March 2021

The World of ...

Presented by Peter Davies.

There are some writers whose name can fit into the phrase "The World of ..." and everyone will know what that means. 

Peter talked about a couple of authors who write about real or imagined worlds in ways that make readers know them and desire to return to them again and again, focusing on Iris Murdoch and Graham Greene.

February 2021

Annual General Meeting

The AGM was followed by a review of events in the past year, presented by Huw Griffith on Zoom. 

January 2021

Books that got us through 2020

Books that inspired, intrigued or amused members as lockdown forced its way into our lives.

December 2020

Wordsworth, Keats, Clare and the Nightingale: 

An Entertainment

Devised and narrated by Christopher North with readings by

XBC members

November 2020

The Short Story in Fiction

Christopher North and novelist J David Simons explored the pleasures of the short story in fiction and also launched the Book Circle’s 2020 short story competition.

October 2020

Migrants and Literature

Jean Hilder talked about what it is to be a migrant, as discussed in four books written by a Bosnian, a Kurd, an Iranian and an Indian. 

September 2020

Summer Reading

We welcomed members to our first virtual meeting!

June 2020

An Introduction to Dorothy Dunnett

Sam Laird introduced us to Dorothy Dunnett, OBE, born in Dunfermline, 1923-2001.  She is best known for The House of Niccoló and The Lymond Chronicles.

May 2020

The Poems of Pablo Neruda

We celebrated his work with bilingual readings by Julie Christie and Lalie Abad, accompanied by details drawn from his fascinating life.

April 2020

Pastoral and Georgic Influences in Literature

Terry Gifford  discussed the relationship between Georgic and Pastoral, from the Ancient Greeks to contemporary literature.

March 2020

Books and Climate Change

Christopher North introduced "Books and Climate Change" - a miscellany of books and writers concerned with climate change.

February 2020

Annual General Meeting

TheAnnual General Meeting was followed by a presentation on the Siege of Troy, given by Huw Griffiths.

January 2020

The Great Italian Detective

Sian Bowen took a look at the work of four authors who have each given us a great Italian detective.

December 2019

Christmas supper 

This holiday entertainment comprised a reading of "In the Footsteps of Cervantes", devised and directed, as always, by Cchristopher North.

April 2019

War Stories 

Erica Meltzer presented "War stories: an oral history of World War II in France".

December 2019 (review of year)

Events of 2018 

Huw reminded us of all the events of 2018.