September:- Biographies and Autobiographies

Prue:

‘Remembering Aboriginal Heroes’ by John Ramsland and Christopher Mooney documents the biographies of nine aboriginal people. They are artists, actors, poets, ministers, soldiers, singers, activists and sportsmen of the early  20^th century who struggled against the “stolen generation”, children’s homes, racism and discrimination. By succeeding in the Australian society of their time, they set footprints for their people to follow.

A hard truth telling collection of people’s lives written in a very academic way, showing their successes and failures as they lived their lives.

 

Kris:

Set against Argentina’s turbulent years following the collapse of the corrupt Peronist regime, ‘The Penguin Lessons’ by Tom Michell  is the  story of Juan Salvador the penguin. He had been rescued by English school teacher, Tom Michell from an oil slick in Uruguay just days before the new term. He becomes an instant celebrity at school, winning the hearts of students and staff.

The story is heartwarming, very amusing and written in a style that is easy to read.

 

Jo:

Lynda La Plante is not only a successful writer of over 40  novels but also trained at drama school, becoming a television star and tells her life story in ‘Geeting Away with Murder’.

She also wrote and produced many television plays and series. 

In the 1980’s she was trailblazer for female  authors and other transgender people.

A book to make you laugh, cry and be inspired to live your own life.

 

 Theresa:

It took a long time for the Wiggles  to achieve the success and status they now enjoy, and it was not an easy road. Their story is told by Anthony Field with Greg Truman in ‘Out of the Blue: Everything this Wiggle Journey has taught me.’

Starting with their childhood, the creation of their first band, and studies in early childhood education, all these led to the beginning of the Wiggles.  Over the years they have experienced incredible successes, unexpected failures and exciting reinventions. He speaks honestly about struggles with chronic pain and depression, and discusses the glory and challenges of his unique fame.

A fascinating read.

 

Pat:

The notes written by her mother Margaret were the basis of Malta A Childhood Under Siege by Linda Peek.

Margaret Staples and her 4 siblings were living an idyllic life in Malta where her father had been transferred from England. All this changed when the Second World War broke out.

The story of their survival reminded Pat of those told to her by her mother, who also grew up in Malta.

The book covers a very important and human part of Malta’s history.

 

Kerrie:

‘Madeleine- A Life of Madeleine St John’ by Helen Trinca

Madeleine was the first Australian woman nominated for the Booker prize but is better known for her book ‘Ladies in Black’ which tells the story of migrant women and women at that time.

But her personal  life was anything but happy, her mother suicided when she was twelve, she had a difficult relationship with her father but her talents for writing and film making took her to the USA and eventually UK. 

She lived a huge, small life, stylish, with good friends but cruel and fascinating to others.

 

Kellie:

Listening to Michelle Obama’s ‘Becoming’ gave her a new insight to her upbringing in Chicago, meeting her husband Barak and more idea of her life in politics. She tried to give their two girls as normal a life as possible and really promoted the value of education for girls world-wide.

She was a very interesting narrator.

 

Rosemary:

Hannah Kent’s autobiography ‘Always Home, Always Homesick’ tells of her visit to Iceland as a 17-year-old Rotary exchange student. Just wanting an adventure, she certainly had that in a country whose culture is bizarre, it’s very cold, she lived on a farm and couldn’t speak the language.

The book gives an amazing insight to the culture of Iceland from the perspective of a young girl and certainly was the inspiration for her first book.

 

Joan: 

‘The Man Who Left Too Soon – The Biography of Stieg Larsson’ by Barry Forshaw tells the story of this Swedish journalist and his worldwide success with his ‘MILLENNIUM TRILOGY’ of crime detective novels.

In 2001 he began writing fiction to make some money and originally had planned to produce  10 books but only 3 were published before his early death at age 50.

An absorbing read.

 

Judy A:

Maurice and Maralyn were an excentric couple, who when bored with suburban life decided to sail from New Zealand.

The journey is described in Maurice and Maralyn: An Extraordinary True Story of Love, Shipwreck and Survival by Sophie Elmhirst.

They’d been sailing for 9 months when an injured sperm whale breeches under their boat.

They float for 117 days before they are miraculously rescued, and their lives are never the same again. A truly amazing story.

 

Bev:

Bryce Courtney’s second wife Christine tells the life story of her husband from his early days in South Africa until becoming one of Australia’s most popular writers. ‘Storyteller’ by Christine Coutney is a very personal account of their lives. From Bev’s perspective there seemed to be too much emphasis on Christine’s life with little mention of his 2 sons.

 

Tam:

‘From here to the Great Unknown’ is a memoir by Lisa Presley written with her daughter, Riley Keough.Presley had asked Keough to assist her with the writing shortly before her death.

It gave a great insight into life inside Graceland and how a normal life was not possible.

 

Rosemary:

Richard Scolyer was one of the world’s leading melanoma pathologists and in ‘Brainstorm ‘he tells the story of how he unexpectedly became both doctor and patient after being diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, the deadliest form of brain cancer.

Just months before his diagnosis Scolyer and colleague Professor Georgina Long had been awarded the title of Australian of the Year (2024) for their work with melanoma patients.

It’s a deeply moving and human story of family, hope and what it means to fight for life while contributing to knowledge that one day may save others.

 

Judy J:

‘Unstoppable My Life So Far’ written by Maria Sharipova tells the journey of picking up a tennis racquet at 4,  and  3 years later she and her father headed for Florida, the centre of tennis in USA in the 90s.

By the time she was 11 she had a sponsorship with Nike, turned professional at 14 and went on to have  career which included 5 grand Slams and many months ranked number 1 in the world.

It’s an amazing story of her dedication, determination and hard work from which she has amassed a fortune from her winnings and endorsements, for which you must admire her .

 

Lyn:

When people think of Hedy Lamar they usual refer to the beautiful movie star that she was.

 But ‘Hedy Lamar – The Most beautiful Woman in the World’ by Ruth Barton tells a more interesting story.

She was an inventor, taking out a patent in Spectron Technology.  She emigrated to America and became very involved in the war efforts, selling war bonds and entertaining the troops.

Unfortunately her personal life was not always a happy one and included many failed marriages.

 

Judy De la T:

Yiyun Li  in ‘Things in Nature Merely Grow, considers the loss of her son James who suicided at nineteen.

‘Raising Ryland  - our story of parenting a transgender child with no strings attached’ by Hillary Whitington.  After discovering her son was both deaf and transgender, Hillary began dedicating her efforts to raising awareness about the transgender community.

 

Pamela:

The book she read was Ellen Clacy ‘A Lady’s Visit to the Gold Diggings in 1852-3’.This is a woman’s perspective of life in the Australian Gold Rush, in the form of a journal. You might think that the 20-year-old daughter of a clergyman who accompanied her brother smiled sweetly as they toured. They, in fact, walked with a small group and a dray from Melbourne where a log was needed to get across wet  roads. Ellen was a sensible, clever and educated woman.

Val:

 Val read ‘Confessions of a Bookseller’ by Shaun Bythell, an entertaining memoir.

 

Ed:

Ed read Dr Andrew Browning’s memoir ‘A Doctor in Africa’. He wrote the book in 2021, and it is the story of his life that he spent in Africa for nearly 20 years.

It is an inspiring story of his selfless life, working in remote, harsh and vastly under-resourced regions and very moving stories of the women whose lives he has transformed forever through fistula surgery and access to free maternal healthcare.

It was a lovely story but heart breaking at times.

 

 

OCTOBER BOOK CLUB: Women’s Prize-Winning Books.

Books that have won the Stella Prize, The Carol Shield Prize or the Women’s prize for Fiction

 

 

 

AUGUST, 2025 --- THREE BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY KITS

 

This month we had a choice of three books – Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, The Inheritance of Loss by Karen Desai and Dream Builders by Oindrila Mukherjee.

 

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES BY SHELBY VAN PELT

JUDY:  This is a story of friendship between Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus and Tova, a widow who cleans at the aquarium where Marcellus lives.  Tova has taken this job after the death of her husband, but she is still grieving over the unexplained death of her only son, Eric, 30 years before. Into her life comes Cameron, a young man, unable to maintain a relationship or a job. He then sets out on a quest to find his father who he had never met, having also been abandoned by his mother when he was nine years old. It’s a story about humans grappling with change, grief, abandonment and loneliness.  All the characters need each other, connected by their loss and grief.  Judy said it was a delightful and surprisingly enjoyable read and very informative about the life of these amazing creatures.

 Judy told us about the Dala horse or “Dalahast,” from Sweden which is very important to Tova as it is a part of her Swedish heritage. It is a traditional Swedish folk art craft and a national symbol of Sweden.  Originating in the Dalarna province, it’s a carved and painted wooden horse, typically red, that represents strength, good luck and Swedish heritage.  It’s a beloved symbol of Swedish culture, often given as a gift to represent happiness and prosperity. 

KELLY loved this feel good book and said it was easy to read.

SHEILA also loved this book.  She said it was very good for a first book, and it finished well.

JO loved it and VAL also enjoyed it.  Val said the ending was a bit twee, but it didn’t detract from a very enjoyable book.

KRIS enjoyed this book as well, although found it a bit slow to begin with.  Her favourite character was Marcellus, the giant Pacific octopus.  The book is divided into chapters and Marcellus has his own chapters where we hear his thoughts on life, his surroundings, his longings and what he thinks of the people in his life.  Tova and Marcellus form an attachment as she cleans the aquarium in the evenings.  Tova is a very private and independent woman, but she feels the loneliness of not having any family left after her only child, a son disappeared at sea, presumed dead.  More recently her husband died. A young man turns up in Sowell Bay looking for his father. He gets a job taking over from Tova while she recuperates after breaking her leg.  What they eventually find out about each other will change their lives forever.

KERRIE liked it but did not love it.  She had to take a leap of faith to believe an octopus could read. She loved the setting and would love to visit Puget Sound in the Pacific North West.  It explores dislocation and searching for that elusive thing.

PRUE looked at it and wondered whether she would enjoy it.  It was a bit quirky, but she did read it and although a bit slow to begin with, she found it easy to read.  It was a beautiful little story, and she knew it was going to have a happy ending.

BEV was very sceptical about a talking octopus, but she really enjoyed the book.  It was a bit slow to begin with but as it went on, she came to love the character Marcellus, the giant Pacific octopus.  The other main character was Tova.  She was very lonely and wondered whether she should sell her house to be able to look on the brighter side.  Bev really enjoyed the read.

 The Giant Pacific Octopus is a highly intelligent animal that can learn to open jars, solve puzzles and interact with familiar humans such as caretakers in an aquarium.  It lives a solitary life for most of it’s life so the octopus’s clever, lonely life in the wild is something of a mystery.

THE INHERITANCE OF LOSS by KAREN DESAI

JOAN loved it.  She read all the mountaineering books as a teenager.  The story is set in the 1980’s in Kalimpong in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is in the lush foothills of the Himalayas.  A dilapidated, but once comfortable mansion is home to three people, the misfit judge, and his granddaughter Sai, and elderly cook who has served the household and judge for most of his life.  The cook’s son Biju is another character who now lives in New York as an illegal immigrant. Sai, at 17 falls in love with Gyan, her tutor.  A violent upheaval comes to the town by the ethnic Nepalese.  Their peaceful life is destroyed.  This is a wonderfully written book from an exciting Indian author. The book was published in 2006 and was the Booker prize winner of that year.

JUDY A really enjoyed this book.  Karen Desai is the daughter of Anita Desai who has been shortlisted three times for the Booker Prize.  The Inheritance of Loss won the Booker in 2006 and now this year, her latest book. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, her first book in nearly 20 years is on the Booker longlist. 

In the Inheritance of Loss, the setting shifts between the foothills of the Himalayas and New York City in 1986.  Judy thought this book was sharp, funny, moving and sad all at the same time and she looks forward to reading her latest.

ED found it rather depressing and only got to page 64.

MARGARET said the themes were amazing – Colonialism and the confusion when everyone left – people not being able to cope.  The New York setting was depressing. The young Indian men were working without permits.  Margaret felt she could not go on reading it as it was too depressing.

ROSEMARY W said the Judge tried to adopt English ways, trying to become anglicised but on the other hand, he rejected white people.  When he came back to India, he attached himself to English customs.

PAT read only 60 pages as she said it wasn’t easy to read and did not appeal to her.

LYN got about half way through but struggled with it.

KRIS loved this book.  The author writes beautifully.  I couldn't put the book down.  Even though there seemed to be an underlying sense of hopelessness it is well worth reading. 

DREAM BUILDERS by OINDRILA MUKHERJEE

ROSEMARY S said it was set in the fictional city of Hrishipur in India that’s growing quickly and promises wealth, opportunity and an escape from the past. Maneka Roy has returned from the United States following the death of her mother.  Through her we meet a wide range of characters – wealthy developers, middle class families, migrant workers all connected to Hrishipur and it’s boom, and all with a story to tell.  They are all searching in some way for a better life, but often being met with disappointments when their dreams don’t match reality.

 The city itself feels like a character and Rosemary loved this one line in the book “It was what Hrishipur aspired to be, the adolescent city, clambering for attention, building high and higher until all that was left was a cluster of unfinished buildings at various stages of construction, standing like scarecrows with empty arms and vacant gazes”.  It’s not a cheerful book. She felt there was sadness in every character, but it is thought provoking.  It’s a story about ambition, disappointment and resilience. Cities can look glamorous from the outside but on the inside, they often hold loneliness, inequality and broken promises.

LYN said it was a moving read, although not her style.  She felt depressed and annoyed by the corruption as well as the haves and have nots.

HELEN loved it and the look into contemporary India. It’s very autobiographical – the author had not seen her parents for six years.  There are many points of view, family, friends and working class people. The city was a character itself.  It captured the lives of Indian people who were trying to make their lives better.  Aspiring Indians wanted the best of everything.  There was discrimination.  The electrician was disabled so people treated him badly.  He was ostracised and discriminated against. The tower gets burnt down. Maneka’s father was going to return to Bengal after the death of his wife, but he had bought into this new city instead.  The theme is grieving.

 

Kris

 

In September we will be reading Autobiographies and Biographies

 

JULY 2025 BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR KATE GRENVILLE OR CHARLOTTE WOOD

 

This month we had a choice to read books by either Kate Grenville or Charlotte Wood.

KATE GRENVILLE

Kate Grenville is a prominent Australian author, born in 1950 and well known for her historical fiction set in Australia. Some of her novels have been made into movies and television series.

 

ED:  THE CASE AGAINST FRAGRANCE

Ed found some of it a bit boring, especially the discussion of different chemicals.  She did not finish the book.

JO:  THE SECRET RIVER

Jo said it was interesting.  The Aboriginal people were treated badly.  There were massacres and a lot of people did not know.  She said it was okay, but she found it hard to get through.

JUDY D:   SEARCHING FOR THE SECRET RIVER

Judy said it was interesting how she got the information to write a book.  She didn’t know if she wanted to write a novel or a history book.  Judy found it very dull and boring. 

KERRIE:   UNSETTLED

This was written 20 years after The Secret River. It’s Kate’s personal story on how to go about writing a historical novel. She enjoyed the Secret River but found the information unsettling and disturbing.  20 years later and she’s still unsettled. Even the words used at the time “taking up land” when they were just taking it from the Aboriginals.  Kerry found it a very good book but also found it unsettling.  She felt a connection as her relative was Solomon Wiseman.

JUDY A:   IDEA OF PERFECTION

Judy read it 23 years ago.  It is one of her top 20 books and she said it holds up well.  It’s about two misfits who find each other.  One is a shy engineer who is employed to demolish a dilapidated bridge in a small country town. The other is a plain female museum curator who has come to town to start a heritage museum.  The third character is Felicity, the wife of the local bank manager.  She believes she is a cut above everyone else.  This book celebrates ordinary people.

MARGARET:  She read the same book.  It was a favourite in a family book club. Everyone loved it. Margaret’s father was a building and bridge inspector, so it reminds her of her father.  She would recommend this to anyone as it is a beautiful and funny book.

ONE LIFE – MY MOTHER’S STORY

HELEN:  This is a story by Kate Grenville about her mother Nance.  Her mother was born in 1912.  She was an inspirational mother and teacher.  When she died, she left behind fragments of a memoir.  It was a century of tumult and change.  It also echoes countless lives of women of her times, a time when most women had no ambitions beyond the domestic.  This is a deeply moving homage to her mother.  Kate said her mother was very supportive of her when she began to write.

THE RESTLESS DOLLY MAUNDER

LESLEY:  Dolly was Kate Grenville’s grandmother and Nance’s mother. This story is based on memories and recollections of snippets of country NSW as the 6^th of 7 children.  Life on the land was tough, and her father was tough. Her mother was worn out and subservient. She wasn’t shown love or cuddles.  Dolly wanted to be a teacher, but her father said she just had to help on the farm.  She married an itinerant worker, had three children.  Her husband was easy going.  She had to push him to move Sydney.  With some financial help they started a corner shop and did well. They went into various businesses but during the depression lost it all and decided to go back to the country. Then she moved back to Sydney as she wanted her children to be well educated.   Dolly was a force of nature, driven, restless, frustrated with women’s place in society.  It was a strong line of women, Dolly, Nance and then Kate.  Lesley enjoyed this book.

A ROOM MADE  OF LEAVES

LYN: This is a story about Elizabeth Macarthur, John Macarthur’s wife. John was a wealthy and corrupt early pioneer of the Australian wool industry. Lyn said it was well researched.  Kate Grenville found memoirs of Macarthur’s wife. She weaves fact and fiction well.  Lyn did not read it all but enjoyed what she has read.

THE LIEUTENANT

KELLY:  It’s the story of an English marine who is injured during his duties in the Navy. He becomes an astronomer. He has an opportunity to come to Australia on half pay.  He was asked to go out to look for food because of his knowledge of astronomy.  He was asked could he do something about the assaults on three aboriginal women, but he felt he didn’t have the power to intervene. Kelly said it was a bit boring.

BEV:  She also read this book.  Daniel Dawes is the main character.  He gets a scholarship. Other kids seem to have more money than brains.  He doesn’t fit in.  He is interested in astronomy and is good at maths. He is helped by a professor to go on the 1^st Fleet where he sets up an observatory.   There are copious descriptions that go on and on.  He befriended an aboriginal girl who taught him the language. He had an affinity with the aboriginal people but could not cope with their treatment.  He would retreat to his observatory.  He was sent home in disgrace.  Bev enjoyed the first part but not the second part.

PRUE:  She also read this book.  She loved it as she is very interested in the languages. Daniel Dawes was out of step with the world.  He developed a love of astronomy.  He was sent to Australia on the 1^st Fleet. He was there to observe a comet, but he found the treatment of the aboriginal people difficult. He was torn between his moral duty and his duty as a lieutenant.  In England a lieutenant was hung because of his behaviour.  Prue said Kate Grenville was a beautiful writer, and the book was easy to read.  She will read the third one in the trilogy.

 

CHARLOTTE WOOD is also an acclaimed Australian author. She was born in 1965 and is well known for her original and thought-provoking novels. She is the author of 7 novels and 3 non fiction novels.

THE CHILDREN (Pub 2007)

JOAN:  This story is set in Australian country town in 2006 when a father of the household falls off the roof of his home.  He ends up in intensive care on life support.  His wife is Margaret.  The adult children are called to his bedside for a seven day vigil and it is the family interactions that flow through with a tragic end.  The characters are either bland or grossly annoying.  The storyline is bleak and it seems like childhood is something we never escape from.  Joan did not find it worthwhile to read.

STONEYARD DEVOTION

ROSEMARY:  The narrator is an unmarried, presumably middle aged woman, who abandons her marriage, her career as a conservation specialist, and her life to join the nuns at a convent in rural NSW, the town of her childhood, despite having no religious affinity. She is escaping her life which is overwhelming, as the world deals with the pandemic. She gradually adapts to the far gentler rhythms of monastic life in their own little bubble. She reflects on her life, her family and friends and guilt she feels. Rosemary said it was a slow moving book with no real plot.

EVERYWHERE I LOOK BY HELEN GARNER (PUB 2016)

JUDY J:  This is a collection of essays, diary entries and true stories spanning more than 15 years of the work of one of Australia’s greatest writers. Helen Garner takes us from backstage at the ballet to the trial of a woman for infanticide, from the significance of moving house to the pleasure of re reading Pride and Prejudice.  The collection includes her famous and controversial essay on the insults of age, thoughts on loneliness and dying.  This is her moving tribute to her mother, and the story of her joy in discovering the ukulele.  It is a multifaceted and profound portrait of life.  It glows with insight and wisdom.  There are 28 stories of different lengths.  They are written so beautifully, and you want to keep reading on to the next one.

Kris

AUGUST:   We will be reading one of 2 books from the Library Kits

                 The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai or Remarkably                     Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Please email Rosemary to arrange a pick up, if you do not have a book yet and then return to Rosemary at our next book club meeting in August.

JUNE 2025: BOOKS BY AGATHA CHRISTIE OR RAYMOND CHANDLER

 

The works of Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie were up for discussion at our June meeting. There's always plenty of interesting discussions to be had which makes for an enjoyable get together.

ROSEMARY - Some fun and interesting facts about both writers. A.C. published 6 non crime novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. She learned to surf and became one of the 1st Britons to ride a surf board. During WW1 Agatha worked as a dispenser, giving her extensive knowledge of poisons. Hercule Poirot is the only fictional character to receive an Obituary in the New York Times. R.C. didn't publish his 1st novel until he was 50. He worked as a screen writer and worked with Alfred Hitchcock. He often complained how his works were adapted for film. Raymond is credited as transforming the detective genre, making it more realistic, worldly and grittier.  

KRIS - They Came to Baghdad - Agatha Christie. 1951. A superpower summit, the President will attend, an underground organization planning to sabotage the talks, a friend in danger. This situation collides with a young woman, Victoria, bored, looking for excitement and travel arriving in Baghdad. A wounded Agent dies in her room and Victoria needs all her resourcefulness to deal with the situation. Kris enjoyed the fast moving story.

PRU - The Big Sleep - 1939. Raymond Chandler. 1st novel to feature  Philip Marlowe PI. Marlowe is hired by a millionaire to handle a blackmailer. Many complications occur. Marlowe appears as  hard drinking, tough and sharply spoken but underneath is morally upright and a man of honour. He's trying to act ethically and improve the Los Angelese of the 1930's. Racism, sexism and casual violence - a book of its time. Pru thought it was fun to read but prefers the gentle English crime of Agatha Christie.

VAL - The Long Goodbye - Raymond Chandler 1953 .  Many character, beautiful women, lengthy descriptions, thoroughly enjoyable.

PAMELA - Farewell my Lovelies - Raymond Chandler - 1940. Classically educated, Chandler's writing shows great craft and clever use of language. He became the head of the Crime Writers Association.

JUDY De - Death in the Clouds - Agatha Christie. 1935.A death on a plane, many clues including a wasp. Hercule Poirot solves it.

HELEN - Murder at the Vicarage - Agatha Christie. 1930.  First book in the Miss Marple series, set in St Mary's Mead. Reverend narrates, many characters, very good descriptions. Helen enjoyed the language but not the plot - too convoluted.

JOAN - Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie. 1934. A murder, 12 suspects on a train that is stuck in the snow. 12 stab wounds. Hercule solves the case with 2 options. Visually beautiful,  the plot was OK.

JO - Murder is Easy - Agatha Christie. 1939. 5 dead people, a woman rejected by her lover, many suspects. Jo loved it.

MARGARET - Murder on the Orient Express. Agatha Christie. 1934. The Language, the conversations, the assumptions. So good.

LYN - Crooked House. Agatha Christie. 1949. Another in the nursery rhyme series. Agatha waited until she had plenty of time to write as she wanted to enjoy the process of writing this book.  A large house, members of the family all living together, fabulously wealthy, Grandfather insisted all the family remain on the estate. Grandfather is murdered with barbiturates. Many options for potential suspects. Lyn thoroughly enjoyed the twists, turns and the unexpected ending.

PAT - Peril at End House. Agatha Christie. 1932. Hercule on holiday, accidently meets a woman who had already 3 attempts on her life in the previous 3 days. Whilst she was dismissive of the danger she faced, Hercule takes on the case fearful of further murderous attempts. Concluding with the final (6th) murder attempt, many twists and turns, a surprising end, and a very vain Hercule - Pat thought the novel was OK.

BEV - Mrs McGinty's Dead. Agatha Christie. 1952. A char lady is killed, a boarder is a suspect and found guilty. Sometime later Hercule thinks differently and solves a cold case.

LESLEY - A Pocket Full of Rye. Agatha Christie. 1953. Another Mother Goose rhyme used to create a crime story. A wealthy, corrupt businessman drops dead after drinking his morning cup of tea. Many suspects, Miss Marple invites herself into the household and ultimately solves the crime. Most of the characters unlikeable and the plot was implausible however Agatha Christie did know how to write an entertaining story.

 

Lesley 

JULY:  Books by Kate Grenville or Charlotte Wood

MAY: The Dressmaker and Lessons in Chemistry

 This month Book Club members had a choice between 2 titles, provided by the Library.

They were The Dressmaker  and Lessons in Chemistry.

What follows are a selection of comments without any names.

 

The Dressmaker is the first novel by the Australian author Rosalie Ham, published in 2000 and set in the 1950’s in a fictional Australian country town of Dungatar. The film version was released in 2015.

Molly returns to her hometown to look after her mother, after a successful career overseas. The people of Dungatar had sent Tilly away at the age of ten because of false accusations of murder, after the death of a fellow student. Having been sent away  as a little girl with no voice, she comes back eventually seeking revenge.

 

Most members enjoyed the book with comments such as loved that it was a Gothic Australian novel, extreme characters set in an extreme environment, recognised the characters and the Australian elements.

Others loved the description of the clothes, materials and dressmaking skills.

 

For those who were more ambivalent, they commented that they enjoyed the film more, too many characters in the book, many of whom were almost caricatures, too exaggerated or extreme. In real life there are many secrets in small towns, but people don’t really care, they accept and absorbed them.

 

The book was written from a modern perspective  of this little town seething with everything going on, things that weren’t talked about. But there was a focus on the women and the men’s stories weren’t important.

 

When Tilly returned, she had experienced many things that nobody else had. The people thought they used her, but she was still in control. Her dressmaking skills became a bargaining tool.

 

Realising that nothing had changed in the town, she sets out to seek her revenge.

Anyone who was different was not accepted, examples being Barney, Emma Almanac and Molly.

The fault was born by the women and blamed on them.

Teddy’s family were the only ones who showed any compassion towards Molly and Tilly. They also were outcasts.

When Tilly and Teddy fell in love and planned to leave the town, again events turned against her.

Teddy was a young man full of hubris who thought he was invincible. 

 

Although Tilly had little interest in revenge when she first returned to Dungatar, by the end of the novel her grief and suffering had pushed her to her limit. She burns the town down  as vengeance for her mother Molly, who had died of a stroke and whose funeral was neglected by the residents of the town, and for Teddy McSwiney. Molly tells the townswomen that Teddy died trying to prove his love was stronger than their hate.

 

Lessons in Chemistry was  Bonnie Garms’ debut novel, written at the age of 65. It was published in 2022 and tells the story of Elizabeth Zott who becomes a beloved cooking show host in the 1960s in Southern California after being fired as a chemist  four years earlier. It has also been adapted as a mini-series for TV.

 

The book is set in the 1950s.The place and role of women as depicted in the book, was normal for the times.

 

When asked whether they liked the book there was a range of responses.

Humorous, well written chick lit. A vey feminist type book.

The beginning was boring, too much science.

It was hard to be a woman in a man’s world.

Everything was too drawn out, too much detail dwelling on the discussions and arguments.

Some couldn’t understand why the recipes were given in scientific formulas.

 

For Elizabeth, Chemistry seemed to be the right choice. She was slightly on the spectrum and hard to love, although some did.

Some thought she was heroic, she could shut out everything and work on her passion for chemistry. Everything  she turned her hand to, she did with great energy and intent.

Others thought she should have been stronger, people stole from her and took advantage.

 

Her career choice appealed to her and was unusual for the times, but it helped her make sense of the world.

She saw cooking as a chemistry and used her dead pan humour to get her message across. She wasn’t really trying to be funny.

 

Her unusual upbringing and violent relationship with her parents impacted her relationship with other people. She wasn’t close to her  mother but knew what she wanted for her own her child.

Her family was damaged, but you make your own family growing up, being true to herself.

 

 

The dog called 6.30 was a rarified character and gave a third point of view, commentating on interactions and life. He was with Elizabeth all the time, always very practical about everything.

 

Another  character was Calvin, and together they unexpectedly found love.   After his death, Elizabeth realised she was pregnant. Motherhood surprised her, not having wanted it, but she loved her child.

Grieving over Calvin, the child is his gift to her. She names her Madeline, referred to as ‘Mad’.

 

Harriet was a favourite character. She gave Harriet a life. It was Harriet who helped her raise Mad and provided the type of family life she had never enjoyed.

 

Walter was the Producer of the programme. Their relationship grew as the show went on.

Elizabeth hosted the cooking show as she needed the money. It was successful because she spoke to the women as adults. It was slotted into that critical time in the afternoon, when ‘mothers’ could relax.

 

Some found parts of the ending a little far-fetched. What will happen to Elizabeth is unknown, but it seems that the role of women at the Research Institute will be changed forever.

JUNE: Please choose any book written by Agatha Christie or Raymond Chandler

 

 

APRIL, 2025 - AUSSIE APRIL - BOOKS BY AUSTRALIAN AUTHORS

 

ROSEMARY:  THE BEEKEEPERS SECRET BY JOSEPHINE MOON

Rosemary said this was an easy read despite the background story of the Royal Commission looking into the abuse of children by the Catholic Church.  It is set on the Sunshine Coast of Qld. The story is about Maria and Tansy. Maria, a former nun is leading a very reclusive life at Honeybee Haven, making honey and honey products to support a Cambodian orphanage. Tansy is the daughter of Maria’s sister with whom she has been estranged for many years.  Tansy has never met Maria before, but she is hoping to reunite broken family ties. Throughout the book are some wonderful and fascinating facts about the world of bees.  The author has written a book that is very Australian in the setting, including the beaches, the café culture, the bushland and the mountains behind the Sunshine coast. It’s a story of family secrets, the give and take in marriage with the life of bees thrown in the mix.

PAT: SECRETS OF MIDWIVES by SALLY HEPWORTH

Pat said she enjoyed reading this book.  The story got you in from the first page with a twist at the end.  She thanked Judy, one of our book club members, for recommending this author to her.  Pat said she will definitely read more of her books.

ED:  THE TILT BY CHRIS HAMMER (2022)

Nell Buchanan is a fairly new homicide detective who is annoyed that she has been assigned an old “cold case” in her hometown. It’s set in the NSW/Victoria border. The bones of a body have been found.  This is not just an ordinary cold case, and the discovery of this body sets off a chain of events. Eventually, another body is found.  Ed said it was a gripping story, and she enjoyed reading it.

JUDY J: GUNNAWAH BY RONNIE SALT (2025)

This is set in 1974 in the Australian Riverina, the weather is hot but the body in the Murray River is stone cold.  This crime thriller has all the characters straight from the 1970’s and lots of action. There are many interesting characters.  Most who have come to the town are hiding a past and wanting a new start.  As well as all the local folk, Gough and Margaret Whitlam pay a visit. Al Grassby is the local politician, Billy McMahon is a joke and Donald McKay, the anti-drugs campaigner, has just started to speak out. A young journalist is looking into corruption by politicians in the acquisition of land in the area.  Judy said it’s an easy and enjoyable read, fairly predictable, but thankfully it has a bit of a twist at the end.  The strength of this book is the depiction of this innocent lifestyle in a country town in the 1970’s and how it was upended when the truth of what was really happening under their noses, was exposed.

JUDY D:  FOUR FIRES BY BRYCE COURTENAY

This is a family saga spanning the years 1955 to 1999.  It felt as if the author was sitting there telling the story of an Irish family.  There were five children with different fathers.  They couldn’t be accepted by the Catholic schools.  It was long and involved.  You couldn’t just skim through.  Judy enjoyed the read.

LYN:  RANSOM BY DAVID MALOUF

This was published in 2009. Lyn said it was her first David Malouf book and felt certain it would not be her last.  

Note on back of book: “From the walls of Troy, King Priam watches the body of his son, Hector, being dragged behind Achilles’ chariot in the Greek camp, day after day. Maddened by grief at the death of his friend. Patroclus, Achilles refuses to give up Hector’s body.  King Priam is convinced there must be a way of reclaiming his body – of pitting compromise against heroics, new ways against the old, and of forcing the hand of fate. This fable enlarges on a section of the Iliad, with God’s being able to be seen and the seemingly impossible trip to the Greek camp and the result.”

SHEILA:  BREATH BY TIM WINTON

This story is about a 12 year old boy and his mate who are outsiders at school.  They mess about in the bush and then decide to take up surfing.   There are amazing descriptions of surfing.  The boys are pushing boundaries.  A fellow takes them under his wing and shows them how to surf in dangerous conditions.  It’s an interesting book about two boys between 12 and 15 growing up and learning about sex.  Sheila said it was well worth the read if you like the beach. It’s set in Western Australia.  She did enjoy it.

HELEN:  SMOKE BY MICHAEL BRISSENDEN

A brutal wildfire tears through the town of Jasper in the Californian sierras.  A body is discovered in a shed.  It looks like an open and shut case of accidental death – until further investigation reveals the victim was locked in from the outside. Helen said it was well written. It’s about California’s wildfires, police corruption and misogyny, the main character’s back story and return to her hometown. It took a while to get into the book, a slow burn crime novel.  The book did not engage Helen, but she persisted.  The impressive review did not match her experience of the book.

JOAN:  CAPRICORNIA BY XAVIER HERBERT (1938)

This is an epic classic, a book of fiction, 604 pages long.   The themes are colonization of the far north and race relations.  The story centres around the Shillingsworth brothers. Oscar and Mark.  They arrive around 1904 in serge suits and bowler hats to work as clerks in Government Services. It’s set in mythical Capricornia, northern Western Australia.  Oscar prospers and takes his place as a gentleman and property owner but Mark is restless, takes up in bad company, becomes an alcoholic and with an Aboriginal woman produces a half caste son, Norman.  It’s this family story the book spans for several generations.

JO:  THE SURVIVORS BY JANE HARPER

This story is set in a Tasmanian coastal town.  Guilt still haunts the protagonist Kieran Elliott about an accident that happened 12 years ago. He returns to the town he called home, to help his parents.  A body is discovered in the area. Jo said it was a very good book.

VAL:  STASILAND BY ANNA FUNDER

A tremendous amount of research was done for this book. Both sides got in contact with her.  So much of the research, the Stasi did not want her to write.  They tried to bring her around to Communism. The Stasi were the secret police in East Germany from 1950 to 1990.  Some of their behaviour was absurd, such as a 16yr old girl being arrested and deprived of sleep for many days for having an anti-communism banner.  It was all about control. There were thousands of informants.

LESLEY:  AUSTRALIAN GOSPEL: A FAMILY SAGA BY LECH BLAINE

It’s a wild madcap, tragic/funny fact filled story of the life of Lech Blaine.  It’s set mainly in Queensland. His eccentric parents, Tom and Lenore Blaine, publicans, were loud but very loving.  His actual birth parents were Michael and Mary Shelley who were fanatical, foul-mouthed Christians who had three children, all taken away due to neglect. The extreme beliefs of the parents suggested they could be in danger.  The children were raised by Tom and Lenore Blaine, who had to move frequently, experienced kidnaps, assaults and tirades.   It was a tragedy and reflects poorly on the child welfare system, but it is written with dry humour.  It is hard to believe the lives the Blaine family led were true. Lesley enjoyed the read.

PRUE:  MR EINSTEIN’S SECRETARY BY MATTHEW O’REILLY

Prue thought he wrote exciting, brilliant books but then she went off him.  This one is a bit different.  A young girl is the daughter of a physicist.  Her father raised Hannah and her twin sister after their mother died.  The father was involved in the Treaty of Versailles.  Einstein rescued Hannah. She became Einstein’s secretary.

She went to Germany and became a spy during the Nazi regime.  Prue thoroughly enjoyed the read.  She said Matthew O’Reilly was no literary genius, but he wrote very exciting books.

KERRY: THE THINNING BY INGAR SIMPSON

The Thinning is the idea that the water, land and space are very thin layers that connect.

Kerry loves the way she writes.  She is an activist for the environment.  This is a dystopian thriller set in the not too distant future.  There are no koalas, and the Barrier Reef has disappeared.  There are children being born with large eyes and brains made for screens.  It is an adaptation, and they are called Incompletes.  Terry is an incomplete.  He has mind reading ability as well.  Finn is a girl brought up in the Warrumbungles.  She builds things and fights the people destroying the Earth. They join forces.  Kerry said she writes beautifully about the Australian wildlife.  She enjoyed the read.

JUDY A:  THE BURROW BY MELANIE CHENG

This story is about the Lee family.  The father, Jin is a doctor in the emergency department of a local hospital. The mother, Amy, is a published author, but struggling to put pen to paper. Then there is their ten year old introverted and bookish daughter Lucie. Amy’s mother, Pauline who has come to stay with them after breaking her wrist. The hospital social worker deems her to be needing assistance for a period.  Missing is the daughter Ruby who, four years earlier, at the age of around eight months, died in a horrible home accident. The grandmother’s presence sets up tension because of how Ruby died.  The family are struggling separately with their grief but are forced to confront the circumstances around Ruby’s death.  It's a short, moving, beautifully written book.

BEV:  THE VALLEY BY CHRIS HAMMER

Bev read the first one in the series and really enjoyed it.  There is a new detective based in Dubbo investigating a murder on the south coast. He and another detective go to the Valley, a tiny hamlet in Bega/Bateman’s Bay area. The local police and detective from Queanbeyan can’t understand why these two interlopers from Dubbo are involved.  A fellow was found face down in the river.  He was a good man.  The story goes back and forth twenty years.  Bev didn’t like that.  She said there were too many people and too many things going on, making it hard to work out.  It was not a patch on the first book.

TAM:  COME RAIN OR SHINE BY PATRICIA STRINGER

This book shows all the difficulties of living on the land.  Tam said it was a good read.  It is a warm hearted rural romance.  A year into Paula's marriage with farmer Dan, she falls pregnant. When she moved to the country, she knew it would be tough.  Life is busy but good.  Her husband, Dan, who promised to always tell her the truth, is increasingly tired and distant and seems to be hiding something. Paula gets some shocking news.  The story is set in South Australia.  Tam said she would read another of her books.

Kris

MAY:  We will be reading one of two books from the Library Kit

          Lessons in Chemistry or The Dressmaker