Escaping the Budget and Christmas adverts gave us the perfect excuse for a lively discussion on a range of exciting books at our November meeting. Thanks to everyone who came along and a warm welcome to all our new members.

This month we shared views on Emily Bronte’s amazing and only novel (and a forthcoming film) Wuthering Heights, the near Booker winner The Land In Winter by Alan Miller, Alan Bennett’s new novella Killing Time, The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murkami and a factual history of British folklore and fairy tales, The Haunted Wood by Sam Leith.

The Bookclub is a friendly, informal community that welcomes anyone who enjoys a discussion on books, a laugh and a drink.

If you want to join us just read one of the titles below (or more than one if you have time) and come along to tell us what you think. We guarantee a warm welcome and lively discussion.

Next meeting …

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 7th January 6-8pm.

This month’s selections …

• Classic – Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence (≈423 pages)

A semi-autobiographical portrait of a young man torn between his love for his mother and his romantic passions. Lawrence’s depiction of desire and emotional conflict defined the modern psychological novel.

“Lawrence’s prose is lush, caressing, and aching.” — Lotz in Translation

• Factual – Shattered by Hanif Kureishi (≈336 pages)

A powerful memoir written after a life-changing accident left Kureishi paralysed. It charts his physical struggle, creative reinvention, and meaning of resilience.

“After the fall, Kureishi sought to put his new reality into words.” — Wall Street Journal

• Contemporary – The Proof of My Innocence by Jonathan Coe (≈396 pages)

A political satire wrapped in a whodunnit mystery, set against post-Truss Britain. Coe blends social observation, irony, and emotional warmth in a story about memory and truth.

“A blue murder mystery wrapped in a chronicle of politics and nostalgia.” — The Guardian

• Popular – Riders by Jilly Cooper (≈608 pages)

A raucous, high-society romp through the glamorous world of show jumping, love, and rivalry. Full of humour, passion, and scandal.

“A perfect cocktail of foibles, feuds and fast horses.” — The Times

• Modern Classic – Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (≈256 pages)

Regularly cited in polls of the best modern novel ever. A meditative novel written as a letter from Reverend John Ames to his young son, reflecting on faith, forgiveness, and family. Robinson’s prose is luminous and spiritually rich.

“A beautiful, tender, and deeply humane novel that asks how we might live gracefully in the face of mortality.” — The New York Times