ICE Breakers
GLORIOUS EXPLOITS
BOOK OF THE MOMENT
What were your first impressions of 'Glorious Exploits' and how did the Irish voice affect your reading of the novel?
The book is less about the play and more about the impact of the challenge on Gelon and Lampo as well as the friendships formed amongst the captors, prisoners and Sicilian orphans. Did this strike you as a real possibility?
One of the credits describes Lennon as a writer who ‘beats you with a club then whispers you poetry’. Do you agree with this opinion and did you find 'Glorious Exploits' a cathartic experience?
Do you think Lampo became a better person as the novel develops and were you surprised by his courage to save his enemy?
Did it make you question who your enemies are and the purpose of war?
Did the novel encourage you to research the history of Syracuse (the quarry is still there to visit)? Or indeed encourage you to read 'Medea' or maybe even see a Euripidean play?
How did this novel compare to other novels that retell classical stories and myths?
IN THE TWILIGHT
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Whilst best known for his plays such as 'The Cherry Orchard' and 'The Seagull', did this collection encourage you to rediscover Chekhov?
For those familiar with his work, this collection marks a step change from his lighter comical stories. Do you think Chekhov was affected by societal changes and did this collection encourage you to seek out more about this period in history?
Chekhov was a young physician at the time of his short story writing. Did this occur to you when reading his stories and do you think it affected his writing style?
Did you have a favourite story that resonated with you and do you think they stand the test of time?
KILLING THATCHER
Depending on age, some readers will have strong memories of this event, others will only know the premise - what difference do you think this makes to the read?
Were you surprised at the meticulous preparation of the IRA and similarly the subsequent investigation, but also the element of chance? Did it require both to succeed?
Do you think Magee ever believed he would ever get away with this crime?
Do you think Magee and the IRA ever imagined Thatcher’s response to the bomb?
The consequences of this attempt to kill Thatcher changed the security around politicians and conferences forever so distancing politicians from the public – do you think such a change was inevitable?
Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement Magee was released from prison in 1999 despite being sentenced for 8 life sentences. What do you think of the families’ differing response to his release?
Widely referred to as ‘The Brighton Bomber’ Magee has written his own autobiography – would you consider reading it?
To what extent did the impact of the Brighton bombing change Thatcher and Tebbit’s working relationship and do you think this change affected Thatcher’s judgement going forward.
Could you imagine the different outcome if Margaret Thatcher had been killed that night?
THE WILD CARD