Reading Groups - Coldside Reading Group

	Dundee Library & Information Services
	This is a service provided by the Leisure and Communities Department

Coldside Reading Group

Venue:	Coldside Community Library 150 Strathmartine Road, Dundee, DD3 7SE
Times:	Once a month on a Friday afternoon, 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm
Tel:	Barbara Cook, 432849
Email:	barbara.cook@dundeecity.gov.uk
	The group reads a wide range of texts. Choose by a variety of means e.g. different novels by same author. Currently using guides from World Book Day to inform choices. The discussion is very free flowing and often doesn't stick to the book of the month. Contact me to find out what we're reading and how to join.

Books We Have Reviewed

Brick Lane by Monica Ali

We found this book interesting but not riveting. We enjoyed the humour and the letters from Nazneen's sister in Dhaka. The book gave us insight into a different culture and into the difficulties of integrating into a new one. We could relate to Nazneen's isolation to an extent. On the whole we were glad we read it but probably wouldn't have picked it off the shelf. It did, however, spark off one of our best discussions

Clara by Janice Galloway

Enjoyable but difficult. We wanted to know what happened to Clara's father. He was the most interesting character we felt

The Book Club by Mary Alice Monroe

A number of us thought it the best book we had read so far. The story showed the evolution of the book group into a support group for the members. We related to the characters and could relate to the various issues.

Good descriptive writing, we could see it happening. We felt that a couple of the characters were not fully explored and were a bit two-dimensional! We didn't want to reach the end - the mark of a good book?

Holes by Louis Sachar

Divided opinions - I was disappointed in this book. I found it a cross between a fairytale and a fable.

I found this a very unusual story and certainly not a book I would have normally picked up from the shelf. There were subtle lessons to be learned from the various characters and the situations they found themselves in, especially "Stanley" the main character. It was character-building but sometimes in the extreme. This book could also be very funny, sad and thought provoking.

More for a teenager. Did finish the book. Easy reading and there was a mystery to add to the interest of the book

The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith

Some of us found this book a little slow to get started, but we all thought it was a good read. There was a lot of debate about whether the plot centred on an accident or a murder. We thought it strange that the police seemed reluctant to investigate. We're all looking forward to reading the next in the series.

The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith

Although our group found this book slow to get started, we all thought it was a good read. There was quite a lot of debate about whether it was an accident or murder particularly as the police did not seem keen to investigate. We're all looking forward to the next in the series

No 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

A gentle, easy read. Evocative description of country. Would like to continue reading the series