Saturday, January 15, 2011

Title for February: 'Mr Rosenblum's List by Natasha Solomons

First book for 2011 (for the reading month of February) and discussed at the March book club meeting is 'Mr Rosenblum's List'.

Jack Rosenblum is five foot three and a half inches of sheer tenacity. He intends to become a Very English Gentleman.

Jack is compiling a list: a comprehensive guide to the manners, customs and habits of England. He knows that marmalade must be bought from Fortnum & Mason, he's memorised every British monarch back to 913AD and the highlight of his day is the BBC weather forecast. And he never speaks German, apart from the occasional curse.

From the moment he disembarked at Harwich in 1937 he understood that fitting in was the key. But the war's been over for eight years and despite his best efforts, he still feels a stranger in a strange country.

His wife Sadie finds his obsession baffling. She doesn't want to forget who they are or where they came from. She'd rather bake cakes to remember the people they left behind than worry about how to play bridge.

But Jack is convinced they can find a place to call home. In a final attempt to complete his list, he leads a reluctant Sadie deep into the English countryside. Here, in an eccentric land of woolly pigs, bluebells and jitterbug cider, they embark on an impossible task...

A warm moving tale of post-war love, friendship and the importance of belonging.

On this page of the blog scroll down for the reading guide discussion notes.

Hope you enjoy the read.

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