Read and discuss a son's homecoming to his father on the remote Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland
Highlights
- Join this English book group and gain extra motivation to read in English
- 7 hours of live classes to help you develop fluent speaking in English
- Discuss family relationships, masculinity, duty & social control in an island setting
- Be corrected by an expert English teacher to remove errors and mistakes
Practise and develop your English online in this 7 week English book group course using the much praised international bestseller John of John by Douglas Stuart. Each week you read some chapters, discuss them in class and improve specific areas of vocabulary or grammar while also examining literary aspects of the novel. Personalised feedback improves your grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation.
The Book Club book
John-Calum Macleod returns home to the Scottish island of Harris, in the Outer Hebrides. He's been away at art school studying textiles, and although he has changed, everything else is the same. John, his father, is still weaving, farming sheep, and centrally involved in the local Presbyterian church. His Glaswegian grandmother Ella, is still a supportive, comforting presence.
Father and son struggle to connect. Cal is gay and looking for love. John is shocked by Cal's appearance and attitudes. The novel examines the bonds between the men, the generational gap between them, and whether they can be truly honest with each other.
‘Stuart’s most consummate work of literature to date’ – The Observer
‘Intimate yet epic in scale . . . enthralling’ – The Guardian
‘Miraculous . . . This beautiful story of literal and metaphorical homecoming is wholly satisfying’ – Daily Mail
Geoff says:
"This book is shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2026, and the Orwell Prize. The author won the Booker Prize for Shuggie Bain in 2020 and it is a favourite for 2026 too."
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| Age | 18+ |
| Online class size | Maximum 8 participants, on Zoom, using break-out rooms for increased speaking and discussion |
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Only 8 places available. Click Add to Cart above to reserve your place.
