More challenging reads for our Club
Our first meeting of the SimplyBooks Family and Friends Readers Club got off to a great start for the year. You guessed it..lots of new reading challenges, and some ideas for getting our discussions out to more people.
Once again Barbara from Shearers Books came along to inspire the conversation, to share some wonderful new books, and help us choose our next reads. The choices caused some interesting debate – and you will understand this when you see each of the choices. As one member of the Club said – ’sometimes we need to challenge ourselves to read books that we might not normally pick up and read”. We like to keep informed 
We’re keen to include the option for people to attend day or night meetings. So until we grow bigger, we will rotate our meeting through day and night meetings, so that more people can participate.
Here’s our schedule for the next couple of meetings, and the books we’ve decided need our attention!
March 26th at 7:30 pm : Resources Centre
“The Elegance of the Hedgehog” by Muriel Barbery, translated by Alison Anderson
Renee is the concierge of a gran Parisian apartment building on the Left Bank. To the residents she is hones, reliable and uncultivated – an ideal concierge. But Renee has a secret. Beneath this conventional facade she is passionate about culture and the arts, and more knowledgeable in many ways than her employers with their outwardly successful but emotionally void lives.
Down in her lodge, Renee is resigned to living a lie, with only visits from her one friend Manuela to break the monotony. Meanwhile, several floors up, twelve-year-old Paloma Josse is determined to avoid the predictably bourgeois future laid out for her and plans to commit suicide on her thirteenth birthday,.
But before this happens, the death of one of their privileged neighbours will bring dramatic change to number 7, Rue de Grenell, altering the course of both their lives forever.
“The novel’s two narrators alternate chapters, but the book is dominated by Renée, who calls herself “short, ugly and plump,” a self-consciously stereotypical working-class nobody. She is also an autodidact — “a permanent traitor to my archetype,” as she drolly puts it — who takes refuge in aesthetics and ideas but thinks life will be easier if she never lets her knowledge show. Even the slippers she wears as camouflage, she says, are so typical, “only the coalition between a baguette and a beret could possibly contend in the domain of cliché.”
Her unlikely counterpart is Paloma, a precocious 12-year-old whose family lives in the fashionable building Renée cares for. Paloma believes the world is so meaningless that she plans to commit suicide when she turns 13.
Renée’s story is addressed to no one (that is, to us), while Paloma’s takes the form of a notebook crammed with what she labels “profound thoughts.” Both create eloquent little essays on time, beauty and the meaning of life, Renée with erudition and Paloma with adolescent brio”. New York Times Book Review
May 13th at 10:30 am in the Resources Centre
“The Slap” by Christos Tsiolakas
This novel is set in Melbourne and the action hinges around a Melbourne suburban BBQ. Three-year-old Hugo needs to learn boundaries and his behaviour is fully deserving of the slap he receives. The problem is that it is delivered by an adult who is neither Hugo’s parent nor relative. The reverberations from this incident are far-reaching, affecting friendships, marriages and the dynamics between those who witness it, particularly the eight voices whose individual stories make up the narrative. Through these characters’ lives, we experience the full gamut of 21st-century suburban life.
Our protagonists are young and old, of multi-cultural backgrounds, married and single, gay and straight. While the event’s ricochet effects become apparent, they grapple with spousal infidelities; cultural constraints and expectations; alcoholism; the biological clock; parenting; loyalties and conflicts of interest. The Slap is ideal for book clubs. My one caveat in an otherwise enthusiastic endorsement, is Tsiolkas’ prominent use of the ‘c-word’, initially confronting but possibly a vehicle to keep our attention and provoke heightened emotional responses. The language issue aside, The Slap works. It would not be inappropriate to describe it as a contemporary Australian masterpiece, reminiscent of Elliot Perlman’s Seven Types of Ambiguity. (Comments from Boomerang Books)
After reading The Slap, Barbara said “there were only two characters that I could like” – so there should be plenty of discussion after reading this book.
Please come along for a good chat and energetic discussion. Bring a friend if you can!
Happy holiday reading
Our intrepid foundation members of the Book Club have had their final meeting, and decided that 2009 is going to be an even bigger and better year for our gatherings.
So now it’s time to get into holiday reading – with our Book Club choice of course. Members of the club will be ready for the next meeting on Wednesday 25 of February, after a good read of American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld. This is the epic yet intimate story of an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances when she becomes first lady.
Actually, I am wondering if we should re-name our Book Club as ‘Readers Feast‘. We feast together on wonderful books, and wonderful food! Our visitors this year have contributed some wonderful home-made goodies, and we have a winner in Lyndey’s Boilded Fruit Cake, which is definitley our favourite choice for morning tea!
The American Wife looks like being an interesting read. Random House offeres a Reader’s Guide for the book. See what think about these questions.
1. The novel opens and closes with Alice wondering if she’s made terrible mistakes. Do you think she has? If so, what are they?
2. Alice’s grandmother passes down her love of reading to Alice. How else is Alice influenced by her grandmother?
3. Why does Andrew remain such an important figure to Alice, even decades later? Do you think they would have ended up together under different circumstances?
4. To what do you attribute Dena’s anger at what she calls Alice’s betrayal? Do you believe her anger is justified?
5. Is Charlie a likable character? Can you understand Alice’s attraction to him?
6. Does Alice compromise herself and her ideals during her marriage, or does she realistically alter her behavior and expectations in order to preserve the most important relationship in her life?
7. Were you surprised by the scene between Alice and Joe at the Princeton reunion? Why do you think it happened?
8. What would you have done in Alice’s situation at the end of the novel? Do you think it was wrong of her to take the stance she did?
9. How do you think Laura Bush would react to this novel if she read it?
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Parent’s meet up and read!
Back at school this term and our Parents and Friends Readers Club started us back on a great reading bonanza! We gathered in the Board Room, with tasty bites cooked by the fabulous Book Club members, and listened to Barbara Horgan from Shearers on Norton entice us with some wonderful new books to read.
Barbara and her husband Tony are partners of our Simply Books initiative for St Josephs. We were very lucky to learn something about their own story, their son Ben, and how lovers of books became owners of a successful bookshop.
Barbara told us:
We bought Shearer’s Bookshop in Gordon in 1986. Tony was Sales Director for William Collins (now HarperCollins Publishers) at the time though he had been in the book trade for all his working life. As it happened, Ben, our elder son contracted Juvenile Arthritis from the age of 2 and in 1986, so that by the age of 16 he was in a wheel chair. This inspired me to write a book – Arthritis in Children: A Practical Guide which was published in 1982 – as a result of our experiences with Ben.
Ben was obviously a very important part of our lives, and we were mindful that we wanted a family business Ben could dabble in at his own pace and not loose his self esteem. So Shearers was the family business that would provide Ben with a place to immerse himself, and work at his own pace. Amazingly, from 1987 onwards Ben’s health improved dramatically and through intensive physiotherapy he was walking again and never did work for Shearer’s!We sold Shearer’s in Gordon in 2002 and opened Shearer’s on Norton in Leichhardt.
Shearer’s was the first independent Australian bookshop to be voted Bookshop of the Year in 1993. Meanwhile, Ben set up camps for kids with arthritis in 1988 and met his wife at the Perth Camp in 1992. Ben and Emma now live in Perth and have two sons aged 11 and 8. He has had many joint replacements but is mobile and enjoys a game of golf.Ben was chosen to be the Chairperson for Australia for the Bone and Joint Decade and only Australia and Holland have a patient as their Chairperson. He has traveled the world over the past 8 years representing Australia. He has a full time job in Perth but his employer pays for him to run an annual camp in Perth for kids with arthritis as he was so impressed with the idea and what has been achieved.
What an inspiration, and what wonderful partners to have for our Parents and Friends Readers Club! After listening to Barbara we looked at and chatted about a large selection of books that Barbara had brought along to show us – so that we could choose our club reads for our next meeting.
I’m afraid you will have to come along to our next meeting if you want to have a bit of juicy discussion about books! Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday the 26th November at 10:30 am in the Boardroom.
Be sure to email Judy O’Connell at the College if you are able to come along. We want to make sure we have enough eats to share!
Our Book Choice for November
The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer
“A moving tale of post-war friendship, love and books, The Guernsey
Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a captivating and completely
irresistible novel of enormous depth and heart. It is gloriously honest,
enchanting and funny.”
Normal RRP: $29.95 Joeys Book Club price: $26.95
Purchase from Shearers on Norton, 99 Norton Street, Leichhardt or
email bookclubs@shearersbookshop.com.au
Join the Club and enjoy our discounts provided by Shearers.
Spring Reads!
Staff are getting ready for the Spring term break! It’s time for us to promote some of our latest books for a long relaxing read over the school holidays.
On the reading list is the book which will feature in our special book launch of John Marsden’s latest novel “Hamlet”. Thanks to Shearer’s Bookshop, we will enjoy the chance to hear John talk about writing and reading. But more on that later.
For now, why not take a look at our Spring recommended reads for staff to get some inspiration for YOUR spring reading.
Celebrating Writing
We are delighted to be able to share our own celebration of our first Write a Book in a Day competition. This short video captures the magic and excitement of this special creative writing day; tells the story of the initiative; and reminds us how important this initiative is in promoting literacy.
Get yourself a copy of the books over at our Wiki at Write a Book in a Day 2008.
Enjoy!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE5poJdLpL4[/youtube]
Readers Club Launch
Today saw the first meeting of the Parent’s and Friends Readers Club. It was lovely to get this new group underway and to talk about the excitement of reading and the pleasure of finding that next great read! We welcomed The Children’s Bookshop as partners of the Simply Books projects, and thanked them for their help in establishing a top reading collection for the boys.
In time we hope to develop things like:
-
- featured booklists
- readers recommendations
- reviewer spotlights
- reading resources
- celebrity book reviews
- author talks
- literacy podcasts
- and more!
Our aim is to extend opportunities to all via online forums, podcasts, discussions and presentations.
Our first meeting got underway with a presentation from Kirsten Reim, NSW judge for the Children’s Book Council Awards. Not only did we thoroughly enjoy her insights into these books, but we also discovered some extraordinary facts about the whole judging process. Kirsten was an inspiration, and has promised to return to assist us in some of our other literacy initiatives next year.
After listening to Kirsten, we then took a small online look at the new Simply Books website, created for promoting reading and literacy education for boys.
Finally it was time for morning tea and the opportunity to look at student displays in the Brother Liguori Resource Centre – and then to borrow some books ready for our next Readers Club meeting.
Details of the next meeting will be posted on the Simply Books Wiki in the Readers Club section.
Write a Book in a Day!
We celebrated the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book Week, August 18-22 at the College in a number of ways! The theme was “Fuel Your Mind” – which was a fabulous incentive for us to get involved in the Write A Book In A Day competition.
Five teams, ten boys in each team, were set the challenge to create a book from scratch – write, illustrate and publish a story of no less than 4000 words. The parameters of this competition are set by the Katharine Susanna Pritchard Foundation, an organisation that supports writing and writers in Australia. The parameters for each story include 3 characters one male, one female and one non-human, a setting, an issue and five random words!! The rest is up to the creativity of the students. Write a Book in a Day is a fundraising activity, and the judging is undertaken by an Australian author.
The Burnt Laugh. Charlie, a famous comedian, was having a great night after he finished his last show. Drinking a bottle of vodka he looked like a hobo. He then smashes his $400,000 Aston Martin suffering 3rd degree burns on the right side of his face. He meets a nice nurse named Hilary who then decides to go out with his brother, George. Out of jealousy he plots to kill them. Read on to find out what happens to Charlie.
From the Ashes. From the Ashes is a book about peer pressure, friendships and the love of a family. Its main character is a 14 year old boy named Daniel Matthews. It deals with teen issues such peer pressure, drugs and feeling secure. What will Daniel do in his desperate quest to find friends and a stable family?
Whatever it Takes. When young Oscar’s big brother is bitten by a lethal snake, the odds are stacked against them. The last of their family, Oscar and his brother Shane must do everything within their power to save Shane’s life. In a race against time, they meet friends and find family, which they will need to overcome lethal barriers trying to end any possibilities of saving Shane. Along the way they experience heart wrenching losses, feelings of ecstasy and a love they never knew. A heart-warming story about the will to save a loved one, and to do ‘Whatever It Takes’ ‘An uplifting, moving and riveting story of friends and family…one of the best reads of the century’ Bookworms Weekly.
Guru Ganing. The Australian outback is a dangerous place. Scientists Sarah Boyd and Mike “Robbo” Robinson and their long time friend, Seth Williams, find this out the hard way. Seth, the owner of one of Sydney’s most recognised art galleries, has invited Sarah to the opening of his new exhibition. While at this exhibition Sarah spots an artwork which reminds her of an article which she recently read. This article spoke of an unexplored cave under Lake Eyre. After speaking to Seth and her fiancé and fellow scientist, Robbo, they all set out to the small town of Birdsville in South Australia. From here they set out for Lake Eyre. Upon arrival they find the underground cave and more than they bargained for…. Recommended for ages 12-14 years.\
Parrot Talk. Samantha, John and J.J. all sat on the metro line to the CBD. John propped up his guitar on his knees. J.J. sat up on Samantha’s Lap. John looked at her. She looked beautiful. Her blonde hair flowed down to her waist. She was wearing a beautiful purple dress she made herself on set in her spare time. She was as trim as any of the models on her set and far prettier. Samantha’s briefcase was falling apart but she didn’t care.
Rainbow Durrin. In the 1800s, the Australian outback was a harsh place. Dreamtime magic fills the air and bushrangers rule the land. Henry Dawson is a modest tailor whom supplies ‘One-shot Splinter’ and the Splinter Gang with enchanted suites, making them invulnerable to harm. When Henry Dawson’s wife Elizabeth takes a turn for the worse with her sickness, Dawson looks to the great Shaman for answers. Henry Dawson must make the ultimate sacrifice to save his wife and restore the legend of the Dreamtime, much to the frustration of the Splinter Gang. Henry Dawson must strive for the greater good and stand up to injustice, but the burning question is, will he be too late? Recommended for 12 – 14 years of age.
For more information visit Write a Book in a Day at the Simply Books Wiki.
Keeping YOU informed
At the Brother Liguouri Resources Center, we are passionate about literacy.
As our Simply Books site develops and grows we know that you will enjoy learning more about the reading and literacy opportunities available for boys.
So, with the wonders of online tools, we will really be able to keep you up-to-date with the thrills and spills of literacy fun in our day.
But in a nutshell, we have the main news available to you at www.simplybooks.org. On that same site you will find links to our videos, our photos, and our blogs! Students are beginning to write regularly about things they are enjoying about books and literacy events – please encourage them with some feedback! Our own blog will provide information and reports about events in more detail.
However, if you are after information, then the Wiki might be the place for you! We are all familiar with wikipedia – well our own Simplybooks Wiki is built on the same platform…a wiki that is a platform for collaborating and sharing information.
On the Wiki you’ll find resources and information – more and more as time goes by. The wiki is also the home of our parents and friends Readers Club. As time goes by, the Simply Books wiki should be bursting at the seems with literacy goodness!
There will be more, but we will introduce all the elements as we develop this resource for the College more fully.
National Literacy Week
One of the best things about our Simply Books initiative is our ability to keep family and friends informed about exciting literacy initiatives either happening in or being promoted by the Resources Centre.
So it is only appropriate that Simply Books is being launched during National Literacy and Numeracy week – September 1-5. The theme for NLNW 2008 is Partnerships in Learning. Across Australia, parents, teachers and communities are working together to develop the literacy and numeracy skills of Australia’s young people.
Literacy and numeracy are fundamental skills that are critically important to Australia’s future prosperity and position in the world. The promotion of strong literacy and numeracy skills amongst young people assists in countering educational and social disadvantage.
NLNW is an Australian Government initiative, run in collaboration with state and territory governments, which aims to:
• Showcase the hard work school communities are undertaking to improve literacy and numeracy skills
• Raise community awareness of the importance of all Australian students developing effective literacy and numeracy skills
• Build on national initiatives to improve literacy and numeracy standards among young Australians.
The Brother Liguori Resources Centre is hosting a number of exciting events during the week. How could we resist celebrating literacy in a big way!! Here are some highlights:
Living Books – During Period 3 on Wednesday 3rd September, a number of guests will be invited to speak to the boys in various classes about their ‘life story’. We have members of The Stolen Generation, a POW from WWII, and some surprise guests lined up to relive their stories!!
Books for Sale – Book seller, Kate Colley will visit on September 3rd with a selection of books suitable for the Library collection. Students in the College will be asked to select the titles for the Resource Centre collection, with 5% of all sales going to the Indigenous Literacy Project Fund.
Reading to classes at Villa Maria – on Wednesday 3rd September during Period 6, the boys in the Teen Advisory Group will choose an appropriate title to read to Kindergarten and Year One students at Villa Maria.
Celebrating Writing - Showcasing the 4 teams who were involved in the “Write a Book in a Day” activity on August 22nd. The students will narrate their story to the students in the College.
Literacy Fun Activity – Students try to match the photo of a staff member with a short ‘blurb’ about their favourite book they have read – a bit of fun with a prize for the winner !
Launch of the inaugural Readers Cup on Friday 5th September – an initiative to reward avid readers. Read more about this at our Simply Books Wiki!
Finally, during National Literacy & Numeracy Week all parents, students and staff will be invited to donate either a picture book or junior fiction book that is either new or in excellent condition. The books will be sent to an Indigenous remote community to support ongoing literacy development.
