ANNUAL REPORT 2012 - WBFN

American Book GroupThe American Book Group, established in FY11, concentrates on reading books only byAmerican authors and discussing American culture in literature. Meetings are generallyheld on the third Thursday of the month at a café, La Madeleine.The American Book Group continued to meet during FY12, and saw a change of coordinatorwhen Michele Schimetat left the U.S., with Carmela Cosans taking up the role.Meetings generally had between 2 and 4 participants. Going forward, the group hopes tomake WBFN members more aware that the group is continuing, mainly through spreadingthe word among other WBFN group organizers and the WBFN English teachers.English Book GroupThe English Book Group has over 20 members who meet monthly to socialize and discussa book they have read for the occasion. Books are mainly fiction, range from classicsthrough recent publications, and are chosen by consensus from member suggestions. Themain criteria are high quality and the potential for stimulating discussion of topics suchas love, war, art, religion and politics. Members take turns to host meetings. A HolidayPotluck (including significant others) and a Summer Potluck (together with the AfricanBook Group) are also held, and the latter has a theme or invited speaker. The group hasexisted for more than 20 years.Over the past fiscal year, members enjoyed a series of eight book discussion meetings, as wellas a few extra cultural events. The works that provided fodder for ever-lively discussions were:• Sea of Poppies, by Amitav Ghosh• Even Silence has an End, by Ingrid Betancourt• Incendiary, by Chris Cleave• The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein• The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, by Kate Summerscale• Cakes and Ale, by Somerset Maugham• The Hare With Amber Eyes, by Edmund de Waal• The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver• The Summer Potluck included a viewing of The Happy Movie.Through no-holds-barred discussions, strong friendships have arisen. Membership has beenstable. Changes included Elsa van Wersch’s return to the Netherlands, from where she remainsin touch, as do several other former members now also living permanently overseas.Barbara Cackler took over from Sabine Tourreilles as co-coordinator with Myra Jacobs insummer 2011.66 67