New Cross-Wavelengths Reading Group News

The September meeting of the group discussed David Nicholls’ ubiquitous novel One Day.

Those who attended the session had enjoyed this very readable and entertaining novel which focuses on what initially seems a casual relationship formed between Emma and Dexter, two recently graduated students on the crest of a wave, with most of their lives yet to look forward to. Chance seems to have brought them together, perhaps for  a few hours which in the fullness of time could become a remote if precious memory. We soon become aware, through their witty dialogue and banter of the contrasting backgrounds, beliefs and aspirations of these two characters. While Emma seems cautiously realistic she is altruistic in outlook, desiring to benefit society by making a difference. Dexter seems unashamedly hedonistic looking little further than to simply enjoy immediate pleasures offered in the present moment.

Each succeeding chapter provides insight into the lives of Emma and Dexter at yearly intervals and it is this technique which enables the reader to feel familiar with them both – as one might with old friends one has known for many years. It also underlines the fact that life is continually evolving around us and that the immediacy of present day mishaps or even triumphs in most cases fades in significance. In some ways this contained a cautionary tale where we see how Dexter’s assumed persona adapted for presenting popular television would eventually be seen through by viewers and critics alike, while the slippery slope of pep pills and alcohol distorts his perception of reality, so that he fails to realize that an alluring cigarette seller in a night club is not an admiring groupie but a hard working nurse, moonlighting to supplement her income, while politely tolerating his company.

Read the Manor House Library Reading Group’s  review of One Day and that of our star blogger Helen Hilton.

There will be no meeting in October due to the work on the Deptford Lounge, but watch this space for details of the next meeting, likely to take place in Novemeber. In the meantime, the reading groups page lists other groups in the borough.

Have you read this novel? Let us know your thoughts.

Manor House Library Reading Group News

The July meeting of the group discussed One Day by David Nicholls.

What they say

“It’s rare to find a novel which ranges over the recent past with such authority, and even rarer to find one in which the two leading characters are drawn with such solidity, such painful fidelity, to real life that you really do put the book down with the hallucinatory feeling that they’ve become as well known to you as your closest friends. Hard to imagine anyone encountering characters as well drawn as this and not recognizing the extraordinary talent of the writer who has created them.” – Jonathan Coe, Guardian ‘Books of the Year’.

“I finished it last night and I’m still quite wobbly and affected by it. It was BRILLIANT. . . the jealously nearly made me puke. I wish I’d written this book” – Marian Keyes.

What we say

One Day chronicles the lives of two university friends from 1988 to the present day. It is however a somewhat broken narrative in that the tale develops every 15th July until it reaches it’s end (or until it finally hits the wall as one member suggested).

The book comes with rave review and endorsement and is indeed very well written. It plots its way inoffensively through the ’90s, pulling in popular references along the way until it drops a bombshell towards the end – you wont want to be sitting on the bus home when this happens!

The group enjoyed the read but felt that ultimately it was not a book that as likely to stay in the mind for long. One mild criticism was that the relationship that was the focus of the story was an unlikely one. Another group member pointed out that it was a modern fairy tale and should be considered on this basis.

It might be a more interesting read for people in their 40s who will recall the fashions and music references alluded to. The Smiths et al provide the soundtrack.

August’s chosen book is Room by Emma Donohue.
Thursday 25 August 2011, 2-3pm
Manor House Library

Read one of our bloggers’ thoughts on One Day.

Have you read this book: Let us know your thoughts.

One Day

What they say about it:

15th July 1988. Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways.

So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year which follows?

One Day is a funny/sad love story spanning twenty years, a book about growing up – how we change, how we stay the same.

What I say about it:

What a wonderful, sad and frustrating book. As I read it I hoped they would get together, cursed when they both got together with others, cried at the sad bits and got frustrated about lots of things – but mostly the style of the book. It features one day a year and sometimes I didn’t feel like the one day had given me the insight that I wanted. I was gripped but was left wanting a bit more at the end.

Helen Hilton

Available at Lewisham Libraries

Find out more about the book and read an excerpt