The Sunday Night Book Club

by Wendy Holden (Contributor), Cathy Kelly (Contributor), Penny Vincenzi (Contributor)

In collaboration with Woman and Home and Breast Cancer Care, twenty-four of our favourite women's fiction authors - from Wendy Holden, Cathy Kelly and Penny Vincenzi to Joanne Harris, Andrea Levy and Alexander McCall Smith, to name just a few - have generously donated their fiction for an unmissable collection of stories. They tell of friendship and love, passion and betrayal and the brilliant writing, warmth and humour of each of the contributions will make The Sunday Night Book Club an utterly irresistible read. Scheduled to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, �1 per copy will go to the charity.

Genres: Short Stories, Chick Lit, Fiction, Anthologies, Womens Fiction

383 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 2006

About the author

Wendy Holden grew up in Yorkshire, and studied English at Girton College, Cambridge. She worked in magazines for many years before joining Tatler's in 1997 as deputy editor, and later moved to the Mail on Sunday’s You magazine, which she left in 2000 to concentrate on writing. She regularly writes features for newspapers and magazines on a range of social, topical and lifestyle subjects and is also a television and radio contributor.

She has now published ten novels, Gallery Girl, Beautiful People, Bad Heir Day, Pastures Nouveaux, Fame Fatale, Azur Like It, The Wives of Bath, The School for Husbands, Filthy Rich, Farm Fatale, Gossip Hound, Simply Divine, all top 10 bestsellers.

Holden is married, and lives in England with her family.

Reviews

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sunday Night Book Club is a compilation of twenty-five short stories by twenty-four well known authors. The likes of Cathy Kelly, Alexander McCall-Smith, Penny Vincenzi, Joanne Harris, Maggie O’Farrell, Katie Fforde, Nicci Gerrard and Tracey Chevalier all make a contribution. Both the quality and subject matter of the stories is variable and this is an excellent way for readers to get a taste of an author’s work without committing to a whole novel. Romantic cruises, learning to read, reminiscences of a stage career, getting used to widowhood, learning tact, decluttering, accidental reunions, adulterers’ comeuppance, a magic family holiday, misreading situations, a mysterious woman, reconciliations between mothers and daughters, sisters, the shape of ladies, the problem of men, kisses from old beaus, Christmas newsletters and vengeful sisters all feature. Some of the stories are excellent and this is well worth a read.

[Kellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

As with most short-story compilations, some were good and some were bad. This one was better than most, since I didn't actually skip any of the stories. I even finished both (Why did he get TWO?) Alexander McCall Smith stories, and I don't even like his writing.

I was disappointed only in the fact that I thought the stories were going to be about reading and/or books, based on the title. One story was about reading, and it actually was my favorite one. Most seemed to be about forty-something women having epiphanies or mid-life crises. Even though I'm in my forties (barely), I can't really relate.

[Evangeline · Rating 1 out of 5]

A collection of short stories by over twenty different women's writers in aid of breast cancer care. A noble cause, but unfortunately this book left me wishing I had just donated the money instead. Most of the stories were based on similar topics, e.g. women having mid-life crises, and I found them to be boring, pointless and instantly forgettable.

[Yaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really love the cover, it's so Me :) and the fact that this book is written to support Breast Care really touch me heart. Okay, the book consists of several stories by several writers.

Out of The Apple Tree by Veronica Bright reminds me of the way Maeve Binchy wrote her books, full of compassionate, wisdom and love. From the story Veronica taught us, the readers, not to judge a person by his/her appearance by creating Mr.Lancaster who was seemed so scary to everybody but a little girl named Jessica can be his best friend.

The Gift of Giving writeen by Tracy Chevalier made me smile but at the same time feel like Tracy is mocking us as the readers, "see, just because you like the things, you cannot expect others to like it as well!"

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

quotes#683044 The Sunday Night Book Club

She wanted to go home with at least a faint tan or Sadie would accuse her of spending a week in the shade with her book like an ancient spinster. p166
[comment: from cruise]

"Tell you what," says John seeing the horror written all over my face, "I'll read one page, you read the next."
"Isn't that cheating?"
"What do you mean, cheating?"
"This is the book Mum said if I read it all, she'd take me to the cinema." p26
[what I do with my girls when reading. in this case John is teaching someone to read]

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am normally not that keen on short stories and find that I skip stories I can't get into, however with this book I did not skip any!

I found that the stories where easy reading, it also gave me a taste of different authors and there will definitly be a few authors I would like to try out in the future.

[Annie]

Very easy beach/plane/gym read...

[Bambola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some nice light dip-into short stories to fill in a gap. Some more entertaining than others.

[Nazia Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice collection of short stories written by twenty-four different women's writers in aid of breast cancer care...

[Chrissie Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished this book weeks ago it's full of short storys so if you have lost your reading mojo then try this as it's easy to get into & will get you back into your normal reading patton in no time

[Fiona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short stories are never really my cup of tea, a few good ones in there from Joanne Harris, Cathy Kelly and Penny Vincenzi.

[Kylie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed some of the stories and disliked others. Not the best collection of short stories.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book of short stories by some well-know female and one well-know male (Alexander McCall Smith) authors. Most of the are easy reading and mostly forgettable apart from the one by Andrea Levy; Loose Change which is a stand out and memorable, although it doesn’t really seem to fit with the rest of these stories which are all pretty light weight

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another book written to raise funds for breast cancer - a worthy aim!

To be honest, the only stories in it that I truly enjoyed, were the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency shorts which, as usual, were very entertaining to me.

[Lucy McLaurin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A selection of short stories from some brilliant authors. Nice read!

[Katie Mottram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahiaruhe, winter 24

[Wendy Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, ideal when running out of time on our cruise. All short stories by various different writers. Loved it.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

As you can tell by the length of time it took me to read this that I wasn't overly anxious to sit down and read it everyday...I started it last August. It really just kind of sat there next to me and when I had some extra time I would take in a story of 2. Some I liked a lot and others were just there. I particularly liked the 2 by Alexander McCall Smith (which is really why I picked up the book because the stories both contain tales about Mma Ramotswe from the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series). I also greatly enjoyed The Gift of Giving by Tracy Chevalier and A Kiss in the Tomatoes by Adriana Trigiani.

[Tashinka Roz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book of good short stories. A good read and an excellent way to find new authors to read.