Dear AMCA and AMCA Book Club Members,
Next meeting of the AMCA Book Club will be held on Friday, April 10, 2015 from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 pm
Location: Pub of the UofT Faculty Club (41 Willcocks Street – North of College/East of Spadina Ave)
The evening moderator: Ante Bilic;
1) Discussion about this month’s book: Want Not by Johnathan Miles
2) Miscellaneous
Yours in letters, words and thoughts,
Nada Raffay,
AMCA Book Club Moderator
DEAR AMCA and AMCA BOOK CLUB MEMBERS!!!
Next meeting of the AMCA Book Club will be held on Day: January 09, 2014
Time: 7:30 p.m. – ?
Location: Pub of the UofT Faculty Club (41 Willcocks Street – North of College/East of Spadina Ave)
1) Discussion about this month’s book: “THE WOMEN UPSTAIRS” by Claire Messud
2) Miscellaneous
Yours in letters, words and thoughts,
Nada Raffay,
AMCA Book Club Moderator
Date: November 07, 2014 – 7.30 pm
Place: U of T Faculty Club – 41 Willcocks Street, Toronto
BOOK: The Silent Wife, by A.S.A. Harrison (published in 2013)
Attendees: Nada Raffay, Tonica & Andrija Duic, Mika & Toni Vukas, Sanja Madunic, Lada Demarin, Perica Sever, Branka Komparic, Elizabeth Sakac, Dubravko Barac, Iva Berlekovic, Lila Lupo, Lada Majic, Vida Grosl
Recommeded by: Nada Raffay
This was an easy book to read, which felt more like a well annotated case file than a novel. It could be called a psychological thriller, twist and turns in a woman and man relationship, with references to their childhood, cultural backgrounds and experiences. The narrative stayed on a surface. There were quotes from work of Jung and Adler, but they remained just quotes.
This may have been our first – everybody read the book. As always, our discussion was engaging and lively, with very diverse opinions about every question that our skillful moderator presented to us. Some saw this book as comic, some as a snapshot of our today’s reality, some as not believable, some as not deep enough, and some as not being Dostoevsky. We were challenged to be a jury and judge the main character – we did not agree. How exciting to have such diverse opinions around a table on one cold November evening. We talked and talked, and laughed, enjoying everybody’s point of view and each other company.
Quote: “We live alone in our cluttered psyches, possessed by our entrenched beliefs, our fatuous desires, our endless contradictions – and like it or not we have to put up with this in one another.” A.S.A. Harrison
November 07, 2014
Perica Sever
DEAR AMCA and AMCA BOOK CLUB MEMBERS!!!
Next meeting of the AMCA Book Club will be held on Day: November 07, 2014
Time: 7:30 p.m. – ?
Location: Pub of the UofT Faculty Club (41 Willcocks Street – North of College/East of Spadina Ave)
1) Discussion about this month’s book: “The silent wife” by A.S.A.Harison
2) Miscellaneous
Yours in letters, words and thoughts,
Nada Raffay,
AMCA Book Club Moderator
Date: September 12, 2014 – 7.30 pm
Place: U of T Faculty Club – 41 Willcocks Street, Toronto
BOOK: New Finnish Grammar by Diego Marani (First published in 2000)
Attendees: Nada Raffay, Tonica & Andrija Duic, Gordana & Ivan Vukin, Branka Komparic, Vesna & Luksa Delfin, Mika & Toni Vukas, Sanja Madunic, Lada Demarin, Elizabeth Sakac, Ante Bilic, Jasna & Dubravko Mazur, Perica Sever, Nina Valentic
Recommeded by: Perica Sever
This book is a moving examination of what makes a human being. The story of the main character is simple; however there is nothing easy and nothing obvious about everything else is this book: the Finish history, mythology and language; the ideas of memory, belonging and identity; the war and fatherland; the good and evil. The author dived into deep exploration of how language shapes our sense of ourselves and the world. All these, the basic elements of humanity, encouraged us to pause and to reflect on our own thoughts, feelings and life philosophies.
We had a rich and engaging discussion, many times on completely opposite sides: was it love or narcissism; was it patriotism or depression; was the ending necessary or not; can identity be described as just language and culture, or is it many more complex, almost infinite, things for each individual; can we love without knowing who we are or are feelings and instincts enough; can we think if we do not possess the knowledge of any language… and on and on … What a treat!!! What a wonderful group of people to be with.
Quote: “Language is a natural phenomenon, peculiar to all humanity. Human stupidity has divided it up into plurality of grammars, each claiming to be the “right” one, to reflect the clarity of thought of a whole people.” Diego Marani
September 12, 2014
Perica Sever
