Simply Stunning Classic Book Club - The Podcast

Wind in the Willows ...

For the past four years the Simply Stunning Classic Book Club – Sue, Debbie, Donna and myself – have met regularly (sometimes monthly, sometimes less often) to discuss books. The books we read to discuss are classics – the clue is in the title. Some have been modern classics and some have been childhood classics, but everything we’ve read can be considered a classic for some reason.

We began by reading everything by the Bronte sisters, moved on to everything by Jane Austen and have branched out since then. These days we take it in turns to select a book and have read and discussed books by Dickens, Virginia Wolfe, Aldous Huxley, Evelyn Waugh and Oscar Wilde – to name a few. The list is in the graphic below.

Some we’ve all loved, and a couple we’ve all loathed. Some have split us down the middle, some we’ve appreciated only after we’ve talked about it, some have stayed with us long after the discussion was over. Some have been re-reads, some new reads, some glad-I’ve-read-it-but-never-again-reads. Repeatedly, we’ve found ourselves amazed at how current some of these themes are.

One thing they all have in common is how they’ve sparked a good, robust discussion – not just about the books and the story, but the rabbit holes we find ourselves running down as we research the author, the history of the place and the time the book was written, and other fun facts. We have all learnt SO much – not just about the books we’ve read, but each other.

In a way it’s been like studying literature and history but without the exam and essay bits, learning without fear of judgement.

And now you’ll get to join us – virtually, that is. Our first podcast – our discussion of 'Wind In The Willows' by Kenneth Graham – is now live here.

Next month we’ll be talking about The Code of the Woosters, by PG Wodehouse. We’d love for you to join us… you can subscribe here.