Hogarth Reading Group

Christine
I felt as if reading groups had been specially invented for me. To discuss recently read books, with like-minded people, well, fairly like-minded people who loved reading, even if not sharing my opinions or tastes.
 The group organised by the library got off to a good start, but for some reason faltered, until it became obvious it could not continue. So a few of us who had enjoyed going there started meeting in each others’ houses. We gradually became fairly organised, borrowing and sharing book choices.  Then two or three years passed and reading groups became widely popular. Our local library began obtaining the books for us, as they are keen to foster group reading, and life became a lot easier… So now, over the years, we have become a circle of friends, who, in varying combinations, visit each other and go out together, our lives generally enriched by our reading group.

Maureen
 Three years ago when my husband retired we moved from his last place of work (Belgium) to Mersea Island in Essex. While living in Brussels, feeling lonely, I joined the Women’s British and Commonwealth Club Book Club. This enabled me to meet like minded people from many countries, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We have kept in touch via email and these are friends for life. Naturally, retiring and moving, and meeting new people can be quite daunting, so I was very happy to be encouraged to join the local Hogarth Reading Group. Happily I have again met many interesting ladies with diverse backgrounds and common interests, resulting in good friendships. Our Reading Group is fun, we encourage ourselves to read widely on all subjects and to discuss them with fervour and the main essence -–humour! The group is now a rich part of my life.

Elsie
 As a child and teenager I haunted the public library. I was disgusted when, having finished a book, I wasn’t allowed to change it until next day… so avid reader was I.
 Then I grew up discovered boys, married, had children, worked, kept house and reading became newspapers and occasional magazine articles or re-reading old favourites.
 An acquaintance (now a friend) invited me to join a reading group.
 Renaissance ! Rejuvenation! Re-discovery of the world of books.
 What a joy! The extra bonuses are new friends with interesting opinions about the books we read, outings – the British Library was a delight – tea and cakes and conviviality at meetings. The reading group has introduced a new dimension to everyday life.

ALICE
 Being a member of our book club has introduced me to many titles and authors which I probably would not have elected to read, thus widening my scope of enjoyment considerably.
 There are ten of us in number and we meet once in a month to discuss the current chosen book – and put the world to rights generally, although , sadly, we haven’t had much luck with the latter.
 Besides “having a good read” if a film of one of the books we have read is being shown, the local cinema will have the pleasure of ten ladies of ‘a certain age’ gracing their portals. 

Recent reading list:

Marie Antoinette, Antonia Fraser
Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro
Silas Marner, George Eliot
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
Atonement, Ian McEwen
Circle of Sisters, Judith Flanders