As mentioned last week, the Bookgroup is going well. We talk, we drink, we laugh, we share. About 8 or 9 people now every time. Some come for the books, some come for the company.
We decided against reading The Famished Road for the upcoming April 17th meeting. A number people have tried started it numerous times and...the last book promised angels and it didn't really give us angels. Roger suggested Quaker Sally Vicker's novel Miss Garnet's Angelas a wonderful alternative. A couple people oohed and aahed when it was suggested. So it seemed an obvious altenrative. Sorted.
In September Matt Robson and I are making an appeal which touches on Palestine, a topic I would like to know more about, so thought it might make sense to have a themed book club. Asked Matt what his favourite book on Palestine was and he said the graphic novel (which I keep meaning to read more of anyway) Palestineby Joe Sacco (and foreword by Edward Said in some editions I believe). Again, an enthusiastic response by the one person who had read it and nobody seemed to hate the idea so...date still to be set, but that's what is coming up in the bookgroup for September.
The Future of British Quakerism
4 weeks ago
2 comments:
I just happened onto your blog because it mentioned Quaker and Palestine while I was doing a search for the Quaker Report on Palestine of 1970. You may find with a little due diligence that Quakers have been and are quite active there. I'd encourage you to gain an understanding of the plight of the human beings in that "Holy Land."
I have no idea where you are--England? I'm in Arizona.
Hi Richard,
Glad you found us! We're in Sheffield, England which is in the North. A couple hours north of London and 3 hours south of Edinburgh if that helps (by train of course) and 1 hour east of Manchester. Where are you in Arizona? I've been to bits of it. Beautiful colours.
We started up the bookclub to learn more about the world. I guess I know enough facts, but find them hard to make meaningful.
My feeling is that there is a difference between knowing facts and understanding people's truths/experiences and worldviews. Would you agree?
Some people don't understand what I mean I suppose but it is important to me to make what seem like numbers come alive to me somehow. This is where art/fictions and stories come in for me. I've found that it's been very interesting and useful so far. I'd certainly be happy to have you share some of your ideas or information as well, it sounds like you are very knowledgeable? I always have more to learn.
Matt spent a year in Palestine with EAPPI as a volunteer peacemaker and has shared his experiences with us in a number of ways. You can read some of his story here: http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:YQA9buKkXEIJ:www.paxchristi.org.uk/PeacePeople/Matt%2520Robson.pdf+matt+robson+palestine&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjssYMTREBQ4DcAIaLAVSYbjVpeWRCdQEfEJr4aSfJixsDDl1PX7kJTeLxaxqEapTEuV44solpSm6xzWDdm_9xyelcxY4x4RUR9qU8NroaONMv9rIVRtdNU6o_KKxIJZ_vMYIft&sig=AHIEtbQM3uQapNTpSAU1JpBMnCSKxVP2Uw
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