Kelso Library Readers Group Meeting 29 January 2008

After the Christmas break we had our first meeting on Tuesday, January 29. We had decided to start off the year with a lunch at Kwan's Chinese restaurant in Kelso and they did us proud. Thirteen of us, plus one husband, attended and it was enjoyed by all.

We then adjourned to the Library, where the serious business of the day took place. We welcomed two new members and hope they will enjoy our meetings.

The two books we had been fortunate enough to obtain en masse so that our group could enjoy them without too much delay were..."Winter in Madrid by C.J. Sansom and "The Burryman's Day" by Catriona McPherson. The first of these had been enjoyed by all, although some found it a bit confusing at times. Not many of us knew much about the Spanish Civil War, which tore the country in half and left many homeless, utterly broken and hopeless.

Personally I felt the ending was a bit trite, as if the author wanted to get it finished and tie up all the ends neatly, nevertheless it was a great story. "The Burry Man's Day" was a very light hearted story but not to the taste of most of our readers group. "Very amateurish" was one comment. Perhaps the contrast was too great between the books.

There were a few comments about other books read over the Christmas season. "The Perfect Summer" by Juliet Nicolson and The complete short stories by Saki being two. I read a book entitled Cod: a biography of the fish that changed the world by Mark Kurlansky, not a novel.....but true accounts of cod fishing and its rise and fall throughout the world. It was very interesting, with some wonderful recipes.

And so to our next meeting...last Tuesday in February, when we hope to have a new selection of books and perhaps a poem or two.

The books for February, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and Tombstoning by Doug Johnstone are now available for collection in the library.

Till then, keep reading and come along.

IHE