Book Group tonight

[jazzactivist]

Hi all. Tonight is the first proper meeting of our book group. It is a new one at the local library and there are only 4 people in it so far, all women. The first book to read was chosen by one of the other members and was The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith. I haven't managed to finish it, as I absolutely hated the book from page one! It seems very insubstantial and also so sterotypical about African women, quite patronising and over-written in style, I thought. In the end I gave up, but I am wondering how the other members found it. I hope I'm not the only one to have disliked it so much, especially as it's our first one. Have any of you read this or other books by this author?

[Crocus]

Hi Jazz, no I haven't read any books by this author, actually I can't recall that I've noticed books of the author, as I always scan all the shelves, but that's not to say that there aren't any. Finding the title a bit strange, I've read a bit about it on Google, and I must say I don't think I will like the book as well. The plot seems a bit strange, but I also notice that this particular book is the fourth in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series of novels.

[souter girl]

Now there you go - I love his Precious Ramotswe books! He really seems to be able to get into their heads and write like a woman. He is a lovely man- incredibly intellectual and knows his Botswana well as he lived there I think for many years. But isn't it good that we don't all like the same things, life would be so dull. I'm reading "The Other Hand" by Chris Cleave for our Book Club next week aobut an illegal immigrant from Nigeria. Beautifully written but a bit harrowing - I think you'd like it Jazz!

[jazzactivist]

Sounds like it, SG. I read the No 1 LDA when it first came out and didn't like it either, but thought that it would be interesting to give this one a try to see if I agreed with myself! It is really interesting how different people have different opinions about the same books. To me, the author seems to have no real insight into either women or southern Africa. I can't recall any woman thinking or behaving like that when I lived there, especially African women who ran their own businesses. It is just so twee. I think I chose the Chris Cleave one for our book group, SG, but we get the list this evening so I'll see if I did. Otherwise, I'll look out for it in the bookshops. Our book group is called The Dust Jackets, what about yours? Do you belong to a book group, crocus?

[jazzactivist]

Well, I was the only one who didn't like the book. There were 5 of us, with two being lukewarm about it and the other two loved it. perhaps I just missed the point of it, but the book seemed really simplistic to me. See if you can get a copy of one of his books, crocus, as it would be really interesting to see what you think of it living in southern Africa.