May 2026 – Falling Leaves
May 2026 – Falling Leaves Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah A universal autobiographical story about resilience and overcoming emotional abuse, yet firmly rooted in Chinese culture. The eight attendees had mixed feelings about this book. Some found it difficult to read about Adeline Yen Mah’s painful childhood, and most did not enjoy the writing […]
May 2026 – The Book of Salt
May 2026 – The Book of Salt The Book of Salt, the debut novel by Vietnamese-American author Monique Truong, is a quietly unusual book. It tells the story of Binh, a Vietnamese cook who finds himself working in the Paris household of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas in the 1930s. Truong takes a passing […]
April 2026 – The South
April 2026 – The South In April, the two MCG book groups held their annual joint meeting to discuss Tash Aw’s The South. Largely inspired by the author’s own life and family, the novel is the first of a quartet. Its main character is Jay, an urban Chinese Malaysian boy who visits the run-down farm […]
March 2026 – The Stone Woman
March 2026 – The Stone Woman Exploring the Last Days of the Ottoman Empire The Stone Woman is a historical novel by Tariq Ali, set during the waning days of the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century. It was a small group of 7 that met to discuss the book at the RSGC. At […]
March 2026 – The Long Road from Kandahar
March 2026 – The Long Road from Kandahar The Long Road from Kandahar is a reflective novel that goes beyond what you might expect from a story connected to war. At its core, it follows a young boy Raza, whose life has been shaped by conflict, displacement, and the search for identity. As he moves […]
February 2026 – The Daughters of Madurai
February 2026 – The Daughters of Madurai The Daughters of Madurai by Rajasree Variyar This is a deeply moving and thought-provoking novel that explores trauma, identity, and the complex emotional bond between mothers and daughters. Set between Madurai, India, and Sydney, Australia, the story follows Janani and her daughter Nila as they navigate emotional […]
February 2026 – The Henna Artist
February 2026 – The Henna Artist The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi Ten of us met at Ket Ti’s home on 27th February to discuss The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi. Surinder, who was scheduled to lead the session, was called away on urgent business. However, she had circulated her questions earlier, and Nisha used […]
January 2026 – The Lion Women of Tehran
January 2026 – The Lion Women of Tehran This month’s book club discussion focused on The Lion Women of Tehran, a moving and thought-provoking novel that left a strong impression on our group. The story prompted rich discussion around the lives of Iranian women, the depth of female friendships, and the courage shown through quiet […]
January 2026 – Majapahit
January 2026 – Majapahit Majapahit by Herald van der Linde Majapahit is a historical account of one of Southeast Asia’s most powerful empires, told in a way that is surprisingly readable for a topic that includes dates, kings with very long names, and lots of political drama. The author admitted that he took a lot […]
November 2025 – Lady Tan’s Circle of Women
November 2025 – Lady Tan’s Circle of Women Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See Lisa See’s historical novel Lady Tan’s Circle of Women tells the story of Tan Yunxian, a woman who defies 15th century Chinese convention to become a doctor. The narrative is framed by the aphorism, “No mud, no lotus,” emphasising […]