Hayley Posted March 27, 2023 Share Posted March 27, 2023 It is already the final week of March - the daffodils are out, the sun is (sometimes) out and it's time to choose our next book club category! As a reminder for those who aren't familiar with the idea: Throughout 2023, the BCF Book Club will be in session! We will vote on categories four times per year (January-March, April-June, July-September, October-December) and participants will choose a book from that category. This means that we might not all be reading the same book, but we will all be reading from the same category. Please start posting your suggestions for categories below. We will then decide our April-June category by poll . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted March 27, 2023 Author Share Posted March 27, 2023 My suggestion: A book related to Charles Dickens (Suggestions: aside from books actually written by Dickens, this could include novels like Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry or Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 I don't want to make any suggestions because it was my suggestion that 'won' the last time. I'm happy to read Dickens/about Dickens so second that suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted April 3, 2023 Author Share Posted April 3, 2023 3 hours ago, lunababymoonchild said: I don't want to make any suggestions because it was my suggestion that 'won' the last time. That definitely doesn’t disqualify you from entering a new topic! Please go for it if you have an idea . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 2 hours ago, Hayley said: That definitely doesn’t disqualify you from entering a new topic! Please go for it if you have an idea . Thank you How about one I put forward for Part One of the group read? Classic Fiction Charles Dickens would fall into both categories but if somebody wanted to read Jane Austin or something else that would work too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 I would like to second Hayley's suggestion of A book related to Charles Dickens. Although I hadn't heard of two of the books, I just had a look at the synopsis for The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heap, and it looked like it would be an enjoyable read. And as I already adore Jasper Fforde, I would be very happy to re read a Thursday Next novel. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted April 6, 2023 Author Share Posted April 6, 2023 19 hours ago, Chrissy said: The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heap, and it looked like it would be an enjoyable read. I really want to try it too 😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 OK so we have one proposal and two seconds for A Book Related to Charles Dickens. Shall we just go with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted April 9, 2023 Author Share Posted April 9, 2023 Well I was hoping we’d get a few more suggestions but it does seem a little excessive to hold a poll for just two! As Chrissy seconded ‘A Book Related to Charles Dickens’ I’m happy to go with that, as long as everyone else is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 I had better head off to go a'kindling! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 I can recommend an excellent book, "Tom All-Alone's" by Lynn Shepherd,which is a pastiche of Bleak House, with several characters appearing, but is also it's own story, I might even re-read it for the challenge. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted April 10, 2023 Author Share Posted April 10, 2023 7 hours ago, Madeleine said: I can recommend an excellent book, "Tom All-Alone's" by Lynn Shepherd,which is a pastiche of Bleak House, with several characters appearing, but is also it's own story, I might even re-read it for the challenge. I’ve just added it to my wish list, it sounds like exactly my kind of thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted April 11, 2023 Share Posted April 11, 2023 21 hours ago, Madeleine said: I can recommend an excellent book, "Tom All-Alone's" by Lynn Shepherd,which is a pastiche of Bleak House, with several characters appearing, but is also it's own story, I might even re-read it for the challenge. 13 hours ago, Hayley said: I’ve just added it to my wish list, it sounds like exactly my kind of thing! My copy is arriving Friday! For some reason, this one book in the rather intriguing looking series is not available on Kindle. Thank you for the recommendation @Madeleine. That's two books I now have that fulfil the brief! 🙂 The aspect I really enjoy about this quarterly book club is that it nudges you to reading places you might not have considered, or hadn't quite found the impetus to read. Additionally, as it is a three month challenge there is no pressure involved, so it doesn't feel like a chore. Great stuff! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted April 11, 2023 Share Posted April 11, 2023 I've been looking into this (because it's fascinating) according to Lynn Shephard herself Lynn Shepherd Books this book is called The Man in Black and is much easier to get than Tom All-Alone's but doesn't come in Kindle either - it's part of a four part series and only this one (book 2) doesn't come in Kindle! I didn't read the whole article linked above as it's quite long and I wanted to point this out as soon as I became aware of it but I will. "Mr Dickens names the place Tom-All-Alone’s after a boyhood memory of a house built by a local eccentric. Its name sums up the invidual and collective misery and loneliness of the place." - Tom All Alone's explanation I'll have to get a copy now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted April 11, 2023 Share Posted April 11, 2023 Her books are pretty hard to find, I had to buy the most recent one (based on Dracula) as a hardback online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted April 11, 2023 Share Posted April 11, 2023 I did buy The Man in Black, can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted April 11, 2023 Share Posted April 11, 2023 It seems to have had several different titles, "The Solitary House" was the US title, haven't heard of The Man in Black though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 Currently reading The Man in Black and thoroughly enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted June 14, 2023 Share Posted June 14, 2023 I have been reading, and really enjoying HG Parry's The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heap. It is an engaging read, with likeable main characters. I suspect there are twists and turns ahead for me, so my internal analysis of the text remains on high alert for clues and indications! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 I finished The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heap by HG Parry today. I made myself not finish it last night, and was glad I did, as I would have been too tired to appreciate the ending. Feeling a bit flat now, so will have a rummage in my kindle and find something suitable to keep me ticking over until I read Tom-All-Alone (my hardback version title), A.K.A. as The Man in Black or The Solitary House. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted June 16, 2023 Share Posted June 16, 2023 I have started The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry, as a relief and companion to the nearly finished Karamazov Brothers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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