Category: Uncategorized

The December set book was Becoming by Michelle Obama which has been reviewed by Goodreads website as follows; In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her — from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it — in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations and whose story inspires us to do the same.

I personally enjoyed the first third which covered her upbringing the most but got a bit bogged down in the rest but still enjoyed the book on the whole.

Sadly, for the second consecutive year the choir won’t be performing for the u3a at Christmas. From last Summer our poor musical director suffered a string of accidents and ill health which eventually forced her to resign, we didn’t have time to practise and reach an appropriate standard in time for the u3a Christmas celebrations. It was a source of regret to us all. As well as the pleasure of feeling we were able to make a contribution, we enjoy performing, it gives us something to work toward, and the satisfaction of achieving something together.

We looked forward to this year, and at the time no-one could have suspected, or believed, that we would now be in the current situation! However, the news is good, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel. We have hope that we’ll make it next year, when this year may just be a distant memory of a horrid experience we coped with, and survived.

In the meantime, stay safe. Happy Christmas everyone, and all good wishes for a peaceful and happy new year. ‘Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light….’

Our set book for October was “Commonwealth” by Ann Pratchett. Commonwealth is the seventh novel by American author Ann Patchett, published in 2016. The novel begins with an illicit kiss that leads to an affair that destroys two marriages and creates a reluctantly blended family. In a series of vignettes spanning fifty years, it tells the story of the six children whose lives were disrupted and how they intertwined. It was not to everyone’s taste; some enjoyed it, others did not.

Our set book for November was The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George which tells the story of a heart-broken bookseller who makes a journey in his bookshop-barge all the way from Paris to Provence. The protagonist in The Little Paris Bookshop, Jean Perdu, runs a ‘literary apothecary’, where books are prescribed for their medicinal properties. No matter the ailment, Perdu can find a novel to ease the pain of his customers and provide them some much-needed perspective. Who doesn’t want to read about a benevolent bookseller with a book-cure for every malady?

The December set book is ‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama which we will review in January.

This month we discussed which were our favourite books we read when we were young and these included anything by Enid Blyton, Louisa M. Alcott, H.G. Wells, Robert Louis Steven-son, amongst others.

Our set book was “Those Who Are Loved” by Victoria Hislop, which had mixed reviews. Most of us have read her other books and in the main really enjoyed them. A favourite was The Thread which also includes political division in families. Those Who Are Loved covers the time from the 1930s – The political changes. The story follows a family through this time, the division, the brutality, the fear of various political regimes including the Nazi invasion. Two of the family left home to fight for Greek freedom from oppression, which follows are harrowing stories. We thought much of the first half was a list of misery and ill treatment. It is more a book to inform, not enjoy.

Our set book for this month is “Com-monwealth” by Ann Pratchett which we will review in the next newsletter.
Just for fun, what was the strangest book you were ever given or ever read? Please contact Sandra, the group leader, using the form below:-

I should have liked the choir to be able to meet on Zoom, perhaps to sing together, even if it couldn’t be properly coordinated. Optimistically, I attended the Zoom meeting for group leaders, or those hoping to host a meeting, and learned it couldn’t reasonably happen. I should have realized, as obviously only one person can properly be heard at a time. It seems our only hope would be to have meetings with, in effect, a soloist and a muted backing group! I’m sorry to say to the few who responded expressing an interest, that it isn’t going to happen. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to sing alone, or indeed appear to fellow choir members to be miming! (previously, it has cruelly been suggested that some members have mimed over difficult bits, but that couldn’t be true, I don’t believe it and shouldn’t want it to appear that way).

We’ll wait, practise at home and sing with much more energy when we finally get together again. With that in mind, and to enable us to actually remember songs in our repertoire, can I remind members that some of us will be practising, alone, ‘All That Jazz’ on 4th November, a usual meeting date, at or around our usual time of 1.30 pm if they want to join us, and of course, anyone else is welcome. If you know it, join in, you can pretend to be Catherine Zeta Jones, and consider yourself a choir member for the duration.

As I write this it has been announced that Nottingham will be in Tier 3 from Thursday, although by the time you read this I assume it will be a well-established fact. Not cheering, but nothing we can’t cope with. Our parents and grandparents went through a war, some through two, for prolonged periods with little or no control over whether they lived or died, to some extent we have choices. Do make use of our Ring and Sing service if it helps, I intend to when my birthday comes around!

Good wishes, take care and stay safe,
Christine