I want to take this opportunity to tell readers of the Magazine of three developments which may be of interest. Each of them illustrates the sort of Book Club we are – wide-ranging in our choice of books, open-minded in our discussion of them and ready to accept that there is not one correct way of understanding a written text (but it is fun hearing other people’s opinions)

Earlier in the summer, we spent an evening discussing Educated by Tara Westover which was published just three or four years ago. The author now has academic qualifications from the best British and American universities and yet was brought up in extraordinary circumstances. She tells how she never attended school, was taught only in rudimentary fashion at home and lived in a household led by people eagerly anticipating the Apocalypse. Her parents were talented in their own fashions but rejected education and any involvement in their lives by the state. Several of the children did not have their birth registered and medical treatment when necessary was home-made. You will not be surprised to hear that the parents adopted an extreme form of Mormonism to which they held with great faithfulness. In addition to that, several members of the family, it seemed to us, had mental health problems.

The story that Tara Westover tells is riveting if at times distressing. And yet from that experience, as we saw demonstrated in a YouTube interview, is a remarkably mature woman, poised and articulate and with a beautiful singing voice which on occasions had softened her father’s heart. Deep down, in essence, what is this book about? Religion, the purposes of education, family relationships, estrangement and reconciliation - possibly all of them.

You can take your pick, but if you read this book it will change you for the better was our conclusion.

I write this before our June meeting when Revd Jane will be assisting us in a discussion of the Book of Isaiah from the Old Testament. Each year the Methodist Church identifies a book for deeper reading - taking into account for those who wish to do so its origins, history and literary and spiritual meanings. We have found it refreshing and enlightening to read one of the 66 Bible books in its entirety and we are greatly looking forward to this session.

We have planned an extra meeting for 7.00pm on Tuesday 9^th August at Church. At this session we will thinking about ‘Something New’ and, whilst current members who wish to do so have been primed to read one of two books beforehand everyone is invited to tell us about something they have read which has brought a new perspective to their lives. This would be a great opportunity for new members to join us – just come along and join in the fellowship.

Happy reading, everyone. Ken Wales