Swiss cottage/ Belsize Park reading group

[NWbooksnbabies]

I'm a new mum and I'm looking to set up a reading group in Swiss Cottage/ Belsize Park. Contemporary fiction: booker, orange, whitbread prize type stuff, maybe the odd classic, starting with Zadie Smith's 'NW'. Each member popping their nomination into a hat to choose the next months book. I'm looking at a venues such as the Hampstead Theatre cafe, for a daytime meetup, once a month, hopefully starting November. Possibly adding an evening jolly too if there is interest. We'll be avoiding parenting books as these seem a bit too divisive and we all need a break sometimes from things baby orientated! I've too long been put off reading groups by the intimidating 'book club suggestions' often included in the back of paperbacks that look more like 'A' level exam questions than conversation starters, so we'll take it easy and approach this more as a social opportunity than an academic exercise in literary criticism! Anyone going to jump on board?

[NWbooksnbabies]

We're meeting in Hampstead Theatre Cafe at 11am on Monday, 25th November.

[Jeanne2013]

Hi,
That's a great idea!! Hope it's not to late to join. I'll see you at the Hampstead Theatre on the 25th of November.
Thanks,
Jeanne

[NWbooksnbabies]

Great! Please do join us! Have you already read the book- or are you about to start it? Come along even if you only get a few pages in! Out of interest, did you find us on this site or by seeing a card on a board?

[Jeanne2013]

I still need to read the book - looking forward to it. I did a search for Belsize Park on this site and found your thread -so pleased that there is an opportunity to discuss fiction! See you on the 25th!

[NWbooksnbabies]

Next meeting Thursday, December 19th, 11:30 AM at Hampstead Theatre. The choice of book this month is Stoner by John Williams.This novel is on the shortlist for Waterstones book of the year. Originally published in 1965 it sold only 2000 copies then went out of print. Recently rediscovered, it was described in the New York Times Book Review as 'a perfect novel, so well told and beautifully written, so deeply moving, that it takes your breath away'

[NWbooksnbabies]

This month's read is the Booker nominated 'A Tale for the Time Being'.
"A culture-crossing network of yarns in the vein of Haruki Murakami or his sort-of-disciple, David Mitchell "(Boyd Tonkin Independent)
"Part fantasy, part mystery, part page-turner "(Sam Baker Harper Bazaar)
"As emotionally engaging as it is ­intellectually provocative "(Washington Post)
Meeting on Thursday 16th Jan, 11.30am at Hampstead Theatre.

[NWbooksnbabies]

We are meeting next on 6th February, at the slightly earlier time of 11am, at Hampstead Theatre Cafe. Get cracking, three weeks to read:
The Marrying of Chani Kaufman by Eve Harris
Another novel based around North London, by a local author, indeed next door neighbour of two of our members!