Publicité
A book club for adults
“A lot of Mauritians want to read English novels, especially the new ones that have just come out. This book club will give them the chance to do so”, says Simon Ingram-Hill, director of the British Council, following the launch of the “Adult Book club” last Tuesday.
After having set up the “reading challenge” for children between 7 and 11 years old and the “teenage book club”, for those between 14 and 16 years old last year, this time, the British Council has giving adults an opportunity to fulfil their needs. The BC Director adds: “Our aim is to promote the English language. A lot has been said about the reading culture in Mauritius. Consequently, we are responding as best as we can!”
The “Adult Book Club” will operate in a very specific way. Members will meet once a month to discuss the novel they have read from a list chosen by the British Council on the advice of its members. So far, the book club has some 20 members. And what is interesting is that they come from a wide variety of sectors - professionals such as lecturers, teachers, writers, business people and even from the medical field.
Aspiring members</B>
For Sandrine Koa Wing, the co-ordinator of the “Adult Book Club”, the initiative is turning into a success: “I am happy to see that we have members from several fields. This proves that the book club is not closed to anyone!”
Last Tuesday at the launch of the “Adult Book Club”, the guest speaker was Louise Dean, the winner of Le Prince Maurice 2006 Literature prize. She read two extracts from her novel Becoming strangers, which won the Betty Trask Award for Romantic Fiction in 2004 and which will be this month’s book for members of the club. After listening to Louise Dean, some “aspiring members” were already very enthusiastic about reading the novel of which they received a signed copy.
Vidya Surrun, lecturer in Humanities at DCDM Business School gave us her impression: “I liked the way Louise Dean expressed herself while she was reading. The chance to see an author read her own book in front of people is not given to everyone. I remember there was an extract she read that caught my attention. It was awesome!” According to the young lady, the initiative of setting up a book club is a great one. “I always wanted another activity that I could do after work. The Book Club responds well to that need. It helps to regain the pleasure I always found in reading. The book club may also help people improve their English and meet new people…”
Publicité
Publicité
Les plus récents
