Tower and Town, September 2020

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Belonging To A Bookgroup

After 48 years in Marlborough. I recently moved to Sussex to be nearer my family. I knew I would miss Wiltshire and many friends but how would I cope without a book group!

A few friends and I decided to form a book group about 15 years ago. We all had many books we wanted to share and more we wanted to read. Ten members seemed the ideal number, meeting ten times a year in each other’s houses. We start at 6.30 with a glass of wine and discuss the book for an hour or so before enjoying supper together. This was meant to be a simple affair but before long members were displaying their culinary as well as their literary skills!

This format has proved successful but the outstanding outcome for me was the breadth of reading matter that we covered. We are a diverse group and the choice of reading reflects this. I enjoy being pushed out of my comfort zone – it is more uncomfortable when a book chosen by me fails to impress, but that is part of the learning process. I dislike the term a ‘good book’ and think that reading is a subjective activity. I was interested to discover that some of the books I enjoyed in previous decades now appear dated whilst others are set to be classics. Our first title was On Beauty by Zadie Smith who was a new author to me - I loved it! We read mostly fiction but some members prefer non-fiction and we read a whole range from The Hare with the Amber Eyes by Edmund de Wall to This Boy by Alan Johnson. Classics are also popular with some. We occasionally have a poetry evening when everyone brings a poem and explains why they have chosen it. Some books like The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas have raised eyebrows but no one has left yet because of book content. In the summer, we try to have an outing with a literary theme. Last year we had a lovely day paying homage to Jane Austen at Chawton.

I have read many books that have had a profound influence on me. It is very difficult to choose a favourite but for me Half a Yellow Sun by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie is a book I recommend over and over again.

In one respect Lockdown has been kind to me as I have managed to stay with my group via Zoom. When this ends I will have to try and find a Sussex group who are prepared to take me on. Or perhaps start one of my own….

Ellen Proctor