21st Century Ladies, who Lunch, discuss 19th Century Ladies who did everything but lunch!
.... Continuing on the serious theme, the next book chosen was "Silas Marner" by George Eliott. The Hussie who suggested this book did so because her son is studying it for GCSE. The story sounded good and, in her opinion, it WAS good, and not just out of loyalty to her son, who didn't even like it. Not all of the group liked it either. One Hussie thought the book had a good story but was too slow to engage deeper thought about what were, undoubtedly, profound themes about rights, wrongs and the true value of money. The book was set against the background of 19th century society with powerful influences of church (not necessarily religion) and community. A possible consequence of women's financial dependence on men was a theme with particularly poignant results in the book. The group was fairly evenly split between those who thought the book was slow and those who thought that it was a gentle book redolent of a gentle age. Whilst Silas Marner cared passionately for his young female charge (Eppie), there was no question of her getting the education a boy would get. This was a typical fate for girls at the time. George Eliot herself left school early, upon the death of her mother, to run her father's household. It was after his death that she began living with a man outside marriage. She was shunned by society. Maybe that's why Silas Marner was so glad that Eppie married a good man, of her own choosing.
.... It was lunch, not dinner, this time, that oiled the wheels of the Hussies' deep and penetrating literary analysis!! Lunch was at The Lion and Lamb Pub in Horsely, Northumberland. The food was good without being either excellent or pretentious. It was good pub food for a good pub. Sadly, a lunch meeting did not allow as much time as a dinner meeting for discussion and chat. We'll have to catch up next time! Join us then!
.... The next book is a very timely choice. The continuing Bridget Jones Saga. A light-hearted Christmas Read.
MAD ABOUT THE BOY by HELEN FIELDING
.... The Hussies will, very aptly, be starting their 'New Diaries' and the first date of 2014 will be to meet up at the very popular Queen's Head in Great Whittington, now under New Management for the Hussies to check out! Follow us on Twitter to see what we think!
