Bassani & Book Fairies this July + catching up with Childhood
Looking back at our June pick, and looking forward to July
Dear walking book clubbers,
Thanks so much to those of you who took part in our first Discussion Thread last Friday. I really enjoyed the flurry of comments about our June book and other June reading. What an energising half-hour!
We’ll make these Threads a regular treat - a monthly chance to share reading recommendations, thoughts on the book, and also to get to know one another a little better. Our next will be on Friday 29th July, 2-2.30pm to discuss our July book, Giorgio Bassani’s The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles and share what else we’ve been reading over July. Diarise now!
Please scroll down for more about our July book and events, including an exciting collaboration with The Book Fairies. A reminder that we’ll take a break over August, meeting again at the start of September. Look out for news of our Autumn titles coming soon.
First, back to June, and let’s catch up on Childhood
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Catching up on Childhood
A beautiful walk on the Heath, a wonderful Zoom meeting, and our first Live Discussion Thread - a trio of delights for the first volume of this astonishing trilogy. It is a bit of a slippery book, and not that easy to discuss, as it is so full of contradictions, but we absolutely loved it, with a few members so enthusiastic that they said it was their favourite Emily’s Walking Book Club book!
I hope you enjoy my webcast - in which I cover some of the main points we discussed: the relationship with her mother, Tove being a misfit in her community, and the power of poetry. Please join the discussion and leave me a comment.
I’ve made short webcasts (like this one) about each of our books since the Pandemic. You can see them all over on YouTube, where you can also subscribe so you don’t miss the next one.
July: The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles by Giorgio Bassani translated by Jamie McKendrick
Tickets are NOW ON SALE for our July walk and Zoom, in which we’ll be discussing Giorgio Bassani’s powerful novella about a gay doctor in 1930s Italy. Please book in via Eventbrite using the blue buttons below. Look out for our next newsletter, which will be full of interesting links about the book.
I’m particularly excited about our Book Fairies collaboration for July’s Hampstead Heath walk. The venerable Book-Fairy-in-Chief will join us on the walk to help us decorate our copies of the book (or, indeed, of any other book you’d like to pass on), then as we walk and talk about the book, anyone who would like to can artfully deposit old copies for other lucky walkers to chance upon and enjoy. You can see a Book Fairy already got to work on our last walk…
If you can’t make it along to the walk, please feel free to work your own Book Fairy magic. You can order special Book Fairy stickers, ribbon etc from their website HERE. Ideally, share a pic on Instagram and tag me (@EmilyRhodesWriter) or use #emilyswalkingbookclub so we can link it up and glory in your efforts!
Our July meetings
On the Heath: Sunday 24th July, 11.30-1pm, meeting at Daunt Books Hampstead, 51 South End Road, NW3 2QB
On Zoom: Monday 25th July, 8-8.40pm
We will also have a Live Discussion Thread to discuss the book and our other July reads on Friday 29th July, 2-2.30pm. No need to book a spot; the link will arrive in your inbox just before 2pm on the day.
Buy The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles from Daunt Books here and receive 10% off using the code WBC at checkout, or just tell them you’re in the group if you’re buying it in the shop.
Look out for more about Bassani’s beautiful novella, and news of our Autumn programme, in our next newsletters. In the meantime, feel free to hit reply to drop me a line, or say hello on Instagram (@emilyrhodeswriter) / TikTok (@emilyrhodeswriter) / YouTube(@emilyrhodeswriter) / Twitter (@emilybooksblog). It’s always a delight to hear from you.
Happy reading!
Emily