Our discussion today on The Return of the Soldier  by Rebecca West has been postponed.

We will now be discussing this book on May the 16th from 11am – 12 noon.

BLURB

The soldier returns from the front to the three women who love him. His wife, Kitty, with her cold, moonlight beauty and his devoted cousin Jenny wait in their exquisite home on the crest of the Harrow-weald. Margaret Allington, his first and long-forgotten love, is nearby in the dreary suburb of Wealdstone.

But the soldier is shell-shocked and can only remember the Margaret he loved fifteen years before, when he was a young man and she an inn-keeper’s daughter. His cousin he remembers only as a childhood playmate; his wife he remembers not at all.

The women have a choice – to leave him where he wishes to be, or to ‘cure’ him. It is Margaret who reveals a love so great that she can make the final sacrifice.

We will follow that chat with a discussion of Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin from 12 noon to 1pm the same day.

 BLURB

When David meets the sensual Giovanni in a bohemian bar, he is swept into a passionate love affair. But his girlfriend’s return to Paris destroys everything. Unable to admit to the truth, David pretends the liaison never happened – while Giovanni’s life descends into tragedy.

United by the theme of love, the writings in the Great Loves series span over two thousand years and vastly different worlds. Readers will be introduced to love’s endlessly fascinating possibilities and extremities: romantic love, platonic love, erotic love, gay love, virginal love, adulterous love, parental love, filial love, nostalgic love, unrequited love, illicit love, not to mention lost love, twisted and obsessional love.

We will also be picking 2 books (which will bring us to the end of the year) – so make sure you have suggestions in mind!!