjoyment of friends, books and wine …
From master storyteller, Michael Morpurgo comes an incredibly moving story about one horse’s experience in the deadly chaos of the first world war. In 1914, Joey, a young farm horse, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges towards the enemy, witnessing the horror of the frontline. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey’s courage touches the soldiers around him.
Scores on the Doors: Ave 6.9
January 1937. Clouds of war are gathering over a fogbound London. Twenty-eight year old Jack is poor, lonely and desperate to change his life. So when he’s offered the chance to join an Arctic expedition, he jumps at it. Spirits are high as the ship leaves Norway: five men and eight huskies, crossing the Barents Sea by the light of the midnight sun. At last they reach the remote, uninhabited bay where they will camp for the next year. Gruhuken. But the Arctic summer is brief. As night returns to claim the land, Jack feels a creeping unease. One by one, his companions are forced to leave. He faces a stark choice. Stay or go. Soon he will see the last of the sun, as the polar night engulfs the camp in months of darkness. Soon he will reach the point of no return – when the sea will freeze, making escape impossible. And Gruhuken is not uninhabited. Jack is not alone. Something walks there in the dark…
Scores on the Doors: Ave 5.9
A heart-warming and inspirational tale in which Enzo, a loyal family dog, tells the story of his human family, how they nearly fell apart, and what he did to bring them back together.
Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: he thinks and feels in nearly human ways. He has educated himself by watching extensive television, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo realizes that racing is a metaphor: that by applying the techniques a driver would apply on the race track, one can successfully navigate the ordeals and travails one encounters in life.
Enzo relates the story of his human family, sharing their tragedies and triumphs. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations as a dog, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family.
The Art of Racing in the Rain is a testament to a man’s life, given by his dog. But it is also a testament to the dog, himself. Though Enzo cannot speak, he understands everything that happens around him as he bears witness to his master’s problems. His enforced muteness only refines his listening ability, and allows him to understand many of life’s nuances that are lost on most humans. With humour, sharp observation, and a courageous heart, Enzo guides the reader to the bittersweet yet ultimately satisfying conclusion: there are no limitations to what we can achieve, if we truly know where we want to be.
Scores on the Doors: Ave 6.6
Through every family run memories which bind it together – despite everything. The Tulls of Baltimore were no exception. Abandoned by her salesman husband, Pearl is left to bring up her three children alone – Cody, a flawed devil, Ezra, a flawed saint, and Jenny, errant and passionate. Now as Pearl lies dying, stiffly encased in her pride and solitude, the past is unlocked and with its secrets.
Scores on the Doors: 6.7 average
Sally kindly sent me a list of books that were read before I joined the book club.
8th Sept 2010 (at Pauline’s) – The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas ave score 5.0
4th October 2010 (at Cai’s) – The Boy with the Topknot by Sathnam Sanghera 8.2
10th November 2010 (at June’s) – One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson 6.7
6th December 2010 – Christmas party at the Queen’s Head – (Optional Christmas read: Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith)
13th January 2011 (at Rebecca’s) – Le Bal and Snow in Autumn by Irene Némirovsky 8.0
17th February 2011 (Jane’s) – Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen 8.1
24th March 2011 (at Rebecca’s) –The Other Family by Joanna Trollope 5.5
5th May 2011 (at Janine’s) – One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
16th June (at Christine’s) – Love and Dr. Aiyar by Manorama Mathai 6.2
11th July (Sally/at Pauline’s) – Room by Emma Donoghue 6.3
Sally xx