DISUK Book Club -Too Close to Home, Linwood Barclay

[dolphingirl47]

Me too. But my reason for joining this book club was to read things I wouldn't normally choose so I'll give it a go and see how I get on.

That's exactly my reasoning behind joining the book club and I am pretty open to anything. The problem with this book is that it is all about rape and I was at the receiving end of attempted rape back in 1995. I am not sure how raw the emotional wounds still are. Fortunately he got interrupted and there was no penetration, but I had bruising both physically and emotionally.

Corinna

 

[Dimplenose]

That's exactly my reasoning behind joining the book club and I am pretty open to anything. The problem with this book is that it is all about rape and I was at the receiving end of attempted rape back in 1995. I am not sure how raw the emotional wounds still are. Fortunately he got interrupted and there was no penetration, but I had bruising both physically and emotionally.

Corinna

Oh my goodness. This club is meant to be for fun/entertainment please don't join in with a book that you think will cause you distress. I think next month's book will also be very difficult for you. Please don't feel obliged to join in.

(I'm hoping to get a better balance next time - I'm still very new to book clubs, maybe we should "steal" a list from elsewhere.)

 

[dolphingirl47]

Oh my goodness. This club is meant to be for fun/entertainment please don't join in with a book that you think will cause you distress. I think next month's book will also be very difficult for you. Please don't feel obliged to join in.

(I'm hoping to get a better balance next time - I'm still very new to book clubs, maybe we should "steal" a list from elsewhere.)

Don't worry, you are doing fine.

I do not feel obliged to do anything that I am not happy or comfortable with. I have ordered the book (not knowing what it was about at the time as there was no synopsis on Amazon) and I am determined to give it a go. If I can't handle it, the book will go to the charity shop and that is the end of that. It did not happen yesterday, but almost to the day 14 years ago and ever since then I have avoided the topic. My husband is aware, but nobody else in my present life is as it happened in Germany and then I moved to the UK a year later. I actually think it might be quite healthy to finally face this.

I don't even know what the book for next month is. I have to go to the first post to check it out.

Corinna

 

[joolz1910]

Don't worry, you are doing fine.

I do not feel obliged to do anything that I am not happy or comfortable with. I have ordered the book (not knowing what it was about at the time as there was no synopsis on Amazon) and I am determined to give it a go. If I can't handle it, the book will go to the charity shop and that is the end of that. It did not happen yesterday, but almost to the day 14 years ago and ever since then I have avoided the topic. My husband is aware, but nobody else in my present life is as it happened in Germany and then I moved to the UK a year later. I actually think it might be quite healthy to finally face this.

I don't even know what the book for next month is. I have to go to the first post to check it out.

Corinna

I have pm'd you.

 

[natalielongstaff]

i have yet to order Lucky, must do it asap

Sorry to hear about you experiences Joolz xx

 

[dolphingirl47]

I have pm'd you.

Thanks for that. I appreciate it.

Corinna

 

[Pinky166]

I feel bad for suggesting this book as I hadn't realised the subject matter. I was loaned a stack of books to read & this was one that I just remembered the name of so suggested it for the list not having read the back of the book to know what it was about. I haven't even got around to reading it yet & not sure if I will by the end of the month.

I don't want anyone to feel obliged to read it, I am not even sure if I want to.

 

[Dimplenose]

I feel bad for suggesting this book as I hadn't realised the subject matter. I was loaned a stack of books to read & this was one that I just remembered the name of so suggested it for the list not having read the back of the book to know what it was about. I haven't even got around to reading it yet & not sure if I will by the end of the month.

I don't want anyone to feel obliged to read it, I am not even sure if I want to.

Don't feel bad. We are all capable of making our own judgements as to whether or not to read a book. The assistant in Waterstones was full of praise for this book when I bought it.

I do think, however, that having this book immediately followed by next month's (subject involves abuse) might just be too much. I will keep this month's book but would like everyone's opinion on changinging July's book for something lighter. Please post or PM your views so I know what to do.

 

[natalielongstaff]

Maybe we could try a chick lit type of book to lighten the mood ( along the lines of marian keys or sophie kinsella)

 

[joolz1910]

I feel bad for suggesting this book as I hadn't realised the subject matter. I was loaned a stack of books to read & this was one that I just remembered the name of so suggested it for the list not having read the back of the book to know what it was about. I haven't even got around to reading it yet & not sure if I will by the end of the month.

I don't want anyone to feel obliged to read it, I am not even sure if I want to.

You shouldn't feel bad. I think it is the more controversial books that promote discussion. I had wanted to read Lucky after reading 'The Lovely Bones'. Most of what I have read recently involves something that's either dark or depressing! The books I have lined up to read are Trueman Capote's 'In Cold Blood', and Cormac Macarthy's 'The Road'.

How about 'The 5 People you meet in Heaven' by Mitch Albom - that's one I've been meaning to read.

 

[CustardTart]

Just want to suggest a book I have thoroughly enjoyed recently - The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson... Completely different to anything else I've read lately and I couldn't put it down...

Also liked The Brutal Art by Jesse Kellerman...

 

[Dimplenose]

So is everyone happy to make a change?

Is a Marian Keys book a good choice? I don't read chick-lit normally, but that makes another reason to choose it.

I bought a book today in Borders called "The book club bible." It has 100 books listed with suggested discussion questions. Perhaps we could do one or two from here over the next few months as the questions helped keep the Kevin discussion alive.(I was asking on the desk about it and mentioned Lionel Shriver and the man on the info desk didn't realise she is a woman. He went off muttering "Why call yourself Lionel when you're a woman? I think I'll call myself Dierdre!)

 

[wideeyes]

some suggestions-

Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier

Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

 

[Dimplenose]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I first need to know whether I should change the book.

I think I'm going to post a poll as I'm getting suggestion overload - perhaps people should sign up to suggest a book each month and maybe lead the discussion?

 

[CustardTart]

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I've just finished that - LOVED IT!!!

Can't wait for the other two to be available on paperback but it's just so sad about the author...

 

[Dimplenose]

I am not planning to extend the list until October - I just want to know whether or not to change July's book. I'm off to post a poll.

 

[wideeyes]

I've just finished that - LOVED IT!!!

I haven't read it yet, looking forward to though.

I've got loads of books to catch up with now I am free from reading lists.

 

[britchic4]

Hello all, sorry to butt in on this thread, but I work in publishing so am always interested in these kind of things!
Someone mentioned The Gargoyle, and I would second that, it's a fantastic book if you can just get past the first couple of chapters which are a little gruesome.
I'd also thoroughly recommend another Richard & Judy choice, The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff which is a historical novel based on the original Mormon church, in the words of Brigham Young's wife no. 19.

 

[irongirlof12]

I can recommend The forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, a good uplifting read with a lot to discuss!

 

[Dimplenose]

As I said before I'm not updating the list yet so please don't keep adding recommendations - I'm going to start another thread for book recommendations which aren't necessarily going to be "bookclub books" but might be useful to people looking for extra reading material.

Please post book suggestions to this thread
Book Suggestions Thread

In the meantime please help my original dilemma by voting on this poll
July Bookclub Poll

Thanks