Book for May

Our next book will be Amongst Women written by John McGahern.

What wiki says about the book
NYTimes book review
Amazon link
Penguin.com has a list of discussion questions
Novelist Coim Toibin writes about how he was first introduced to this book by the author, John McGahern

Screening of "There once was..."

At the Museum of Tolerance, May 9th, 7 PM.
More info at their site.

Q&A following the screening with flimmaker Gabor Kalman and the subject of the film Gyöngyi Mago

There Once Was tells the inspiring story of Catholic school teacher, Gyöngyi Mago’s fight to have her town’s Jewish history officially acknowledged and to chart a new course of tolerance in conflict-riddden Hungary, where the Nazi party is presently growing an alarming rate.

David Mitchell's The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

First off, enjoyed reading this book. One thing I was curious about: what was the reaction to his novel by Japanese and Dutch readers? Unfortunately, I had no success in finding anything via google. If you have more luck than me, please feel free to send any info along.
Update: Here's one: a writeup from the Japan Society in the UK

Interview with David Mitchell
Discussion questions on Litlover's site
Facebook site for The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

I found the following reviews of David Mitchell's book offering some criticism, unlike the bulk of the reviews out there.

The reviewer in the New Statesman was not impressed.
Speculation on why this book did not win a Booker Prize nomination for David Mitchell.
The Spectator seemed to be quite critical.

Background for his book
Wikipedia, Henrik Doeff, the Dutchman in Dejima who wrote a memoir about his time in Japan
Wikipedia, Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
Dejima in Wikipedia
The Phaeton incident