I had taken the summer off from book club. Our numbers had dwindled, and I was either hosting the club myself, or providing a place for another member who is out of town, just a little too often. And I just wanted to have some time alone I think lol.
In any event, I came back for the September meeting and volunteered to host in October. The host responsibilities are to select the book, provide dinner, and give a brief intro to the book as we discuss after our meal together.
For October, I have chosen A Month in the Country by J.L Carr. The reason I chose it is that the idea of spending a month in the bell tower of a medieval church in the north of England, uncovering a mural of the Last Judgement, and shitting in a pit toilet seems like a perfect vacation to me!
A quarter way through the book, I was starting to doubt my choice. But I ended up liking it it a lot. It was a quick read -- short book -- with some twists near the end. And I came to like the protagonist. I have to say, I'm not up on my Yorkshire accent, so some of the dialog slowed me down as I deciphered.
Also slowing me down a bit was a bit of Middle English that popped up variously throughout the book. This was a verse from 2 Timothy. Now, I have never read anything in Middle English, but I dutifully gave a try at putting the text into Old English.
I actually tried to find a translation online, but either 2 Timothy (a relatively minor book) never got translated into Old English, or the manuscript didn't survive, or it's just not available anywhere online.
Middle English:
And he shal com with woundes rede
To deme the cwice and the dede.
Old English:
And he sceal cuman mid wundum reodum
Deman þa cwicu and þa deaþas.
New English:
And he shall come with red wounds
To judge the living ("quick") and the dead.
There's a slight gay sub-story, which fits well with this being a gay book club.
And it has a the feeling of "Fall". “The first breath of autumn was in the air, a prodigal feeling, a feeling of wanting, taking, and keeping before it’s too late.”
It's worth a read.
In any event, I came back for the September meeting and volunteered to host in October. The host responsibilities are to select the book, provide dinner, and give a brief intro to the book as we discuss after our meal together.
For October, I have chosen A Month in the Country by J.L Carr. The reason I chose it is that the idea of spending a month in the bell tower of a medieval church in the north of England, uncovering a mural of the Last Judgement, and shitting in a pit toilet seems like a perfect vacation to me!
A quarter way through the book, I was starting to doubt my choice. But I ended up liking it it a lot. It was a quick read -- short book -- with some twists near the end. And I came to like the protagonist. I have to say, I'm not up on my Yorkshire accent, so some of the dialog slowed me down as I deciphered.
Also slowing me down a bit was a bit of Middle English that popped up variously throughout the book. This was a verse from 2 Timothy. Now, I have never read anything in Middle English, but I dutifully gave a try at putting the text into Old English.
I actually tried to find a translation online, but either 2 Timothy (a relatively minor book) never got translated into Old English, or the manuscript didn't survive, or it's just not available anywhere online.
Middle English:
And he shal com with woundes rede
To deme the cwice and the dede.
Old English:
And he sceal cuman mid wundum reodum
Deman þa cwicu and þa deaþas.
New English:
And he shall come with red wounds
To judge the living ("quick") and the dead.
There's a slight gay sub-story, which fits well with this being a gay book club.
And it has a the feeling of "Fall". “The first breath of autumn was in the air, a prodigal feeling, a feeling of wanting, taking, and keeping before it’s too late.”
It's worth a read.