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The British Council reading groups now meet in Berlin in our partner bookshops and libraries.
 Choice of Dates for February meetings: Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Miss Garnet's Angel by Salley Vickers
Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence An Education by Lynn Barber - a memoir Lynn Barber Biography Probably Britain's most entertaining and feared interviewer - Lynn Barber studied English at Oxford University. She began her career in journalism at Penthouse, and has since worked for a number of major British newspapers and for Vanity Fair. She currently writes for the Observer. She has published two volumes of her celebrated interviews, Mostly Men and Demon Barber. Synopsis Lynn Barber's true story is now a major film of the same name scripted by Nick Hornby. At 16, Lynn Barber was an ambitious schoolgirl working towards a place at Oxford, when she was picked up at a bus-stop by an attractive older man in a sports car. So began a relationship that almost wrecked her life. Barber's fascinating memoir takes us beyond this bizarre episode, revealing how it left her with an abiding mistrust of men. "An Education" tells how she went on to work for seven years at daring (for the times) men's magazine "Penthouse' before beginning her starry days as the Demon Barber . The book ends with an extraordinarily moving account of the early death of her husband. Her writing is refreshingly frank and funny. Reviews "Barber's memoir is funny, bold, incisive, clever and interesting. But underneath all the brave chutzpah, wit, jokes and verve, it is touchingly naïve Independent Grab the chance to read this entertaining memoir while it's being republished alongside Nick Hornby's film adaptation." Observer "Barber's voice is of course hugely confident – sometimes grumpy, often a bit snooty, very often funny and always extremely frank". Scotsman "The journalist Lynn Barber is known for her acerbic features and interviews, and this memoir is no less candid, fun and down-to-earth. Written in a breezy vernacular — “I didn’t fancy”, “tremendous fun”, “appallingly naff”, “heaven forfend!” — An Education reads like a gossip over coffee with a fabulously irreverent mother-in-law." Times The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen - a literary thriller Liz Jensen Biography Liz Jensen was born in Oxfordshire, the daughter of a Danish father and an Anglo-Moroccan mother. She spent two years as a journalist in the Far East before joining the BBC, first as a journalist, then as a TV and radio producer. She then moved to France where she worked as a sculptor and began her first novel, Egg Dancing, which was published in 1995 (1996 in the USA). Back in London she wrote Ark Baby (1998) which was shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Award, The Paper Eater (2000), and War Crimes for the Home (2002) which was longlisted for the Orange Prize. Synopsis Louis Drax is a boy like no other. He is brilliant and strange, and every year something violent seems to happen to him. His psychologist is baffled, and his mother lives in constant panic. He has always managed to survive — to land on his feet, like a cat. But cats have only nine lives, and Louis has used up eight, one for every year. Full of astonishing twists and turns, this is a masterful tale of the secrets the human mind can hide. Reviews "Liz Jensen has written a remarkable suspense novel: tart, mysterious, and heart-wrenching". Anthony Minghella, director of The English Patient and Cold Mountain "Jensen is becoming one of our best writers, sometimes surreal, sometimes down to earth, always with a great and embracing human sympathy." Mail on Sunday "Here is the breakout novel--a literary thriller that's almost impossible to put down. This is sure to remind readers of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time." Booklist - Joanne Wilkinson "Jensen's gift for black humour and off-kilter narratives shines throughout this page-turner, and her understanding of fractured psyches and their ability to heal is remarkable. The idiosyncrasies of her peculiar characters only make them more engaging, and at the end of Jensen's gripping tale, the reader is left eager for more." Publisher's Weekly Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell Elizabeth Gaskell- biography (born Sept. 29, 1810, Chelsea, London, England, died Nov. 12, 1865, near Alton, Hampshire) often referred to simply as Mrs.Gaskell, she was an English novelist and short story writer during the Victorian era. Somewhat in the shadow of Charles Dickens, she is perhaps best known for her biography of her friend Charlotte Brontë. Her novels offer detailed portraits of the lives of many strata of society, focusing on women and the very poor, and are of interest to social historians as well as lovers of literature. There is a marvellous BBC adaptation of Cranford which I highly recommend. Cranford synopsis Cranford is a witty portrait of small town life in early-Victorian England. The story unfolds through the eyes of Mary Smith, a young woman who observes the comedic struggles of two middle aged sisters in their efforts to maintain a level of refined dignity amid poverty. It is set during the beginning of the industrial revolution and shows how customs of rural life are threatened by many changes - especially the imminent arrival of the steam train.. Reviews "The stories are wonderfully funny, but the ridiculous is bathed in a poignant, dreamlike mood found nowhere else in fiction, and profound ideas and strong values sleep beneath everyday details of bonnets and cakes." Jenny Uglow - Mrs Gaskell's biographer- The Guardian This novel contains one of my favourite lines; "it is high time that Miss Jessie lay off her dimples". This is a classic book that focuses on domesticity in the mid 19th century. It highlights the basically mundane life that faced women (particularly spinsters) of this era. This book is delightful. I love it, and will reread it many more times. - Amazon reader Starred classic Cranford came about because Charles Dickens had so admired her first novel Mary Barton that he asked Gaskell to produce a new work that he could serialise. Although Cranford starts off as a gentle country tale with many comic interludes, Gaskell's interest in industrial progress soon comes through when proposals to extend the railway line through Cranford threaten to disrupt traditional village life. A true classic. Elizabeth Gregory Miss Garnet's Angel by Salley Vickers Salley Vickers- biography Salley Vickers was born in Liverpool and grew up as the child of parents in the British Communist Party. Her father was a trade union leader and her mother a social worker. She won a state scholarship to St Paul’s Girl’s School (something which caused her father some anxiety because of his dislike of public schools and for a while he felt that she should not attend the school) and went on to read English at Newnham College Cambridge. She has worked, variously, as a cleaner, a dancer, an artist’s model, a teacher of children with special needs, a university teacher of literature and a psychoanalyst. Her first novel, ‘Miss Garnet’s Angel’, became an international word-of-mouth bestseller and a favourite among book clubs and reading groups. She now writes full time and lectures widely on many subjects, particularly the connections between, art, literature, psychology and religion. W.B.Yeats was responsible for her name Salley, (the Irish for ‘willow’) which comes from Yeats’s poem set to music by Benjamin Britten ‘Down by the salley gardens’ Synopsis Retired teacher Julia Garnet goes to live in Venice. And in one sense Venice is the subject of the story. Its waterways, churches, bridges and great squares form the backdrop to the book, but more than a back-drop, they influence the characters and bring changes into their lives. Venice's beauty overwhelms Juliet and releases her from a lifetime of reserve and caution. Above all, she's touched by the spirit of the Angel, Raphael. Twinned with her journey is that of Tobias, who is determined that his son should recover the family debt and allow his father to die in peace. This is a magical story about a women finding her passions and loves later in life. Reviews An enlightening book that makes you ponder on yourself and your behaviour to other people, and asks you to question the values you always hold as true, showing that a new environment can create an awakening of the soul. Subtly handled, with a great deal of attention to detail. Haunting and beautiful. Booklover's website Praise from other writers "Subtle, unexpected and haunting.' Penelope Fitzgerald 'Very kind, very funny.' John Bayley 'Writes like a haunted angel.' The Times 'Rich, complex and haunting!she makes the ancient story as riveting as Miss Garnet's own adventures.' Sunday Times 'The sort of novel I really enjoy.' John Bayley "Reveals itself as a surprising exploration of the mysteries of imagination and faith.' Joanna Trollope, Daily Telegraph, Book of the Year 'A refreshing, gentle story.' Anita Brookner, Spectator, Book of the Year 'A subtle, witty tale.' John de Falbe, Spectator ' Delightfully affecting.' Julia Neuberger, Independent, Book of the Year 'Destined for a long life.' David Sexton, Evening Standard, Book of the Year 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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