Dear Emma

I have finally read a book you sent me a fair while ago. Now you've sent me few books but this one I'm talking about is 'the summer without men'.
I read this over the summer. Like finding the right Agatha Christie book to take on whatever holiday your going on (this by the way is harder ot do when you live in NZ) I thought it was important I read the book in the summer. Maryann in Autumn is on the shelf just waiting a little longer. I digress.
When you sent this to me you wanted to know what I thought. Given the time that has passed since you sent it to me these thoughts may be irrelevant or you may have just been being polite or you may have forgotten all of this took place. In my mind you also suggested that what share a book review blog, this may be a figment of my imagination or a drunken moment on both our parts, either way I'm game.
You see I read, skim read at best, use it as a distraction, and escape and while that has some value I think the books deserve more than that. I should think a little. My critical analysis skills are diminishing fast and I know i should hang on to them a little longer. The last book you recommended - 'the end of your life book club' made me want to read more, but also think about what I'm reading. So to commit to writing actual thoughts about a book is a bit scary and a challenge, but also a treat the Internet can bring us, if you did fancy the idea.
My book club (the very casual up for the 'which book club talks the least about the book it's reading' award) also loved 'the end of your life book club' didn't make any of us feel stupid and made us all want to read more.
I took said book to Sydney on our little jaunt there last month. Couldn't put the book down and while enjoying the rather marvellous public transport system Sydney had on offer to us I would read. So on the bus to Bondi beach (as you do) I was reading away and a comment about moving to New Zealand to while away the time was made. This was in Alan Bennett's 'the uncommon reader' well that made me smile. So in Bondi, the home of the fabulous Alice and Gertrude bookshops that I shared with you, there on the shelf winking at me was a lovely little second hand copy of 'the uncommon reader' sorted then. Adam was perusing the shelves and took to 'three men in a boat'. Well of course what is one of the next books mentioned while reading 'the end of your life book club' on the return journey. Indeed. Made me smile.
Adam absolutely loved 'three men in a boat' and is now reading 'three men on the Bummel'. Loves the language in the historical sense. These were written before we could fly. Mind you they are both lovely old copies and he sniffs the pages.
So after enough waffle, what did I think of 'the summer without men'. It took a while but eventually it felt like she as having a conversation with me to the side of her life. At the beginning it was her having the conversation with herself, rambling a and thoughts, I related to that idea a lot, of me of numerous journals and notebooks.
A book for women for sure. What topic isn't covered. The ages of women I particularly liked, though it made old age a little worrying, particularly if you can't quilt/sew. The older ladies were the best characters and I was down to them a lot, but I guess so was the voice of the book. Then add to that the infidelity, violence, teenage angst, mother/daughter relationships, mental illness.
While into the story I found it hard to switch to reading poetry. I enjoy poetry but reading it requires me to make an effort and take time. I think because you do have to read it properly, not skim read like I do. I'll never be proof reader or an editor for sure. When reading poetry I read it several times over and usually aloud, so a complete change. Doing that in the middle of the book was hard, that's all.
Overall I though it was open and honest, particularly of her 'episode' I found that it gave hope. Made me question, how would I cope, what would happen to me. But still with hope.
I thought the way she dealt with the teenagers picking on the one girl was quite fascinating, I would never have thought of or done that. I deal with some fairly interesting characters at work and I always try to look at situations from several points of view, but the idea of writing down a story from the other perspective. Brilliant. How to get others to do the same, that's my challenge.
So thank you my dear for the book. I still have the latest one you sent still to read. I'm reading Mr Penumbra's 24-hour book shop at the moment, with bits of 'moranthology' in between times. Book club challenge is a Jack Reacher book. Some fans in the book club, (not fans of the Tom Cruise choice) were in disbelief that we hadn't read any. Heather and I being Clive Cussler fans made them all read one so its turn about I guess. It's a pick anyone you can get your hands on type of read.


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