Library Events - Cookies with Chris

Food for Thought at Onchan Library
Cookies with Chris
Meet Crime Writer Chris Ewan at Onchan Library @ Tues 18th Jan @ 7 p.m
Talk, Refreshments, & Book Signing. Free Admission, but ticket only.
Tickets available from Onchan Library:
Tel: 621228 or e-mail: onchan.library@onchan.org.im

Mary Barton by Mrs Gaskell

Elizabeth Gaskell’s first  novel  is set in industrial Manchester and vividly depicts the lives and conditions of the working class poor during the time of the industrial revolution. Mary is subject to the affections of both hard-working Jem Wilson and Harry Carson, son of a mill-owner. Mary initially rebuffs Jem’s proposal of marriage in the hope of marrying Harry, and securing a more comfortable life for herself and her father. However, she soon realises that she has made a mistake and really loves Jem. 

Soon afterwards, Harry is shot and suspicion immediately falls on Jem, who is subsequently arrested. Mary discovers that the murderer is actually her father and, determined to prove Jem’s innocence, travels to Liverpool to find a witness to provide an alibi. During the trial , Jem learns of Mary’s love for him and the witness arrives in the nick of time for him to be found not guilty. Her father, racked with guilt, begs the forgiveness of the murdered man’s father and dies knowing he is forgiven. Jem and Mary subsequently marry and emigrate to Canada where they have a child and lead a happy and contented life.

I found this a powerful and moving novel, with strong characters and a densely written plot. The subject matter reflected the conditions of the period and it is obvious that the author felt very strongly about the terrible and unjust conditions endured by the factory workers and their families.

Cath

Mrs Gaskell

Mrs Elizabeth Gaskell was born in 1810, so we decided to read some of her novels to celebrate her bi-centenary. Not everyone was enthusiastic about trying Mrs Gaskell, but most of us were converted, and awarded her novels  4 -5 stars. 

 

Mrs Gaskell had a great deal of tragedy in her life, but remained gregarious and sociable . Her mother died when she was a baby, and although she had a happy childhood with her aunt in Knutsford, Cheshire,  she felt rejected by her father  and was not accepted by her step mother.

She was only 18 when her only sibling, a brother, died at sea. She nursed her  father following a stroke, but he died within 6 months of his son.

Although happily married to a minister, she lost 3 children, and her husband encouraged her to write as a way of coping with her grief. Her first novel, 'Mary Barton' drew upon her experience of social and charitable works as a minister's wife. It drew the admiration of Charles Dickens, who encouraged her to write Gothic tales, and published 'Cranford' in his Household Words Journal.
popular and socialble, she was also a close friend of Charlotte Bronte, and went on to write her biography.

Mrs Gaskell died while she was working on 'Wives and Daughters' in a house she had secretly bought as a surprise for her husband and family.

November Events - Cocoa with Pat

Cocoa with Pat Kelly is the latest in our 'Food for Thought' series being held at Onchan Library this winter. Pat is a talented local artist specialising in textiles. She uses materials such as wool and natural dyes to create colours for her work, often from plants growing in her own garden. Pat's new collection of work has been inspired by the colours and textures of Africa, and she will be giving a slide show, demonstrations and displaying some of her textile art. Hot chocolate and marshmallows will be served. Admission is free, but as space is limited, ticket only. Tickets can be obtained from Onchan Library

November - Meetings

On Thursday 4th November @ 6 p.m. @ Onchan Library we'll be talking about 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro.

October - Book of the Month

Image from http://www.amazon.co.uk

Never Let me Go
Kazuo Ishiguro

This book is Science Fiction, but not as we know it.  It doesn't concentrate on technical detail, (which is left up to the reader's own imagination), and reflects back upon relationships between childhood friends as they grow in to young adults. They were all at a boarding school together in the 80s, but this is no ordinary school, and the friends go on to have far from ordinary lives... It becomes a heartwrenching read, and raises disturbing questions about where technology could lead us as human beings. 'Never Let Me Go' is being made into a film starring Keira Knightly.

Off The Shelf - The Elegance of the Hedgehog

This is a very thought provoking book which I thoroughly enjoyed!

The main characters are Renee, a widow of ten years, who is Concierge of a block of  

Apartments inhabited by rich people in Paris. Manuela is a cleaner for some of the residents, who has become a good friend to Renee. Paloma, is 12yrs old and a daughter of two of the residents, she has an elder sister Colombe. Kakura Ozu is a very rich Japanese gentleman who arrives as a new resident of one of the apartments.

Renee had come from a poor family and didn’t have the chance to learn as a child so she was determined in adult life to better herself educationally but at the same time she wanted to keep this from the residents who looked down on her as a mere Concierge so she keeps her ‘private life’ to herself and lives as the person they expect her to be.

Paloma was at odds with her ‘rich’ family and she hid from them and her school the fact that she was well advanced in her learning because she didn’t want to be treated as a ‘genius’ which she assures us she is! Paloma recognises the fact that Renee is not as stupid as she makes out to be and befriends her so as she can be there with Renee and away from her family who didn’t like her ‘hiding’ away from them in the apartment.

Kakura arrives and very quickly works out from something that Renee lets slip out that she is a very intelligent women who shares a lot of interests with him. Their love of books, music and films gives them plenty to talk about. The three become friends and when Kakura invites Renee to join him for dinner in his apartment she is reluctant to accept because has nothing to wear other than her working clothes but Manuela brings her a dress that she has been given by a client of hers whose mother has just died and persuades her to go.  She doesn’t want to take it but is talked into it by Manuela.

To say much more would be to give the story away and would spoil the reading for anyone.  All I will say is that it is well written and I found I couldn’t put the book down, wanting to know what was coming next.  It was funny and entertaining.  It was certainly very thought provoking.

I would recommend this as a good read to anyone who wants a story with a difference seen through the eyes of a 12yr old – a very intelligent 12yr old – and a working woman who was also very intelligent – both very good at keeping things secret.

Pauline