Two books I've read for bookclubs I'm in.
"The Line of Beauty" by Alan Hollinghurst
This won the Booker in 2004 which I thought was rather surprising because I really think you'd have to classify it as a novel written for the male gay community rather than mainstream literature. He writes wonderfully well and the last half is almost (not quite sure) worth slogging through all the very graphic gay sex in the first 200 pages. If I wasn't reading it for a bookclub I probably wouldn't have finished it. It is quite a fascinating portrait of class society of Britain in the Thatcher era. It should be an interesting discussion as I'm sure most of us in the bookclub aren't used to reading things this racy and so focussed on sex and coke snorting!
"Before I Wake" by Robert J. Wiersema
This book is quite a contrast as it is pretty much devoid of sex scenes of any persuasion and focussed on the spiritual and miracles. Quite a thriller, though, as well. He is a local Victoria writer and this is his first novel. Really quite good and I look forward to reading more of his work. I expect it will generate an interesting discussion as well given the subject matter.
