Catalogue

BACK

Title:	Book Book
Authors:	Farrell, Fiona
Genre:	Fiction: New Zealand
Pages:	367
Year:	2004
Language:	English
Description:	Kate filters the world through her reading and sets off from her Otago home on a challenging and eye-opening OE. Books have always shaped her life and made sense of her world. Through a mix of memoir and fiction, Farrell writes of life from The Little Red Hen to Owls Do Cry, from TS Eliot to Aphra Behn. NZ Interest. Comments from Groups: Our group really savoured this book, chapter by chapter. She evoked so many memories for us and not only of books we used to read in our earlier years. Such clever writing. Highly recommend to other groups. Doubtful Bay Most entertaining and well written. Almost like a history lesson from the 50s onwards. Gisborne 002 A good read. Lots of nostalgia. Feilding 002 Writing was lovely and descriptive but not enough story. Was nice to be able to identify Oamaru locations. Oamaru 005 We liked this book very much, admiring the way a lot of information was conveyed in a short span and admiring too the excellence of the prose, the economical descriptions and above all the quoting of extracts from the books. Hamilton 003 Mixed opinions. Generally felt first chapter hard to get through but if persevered with it became enjoyable. Brightwater 001 Discussion was lively and full of joy-filled nostalgia from the NZ born and raised readers. We did experience the book as strongly autobiographical, even though contra-indicated by the author. Wellington 130 A lively discussion. Everyone thought descriptive passages very good. Some were bored with the book - couldn't see the point of it. Dunedin 007
Categories:	Fiction NZ, Literature oriented

Reviews

[Please log in to write a review]

By: CHCH 099		2025-04-08 11:36:32

Some readers found it challenging but we all agreed that it is beautifully written. It brought back many memories for us all, being in a similar age group to Fiona.

By: AUCK 014		2022-11-15 15:17:22

Over half of the group didn't read this so the rating reflects this: a bit of a mission at a busy time etc. Comments from readers were: text too small and light. Quotes from the books - often difficult to understand their connection to the story. Memories of our childhood words and conventions. Peters out at the end. You had to concentrate as there were so many ideas in a sentence; you had to be dedicated to read it. Liked the chooks on the cover.

By: MOSG 005		2022-08-29 13:58:44

Our most interesting discussion was focused on group members identifying childhood memories. Author very difficult to follow at times, and the quotations were often puzzling. Generally the group did not find it enjoyable and would not recommend it.

By: AUCK 105		2022-08-29 13:56:24

Most didn't enjoy the first chapter but persevered and found other chapters more interesting.

By: WANAK 013		2022-08-29 13:55:40

Good description of N.Z. life - lots of bits "rang a bell". Lacked any emotional depth of how she felt overall.

By: MOTUE 001		2022-08-29 13:54:05

Only one member had reservations about 'Book Book'. The rest of us were very impressed, including our two men. In various ways we could identify with the main character, even though we might not be N.Z. born. It's very difficult, however, to believe that this is not , to some degree, a biographical "novel". Very good notes.

By: FERN 001		2022-08-29 13:51:11

Loved it! It was like reliving our own childhood, minute by minute. Definitely a book for 50-something New Zealanders. We would all love to own our own copies.

By: KATIK 006		2022-08-29 13:49:23

By and large a most delightful book - with most of us smitten with nostalgia for our childhood. One member couldn't read it as the print was too small.

By: COROM 002		2022-08-29 13:47:37

Lovely interesting book, beautifully written, relevant to a book group and to our own lives. Very good notes, and good discussion questions too.

By: TIMAR 013		2022-08-29 13:45:34

Most really enjoyed this book, once again a delightful offering from Fina Farrell. Evocative. Thank you, Fiona.

By: AUCK 009		2022-08-29 13:39:49

Beautifully written with some lovely ironic phrases, but very few of our members were familiar with the localities described and so most found it rather boring. Not much to discuss. It definitely sagged in the middle.

By: WELL 144		2022-08-29 13:36:40

Not all read and enjoyed, mixed reactions! Hard going at the start.

By: NELS 044		2022-08-29 13:34:25

Loved by all!

By: STRAT 001		2022-08-29 13:34:01

We found the book difficult to read, especially at the beginning. The idea for it was good but construction poor, especially the quotations during chapters. However we had a good chat about "reading books", and several incidents brought back memories.

Catalogue

Comments from Groups:

Reviews