Mad About The Boy! by Helen Fielding

   
  NOT ... Mad About the Boy!



 

....    Sighs of disappointment all round this month as we met at The Angel of  Corbridge to discuss Helen Fielding's 'Mad About The Boy'. Having waded through 'Silas Marner' last month, this selection was supposed to provide light relief in the shape of an easy read, following a character that we all know and love and can empathise with. Sharing in Bridget's ups and downs as she faces life as a widow with two young children. It would seem that Helen Fielding's idea of the life of a single parent is widely different to that of most people. She seems to inhabit an indulgent London bubble where work is an optional extra and the school run can be delegated to the hired help whenever the hangover is too vicious.  Bridget is now 51, but clearly her advancing years and life experiences have had no effect on her attitude and behaviour, she remains self obsessed, disorganised and, quite honestly, throughly irritating!

....   Fielding fails to make the reader care about any of the characters, all of whom are shallow, glib and self indulgent. Bridget's circle of friends are one dimensional and immature. The return of Daniel Cleaver as the children's God Father is implausible, given his role as arch villain in the last two novels. It seems at best odd and, at worst, an attempt by the author to secure a role for Hugh Grant when the book becomes a movie. Lets hope Bridget doesn't get the job as screen writer or we could have a long wait! 

....    The style in which the book is written doesn't quite work as it jumps between a diary, tweets and narrative. It seems disjointed and repetitive and prevents the reader being drawn into the story which doesn't really get going until the last third of the book. Some of the exchanges on Twitter are unintelligible, but, on a positive note, its good to see an author embrace new technology. Helen Fielding raises some interesting points regarding the effect of the internet on everyday life, both for children and adults, but fails to pursue them, instead returning to the same old problems faced by an ageing woman determined never to grow up.

....    'Mad About The Boy' goes on the unfinished pile, three Hussies couldn't get past the halfway mark. Most people, if they are lucky meet  ' Mr Right ' once in a lifetime. Bridget seems to think it her right to meet him again and again and it would seem that Helen Fielding's concept of 'Mr Right' is mysterious, stern, aloof , muscular and handsome with the obligatory country pile ( no new-build owners need apply!)  It's easy to guess from early on in the story who Bridget will end  up with.

....    Only one Hussie finished the book and that's a shame as the last third is much more like Helen Fielding's earlier work. As the story shifts its focus away from toy boys, back to the school gates it becomes far more engaging. Fielding offers some insightful observations about different types of parents. Bridget's life as a mother is far more interesting, readers who are of a similar age and stage to the protagonist can empathise with her plight. We've all seen the over dressed mothers at school pick up time with ridiculously big handbags and sunglasses, vying for position as top dog. Desperate to show how in control and successful they are, when in fact, as Fielding points out, things are not quite as rosy as they seem! Would you rather have a faithful husband or a big handbag? If the whole book had focused on life at the school gates, without a detour into the murky world of internet dating, it would have been an excellent addition to the Bridget trilogy. It would also have benefitted from more interactions with the mysterious Mr Wallaker. We await the movie, bets are on for who will play
Mr Wallaker, Colin Firth perhaps?

 

Can you spot the difference in the picture?  Look carefully!! 

....    On a more positive note, a last minute change of venue found us back at The Angel of Corbridge.  On previous visits we had been disappointed, but this time it was an all round thumbs up. Good food, good service and a warm and cosy atmosphere, although a touch over-priced for pub grub.

....    Our next book is the very popular unputdownable novel ....

THE HUSBAND'S SECRET by LIANE MORIARTY

 

 

 

....    We have planned to review this book next month in The Feathers Inn, Hedley on the Hill, Stocksfield.  An award winning Gastro Pub!  Join us soon to digest our thoughts!! 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                             January 2014

 

Silas Marner by George Eliot

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!

ABOUT LOVE & OTHER STORIES - ANTON CHEKHOV

DID THE MASTER LIVE UP TO OUR EXPECTATIONS ?

 

 

 

 

 

....    The Hussies turned to something a little more serious after all the lighthearted Summer reads.

Love and Other Stories by Anton Chekhov.  Sensing Chekhov may be a bit more intense, our hussie chose short stories to give everyone the opportunity to dip in and out and compare stories and characters.   After all, the lead up to Christmas is always very busy and there is very little time to concentrate on sophisticated and complicated storylines.

 

....    The Hussies were not enthused by the master of short stories.  They felt his stories quite repetitive often following the same formula - a full and comprehensive description of the countryside, the characters be they gentry or peasants, religious or  political.  However when he highlights the equalities of Russian Society and questions its values. he does so with very few words.  You have to dig deep to identify and understand his interpretations of love, or our interpretations of love. We were probably naively thinking the short stories would be powerful accounts of undying love, crime and passion, brief encounters and such like.  Maybe it was a case of wrong age, wrong time.  If we were 30+ years younger studying for A level we may have been more passionate about searching out and identifying Chekhov's inner feelings. Feelings which came across as dark, deathly and angry, maybe,  reflecting his own short, ill-stricken life which appeared to lack in various aspects of love.  Chekhov also married late in life and lived apart from his wife.  He did not seem to hold women in good esteem.   This, again, is a very prominent factor in his stories.

 

....   No one read the whole book, but, between us I think most of the stories were covered.  The Hussies particularly enjoyed  'The Lady with the Little Dog', a 'timeless' short story leaving you guessing as to what will happen next.  Another Hussie enjoyed 'The Bishop',  a story written at the peak of his career showing how love between a mother and son, differs according to a mothers perception.  'About Love' was another firm favourite as was the absurdly named 'Fish Love'.  

 

....    Only three Hussies managed to join in the book discussion as Flu bugs caused us to be one Hussie down!  A return visit to Il Piccolo was booked and we have to say this restuarant is fastly becoming a firm favourite with the Hussies.  This small, friendly Italian Resturant in Corbridge offers exceptionally tasty food at very reasonable prices.  The 'House Lasagne' was especially good as were the pizzas, and, half portions are also available for the smaller appetites - nothing was too much trouble!

 

 

 

(friendly atmosphere at Il Piccolo)

 

 

....    Staying in the same century we are back to a full book, a GCSE  classic by a female writer with a male pseudo name, a sign of the times in the 19th century! 

 

 

SILAS MARNER by GEORGE ELIOT

 

 

 



 

 

....    Join us for a pre-Christmas Lunch to find out what our Christmas read will be .....

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                20 November 2013.

The Hussies' Top 10

We recommend.............

Do you need some reading inspiration?   Why not try our top 10?  

WIth some heated debate,  we considered all the Hussy books to date to identify our BEST READS.  

Reaching any concensus in our group is always tricky and this was almost impossible, but we did it, and here are the results.  Just for you!

The Hadrians Hussies Best Books to read (so far) are.............

Joint 1st place 

• The boy in the striped pyjamas  - John Boyne
• Endurance  - Alfred Lansing

3rd place

• The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

Joint 4th place

• Into the darkest corner  - Elizabeth Haynes
• A thousand splendid suns - Khaled Hosseini

Joint 6th place 

• Engleby  - Sebastian Faulks
• The Officer's Ward - Marc Dugain
• One Day - David Nicholls

9th place

• Far from the Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy

 Joint 10th Place

• Of Human Bondage - Somerset W. Maugham
• The Miller's Tale - Geoffrey Chaucer
• Madame Bovary  - Gustave Flaubert

Keen readers will note that this is actually a top 12  - I told you Hussy concensus was difficult! 

An afternoon with David Nobbs

We want more!   

A chilly Autumn Sunday afternoon and the hussies join a packed audience in Hexham library  to hear David Nobbs recount tales from his writing life.  David has already featured in this blog -  we read his Complete Pratt  and Sex and other Changes  - and today we are not quite sure who we will see or what we will hear.

According to the Hull Daily Mail, David Nobbs is 78 but he looks younger and this afternoon he demonstrates tremendous stamina without any evidence of any cognitive decline. Indeed, he is a  charming and engaging speaker with countless amusing anecdotes and the time whizzes by.  

He recalls his National Service, his early days as a journalist and his tenacity as a writer in the face of rebuttals.   His surname was an ideal launch pad for his comedy writing career and today, many of his stories describe experiences of script writing for comedians like the Two Ronnies,  Ken Dodd, and Stephen Fry.  Others, deal with the practical and political challenges of writing for a living.

Unsurprisingly, we hear more about The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin than his other works.  During the summer of 1976  (see blog archive)  he joined the shoot for the first TV series and his  fondness for Leonard Rossiter is evident.  

As he talks, we learn that much of David's inspiration comes from his close observations of people, things he hears them say, and the manner in which they are said.  He is a natural mimic with a broad repertoire of local dialects.

As the afternoon comes to a close, the audience is still hungry for more and there is insufficient time for Hadrians Hussies'  questions.  Why are his stories so often concerned with identity? What did he think of Martin Clunes as  Reggie?  Whose writing does he admire ?

Thrilled with my signed copy!  I grew up watching this with my dad. 

I was delighted to leave the Queens Hall with a signed copy of the Reginald Perrin Omnibus and even more thrilled that, when he has some free time, David agreed to answer more questions by email.

Watch this space for those answers -  we will be blogging Hadrians Hussies first literary interview!

Blue Jasmine - Woody Allen's Latest Movie!

Woody Allen Surpassed our Expectations!

....   The hussies have left their books by their beds. It's October, the nights are drawing in and a night out at the cinema becomes very appealing.

....   Our local cinema, The Forum in Hexham, is inexpensive, comfortable and very well supported. At only £6 per adult, a nice cafe to meet in, limited adverts and free parking it beats a trek into Newcastle on several counts.

....   "Let's go and see the New Woody Allen Film", a Hussie suggests. "Oh no"! came the groans. Is he or any of his wives and girlfriends in it?  No!  the iconic Cate Blanchett has the lead role. Was she there to raise the profile of this film or could this new Woody Allen Script hold its own?   Reviews suggested we should give it a go.

....   We were not disappointed. The film was full on right from the off and as the story unfolded we were quickly sucked into the characters lives.  Cate or Jasmine (Jeanette) arrives penniless at her  adopted sister's house in San Francisco.  Desperate for a place to stay while she attempts to rebuild her life, Jasmine is forced to accept her downgraded surroundings, her sister's downtrodden lifestyle and her unsavoury choice of  'friends'.  Jasmine's very public breakdown was blamed on her cheating, philandering husband, jailed for his fraudulent deals causing her sister to lose her life fortune, ruining his son's lifetime career prospects and, ultimately, catapulting Jasmine into total meltdown!!   Or so we were led to believe!

.....   Jasmine's sister and son blamed Jasmine totally for her denial about the situation, stating she new what was going on but turned a blind eye.  Jasmine wants to revive and continue a life she thought she was dragged away from after being swept off her feet by husband to be, Alec Baldwin.  Desperately grasping at any idea of a career she may be able to achieve but always falling short.

....   The supporting actors play a brilliant part - elevating Jasmine in her role. The contrasts between sisters, husbands and boyfriends make the situations very believable in this entertaining comedy with sad undertones.  Although Woody Allen has a niche following, this film will definitely appeal to a wider audience.

....   A movie that "posed many questions whilst offering no solutions".  The abrupt ending certainly prompted much discussion on the way out!  It seems the higher the social climb the greater the fall! This film has been likened to a Tennessee Williams play - A Streetcar Named Desire.  Looking at the synopsis this certainly rings true, although none of The Hussies have read it. We may note this one for a future read!

....   Whilst waiting in the cafe for hussies to gather we perused the up and coming posters and are going to enjoy a spell at being a film buff. Next film meet will be to see the gorgeous Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips.  Meanwhile Chekhov beckons. Next meet to discuss these short stories will be Thursday 7th November.

 

 

....   Hopefully you'll join us for our book reviews, film reviews and restaurant reviews ....

                                                                                                                                     21st October 2013

Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell

A Typical British Summer - Hotly Debated but a bit of a Washout! 

"After you'd gone, "The hand that first held mine", "The vanishing act of Esme Lennox", "The distance between us"  - all great reads with such evocative writing and powerful observations that we approached Maggie O'Farrell's latest book with great anticipation.  Our excitement was heightened by the prospect of the back drop for this story - that unforgettable British summer of 1976 - and the promise of reliving our warm memories of those long, sunny days.

Without revealing too much about the plot, a man's disappearance prompts his family to reflect on their lives and their upbringing .  The subtext is that early family life profoundly shapes our subsequent choices and relationships but since none of us could empathise with either the characters or their experiences, any revelations fell flat. Indeed,  the whole book was typical of most British summers - rather disappointing.  The characters' seemed to be trapped in the 1950s rather than 70s and many details (eg Aife's personal finances) seemed less than authentic.  Even their names jarred, none of us having ever met a man with a double barrelled first name and all of us becoming dyslexic with Alfie, er Aife.  But O'Farrell's greatest sin, was her lack of magic when it came to conjuring up those glorious, sunny days of 1976.  Aside from some passing references to drought and water bans, there was little to evoke that summer which still smoulders in our hearts.

Only two hussies had the stamina and persistence to plough through the slow opening chapters and make it to an end which didn't seem to justify the effort.   Perhaps the structure mirrored a heatwave with emotions bubbling up whilst the air temperature rises, then dissipating as the pressure drops? Perhaps Maggie O'Farrell's was forced to deliver to her publishers before she was truly ready? Or, perhaps she was courting danger, dabbling with the legendary summer that set the stage for so many of our own back stories?

Maggie O'Farrell did succeed where many have failed  - she stimulated more debate, critique and vitriol than any of the other authors we have reviewed so far.   It would be interesting to know what you think, dear reader?

The venue for our meeting was  Danielle's Bistro in Hexham.  Unlike our book, the meal and surroundings lived up to expectations  - predictably pleasant.  Comfortable ambience, attentive but not intrusive staff,  a solid menu,  reasonable food,  medium prices and no pressure to eat up and leave early.    No thrills here, no fireworks or fancy concoctions.  But a safe choice - guaranteed to satisfy.  Unlike Maggie O'Farell.

Humble apologies, no pictures of the food at Danielle's on this occasion but this photo of Beadnell on the Northumberland Coast, shows where I spent the summer of 1976.  I was getting wet, building dens, playing sardines and hide and seek, and listening to Radio 1 -  Elton John and Kiki Dee, 'Don't go breaking my heart' and David Dundas,  'Jeans On'.  It was the summer of my life!

I was here in August 76 - where were you and what were you doing? 

Our next read is a collection of short stories - at least a classic should be guaranteed to please - fingers crossed!