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Lock down book club - autobiographies

After what felt like 13 million weeks in lock down we attempted to conduct our first online meeting via Zoom. We chose a broad theme of 'autobiographies' to give as many of us as possible a chance at obtaining a book without too much difficulty.

I actually didn't have an autobiography on my shelf and so borrowed The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert. The book was all about raccoon eating, teepee living, deer skin wearing Eustace Conway. He has lived a fascinating life and Gilbert had carried out interviews with a wide range of friends and family but I found the lack of pictures puzzling. You gotta have pictures in an autobiography.

The group had chosen autobiographies from a real wide range of people. Partly due to availability, partly due to differing interests. We had Gok Wan and his troubled childhood as a non white gay person. Louis XIV (the Sun King) and his debauched court and two Michelle Obamas one of which was given up on.

I think the broad topic made for an easier virtual meeting. Everyone got to talk about their book and why they chose it and each book made for interesting conversation about what we knew (or didn't) about the person. What did she write again? Didn't he have a cook book?

There was no scoring this month given that we had all read different books but we did talk about what we had been reading (Where the Crawdads Sing, The Chain, doorstops of just about European country imaginable). We have picked a book set outside the UK for next month given that we are all limited travel wise at the moment. Again we will all be reading different books so it should make for an interesting meeting. Will we get all the way around the world?

See you soon!

   

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