Just finished this and wanted to journal it immediately.

I picked this up in Oxfam, a book on my long-term wishlist. A book about books, about women, about a country I know little about.
The book starts off with being about a professor running a literary group for a select few female students. The meetings soon digress from the books being discussed: personal lives, politics, amongst other topics.

Yes, this book is one side of a relatively alien country (especially to those of us living in Liberal Britain), but it tells us some inside stories, of students, women, radicals, liberals.

The theme of exile is also prevalent in the book, both the author's physical exile and the feeling of exile she has living in her own country. This was well-articulated and actually something I can identify with.

Here are links to some of the books discussed in the book, some of which I will be bumping up Mount TBR.
I recently picked up a copy of the Great Gatsby at a meetup: http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5258654
Jane Austen's work:
Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey: http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5923428
Persuasion: http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5839618
Sense & Sensibility: http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4385846
Am still trying to find a copy of Lolita and must admit have not really considered James before.

To be added to my Asian-themed Bookbox.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

In Asia-themed Bookbox

Out it comes from an Asian themed book box. I'm sure the books discussed will soon be bumped up my TBR list too.

Back in my Asia box.