In one of the weird quirks of the galaxy our Classics Book Clubbers are in sync with ABC Radio's The Book Show with Christina Stead's The Man Who Loved Children the topic of discussion on both fronts. For our book clubbers it was one of the best discussions although no one was able to finish the book but by looking at the author's life we gained further insights into the novel (and most of us resolved to give it another go). Hear what The Book Show had say about this novel likened to classics such as Ulysses and To The Lighthouse, it has never gained comparable critical acclaim. Not even in Australia. The Man Who Loved Children was first published 70 years ago, in 1940, and is one of the better known of Stead's 15 novels. Christina Stead spoke about the novel as a fictional expression of her own childhood. In her biography of Christina Stead, Hazel Rowley revealed that Stead was often in tears writing the novel because it was so painful for her to reflect on her upbringing. Go to: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow/stories/2010/3048220.htm