The latest meeting of the Deutsch-Englische Gesellschaft Bayreuth e.V. Book Club took place on 17 June, bringing together six enthusiastic readers to discuss Ben Aitken’s memoir The Marmalade Diaries.

The book tells the story of Aitken’s friendship with his elderly neighbour Winnie during the COVID-19 lockdown. What begins as a simple arrangement soon develops into a touching account of companionship across generations. Through humour, candid conversations, and everyday encounters, the author explores themes of ageing, loneliness, grief, and the importance of human connection.

Our discussion centred on many of the book’s key themes, including intergenerational friendship, community, the impact of isolation during the pandemic, and the challenges faced by older people in modern society. Participants reflected on whether such a friendship could have developed under normal circumstances and discussed the ways in which both Ben and Winnie benefited from their relationship.

Reactions to the book were mixed. While some members particularly enjoyed the warmth, humour, and observational style of the narrative, others found it less compelling. Several participants noted that they could strongly identify with Winnie’s experiences because they have elderly parents or relatives themselves. These personal connections led to thoughtful conversations about ageing, independence, and the importance of maintaining meaningful relationships across generations.

As always, the discussion was lively, open, and wide-ranging, with members sharing both personal experiences and differing perspectives on the book.

Looking Ahead: Yesteryear by Caro Burke

The next DEG Book Club meeting will take place on 18 August at 6.30 pm. Our next read will be Yesteryear by Caro Burke.

In this imaginative novel, Natalie Taylor, a dissatisfied woman from the twenty-first century, travels back to the year 1850 hoping to find a simpler and more fulfilling life. However, she soon discovers that the realities of the past are far more challenging than she expected. Blending historical fiction, social commentary, and time travel, Yesteryear explores questions about progress, nostalgia, and the roles of women in different eras.

Author Caro Burke is an American writer and former university professor whose work often combines humour with thoughtful reflections on history, culture, and society. Yesteryear has been praised for its entertaining premise and its fresh perspective on the relationship between the past and the present.

We look forward to another stimulating discussion in August and warmly welcome both returning and new members.

DEG Book Club Rating

As part of our ongoing effort to reflect on and celebrate the books we’ve explored together, the DEG Book Club is compiling a running list of all past and current reads, complete with average star ratings (1 to 10) as given by our participants. This list will serve as a shared memory of our literary journey – and a helpful guide for anyone looking for thoughtful, diverse reading recommendations. Participants are encouraged to rate each book after our discussion and these are the ratings so far:

1. “Hamnet” – Maggie O’Farrell	September 25 pick	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (average of 9)
2. “To Kill a Mocking Bird” – Harper Lee	July 25 pick	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (average of 8.4)
3. “The Shipping News” – Annie Proulx	May 25 pick	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (average of 7.75)
4. “What we can know” – Ian McEwan	April 26 pick	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (average of 7.5)
5. “The Road to Little Dribbling” – Bill Bryson	February 26 pick	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (average of 5.8)
6. “Going Zero” – Anthony Mc Carten	March 25 pick	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (average of 5.75)
7. “The Marmalade Diaries” – Ben Aitkin	June 26 pick	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (average of 5.66)
8. “The Body” – Stephen King	July 25 pick	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (average of 5,63)