London area book club: Saturday, 31 January 2009

Our next book club will focus on discussing Tortilla Curtain by T. Coraghessan Boyle.
 
About the book:

The Tortilla Curtain is the border between Mexico and Los Angeles which the immigrants cross illegally to find work as labourers and a better way of life in that state.
 
This book is set in Los Angeles and focuses strongly on two couples from totally different social and economical backgrounds.  This story is essentially about the haves and the have nots. There are two view points throughout, told in alternate chapters, which reveal the contrasts between the protectionist middle classes who live with a fortress mentality and the poverty-stricken illegal immigrants from Mexico who struggle to put food on their plate on a day-to-day basis despite the obvious and abundant wealth around them.
 
See what life becomes for these two couples from opposite sides of the track....and you will find these characters living in your memories for a long time.

I was able to find this in my local council’s library system, so I hope it’s widely available to anyone who wishes to check it out from their local library.  I did a quick look on eBay and have seen some used copies going for as low as £3.19 inclusive of P&P.
 
Meeting details:
 
Date:  Saturday, 10 January, 2009
Time:  16:00
Location:  Town Wharf pub, Isleworth (1st floor)
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/16/1603/Town_Wharf/Old_Isleworth

Come join us for interesting discussion, drinks, laughter and maybe even to meet some new friends.
 
Our group is very fluid.  People come to the meetings as they can, so if you are a newbie, please don't be shy about joining us!  If you haven't been for a while, please join us again!
 
We have had a different group at each meeting, and all participants will be warmly welcomed! 

I am really going to try to make this one. I have been out of the loop since the first two meetings, and since DD was born in September I haven't even been able to think about venturing too far out. Hopefully by then I'll feel comfortable leaving her with my MIL for a few hours. I'll confirm closer to the time. The book sounds really interesting.

Hi blueiris - congrats on the birth of your daughter!  It would be great if you can make it, but of course understandable if you cannot.  I have yet to start reading the book as I want it to be fresh in my mind prior to our meet-up.

Looking forward to hearing from you again closer to the time.

I will be there!  Really looking forward to the book.  I hope you can make it blueiris.  And congrats on DD.  September is a great month for birthdays!   

Doh!  I checked the book out a few weeks ago, counting on being able to renew it so I could read it a bit closer to the time, but upon trying to do so yesterday, I learnt that another library member had reserved it, so I have to return it tomorrow and I haven't even started it yet!  (Sounds like an Inconvenient Annoyance, eh?)

Will try to get hold of another copy before the meet-up date, but on principle, I'd prefer not to have to *buy* a copy as I could have read it for free! 

Thanks for your congrats. It has been a very hectic few weeks, but in a good way. I am hoping to be able to make it. My local library does not have a copy of the book, but another branch does, so I am going to try to get it through their interlibrary loan system. You might want to see if your branch will do that for you, LipBalmAddict.

Thanks, the book is back on the reserve list. 

Last time I ordered a book via the inter-library system, it took 10 weeks to arrive and I paid £1.60 for the privilege, which may not help in this instance (as it did before, I was happy and able to wait and paying the fee was better than any other option I had).

I just got the book from Amazon.  I can make it the next book I read and then pass it on to you, if that makes it easier!  I will probably finish it in the next 10 days or so.  It is not nearly as long as the other book I just got; The American Wife.  555 pages! 

That would be much appreciated, thanks!! 

Wow, 555 pages on the other book, that's a big one!  I've got The Audacity of Hope (after waiting 10 weeks for it via the library reserve service) and it's 444 pages, but it's the large print edition (had to take what I could get, even if it's big and heavy!)

Hi all - we are having to shift this back by three weeks, to 31 January, all other details remain the same.

I have asked Ashley about changing the title of the original thread, and I'll create a new post to this effect.  Sorry for the confusion and change of date.

Please can everyone respond to indicate if they think they can still make this date?

Thanks!

Hi all - we are having to shift this back by three weeks, to 31 January, all other details on the 10 January thread remain the same.

Sorry for the duplicate thread, I've enquired about changing the title of the original thread so that this one won't be required.

Hope to see ya'll there at the end of January!

The title has now been changed and the two threads have been merged.

Cheers

With this date change we may be able to come.  I will talk to Mr. A about it.

Yeah!!! 

Let me know if you want any advice on how to get there.  You can do it all by bus, but also by train/tube/bus combo.

I just got the book from Amazon.  I can make it the next book I read and then pass it on to you, if that makes it easier!  I will probably finish it in the next 10 days or so.  It is not nearly as long as the other book I just got; The American Wife.  555 pages! 

Hi Karrit - I'll be getting the book back today via the library reservation system, but thanks again for the offer!