The History Book Club discussion

Hello Everyone,

For the week of April 18th - April 24th, we are reading STAYING ON - Chapters Five and Six (pg. 50-74)~ Staying On, (pg. 50-74)

The week's reading assignment is:

Week Three- April 18th - April 24th ~ Chapters Three and Four -(pg. 50-74)

We will open up a thread for each week's reading. Please make sure to post in the particular thread dedicated to those specific chapters and page numbers to avoid spoilers. We will also open up supplemental threads as we did for other spotlighted books.

This book was kicked off on April 4th.

We look forward to your participation. Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other noted on line booksellers do have copies of the book and shipment can be expedited. The book can also be obtained easily at your local library, local bookstore or on your Kindle. Make sure to pre-order now if you haven't already. This weekly thread will be opened up on April 4th.

There is no rush and we are thrilled to have you join us. It is never too late to get started and/or to post.

Jill will be leading this discussion and back-up will be Bentley.

Welcome,

~Bentley

TO ALWAYS SEE ALL WEEKS' THREADS SELECT VIEW ALL

by Paul Scott

REMEMBER NO SPOILERS ON THE WEEKLY NON SPOILER THREADS - ON EACH WEEKLY NON SPOILER THREAD - WE ONLY DISCUSS THE PAGES ASSIGNED OR THE PAGES WHICH WERE COVERED IN PREVIOUS WEEKS. IF YOU GO AHEAD OR WANT TO ENGAGE IN MORE EXPANSIVE DISCUSSION - POST THOSE COMMENTS IN ONE OF THE SPOILER THREADS. THESE CHAPTERS HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION SO WHEN IN DOUBT CHECK WITH THE CHAPTER OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY TO RECALL WHETHER YOUR COMMENTS ARE ASSIGNMENT SPECIFIC. EXAMPLES OF SPOILER THREADS ARE THE GLOSSARY, THE BIBLIOGRAPHY, THE INTRODUCTION AND THE BOOK AS A WHOLE THREADS.

Notes:

It is always a tremendous help when you quote specifically from the book itself and reference the chapter and page numbers when responding. The text itself helps folks know what you are referencing and makes things clear.

Citations:

If an author or book is mentioned other than the book and author being discussed, citations must be included according to our guidelines. Also, when citing other sources, please provide credit where credit is due and/or the link. There is no need to re-cite the author and the book we are discussing however.

If you need help - here is a thread called the Mechanics of the Board which will show you how to cite books:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Introduction Thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Table of Contents and Syllabus

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Glossary

Remember there is a glossary thread where ancillary information is placed by the moderator. This is also a thread where additional information can be placed by the group members regarding the subject matter being discussed.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Bibliography

There is a Bibliography where books cited in the text are posted with proper citations and reviews. We also post the books that the author used in his research or in his notes. Please also feel free to add to the Bibliography thread any related books, etc with proper citations. No self promotion, please.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Book as a Whole and Final Thoughts - SPOILER THREAD

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

by Paul Scott

Chapter Summaries and Overview

1 - Chapter Five

The new mali, Joseph is introduced and Ibriham begins schooling him on the ways of the British and how he should conduct himself when he has contact with Tusker and Mrs. Smalley. He is a simple young man but has aspirations. Ibriham feels sadness for Mrs. Smalley as she dances alone to the songs on her record player and loses herself in the past.

2 - Chapter Six

Mrs. Smalley receives a letter from England advising her that Colonel Layton, father of Susan and Sarah, has died. She and Tusker, at his suggestion, go to the Shiraz for lunch even though they can't afford it. Mrs. S. see Mrs. Boo, who is supposed to be playing bridge, enter the restaurant with several men who look like mobsters. Mrs. S. writes a letter to Sarah Layton and we learn a bit of history about life after the Raj. Tusker reads a book about the history of Pankot and reminisces.

Hello Everyone - Jill will be back soon - we will let you know.

We have many folks signed up for the discussion so I hope you will be posting to talk about this Man Booker Prize winner. This is a great series.

Hi, folks! I've just picked up the book.

Mrs. Smalley mentions the silver in the mess in her letter, and though I remember there was a dispute about it, I can't remember who wanted what and why. Can anyone refresh my memory?

I didn't remember Mrs. Smalley at all until she mentioned that she took shorthand at all those meetings. Then I did a search for the name "Smalley" through Amazon's digital copies of the last two of the quartet, and she was more than just a blink! It's so funny because Lucy was disdained for being a gossip, but most of the time, she was right.

Hey Kressel. It won't take you any time to read this book, it is much shorter than the Quartet books and completely different. Rather poignant.

If I remember correctly, Mrs. Layton either wanted or took the silver from the mess. It was early on in the Quartet and Mrs. Layton was throwing her weight around regarding just about everything. She was a most unpleasant person. The Smalleys were fairly minor characters but in this final book, the are the ones that "stayed on" as they could no longer identify with England and India had become the nearest thing they had to "home".

Thanks Kressel for posting - it is a good book - you will enjoy it.