Photo: 40th anniversary lunch celebration at Whitstable Castle, 31st March 2025
From left to right back row: Yvonne Philbrick, Berit Garsed, Sally Levis, Margaret Spratling, Gillian Harding, Val Tilley, Christine Dalston, Jan Gleave.
Front row, left to right: Pauline Girling, Linda Livingstone, Barbara Smyth, Liz McLachlan.
The Whistler catches up with a book club who have been reading together for the past 40 years
by
Someone once said that reading a book was like hallucinating while staring at a piece of dead wood. It could also be said that a book is the last bastion of true magic. With 26 abstract symbols, and a few punctuation marks, an author can conjure whole worlds into existence.
For some a book can also be a journey into friendship. This is true of the Whitstable Book Club, 14 women who have been meeting on a monthly basis for the last 40 years. It was their mutual love of books that brought them together. It may be the longest running book club in the town. If there are any older, please let us know.
It was inaugurated on the 30th January 1986. Originally it consisted of eight members of the National Women’s Register who decided that, as a supplement to their usual activities, they would also like to read books. The number soon rose to 15, but was reduced to 14 when one of their number – much loved friend Doreen Beattie – died in June 2020.
Their first book was Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard. Their most recent was Excellent Women by Barbara Pym. They have read 438 books so far, mainly fiction, both contemporary and classic, but also non-fiction, biography, autobiography and poetry. They have kept a list of every book they’ve ever read.
I met two of the members, Yvonne Philbrick and Linda Livingstone, in Revival Cafe. What’s the appeal, I asked?
“Escapism,” said Yvonne. “Stepping out of your day-to-day. When we started many of us were young mums. Reading was an escape from domesticity and good for the brain. Also it is a real joy to read the words that someone else has thought and committed to paper to create a story.”
Linda said that their 35th anniversary happened during lockdown. Obviously they were unable to meet, except online, so they devised a project: Desert Island Books. Each member had to choose their eight favourite books and a luxury item. These were collated into a booklet so that everyone had some more reading recommendations.
The three Desert Island favourites were: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy; Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes; and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
What were their personal favourites, I asked?
“Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf,” said Yvonne.
“My most recent favourite is Still Life by Sarah Winman,” said Linda.
What books had made a difference to their lives?
“Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers,” said Yvonne. It reminded her that it was the small things in life that really matter.
The books are chosen each December for the following year. Members suggest books, after which they are voted on by a show of hands. Eleven are selected, while the rest are added to the recommended reading list. The only criterion is that they must be available in paperback. The members can then set about acquiring the books. They can buy them new or second hand, they can download them on Kindle, or they can order them from the library.
The meetings are once a month. The person who recommended the book will make a presentation, after which they will discuss it. They don’t always agree. Sometimes there can be the most heated discussions, but never once, in the whole 40 years, has anyone said, “I’m not reading that.”
The book club is full, due to the fact that they meet in each other’s houses, so there is no room for new members. However, they were very keen to promote the idea. “We want to encourage other book clubs to start and to promote reading,” they said.
It’s been a remarkable 40 years, Linda and Yvonne told me. Definitely different. They were not all friends when they started, but they are now. It’s the book club that holds them together. People are upset when they have to miss a meeting. It’s a little place all their own – special – and it brings them joy.
From the Whitstable Whistler.
Original article appeared here
According to Whitstable Library there are 34 registered reading groups in Whitstable, although there may be many more informal groups. The library can offer multiple copies of books, in different formats, such as spoken word or large print. Reservations are free of charge for registered groups, with six week loans instead of the usual three.
Photo taken on 6th October 2006 to celebrate 20 years of the Book Club.
Front row: Gail Rogers, Liz McLachlan, Val Tilley, (the late) Doreen Beattie, Linda Livingstone, Gill Harding
(Photo was taken by Chris Davey for The Whitstable Gazette. Book club was given permission to use the photo.)
About CJ Stone
CJ Stone is an author, columnist and feature writer. He has written seven books, and columns and articles for many newspapers and magazines.
Read more of CJ Stone’s work here, here and here.
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