A Horse Walks into a Bar, David Grossman (International Booker, 2017)

With only 9 Booker prize winners left to read, most from the '70s, we have expanded to include International Booker prize winners. This is our first. Grossman has won the Israeli Prize, that country's highest literary award for his lifetime literary contribution including children's novels, poetry and a novel drawing on his sons' experiences in the Israeli Defense Forces, one of whom was killed on the last day of the 2006 Lebanon War. Last year he called his country's campaign in Gaza a "genocide". Despite being an "unexpected delight" about a comic *A Horse Walks into a Bar* is not an easy read. It has been described as a parable about the losses of parents and nation. Through the narrator, a judge in the audience, it explores our roles as spectators and participants as he listens to the offensive comic. For those that have had enough Magic Realism lately, looks like we're dropping the "Magic" out this month! Since starting this book club a few years ago we have formed a nice core membership. If you haven't come yet, please look out for the books on the table, pull up a chair, order a wine and join us. We like to hear what everyone has to say and enjoy the conversation, we're not cliquey at all! Oh, and to defray the Meetup monthly bill I will accept gold coin contributions or wine if you want to pay for multiple in one hit. I hope to see everyone again at this one with some new faces.