Last night was certainly a bumper event for the book club - a whopping 12 people were there to discuss 
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Or was the promise of tempting Indian food the reason for such a high 
turnout? 
 
While we would like to think that it was the sparkle and wit of Muriel Spark's writing that drew the crowds, 
really it has to be said that Darshana's culinary skills more than outshone it. Every eligible man in greater 
Bangalore would have been falling at your feet had they seen the spread you set out before us Darshana! 
And let us not forget Siobhan's speciality Lemon and Almond Cake. A veritable feast for the taste buds.
 
But on to things literary. While approximately 50% of the group hadn't actually managed to read the book, 
with excuses ranging from "but I only just came back to Belgium at the weekend" and "we were going live" 
to "they don't have it in the bookshops here" (not having any of it, girls), those who had were of the opinion 
that while fascinating, Jean Brodie was a bit of a manipulative cow. From clearly communicating her disdain 
at the idea of the Brownies to encouraging one of her protégés to go off and fight for Franco in the Spanish
Civil War and get killed in the process, her character seemed to go from bad to worse, all the while amid her 
insistence that she
was "in her prime".
 
There was a discussion on the fact that, given the fact that the book was written in 1961, it was surprisingly 
frank on matters sexual. (Aoife, we really must check out whether this book was in fact banned in Ireland – 
wouldn't surprise me in the least). But none of it was particularly rose-coloured. A hint of manipulation and 
downright evil tinged even MJB's romantic entanglements.
 
Nicola wowed us with a flashback to her 17-year-old self and what she had come up with by way of a 
dissertation on Muriel Spark for her Highers. While I can't quote verbatim from this impressive piece of literary
criticism, there was certainly a reference to the school in the book representing "Mussolini's Italy in microcosm". 
Such insight in one so young!
 
As was to be expected with such a large crowd and so many bottles of wine, discussions on the book took up 
no more than their customary portion of the evening. The many tangents on which the conversation subsequently 
went off included methods of sex education in the various countries, horror at the thought of wearing STs with 
loops and a belt, teenage rites of passage, speed dating, the correct way to eat foie gras and embarrassing
 encounters with IT helpdesks. Most entertaining!
 
Next month's book club will be hosted by brave newcomer Jennie on
Wednesday 20 April. I will leave it to her to communicate the address closer to the time.
 
The book is The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, described by Amazon as "the story of Henry and
Clare, who have known each other since Clare was 6 and Henry was 36 and were married when Clare was 20 and
 Henry 28. This is possible only because Henry is the first person diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: 
periodically his genetic clock resets." It's been getting good reviews, so hopefully an enjoyable read. It is also 
apparently freely available in the shops.
 
For those with the time and wanting a bit of a giggle, Deanna also recommended The Between Boyfriends Book 
by Cindy Chupak (writer of Sex & the City). We've all been there!