June 2021 Group Challenge

For this month, let's read an author local to you.

So an author from the same country as you, but maybe you can narrow it down and find an author from the same state/province/town.

I'll leave it to you to decide whether you choose where you were born, where you live now or somewhere you have lived at some time in your life.

I have chosen Oscar and Lucinda as Peter Carey was born in Bacchus Marsh, which is about 240km from my home. He spent his childhood there, then went to high school in Geelong, which is about 220km away and where one of my daughters lives.

Great challenge! I will pick John Irving. He was born and grew up in Exeter, NH, about 15 miles south of my hometown. We also have the same alma mater: the University of New Hampshire (Irving, '65 BA in English; me, '94 BS in Microbiology and '07 PhD in Biochemistry).

I have not yet read A Prayer for Owen Meany and The World According to Garp. I have them both. I'll decide at the last minute.

I am going to read Cat's Eye by fellow Canadian Margaret Atwood. I believe part of the book takes place in Vancouver, B.C. where I am so all the better!

From the age of 9 to 25 I lived near Glasgow in Scotland so I’ll pick How Late it was, How Late, James Kelman’s Booker Prize winning novel based in that city.

>5 puckers: That is one of my favorites from the list.

>6 ELiz_M: good to know! The Glaswegian accent and patter is very distinctive so I should slip in to it quickly in my head.

I thought it would take me some time to get through Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood but actually, once I started it, I found it a fairly quick read. While not among my favorite Atwood, this was still a quite powerful read.

>3 BentleyMay: Enjoyed both of these books but A Prayer for Owen Meany kicked me in the feels.

Just finished How Late it was, How Late. I liked it, notwithstanding the inconclusive plot and dense stream of consciousness profanities. It certainly helps to be familiar with the environment and modes of speaking/patter when reading this style of book. My favorite Kelman so far.

>9 ednasilrak: I'm gutted.

Familiarity with the locality made it more special. Thank you JayneCM for a great challenge!

>11 BentleyMay: You are welcome! I always enjoy reading about places I know. And now I will definitely have to move A Prayer For Owen Meany up my to read list. I read Garp many, many years ago but no other Irving.