The Dialogue Society Book Group Meeting 10: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Thu, 16 Oct 2014 18:00 in Community Engagement

Where: Dialogue Society, 402 Holloway Road, N7 6PZ
Date: 16th October 2014
Time: 18:00
With: Dialogue Society staff

Partly inspired by Amy Tan’s own relationship to her mother, The Joy Luck Club, Tan’s debut novel, was published in 1989. It tells the stories of four immigrant women from China – their hopes, fears, and tragic pasts – as well as the stories of their four American-born daughters. This mother-daughter story encompasses numerous universal themes, such as family, hope, love, sacrifice, strength, and wishes for a better life.

About the Dialogue Society Book Group

The Dialogue Society Book Group explores the capacity of books to provide windows into different cultural and intercultural worlds and to illuminate the complexities of intercultural communication. We will be choosing a series of quality novels to read and then to discuss together at relaxed, sociable gatherings at the Dialogue Society. Participants are welcome to suggest books for future sessions.

Participants will need to find a copy of the book chosen for each meeting, and will need to read it prior to the meeting. Books will generally be available from local libraries.

Over refreshments we will have a conversation about the book and our responses to it. Discussion may cover:

the quality of the storytelling
the authenticity and accuracy with which a historical/cultural situation is portrayed
our personal responses to it

You do not need to be an expert on literature or anything else to join in. The group should be enjoyable for anyone who enjoys a good book and likes discovering new ones.

Prospective books for future sessions (NB we are open to suggestions):

The Time Regulation Institute, Ahmet H. Tanpinar
The Fish Can Sing, Halldor Laxness
The Missing Rose, Serdar Ozkan
An Artist of the Floating World, Kazuo Ishiguro
Let It Be Morning, Sayed Kashua
Pearl of China, Anchee Min
The Picture Bride, Yoshiko Uchida