Classics to talk about Books to Film

Never Judge A Book by its Movie!

Classics Day Book Club meets next at Orange City Library on Thursday 18 April at 12.30pm to chat about Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. Lolita is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, written in English and published in 1955 in Paris and 1958 in New York. It was later translated by its Russian-native author into Russian. The novel is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator, middle-aged literature professor Humbert Humbert, who is obsessed with the 12-year-old Dolores Haze. His private nickname for Dolores is Lolita. After its publication, Lolita attained a classic status, becoming one of the best-known and most controversial examples of 20th century literature. The name “Lolita” has entered pop culture to describe a sexually precocious girl. The novel was adapted to film by Stanley Kubrick in 1962, and again in 1997 by Adrian Lyne. It has also been adapted several times for stage and has been the subject of two operas, two ballets, and an acclaimed but failed Broadway musical. Lolita is included on Time’s list of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005. It is fourth on the Modern Library’s 1998 list of the 100 Best Novels of the 20th century. It also made the World Library’s list of one of The 100 Best Books of All Time.

Classics Evening Book Club meets on Thursday 18 April at 5.30pm to talk about All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Remarque. It tells the story of six German soldiers who volunteered to fight in World War I, and it chronicles their demise intellectually, spiritually, and physically. The novel is told from the perspective of one incredibly observant young soldier, Paul Bäumer, who exposes details of life on the Western Front – from gas attacks, to fatal illnesses, to rat infestations. Best known for its portrayal of the horrors of trench warfare, All Quiet on the Western Front explores the necessity and purpose of war. More than one million copies of All Quiet on the Western Front were sold in Germany when it was published in its entirety in 1929. The Nazis, who were rising in power, hated its grim portrayal of war. They publicly burned it. Gangs of Nazis descended upon the theatre where the 1930 film premiered in Berlin. In 1938, Remarque lost his German citizenship. He eventually moved to Switzerland and, later, to the United States. Over time the novel was translated into twenty languages, provoking a range of emotions and discussions on war around the world.

Jane Austen Book Club Meets at Cowra & Orange

Jane Austen Book Club meets at Cowra Library Friday 14 December from 11am – 12 pm to talk about Northanger Abbey. Northanger Abbey was written in the late 1790s, but published only posthumously. It is the story of a deliberately ordinary heroine named Catherine Morland. The book is divided into two parts. In the first, Catherine travels with family friends, the Allens, to Bath. There she meets two brother-sister pairs – John and Isabella Thorpe, and Henry and Eleanor Tilney. Her own brother, James, joins them and becomes engaged to Isabella. Catherine is attracted to Henry, a clergyman with witty and unorthodox manners.

In Orange, the Club also meets on Friday 14 December from 12.30pm – 1.30pm to talk about another popular Jane Austen novel Sense and Sensibility. Sense and Sensibility was written in the late 1790s but much revised before publication in 1811. It is primarily the story of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The death of their father has left them, with their mother and younger sister, financially pressed. Both women fall in love, each in her own characteristic way – Marianne is extravagant and public with her emotions, Elinor restrained and proper.

Classics Book Club Returns

Classics Book Club returns! Please note there meeting dates for Blayney and Orange and have moved back for one week, this month only:

• Blayney (3rd Tues) Tuesday 21 August 11am – 12 noon to talk about author Tirra Lirra by the River by Jessica Anderson. A woman returns to Australia after time spent in England and reflects on her life.

• Orange (3rd Thurs) Thursday 23 August 12.30pm – 1.30pm to talk about Patrick White’s Voss and 5.30pm – 7pm for discussions on George Johnston’s classic My Brother Jack.

• Cowra Classics (4th Tues) meets on Tuesday 28 August from 12.30pm to 1.30pm to chat about David Malouf’s award winning novel The Great World.

Jane Austen Book Club Meets Friday

The Jane Austen Book Club returns on Friday 11 May at Orange City Library to chat about Northanger Abbey from 12.30pm. This book was written in the late 1790s, but published only posthumously. It is the story of a deliberately ordinary heroine named Catherine Morland. The book is divided into two parts. In the first, Catherine travels with family friends, the Allens, to Bath. There she meets two brother-sister pairs — John and Isabella Thorpe, and Henry and Eleanor Tilney. Her own brother, James, joins them and becomes engaged to Isabella. Catherine is attracted to Henry, a clergyman with witty and unorthodox manners.

Cowra Library will host a discussion about Jane’s most famous novel Pride and Prejudice (think Darcy and Elizabeth) from 11am – 12pm on Friday 11 May. Dear readers, I think Jane would be most pleased!

Who's Reading Jane Austen?

Guess who is reading Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice? They are getting ready for the next Jane Austen Book Club meeting to be held at Cowra Library on Friday 11 May at 11am. Come along to learn more about the book and, of course, talk about Darcy!

Pride and Prejudice was originally entitled First Impressions. It was written between 1796 and 1797, and heavily revised before its publication in 1813. It is the most famous of Austen’s novels. It is an inversion of the classic Cinderella fairy tale, when the hero, Fitzwilliam Darcy, first sees the heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, at a ball, he refuses to dance with her. Come along to join in the discussion.

Orange Jane Austen Club meets on Friday 11 May at 12.30pm to chat about Northanger Abbey.