Lionel Shriver

Novels are good at dissecting society, but can fiction ever make a difference? Lionel Shriver's new book, So Much for That, is set in contemporary America and addresses big themes of family illness (against the back-drop of Obama's healthcare bill), money (in the aftermath of the Credit Crunch) and the ... (more)universal search for happiness. Amanda Craig's Hearts and Minds, a panoramic novel about London, is a gripping murder story told through the intertwined lives of recent immigrants and has the finger on the pulse of the teeming Metropolis. They discuss their books and whether topical literature can make things happen.

In a series of letters to her estranged husband, the mother of a teenaged boy who murdered seven of his fellow high school students tries to come to terms with his heinous act and examines what part of the blame,
if any, is hers.

Safe or sexy? OK - that's a bit of a simplification of the novel, but haven't we always wondered about that decision we didn't make. How would our lives be different? Would it be better or worse? Lionel Shriver has laid out both scenarios and has come up with a fantastic ... (more)read. As always, the group is open to all comers.