BOOK CLUB - How to be GoodSynopsisHow to Be Good is a story for our times-a humorous but uncompromising look at what it takes, in this day and age, to have the courage of our convictions. In his third novel, Nick Hornby, whom
The New Yorker named "the maestro of the male confessional," has reinvented himself as Katie-the consummate liberal, urban mom-a doctor from North London whose world is being turned on its ear by the outrageous spiritual transformation of her husband, David.
How to Be Good has the ironic, funny, startlingly accurate take on our modern selves and our modern world that has become Hornby':s turf as a chronicler of our popular culture-but this time he tackles it all with more richness and depth, and carries his readers beyond the comic confines of the novel to a bigger truth about themselves. It':s a story about how to wreck your marriage, how to help the homeless, how not to raise your kids, how to find religion ... and how to be good.
ThoughtsEveryone pretty much enjoyed the book and it was fairly interesting that a book that doesn't seem to have that much in terms of discussion points created many varied topics of conversation form the validity and goodness of your work to whether speed cameras are used to save lives or make money.
Ailsa liked the concept of the angry man turned too good and a good story of being careful what you wish for. She thought it was easy to read and had lots of issues to get your teeth into
Barry also really liked the book, he liked the fact it satirized both being middle class and positive action, and showed being good in itself as a thorny issue.
Mandy felt let down, she didn't like the woman doctor, she thought she was unprofessional and didn't believe her as a character also she thought the book wasn't brilliantly researched as things like bringing a patient back for dinner was unethical. Mandy liked none of the characters
Matty liked the book (WOAH!!!!) although it ultimately didn't go anywhere, he enjoyed bits although he thought it was a bit fluffy and plateau'd. It did make him think of the issues and whether it was too easy taking the piss out of middle classes.
Andy thought the book was a brilliant choice because of the talking points it brought out and it dealt with the issues with the wealthy middle class guardian readers out there and the fact that these characters could 'see the light' as they obviously had enough money not to work. It also raised issues in the problems between family and children.
Emma picked up on the mains character fixation that as a doctor she was doing good and therefore thought that the attempt by her husband to do good some how retracted from herself. Emma also thought the issue where the mother didn't like her children was fascinating as it is probably one of the last major taboos in modern culture.
Myself I thought the book was good, the characters annoyed me but then again I think that was the intention. It did however just seem to stop. I re-read the final chapter twice just in case I missed something
