Curious about Life's Big Questions? We are a friendly philosophical discussion group based on the Cafe Philo model that operates around the world.
What does it do? We steer away (but not always completely) from current affairs. Instead we choose and discuss topics that have challenged both our and many previous generations. For example, What is free will? What does justice mean? How truthful should we be?
We meet monthly and take it in turn to choose and then introduce the book. At the following meeting the book is discussed and members voice their thoughts and opinions. If unable to attend a meeting, members are encouraged to contribute by emailing in their comments.
We are friendly and enthusiastic group, who enjoy learning more about things we know and finding out a lot of things we don't! For most meetings members prepare a brief talk to open a discussion on a topic of their own choice. At other meetings we have short talks of about ten minutes. Topics are usually themes from the 1500s to the present day. If you wish to join us don't panic! You will not be expected to give a talk at the next meeting! As you will see below, we have covered a wide range of topics so far!
A Tudor Christmas John Logie Baird The Andover Workhouse Scandal The Luddites The Tay Bridge Disaster No Homes Fit For Heroes Selling Your Wife at an Auction (Divorce) Aspects of Norwich History DNA Fingerprinting (Alex Jefferies) Dr. George McGonnagle (The Housewives' Champion) Beate Sinora Gordon The Bike in Wartime The Speaking Clock Joseph Paxton (gardener and architect, designer of the Crystal Palace where the Great Exhibition of 1850 was held) The early days of the Post Office Joseph Lister (pioneer of antiseptic surgery) The Golsboro Incident The HMS Birkenhead Drill History of Women's Toilets The Crimean War The British in India (including the personal lives of people who lived through it) The Gordon Riots (the political situation, Catholic suppression and conditions at the time) Flying in the 19th century (focussing on pioneers and their machines) Fake News - the Real Wild West (the truth behind the legends) Wentworth House and some of the people who lived there Dr. James Lind and scurvy (including the causes, symptoms and cure of the disease) The Gold Standard - what it is, why it was first introduced and its history The history of Railway Inspectors and safety on the railways The early days of postal services from a single messenger to the founding of the first General Post Office The growth of tourism, from the first British tourists to package holidays The Peterloo massacre - events leading up to it and the aftermath History of the Carlisle to Settle railway Jesse Boot - transformed the Boots Company into a national retailer First flight of the Spitfire The Berners Street Hoax Brendan Bracken biography Sheffield memorial to a crashed American bomber Unchaining the Insane - the history and treatment of mental illness in Britain The Frictionless Match Elon Musk - technology entrepreneur, inventor and engineer Sir Henry Tate The early life of Emma Hamilton Gerard Mercator
We are a friendly group of history lovers who meet to explore interesting topics of Modern History from 1485 to the present day. Recent topics include Wild Bill Hickok, The Bauhaus, Hedy Lamarr, The English Sweating Sickness and HMS Unicorn We each take it in turn to prepare and deliver either a long talk of about 25-40 minutes or a short talk of about 15 minutes duration. There is a long talk and a short talk at each meeting and each talk is followed by a discussion.
The group discusses topics in the news. Members are encouraged to submit topics in the week before the meeting and are free to give a presentation of they so wish. We aim to have a lively exchange of views on the most interesting and controversial events and ideas which have arisen during the previous month.
Topics in recent months have included :
The war in the Middle East UK's broken asylum system The winter fuel payment Kamala and Trump The House of Windsor Ukraine The House of Lords NHS
We meet once a month for a general chat about what is going on in the world and giving our ‘expert’ opinions on how to resolve problems. Newspaper cuttings help to provide a variety of topics and views, leading to some interesting and lively discussions. Tea and biscuits help things along!
The Page Turners borrow sets of books, free of charge, from the Portsmouth Library Service, which we can retain for one month.
We discuss the current book at our monthly meeting; everyone has the opportunity give their point of view in an accepting environment, where the range of thoughts and opinions on the book’s content can differ greatly.
We are a fun and social group of friendly, like-minded people who love reading.
This diverse group of book lovers experience a range of genres throughout the year. The book box is a revelation every month, like the last unwrapping of pass-the-parcel; we never know what is going to emerge.
The discussion is never boring as the members in the group all have their own thoughts and opinions on the theme, characters and the quality of writing. Discussions are always amenable and thought-provoking, as every members’ opinion is valued, with members influencing each other to embrace new authors.
Generally, all the books are well received but occasionally this is not the case!
We grade each book from 1 to 10 at the end of each session. The numeral values can range from 3 to 8-9, or even 10 on occasions for the same book!!! No one’s opinion is ever wrong as we are all different.
Portsmouth Library Service provides our books free of charge. These are some of the books we have experienced :
This is a random selection of some of the books the group has read and enjoyed over a number of years.
When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman - this novel was given an overall 7 by those present
Beyond the Dreams by Imbolo Mbue - this book was given an overall 7 by the attendees
No Lovelier Death by Graham Hurley - this read was given an overall 5
The Hundred-Year-Old Man who climbed out of the window and disappeared by Jonas Jonasson - this book was graded 8 by those present
Each month a book is chosen for group members to read. The following month we meet to discuss the book over tea/coffee. Another book is then chosen for the following month.
The book of the month is chosen by the reviewer and is circulated to the group at least four weeks beforehand. We meet in the reviewer’s home - refreshments are provided.
The books are a pretty eclectic mix and are mostly fiction; however, biographies, autobiographies and non-fiction in general are not precluded.
Meetings are not scheduled for August and December when we usually have a ‘bit of a social’.
