Samuel Pepys - The Unequalled Self - Claire Tomalin

Biography: Claire Tomalin won the Whitbread Book Award for Samuel Pepys. She has written biographies on literary figures before such as Wollestonecroft, Shelley and Jane Austen. Born in France to a French father and English mother in 1933 she started writing at the age of 7. She first became known for her poetry and her writing which helped her traverse difficult times in her life; during the war and the break up of her parents marriage.

She had five children by her first husband Nick Tomalin who was killed while reporting from the Golan Heights in 1973. He future husband (not known to be at the time) Micahel Frayn sent her into labour with her fifth child whils at the theatre watching one of his comic plays which caused her to laugh so much that it triggered labour. She married Frayn in 1993 and remains happily married to this day.

Review: This is the biography of the famous Diarist Samuel Pepys. First published in 2002 it is lavishly lauded both front, back and inside with plaudits from the great and the good.

For purists there is a Pepys family tree,maps of London and Huntingdon, a list of principlal figures, a prologue, thirty four pages of illustrations, seventy four pages of notes, nine pages of bibliography, and a twenty eight page index. But...........................................no one tells you that you can read the three hundred and eighty six pages of the diary without the need to read or refer to any of the above!

As a result the book can easily appear scholarly, dull and off-putting. The reading group split equally. One half of which disengaged , felt it instantly put downable, found the small print prohibitive and decided it was just not a book to pick up.

In contrast those who in the main had not laboured too long on the added extras found it intensely rewarding, intriguing , racy and exciting and an excellent read. All fet the book particulratly interesting from the perpectives of social history , political intrigue and good old fashioned nepotism. Pepys himself was a fascinating man with a far more significant life outwith the diary fame and more than many of the group realised. The extent of his involevment and influence of the Royal Navy came as a surprise to some, Thos who read to the end felt that Part 3 written after the diaries had ended was perhaps the weakest. In contract to Parts 1 and 2 it was felt to be somewhat repetitive and weaker in construction.

Summary: This was a book that clearly divided the group. However the concensuus of the members that the Book Group could not probably aim to please everyone every time. As a result of the after discussion there was a certian amount of pride in a variety of the books chosen and the fact that each member has over the period of time read more widely than their natural inclination.

Next Read:

The Outcast - Sadie Jones

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

About the Author : There was no information about the author on the cover of the book and the assumption was made that this might be Tatiana Roy’s first novel. However a Google search established that Tatiana de Rosnay was born on September 28th 1961 in the suburbs of Paris. She is of English French and Russian decent. Her father is French scientist Joel de Rosnay, her grandfather was painter Gaetan de Rosnay. Tatiana's paternal great grandmother was Russian actress Natalia Racheweskia, director of the Leningrad Pushkin Theatre from 1925 to 1949. Tatiana's Mother, Stella Jebb, daughter of Lord Gladwyn, is I.K. Brunel's great-great-granddaughter. Tatiana is also the niece of historian Hugh Thomas. Tatiana was raised in Paris and then in Boston, when her father taught at MIT. She moved to England in the early 80's and obtained a Bachelor's degree in English literature at the University of East Anglia, in Norwich. Returning to Paris in 1984. Tatiana became press attache for Chrissie's and then Editor for Vanity Fair magazine till 1993.

Since 1992, Tatiana published 8 novels in French (publised at Fayard and Pion) . Tatiana also works as a journalist for French ELLE and is literacy critic for Psychologists Magazine.

Tatiana de Rosnay is married and has two teenagers, Louis and Charlotte. She lives in Paris.

About the Book; Though a work of fiction, it is fact-based, recounting though a work of fiction, it is fact-based, recounting the horrific events that occurred in occupied France in the summer of 1942, and in particular the Valedrome d’Hiver round up of Jews which took place on 16th July 1942, in the heart of Paris. As the author herself said – “This is not a historical work and has no intention of being one. It is my tribute to the children of the Vel’ d’Hiv’. The childen who never came back. And the ones who survived to tell.”
The narrative is based on a dark period in the history of France and one seldom mentioned, when thousands of Jewish families were forcibly kept in the Velodrome d’Hiver before being separated from their children and being sent in to transit camps such as Drancy prior to being despatched to the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. The chilling fact being that this was perpetrated by the French Authorities. The author alternated between the events of 1942 and the present day. The past centring round a 10 year old Jewish girl Sarah Strazynski to go to the Vel’ d’Hiver with her mother and father having left behind her 4 year old brother locked in a secret cupboard with the promise she would return to him soon. The present revolves round an American writer, Julia Jarmond, married to a Frenchman whose family was connected to the deportation of Jews, and her subsequent involvement to the exclusion of all else.

The Review; The group’s discussion opened with agreement that the book was fascinating in illuminating an event that was unknown to all. General comments were, intriguing, a good read, thought –provoking and depressing. Most agreed that the attention was held and one was totally absorbed in the first half of the book, but that when Sarah was out of the picture it lost its impact. The ensuing narrative of unfolding events was considered to be laboured and trite, but necessary to cover the question of guilt caused by suppression of secrets and subsequent start of the healing process.
The discussion widened to cover the parallels of collaborators in Holland and Italy, the reluctance of most Jewish people to discuss events, anti-Semitism in general and posing the question – what if it had happened here? Would it have been any different? One member had a personal contribution to make regarding family history and another had moving account of a visit to Auschwitz. So we are left to ponder how easily unchallenged, passive indifference and intolerance, when fired, escalate to active persecution and brutality. Why do we never learn from the past?

In summing up the book was poignant and gripping and its value for stimulating through across a wide spectrum involving many moral questions relevant today overrides any shortcomings in the story line itself.

The three books out forward by the host were:

Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani
Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale
Engleby by Sebastian Faulks

Thanks to Mike and Lorraine for hosting the meeting

The Very Beginning

It was in early April when the first idea of creating a Reading Group was uttered, needless to say this took place as the end of a bottle of a very delicious, chilled Chablis drew near.

The group membership was quickly agreed to be friends and neighbours from within Poets' Corner. Within minutes there were twenty names on a list. The next day the idea was 'market tested' by posting letters through letter boxes and two days later many had responded with enthusiasm.

During the days that followed, the internet was searched for strategies and guidance on the setting up and running of Reading Groups. Many of the groups that we researched were either all men or all women groups and one thing we were both agreed on was that our Reading Group should consist of both men and women and this was already reflected in our membership.

Very soon the date was set for the inaugral meeting and our invitations were keenly accepted.

The first meeting was hosted and the following was agreed:

Purpose :-

• Expand our reading choices


• Enlighten members with new ideas and perceptions


• Encourage the reading of books


• Encourage the exchange and debating of views


• BE GOOD FUN AND GENERALLY SOCIAL!

It was decided that the groups should meet every six weeks, hosted in rotation and the current host will direct the discussions and guide the strategy of the group up to the next meeting. It was felt that this would enable even the slowest of readers (me) to finish the book in good time. It was jokingly suggested that the book be between 350 - 500 pages long - which as it turns out is an excellent idea!

The strategy for the first group was for the host to facilitate the selection of the next book by proposing two or three books, one of which the group will choose to read before the next meeting so that each member will read the book ready for discussion at the next meeting.

We had not considered any books to offer for the first session and before we knew it many of our friends had run into their own homes and returned with so many and such a range of books that it was decided to put the choice to the vote.

The books that were put forward for reading were:

• The Time Travellers Wife -Audrey Niffenegger


• Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell


• The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon


• The Almond Picker - Simonetta Agnello Hornby


• The Interpretation of Murder - Jed Rubenfeld


• On Green Dolphin Street - Sebastian Faulks


• The Revenge of Gaia - James Lovelock


• The Game - Neill Strauss


• Thirteen Moons - Charles Frazier


• The Road - Cormac McCarthy


• The Testament of Gideon Mach - James Robertson


• The Rise of Political Lying - Peter Oborne


• The Chilling Stars, a new theory of climate change, Henrik Svensmark & Nigel Calder

The book with most votes was The Revenge of Gaia, James Lovelock

and next time you will read what we thought of it!