After careful planning, and keeping Boris happy, we got together in my garden and obeyed the social distancing rule. My hubby helped with coffee and cakes and the sun was very kind on the day.

Everybody had a pleasant time.

JP

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The post Tea in the Garden appeared first on Seaham Harbour U3A.

Our group is full at the moment but anyone wishing to set up another group, I would welcome and help all I can.

JB

The post News from the Book Club appeared first on Seaham Harbour U3A.

We have 18 members in our Book Reading Group. We are currently reading, And The Mountains  Echoed by Khalid Hosseni.We meet once a month and discuss the book we have all read.This group is quite large and in order for everyone to have a voice it would be difficult to expand it, that being so if anyone wishes to start another book reading group, maybe in a slightly different format i.e. evening. I would be willing to help co-ordinate any alternative suggestions if people interested.

Jackie B

The post Book Group Update appeared first on Seaham Harbour U3A.

We are an interesting and diverse group of people who meet once a month to discuss a set book and often to chat about current affairs.

The group is helped along by glasses of wine or cups of coffee as we meet at the “Crow’s Nest Pub” in Seaham at 2.30pm on the first Thursday of the month.

BOOKS READ

*Guest of Literary Lunch 2011

*Guest of Literary Lunch 2012

+Reading this book coincided with visit by Cinema Group to see the film

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The format for the event was an introduction to Val, followed by a first course of poached salmon with a tasty sauce; Val read the first chapter of her latest stand-alone book “The Vanishing Point” and we then had dessert, a fabulous treacle tart with ice cream.  Val then delivered her talk explaining how she had been thinking about it and working on it for years, and her inspiration for the book.  It starts with a child abduction and then reverts to five years previously when Stephanie, a ghost-writer for a TV reality star begins her story.  Val explained that she had been interested in the background and motivation of someone who, through having no particular opportunities or choices available to them, might be the sort of person who resorted to reality TV as a way out.  She is interested in the formation of modern family groups, which are more likely nowadays to tend towards logical rather than biological units, and their subsequent bonds.

She noted that she has been asked to do a reworking of a Jane Austen novel, Northanger Abbey, and was looking at modern-day parallels and extremes, e.g. a carriage ride involving two carriages, with criticisms and general grumbling of the characters in the other carriage, reminded her of Jeremy Clarkson in Top Gear.

Her latest book is a stand-alone one, although her next one is to include Tony Hill and Carol Jordan of the Wire in the Blood series, which seemed popular amongst those present today.  She added that she likes her books to be realistic: none of the “you just wouldn’t do that!” type of comment from her readers, like locking up without first making sure the intruder isn’t inside the house first!

Val said that the book she would like to take to a desert island would be “Treasure Island” by Robert L Stevenson, a book which she believes has everything you could possibly want.

This was a great day, with a lovely lunch and other Book Group members missed a treat.  The event ended with coffee and a quick perusal of the books on sale.  I decided not to go for the hard back edition at over £16 and will wait for the cheaper version!

Freda

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