ICE Breakers
CHRISTMAS DAYS
Book Of The MOMENT
Which was your favourite story and why?
Winterson does refer to her past, in particular her father and Mrs Winterson. Do you think these stories have helped her to reflect and forgive?
What unique family traditions and recipes do you share at Christmas time?
Having read this book, do you think you will allow you and your family more time to stop and reflect at Christmas?
TOAST
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Do you think you have to be a Nigel Slater fan to enjoy Toast?
Have you seen Toast on TV or at the theatre and if so how did this affected your experience of his memoir?
What episodes in his biography surprised and shocked you?
What makes Toast an entertaining read?
Did your book club have similar experiences to you when discussing family traditions around food?
Why do you think Nigel Slater felt compelled to write this memoir? And how has it changed your opinion of him?
WINTER
THE WILD CARD
Do you think it important to have read Autumn? How are they similar?
What was the purpose of the surreal disembodied head in the first chapter and how does this evolve in the novel?
Did you enjoy Ali’s Smith’s literary references to A Christmas Carol and Cymbeline?
Did your group feel this was a political novel and did Ali Smith succeed in convincing you about her point of view?
Dreams are a recurring motif in the novel - what do you think Ali Smith was trying to achieve?
What do you think is in store for Spring (now reviewed in the Den) and Summer? How do they compare to Autumn? Which is the group's favourite?
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