Description: The Book Club meets every 6 weeks to discuss a current book for review.If you like to read and to talk about books this is for you – or you can just listen to what others have to say. Give it a go.
Coordinator: Alan Corkhill
Day: See list below
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Shed
More Information
Book List 2020
John Steinbeck, “The Grapes of Wrath” (1939) – 6 February
Jack Kerouac, “0n the Road” (1953) – 19 March
John Updike, “Rabbit, Run” (1960) – 4 June
Joseph Heller, “Catch-22” (1961) – 16 July
- What places Yossarian in the mould of the prototypical anti-hero in terms of his thinking and actions?
- Which of Heller’s protagonists in particular reflect the author’s desire to highlight a) the absurdity of war, and b) the absurdity of the human condition?
- How does the definition of a catch-22, a situation in which no good solution or resolution is possible, impact upon the lives of the characters and the prosecution of war?
- What brand(s) of humour does Heller employ in the novel? How effective is his satirising of the military bureaucracy?
- How are gender expectations/roles critiqued in the novel?
- What aspects of the American Way of Life are critiqued in the novel? Which characters in particular reveal the facade of the American Dream and the incompetence of US leadership during WW2?
- Do you see any parallels between “Catch-22” and the movie/TV show M.A.S.H, or even any other recent media productions?
- Comment on Heller’s writing style, especially his intentional verbosity and repetitiveness.
Norman Mailer, “The Executioner’s Song” (1979) – 27 August
Alice Walker, “The Colour Purple” (1982) – 1 October
Toni Morrison, “Home” (2012) – 12 November
Any enquiries: Alan Corkhill Email: a.corkhill127@gmail.com 045 012 7270