The Book Club Review

We love our book clubs, but what do we read when we get to choose for ourselves? In this episode we have an eclectic mix, encompassing everything from hot new releases to out-of-print old childhood favourites, with some musing on just what it is we’re looking for in a good Lockdown read.  • Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell Weather by Jenny Offill The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine by Alina Bronsky Early Riser by Jasper Fforde Home by Abu Bakr Al Rabeeah • Keep up with us on Instagram or Facebook @BookClubReview podcast, on Twitter @bookclubrvwpod or email thebookclubreview@gmail.com, and if you enjoyed this episode please rate us on iTunes and subscribe, we hugely appreciate it.

The London Metropolitan Archives was established to collect, preserve, celebrate and share the stories of London and Londoners. They also have a book club. We sit down with Claire Titley and Charlie Turpie to learn more about it in an episode chock-full of great reading suggestions. If you’re interested in joining the London Metropolitan Archives book club you can stay up to date with all their events by following them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @ldnmetarchives. And you can find Claire on Instagram @clairelouisetitley and Charlie @charliebooksandcoffee Books mentioned in this episode were: Penelope Lively’s City of the Mind This is London by Ben Judah, and do check out our episode 9 for my book club’s spirited discussion of that book Margery Allingham’s Campion Novels, including The Tiger in the Smoke Mrs Dalloway and The Years by Virginia Woolf, Mr Loverman and Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo James Boswell's London Journal, Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series Next episode: Bookshelf, in which we discuss Exciting Times by Naoise Doolan, Early Riser by Jasper Fforde, Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, The Hottest Dishes of the Tatar Cuisine by Alina Bronsky, Weather by Jenny Offill and Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. That episode is coming soon. Next up for book club is Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, a haunting tale of love and murder set in the marshland of South Carolina that has found millions of readers, topping bestseller lists around the world, but what did my book club think? Were they as ravished as Reese Witherspoon, who didn’t read the last ten pages because she didn’t want the book to end. Coming soon. If you’d like to see what we’re up to between episodes follow us on Instagram or Facebook @BookClubReview podcast, on Twitter @bookclubrvwpod or email thebookclubreview@gmail.com. If you like what we do please take a moment to rate and review us on iTunes, we really appreciate it.

Part novel, part poem, Lanny evokes a typical English village whose residents are observed by an ancient spirit of nature – with a particular interest in one child. The Guardian called it ‘...a fable, a collage, a dramatic chorus, a joyously stirred cauldron of words’, but what did Kate's book club make of it? We discuss, and share some recommendations for your next book club read, including Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss and The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry. • Books mentioned on this episode: Grief is the Thing With Feathers by Max Porter Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss Gwelio, Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood by Martin Booth The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry • If you’d like to see what we’re up to between episodes follow us on Instagram or Facebook @BookClubReview podcast, on Twitter @bookclubrvwpod or email thebookclubreview@gmail.com. If you like what we do please do take a moment to rate, review and subscribe to us, it helps other listeners find us and means you’ll never miss an episode. 

Comfort reads to curl up with? Or books that provoke, stimulate and challenge? In this episode, we share our latest lockdown reads. We stay close to home with period drama Belgravia by Julian Fellowes, and London-based fantasy Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. We escape to Provence with unreconstructed male-wish-fulfillment novel Hotel Pastis by Peter Mayle, and escape altogether with the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Cobb. We're delighted by heartwarming romance Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda, and intrigued by Lost at Sea by Jon Ronson. We walk in the footsteps of Raynor Winn on The Salt Path and finally consider the practicalities of sheep farming with The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks.  

For many parents home-schooling their children over the coming weeks, the idea of reading in snatches of borrowed time will strike a strong chord. After the birth of her son, Elizabeth Morris decided to put her career in the book world to good use and set up Crib Notes, a book club in newsletter form. Every month, she curates the perfect book recommendations for new and busy mothers. ‘Sometimes you just need a little spark of mental stimulation to remind you of who you are beyond being a mother’, Elizabeth explains. Listen in for some fantastic book recommendations – for all readers, not just mums! – and some great practical tips for how to fit in reading when all you have are stolen moments. • Sign up for Crib Notes at tinyletter.com/CribNotes Find Elizabeth on Twitter @elizabethmoya and on Instagram @cribnotesbookclub • Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo My Wild and Furious Nights by Clover Stroud Constellations, Sinead Gleeson I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O’Farrell Weather by Jenny Offill The Panic Years, Nell Frizzell Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman •  Keep up with what we're doing between episodes on Instagram and facebook @bookclubreviewpodcast, on Twitter @bookclubrvwpod, and email us anytime at thebookclubreview@gmail.com, we'd love to hear from you. If you like what we do please do take a moment to rate, review and subscribe to us, it helps other listeners find us and means you'll never miss an episode.

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang clocked in at number 80 on The Guardian's list of the 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. Barack Obama's a fan too. But what about Laura's book club? What did they make of this mesmerising collection of eight stories, one of which formed the basis of the film Arrival starring Amy Adams? Real-life rocket scientists Kristy and Ed join the discussion and weigh in on the big questions. Like, will reading Chiang make you more intelligent? Do you have to be a sci-fi devotee to enjoy these stories? And finally, did the book make for a good book club discussion? All this, plus some great book recommendations for your next read. • Find us on Instagram or Facebook @BookClubReview podcast on Twitter @bookclubrvwpod email thebookclubreview@gmail.com Please do take a moment to rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes, it helps other listeners find us and means you’ll never miss an episode. • Books mentioned This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal el-Mohtar and Max Gladstone Wally Funk's Race for Space: The Extraordinary Story of a Female Aviation Pioneer by Sue Nelson Pavane by Keith Roberts Ed's author recommendations: John Brunner, James Blish ('Cities in Flight' and 'The Seedling Stars' [with the puddle story 'Surface Tension'] among others), and Algis Budrys

Laura reports in on The Wych Elm by Tana French, The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne and The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman. Kate's stack consists of Love by Hanne Ostavik, The Anna Karenina Effect by Viv Groskop and Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. Join us as we review them and figure out if there are any book club gems in there. • Drop us a line at thebookclubreview@gmail.com, follow us on facebook or instagram @bookclubreviewpodcast or on twitter @bookclubrvwpod. And if you enjoy the show do take a moment to rate and review us on iTunes, it helps other listeners find us and brings us joy.

Fleishman is in Trouble tells the story of Toby, a successful NYC doctor whose almost ex-wife Rachel has vanished, leaving him alone with their two children. But is she the selfish, self-absorbed, neglectful mother he portrays?  It’s been described as a Trojan Horse of a novel, a sharp, dry portrait of the blind spots that come with male privilege and entitlement. But what did Laura’s book club make of it? Listen in to find out. • This Tom Hanks Story Will Help You Feel Less Bad (New York Times) How Taffy Brodesser-Akner Thrives on Stress (Real Simple magazine)

Reading the right books is key to making your book club a success. But how to choose? Listen in to hear the top 10 books we think make for perfect book club reads. They vary from fiction to non-fiction, and cut across every genre and subject. But they're all highly readable, packed full of ideas and will divide opinion – always good for a sparky debate. Want more? See below for links to the episodes where we've discussed these books in more detail. • 1. Educated by Tara Westover. Episode 22 2. Putney by Sofka Zinovieff 3. Bad Blood by John Carreyrou. Episode 55 4. Supper Club by Lara Williams 5. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. Episode 33 6. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.  7. East West Street by Philippe Sands. Episode 18 8. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead 9. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. Episode 8 10. This is London by Ben Judah. Episode 9  

Ready to start your own book club?  This special episode tells you how, from who to invite and what books (or genre) to read, to the pitfalls you’ll want to avoid. It's packed full of inspiration and advice from book clubs we’ve interviewed over the years, including the Proust Book Group in Paris, London's own Jilly Cooper book club, a Horror Book Club and the Walking Book Club of Hampstead Heath. We've even come up with the top 10 recommended book club books guaranteed to get the discussing going. So, listen in for everything you need to know to start and run a flourishing book group.  How to find the right book club books? Here are some of our recommended places to look: newspapers summer reading guides and end of year lists, in particular The Times and Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Observer and The Financial Times, The Washington Post and the New York Times; prizes The Booker Prize, The Booker International Prize (for books in translation), The Women's Prize, The Wainwright Prize (for nature writing), The Costa Book Awards, The Goldsmiths Prize (for books that open up new possibilities in the novel form), The Baillie Gifford Prize (for non-fiction), The Walter Scott Prize (for historical-fiction), in the US The National Book Award, the Pulitzer, Barack Obama's annual reading list, in Australia the Miles Franklin and the Stella Prize, and back in Europe Kate's favourite, The Dublin Literary Award (for books nominated by libraries around the world) Book clubs mentioned in the show: Emily's Walking Book Club of Hampstead Heath Simon Thomas's Book of the Year Club The Horror Book Club The Lesbian Book Club The London Literary Salon (Toby Brothers) Ink84 Bookshop book club