More Book Club Reads – Retirement Reflections

Take masterful writing—eloquent, precise, and carefully rendered. Combine it with an unreliable narrator and a deeply layered story that is both comical and gut-wrenchingly serious. Add timeless, provoking questions, “What is dignity?” What gives life meaning?—and you have The Remains of the Day in a nutshell.

The emotional restraint, deliberate pacing, and quiet devastation of the final pages are undeniably powerful. Be warned: certain moments—both comic and tragic—cut deep. That final blow lingers.

The promotional blurb made me think this wouldn’t be my kind of book. But as I began to read, I felt a haunting sense of familiarity with echoes of Anna Karenina, The House of Mirth, The Yellow Wallpaper, and Mrs. Dalloway.

Edna, the protagonist, rejects the roles of wife and mother in her search for personal freedom and romantic fulfillment. Her rebellion is met with punishment—both external and internal—offering a powerful commentary on the cost of defying social norms.

This novel reminded me that you can’t judge a book by its blurb. And that we don’t need to like or agree with a character’s choices to be deeply moved by their journey.

Some novels defy even the best rating systems. The Great Gatsby is one of them. No number of stars could ever capture its power. On this reread—my fourth—the prose and imagery were more piercing than ever. I literally held my breath more than once.

That green light. The aching hope. The sense that no matter how far we run or how hard we try, we’re pulled back—by memory, by history, by the weight of the past.

Gatsby believed in the dream just out of reach. And still, as Fitzgerald writes:

“we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

And we do beat on. Of course, we do. Because maybe this time….What other choice is there?

Fahrenheit 451 is an intense read. At times, I needed to step away. Yet beneath its unsettling imagery lies a quiet and unexpected hope. The image of returning to a city once fled becomes a powerful symbol of resilience—and the human spirit’s capacity for renewal after devastation.

I enjoyed this book far more than I expected. Bradbury’s powerful writing held me captive throughout.

Classic Book Club pick for September 2025 – Podcast available starting September 18 [here].
4.5 Stars

The Code of the Woosters is our Classic Book Club’s current pick. The podcast will be available as of today [here]. In my usual read-ahead style, I reviewed this book last month [here].

This was not a book club read, but one that I recently read from NetGalley. If you (and/or your book club) enjoy accessible, evidence-based nonfiction on a timely topic, this could be a great choice. Regeher explores how smartphones and algorithms shape our habits, attention, and mental health. With its concise format and provocative discussion points, this is a very stimulating read. It is sure to prompt meaningful reflection about both our individual choices and the broader social consequences of a smartphone-driven world.
4 Stars

I was honoured to be invited by Carol, at Reading Ladies’ Book Club, to join her “Summer’s One Must- Read Book.” This is a collaborative post with book bloggers from around the world. I encourage you to check it out here.
What one book would you recommend as a ‘must-read’?