Teesdale u3a

This novel is set in Cornwall and Italy in 19th century and is a story of intrigue, suspense, naivety and romance, dishonesty, manipulation and punishment. Du Maurier, in the first chapter, skilfully unfolds the misery and mystery of our protagonist, Philip’s, forthcoming future. Philip is brought up in an all-male household by a kind but misogynistic… Read more

One of the (several) joys of a reading group is that you are introduced to books that you wouldn’t otherwise have read. Another is that even books you don’t particularly care for can generate stimulating and enjoyable discussion, and for that reason alone it may be worth persisting with a book which you might otherwise… Read more

This remarkable novel opens in the summer of 1914 and documents the true story of an affair between Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith and Venetia Stanley, a rich young aristocrat to whom he wrote as many as three letters a day.  Astonishingly, given their highly confidential content, all of Asquith’s letters on which the book… Read more

This month's book "Show don't tell" was a lively collection of short stories by a relatively unknown (in the UK) American author, Curtis Sittenfeld.  Her earlier book "American Wife", based loosely on the life of Barbara Bush, was a best seller and these short stories similarly reflect Sittenfeld's apparent obsession with mid-life, college educated and… Read more