Bright, but Lost for Words

Well, as usual, we weren't actually (lost for words that is).  Conversation flowed when, with the exception of Julie, we all gathered at Megan's place for our two books, The Dictionary of Lost Words and Phosphorescence.  As Eddie wandered happily about during the evening saying hello to anyone who would give him some attention (he's such a boy!), knees, sleep and goss took centre stage and kicked the evening off. 

Kathy introduced her choice first - Phosphorescence - which was enthusiastically recommended to her by two booksellers, so how could you not choose it.  After reading it, Kathy thought it would create some interesting discussion, and that was certainly so.   The general consensus was it was a remarkable book by a pretty remarkable woman; that it was an enriching read;  and was probably better read as a series of essays rather than a complete book about life (with some essays better than others).    Then different camps emerged.  Some found it difficult to read; others not so difficult.  Some found it too wordy and referenced too many esoteric sources; some thought it had too many quotations; some considered it an unusual 'self help' book, while others not so much.   But all agreed on some things: that swimming in the ocean in the dark was madness; that Julia's commitment to friendship was central to her being; and her optimism in face of adversity shone through.    Then we got on to the big questions of faith, religion, church and dogma.   Was it this element that drove her to write the book after closing in on the 'other side' through illness?  Who knows, but it was worth talking about.      As was the fact that we didn't learn much about her private life (though we couldn't talk much about that because we weren't allow in - which is fair enough Julia!)  Certainly Julia's strength of character was evident with her commitment to changing the church's view of women and their role in it.  (Then we were all entranced with the story of Barb and Cherilyn attending church some 50 or so years ago and lowering the average age of the congregation of 10 by a considerable number of years - with the image of the Father racing to catch up with them after the service to encourage future attendance).  So the final words on the book - it was intelligent and awe inspiring even though a bit patchy; and you can take the church out of Julia (well at least the conservative anglican tradition found in Sydney), but you can't take the faith out of her.  Perhaps thats how she manages to swim in the ocean in the dark?

Next it was on to Pip Williams, and The Dictionary of Lost Words.  Megan's choice was a novel written by an author now located in South Australia.  She was inspired to look further into how words shape our sense of self and society after reading Simon Winchester's The Surgeon of Crowthorne https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Surgeon_of_Crowthorne.   This is a well researched but very male telling of how the first edition of the Oxford Dictionary was compiled.

Pip's book is a combination of historical research and storytelling, and went into questions about the lack of female interpretation of both language and historical events.  Her general position was threaded throughout the book, but not stridently made: it was that this diminishes meaning and understanding for everyone. 

 

The story was woven around well drawn characters who we all loved  -  Lizzie (the 'bondmaid'), the lovely Gareth (always doomed),  EssyMay and her father, and aunts Ditte and Beth.   Front and centre were words, meanings, language, and the (gender) difference between the spoken word (most often slang and sometimes deriving from female anatomy), and the written word - which relied on (usually male) literary interpretation.  Lexicographers came and went at the Oxford Scriptorium (not spitorium!), and the work went on despite the thunder of the early decades of the 1900's.  Interestingly, two of those big events (2014-18 War and Suffragette/suffragists movement) were touched upon, but neither consumed much oxygen in the book.  All the while Essy collected her 'lost words', played on the fringes of the suffrage movement with Tilda (and on the fringes of something else with brother Bill); had an illegitimate daughter, married Gareth, who made a precious one off publication of her 'dictionary of lost words'; became widowed; worked her way closer to the top desk in the Scriptorium; and came to be respected in intellectual circles of Oxford.  The book then went full circle, landing back in South Australia with her (now grown) daughter taking up her mother's life tussles.  The author took us on a fascinating journey into Edwardian England, and we all jumped on board, so the general consensus was - good choice, good book, well worth the read.

Kathy then got to work and piled much cake onto everyone's plate (delicious hazelnut torte with a key lime pie chaser), and choices were made for the next meeting.  But wait - there is an epilogue - its a tale to tell about the lost phone and the nocturnal visit to Mog's - maybe next meeting.

Additional comment from host Megan:  Also a good discussion on COVID!  I’m a bit concerned that the masks I slaved over to send to Sarah in Melbourne have been hijacked - sent by express post to arrive the next day but so far haven’t arrived.  They’ve probably hit the black market by now & commanding an exorbitant price!  We’ll have to locate the post tracker docket to see where they might be.

Keep your eyes peeled for black market masks, bookclubbers.

Next Meeting and Books:

At Marg's place (Ferguson Avenue, Myrtle Bank), on Wednesday 23 September 2020 (failing any lockdowns)

• The Beekeeper of Aleppo - by Christi Lefteri (Marg)
• Hamnet - by Maggie O'Farrell (McLassie)