NOVEMBER 2025 ~ Non Fiction November

 Ed:

Hope in a Ballet Shoe is a memoir by ballerina Michaela DePrince (published in 2014) that recounts her journey from being an orphan in war-torn Sierra Leone to becoming a world-renowned ballet star. The book  details her childhood hardships, including losing her parents and witnessing atrocities.

After being adopted by an American couple she found hope and a new life through ballet. She faced many challenges such as racism in the ballet world, but she overcame these to go on and achieve a great deal in the ballet world.

 

Teresa:

A Tear in the Soul is a memoir/biography by Amanda Webster (published in 2016).

Growing up in Western Australia the author had been at school with many Aboriginal families but was particularly friendly with several children.

Having trained as a doctor and attending a seminar in Hawaii she was challenged about Australia’s mistreatment of its indigenous people. 

This leads her to search for her childhood friends and face the reality of their lives. 

A very moving book and beautifully written.

 

Jo:

The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown by Katie Nicholl

For seventy years Queen Elizabeth ruled over the Commonwealth and her family. But times have changed and so must the royal family. The new younger royals will have to do things differently in the future.

Very interesting.

 

Sheila:

Mavericks: Life stories and lessons of history’s most extraordinary misfits by Jenny Draper

Of the many stories in this book, some were more interesting than others and most were names not generally known.

For example, Peter the Wild Boy is found living in the woods in Germany in the 1700s, supposedly having been raised by wolves. He is brought to London and is raised by King George 1 in his palace. Although he understands English, the boy is unable to talk but can hum and dance. The mystery of where he originally came from was never solved.

 

Pamela:

Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat (pub 1963) tells of the author’s investigation into why wolves were killing arctic caribou. For a whole summer he lived with the wolves, developing a deep affection for them and realising they weren’t killing the caribou. The real reason was that there were too many hunters. Unfortunately the Government ignored this information leading to a decline in the wolf population.

 

Kris:

HEROES, REBELS AND RADICALS OF CONVICT AUSTRALIA by Jim Haynes

The author researches the question “Why did transportation occur, and what was it like living in Australia from 1788 to 1870”. The characters he writes about are the men and women who forged the nation we would one day become.

They include Joseph Banks, considered the true founder of the colony, Surgeon John White, the saviour of the First Fleet, Pemulwuy, the Bidjigal fighter and Mary Reiby, the horse thief made good.

An interesting and entertaining book.

 

Judy De la T:

In Dropping the Mask, Noni Hazlehurst tells the story of her amazing and interesting life.  

Not only is she the actor that so many know, but she is also a single mum, has directed many productions always advocating for local talent. She is involved in many charities particularly involving children and tells her story with humour, honesty and great passion.

 

Lynn:

The School that Escaped the Nazis by Deborah Cadbury (pub 2022)

This is the amazing story of the dedication of schoolteacher Anna Essinger to save Jewish children from Nazi occupied Europe.

In 1933 as Hitler came to power, Anna devised a daring and courageous plan, to smuggle her entire school out of Nazi Germany to England. She had read Mein Kampf and realised the terrible danger that Hitler’s ideologies posed to her students.

Lynn found this a very confronting book, nor ‘enjoyable’ but a real eyeopener.

 

Dimity:

Call of the Reed Warbler by Charles Massey explains ‘regenerative farming’ and the vital connection between our soil and our health.

He explains how it is about letting nature reorganise itself following what we have done to the landscape following the overuse of pesticides, climate change and profit-obsessed corporations.

Using his own experiences he shows how it is possible to have a sustainable future for our food supply, our landscape, our health and our Earth. It took him 10 years, and much ridicule from industry and the neighbourhood, before it was financially viable.

 

Rosemary S:

Bush Doctors by Annabelle Bradley (pub 2017)

This book features 16 stories about medical practitioners working in rural and remote Australia. These doctors work in very challenging contexts, geographical isolation, limited resources, extreme weather conditions and extreme distances from any larger communities.

The author writes these stories to highlight not just the medical challenges but the human,  social and emotional side of these wonderful doctors.

We see the resilience, community connection and the way that bush doctors become an essential component of the community in which they choose to live and for the most part love. The book is warm, conversational and deeply human.

 

Kerry:

Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench in conversation with Brendan O’Dea.

It is a lovely, relaxed memoir of an actress recalling to a friend and fellow actor, the many Shakespearean roles she has played over several decades. She recalls details of her costumes, the sets and the strengths and the foibles of her fellow cast members and production crews.

She has nothing but respect for Shakespeare’s roles for women, and gratitude that working in this world has provided her with the rent …..and a doorway to other acting work, which she loves.

 

Prue:

A Glorious Freedom: Older Women Leading Extraordinary Lives by Lisa Congdon

A beautiful glossy 150-page book with great graphics published in 2017. It is a collection of stories, essays and interviews with 58 older women who have achieved something exceptional for themselves in the second half of their life.

An inspirational book that is the perfect gift and should be on the table in all women’s centres.

 

Judy J:

Get Me Out of Here – Foolish and Fearless Convict Escapes by Pauline Deeves (pub 2022)

A quick and simplified read of some of the early convicts and their experiences in the colony. It glosses over the worst of the conditions that many had experienced.

George Hunt, an actor in London, but sentenced to 14 years in Van Diemen’s Land for stealing a handkerchief would be described as “foolish” for his unsuccessful escape attempt by hopping away hidden under a kangaroo skin.

Mary Bryant and her family were “fearless” in sailing a small boat to Timor.

 

Bev:

Fighting Spirit by Bruce Thomas (pub 1996)

This biography of martial arts expert Bruce Lee, tells of a man driven to be the best and remain the best in all aspects of his life. He became the greatest exponent of martial arts and the highest paid movie actor of his day.

He was both brashly self-confident but insecure and put himself under immense pressure.

Unfortunately he died at the age of 32 from a bad reaction to an aspirin tablet.

Bev found it very interesting.

 

Kelly: Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams

This is one woman’s account of the rise of Facebook and its involvement in all aspects of people’s lives. It seems that the more power these people have, the less responsible they become and this has consequences for all of us.

Kelly didn’t like this book and couldn’t finish it. 

 

Judy A: Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham

January 28, 1986, 10.38am. The space shuttle, Challenger, with seven crew members on board including a young schoolteacher named Christa McAuliffe blasted off from Cape Canaveral. Seventy-three seconds later an explosion in the right hand solid rocket booster engulfed the shuttle and all seven crew members died. The explosion was caused by the failure of an O ring seal due to the unusually cold launch temperature – a situation engineers had repeatedly warned about, but who had been overruled.

Throughout, there are the ominous warning signs of a tragedy to come, recognized but then ignored, and ultimately kept from the public.

The writing was quite dense in parts but never too difficult to understand. Judy found it quite heart pounding and gave it 5/5!

 

Margaret: The Boys by Ron Howard & Clint Howard

Ron and Clint Howard, born in Midwest America, and with a strong family background. Although they were both child stars, they didn’t live celebrity lifestyles and recognized the sacrifices made by their parents.

While Ron continued to work in the industry moving into directorial roles, Clint didn’t enjoy the same success. His addiction problems were only overcome with the strong support of their family. Ron and Clint still have a very strong relationship, and it continues in their families.

A fascinating read.

 

Leslie: The Schoolgirl, her Teacher and his Wife by Rebecca Hazel  (pub 2023)

In January 1982 Lynette Dawson disappears, she doesn’t take any personal belongings, and nothing came of several years of investigation. Around 1998 when Rebecca Hazel was working in a women’s refuge, she heard the story of a young girl who had been in a relationship with Chris Dawson (husband of Lynette) when she  was a student and then his wife and was suspicious about the fate of his first wife.

In 2022, following 3 homicide investigations, help from the author, the Teacher’s Pet podcast, finally Chris Dawson was brought to trial and found guilty of Lynette’s murder.

Very few cases ever find a person guilty on circumstantial evidence.

 

Helen: Milk by Matthew Evans (pub 2024)

The author is a chef, food critic and human biologist turned farmer-food activist, living on his farm in Tasmania.

 The book looks at how a milk producer transforms what it eats into one of the most nutrient-dense foods available and how that can be transformed again into butter, cheese and clotted cream. It’s an exploration of the science, history and politics of what makes mammals different from every other life form on earth.

  Some of the details are difficult to comprehend but it is great to have a food writer sing 

  the praises of good old fashioned milk!

 

Rosemary: Lake Eyre: A Journey through the Heart of the Continent

Paul Lockyier, John Bean & Gary Ticehurst

This beautiful full-colour coffee table book documents Lake Eyre, its landscape and astonishing history.

Rosemary described the lake as the heart and soul of Australia and a ‘must do’ pilgrimage for all Aussies. Its remoteness makes it less touristy.

Paul Lockyier, John Bean & Gary Ticehurst had visited the lake on several occasions to document and photograph it for ABC documentaries.

Unfortunately they lost their lives in a helicopter crash there in 2022. This book is a tribute to them.

 

Val: “Just Saying” by Hugh Mackay

Hugh Mackay is a social psychologist and here he reflects on 25 of his favourite quotations and the meaning behind them.

They come from famous thinkers and writers including Confucius, Plato, Susan Sontag, Miles Franklin and Bertrand Russell and are chosen to enlighten, challenge and inspire.

 

Joan: Daughters of the Bamboo Grove (pub 2025)

A true story of abduction, adoption and separated twins related to the Chinese “One Child Policy”.

In 2000, a Chinese woman gave birth to twins in a bamboo grove, trying to avoid detection by the government because she already had two daughters.

The book tells the gripping story of separated twins, their respective fates in China and USA, and the author’s role in reuniting them against huge odds.

A brave and well researched account of this Chinese government policy.

 

 

December: Please talk about the best book you have read this year, but not one from a Book Club topic.

 

 

OCTOBER, 2025 - WOMEN'S PRIZE WINNING BOOKS

 

This month we decided to select a book whose author had won a literary award for women.  Awards chosen were; The Carol Shields Prize (a work published in English by an Canadian or American woman), Women's Prize for Fiction aka Orange Prize (established in the UK, inspired after the Booker Prize of 1991 had NO women shortlisted even though 60% of novels published that year were by women), Women's Prize for Non Fiction (newly created for any woman, writing in English) and the Stella Prize (emerged after discussions revealed how under represented women were in newspapers as reviewers and as authors. The Stella Prize is awarded for the most original, excellent, outstanding fiction or nonfiction book by an Australian woman). The reading range therefore was wide, and very enjoyable.

Ed - THE STRAYS - Emily Bitto. 2014. Stella Prize 2015.

A debut novel set during the Depression, the story is in 3 time frames. It's about friendships, being part of the artistic world, social mores of the times, and life's hardships and complications. Ed enjoyed reading the book.

Margaret - THE STRAYS - Emily Bitto. 2014. Stella Prize 2015.

Margaret also read The Strays. She too enjoyed it. It evoked the time in which it was set, and was well written. She felt the 'parents' in the story were too 'benign' and no good in a crisis. The young protagonists were allowed too much freedom living in almost a commune, which allowed for a degree of tension to develop.

Judy A - LARRY'S PARTY - Carol Shields. Women's Prize for Fiction 1998.

'Larry' is an ordinary man made extraordinary by the writer's deep inspections of his life. Each chapter looks at different aspects of Larry's life - marriages, being a father, work life etc. It ends with a dinner party hence the title. Really enjoyable with a kick at the end that brought a smile to Judy's face.

Bev - SMALL ISLAND - Andrea Levi. 2004.Orange Prize 2004.

Set after WW2 the novel covers the issues of post war migration to England by Caribbean immigrants. Their expectations and disillusionment, weak social policy, ignorance about their living situations, politics and deeply emotive conditions are all explored.

Kris - AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE - Tayari Jones. Women's Prize for Fiction 2019.

A love story with no substance. She wondered why it was chosen as an award winner.

Kellie - also read AN AMERICAN MARRAIGE. She was ambivalent about the story. A business  and life partner, Roy is arrested and jailed for 12 years. During this time his wife falls out of love with him and has a new relationship whereas Roy wants to return to his previous married life.

Tam - THE BOOK OF FORM AND EMPTYNESS - Ruth Ozeki. Women's Prize for Fiction. 2022.

A clever novel between a boy named Benny  and a book. After the death of his father, a boy starts 'hearing' objects talking, objects 'whisper' when he goes to the Library. The book considers grief, psychological impacts of events, communities within communities, kindness, A big book that was fascinating.

Rosemary S - THE ERRATICS - Vicki Laveau-Harvey. Stella Prize 2019.

A memoir - Vicki returns home to Canada, having lived in Australia for a number of years, to help her elderly parents - her mother needing age care support and her father needing home care. For a long time Vicki's sister had been  supporting the ageing parents. Vicki, tackling the vagaries of the elderly, realises just how controlling and manipulative her mother has been. Her previously undiagnosed mental health illness comes to the for. She is hostile, delusional and has isolated her husband from all friends and acquaintances. An enjoyable read.

Kerrie - THE BASS ROCK - Evie Wyld. Stella Prize 2021.

Not for the faint hearted! Intergenerational, complex, historic reflection of female sexual assault based on small personal stories. Tries to explain but not forgive motives. The Bass Rock is witness to generations of violence. Wyld writes with humanity and anger.

Jo - THE BASS ROCK also.

Jo struggled to make sense of the novel.

Lyn - BROTHERLESS NIGHT - V.V.Ganeshananthan. Women's Prize for Fiction 2024.

Set during the 10 year Sri Lankan civil war and written from the view of 16 year old Tamil girl, Sashi,  who dreams of becoming a Doctor.  Her dreams are put aside, her 3 older brothers join the violent Tamil fighters even though it's against all they've been raised to believe in. Leaders were brutal, cruel, showed no mercy and fought at any cost. Well researched and not an easy read.

Judy D - WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN - Lionel Shriver. Women's Prize for Fiction 2005.

Kevin, a teenage boy, murdered 7 classmates, a teacher and a school canteen worker. All before his 16th birthday. 2 years later his mother, Eva, is still coming to terms with the tragedy. Told through a series of letters with her ex husband, it's slowly revealed  her husband refused to 'see' there was any issue with Kevin's behaviour although there were many incidents where Eva was sure Kevin was the instigator. Along the way the underlying message is that Eva, in her ex's eyes, was a bad mother and the cause of their plight. Well written.

Pamela - ORBITAL - Samantha Harvey. Booker Prize 2024.

6 astronauts aboard the International Space Station spend 9 months circling the Earth - 16 dawns, 16 sunsets every 24 hours. Highly detailed and beautifully written, many tiny snippets of life onboard the spacecraft are shown. Pamela enjoyed the book especially the wonderful use of language.

Rosemary - THE LOST MAN - Jane Harper. Ned Kelly Award 2019.

Outback crime, main character is Aaron Falk. Good characters, remote locations, a good read.

Terese - THE IDEA OF PERFECTION - Kate GRENVILLE. Women's Prize for Fiction 2001.

2 very ordinary people leading very ordinary lives clash over the building of a bridge.  Time and patience are needed. She liked the characters but the book wasn't as good The Secret River.

Pat - At book club this month, for a coffee and company.

Debra - PIRANESI - Susanna Clarke. Women's Prize for Fiction 2021.

Psychological fantasy, mystery, fiction, escapism. Set in a labyrinth full of statues it was hard to understand and read. Weird and strange.

Pru - THE POWER - Naomi Alderman. Bailey's Women's Prize for Fiction 2017.

Futuristic - Adult women of all ages develop the power to deliver electric shocks to males thus giving themselves great power. The book is full of feminist issues and is an eye opener to the way many women are so exploited and cruelly mistreated. Main character helps younger women learn to use the power responsibly and for positive good. Weird.

Talk about variety!  Until next month enjoy reading.

Lesley

FOR NOVEMBER WE WILL BE READING NON FICTION

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.