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The British Council reading groups now meet in Berlin in our partner bookshops and libraries.
 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Elizabeth Bennet is the perfect Austen heroine: intelligent, generous, sensible, incapable of jealousy or any other major sin. That makes her sound like an insufferable goody-goody, but the truth is she's a completely hip character who ,if provoked, is not above skewering her antagonist with a piece of her exceptionally sharp, yet always polite, 18th-century wit. The real point of the book though, the critical question which will keep you fixated throughout, is: will Elizabeth and Mr Darcy hook up? Love and Summer by William Trevor - Choice of Dates for September meetings
The Road Home by Rose Tremain Tremain (Restoration) turns in a low-key but emotionally potent look at the melancholia of migration for her 14th book. Olev, a 42-year-old widower from an unnamed former east bloc republic, is taking a bus to London, where he imagines every man resembles Alec Guinness and hard work will be rewarded by wealth. He has left behind a sad young daughter, a stubborn mother and the newly shuttered sawmill where he had worked for years. His landing is harsh: the British are unpleasant, immigrants are unwelcome, and he's often overwhelmed by homesickness. But Lev personifies Tremain's remarkable ability to craft characters whose essential goodness shines through tough, drab circumstances. Among them are Lydia, the fellow expatriate; Christy, Lev's alcoholic Irish landlord who misses his own daughter; and even the cruelly demanding Gregory, chef-proprietor of the posh restaurant where Lev first finds work. A contrived but still satisfying ending marks this adroit émigré's look at London. (Publishers Weekly) Love and Summer by William Trevor Biography William Trevor was born in Mitchelstown, County Cork in Ireland in 1928. He has written many novels, and has won many prizes including the Hawthornden Prize, the Yorkshire Post Book of the Year Award, and the Whitbread Book of the Year Award. Love and Summer was longlisted for the Booker Prize. He is also a renowned short-story writer. He now lives in Devon in England. Synopsis In spare, soulful prose, acclaimed Irish writer Trevor tells a haunting love story about the choices of the heart and the hardships--and comforts--of a bygone world in rural Ireland. Reviews "There is no corpse in the basement, no bomb lies hidden in any drawer—but even so, a reader will have his heart in his mouth for the last 50 pages. And when that heart settles back down, it will be broken and satisfied…a thrilling work of art" New York Times "Everyone, as Trevor knows so well, has a story. No character in this book goes unnoticed; no one is forgotten. For those readers who have loved the generosity and beauty of Trevor's work (he has written 27 books of fiction), Love and Summer will be one more entry into a world that is both heart-breaking and deeply fulfilling." Washington Post "An archetypal Irish love story and a perfect novel - sweet, desperate, sad, unforgettable." Kirkus reviews "While not perhaps the author writing at the height of his powers, there is much to admire and much for the heart and mind to seize on in this subtly pointed work. It lingers in the memory as a beautiful meditation on love, belonging and the impossibility of escape... " Guardian WHAT IS A READING GROUP? There are currently six British Council reading groups in Berlin- reading and discussing books in English. They are made up of people who love to read and discuss books. Here is how they work. Members choose a book for discussion, everyone reads it and the group then meets to talk about it. The meetings are friendly and informal and are held monthly. Each group has a facilitator who helps to guide the discussion.
Regular meetings will be held about once a month at times convenient to the members of the group. HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL THERE BE IN A GROUP? Large numbers make it difficult for everyone to contribute so groups will be made up of ten to twelve people. IF I JOIN A GROUP, WHERE WILL I BE ABLE TO BUY THE BOOKS? We will tell you where you can buy the books when you join the group. CAN ANYONE JOIN THE GROUP? Yes. However, the discussions will be done in English and so you need to be able to express yourself in the language to be able to take part. I'M INTERESTED IN TAKING PART, BUT I DO NOT LIVE NEAR ONE OF THE CITIES MENTIONED ABOVE. WHAT CAN I DO? You can join other readers worldwide on the enCompassCulture website. The site is produced by the British Council Film and Literature Department to provide a virtual space for Reading Groups around the world to meet, discuss books and talk to authors. It includes the best contemporary UK and Commonwealth literature (fiction, poetry, drama, auto/biography, travel and science). |
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