FEBRUARY 2026 WOMEN'S FRIENDSHIPS

 

We enjoyed a very mixed selection of books this month – the topic being Female Friendships.

Theresa – WEEKENDS WITH THE SUNSHINE GARDEN SOCIETY. Sophie Green.

A lovely story with much humour and positivity. 4 women come together, each with their own ‘baggage’, and work to build a community garden. As their relationships develop, they find comfort, support and a community.

Pat – Elizabeth is Missing. Emma Healey. A woman, Maud, with increasing dementia is searching for her friend – Elizabeth.  Maud continues to ask where she is, they shared a special friendship with gardening as the connector. Maud is sure Elizabeth would never just disappear. The story provides insights into those with dementia and those who witness its progress. Very enjoyable.

Joan – Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Lisa See. Meticulously researched novel detailing the intense lifelong friendship between 2 women in 19^th century China. The women found comfort and support together as they experienced the brutality of foot binding and used a ‘secret language’ that men could not understand which gave them a sense of power in a male dominated society.  Highly recommended.

Val – Cold Enough for Snow. Jessica Oh. Novella of the friendship between a mother and daughter, living in different countries, sharing their life’s experiences. Sometimes the prose was dull.

Rosemary W – The Winter Dress. Lauren Chater. Historical fiction. The author (a textile researcher) creates a story about a beautiful silk gown, 17th-century, that has been rediscovered and recreates the possible ‘life’ of the gown. Well written but a little wordy.

Jo – Gang of Four – Liz Byrski. 4 women, friends all in their 50’s, see their lives in crisis and want it to change. Different lives and different futures.

Kerry – The Sealed Letter. Emma Donoghue. 2 women from different social classes, become unlikely friends. Emily (a faithful friend) moves into the home a couple shared and befriends both Helen and Harry. But Helen wants a divorce. In England in 1864 divorce was not common and due to the high social profile of the couple the divorce became highly publicised. The book highlights London society, the Legal system, social mores, friendships gone wrong and how Helen cruelly gaslighted and manipulated Emily to obtain a divorce on her terms.

Debra – One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot. Marianne Cronin. 2 women are in a terminal care ward in a Glasgow hospital. Lenni is 17, Margot 83. Both learn of each other’s lives through a painting class offered to patients. Friendship blooms, life’s stories swapped, the young Lenni’s view of life changes. They plan to create 100 paintings showing the lives they have lived. Debra loved the book.

Cindy – The Book Club for Troublesome Women. Marie Bostwick. Historical fiction. 4 disgruntled women form a book club. A new member encourages them to read the Feminine Mystique – Betty Friedan. They begin to challenge social rules and expectations, friendships develop, they firm their views and take charge of their lives.

Dimity - Maggsie McNaughton’s Second Chance. Frances Maynard. A year in the life of a female prisoner living in supported housing. The woman comes from a very disadvantaged background. She finds friendships developing, gains positive life skills and develops an interest in life. Smart and funny.

Margaret – Lady Tans Circle of Women. Lisa See. Chinese culture and history are highlighted when, in 15^th China, a young woman raised by her grandparents becomes a doctor. She not only is formally educated, but she also witnesses and learns how to be heard and accepted as an intelligent, active woman. Interesting characters and friendships across different classes. Very good.

Judy A. – Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café. Fannie Flagg. Two different friendships are told in this book. Evelyn, in the 1980s, whilst visiting her cranky mother-in-law meets 80-year-old Ninny Threadgoode – a strong, talkative, outgoing woman with plenty of life’s experiences to share. She grew up at the Whistle Stop Café Alabama. The 2nd friendship, set in the 1930’s, is about Ruth Jamison and Idgie Threadgoode who run the Whistle Stop Café. Ruth faced much adversity during her early time at the café but the growing friendship with Idgie helped her overcome. Judy has very fond memories of reading this book with her family over the years.

Tam – Secrets between Friends. Fiona Palmer. Friends on a cruise, everyone has secrets, friends nurture and encourage each other. Tam enjoyed the book.

Judy J. – The Silver Ladies of Penny Lane. Dee MacDonald. Friends Tess and Orla run a dress shop called Curvaceous. Both single and with an upcoming wedding they both decide to lose weight. Tess wants s suitable partner to take to the wedding to show off to her ex. Many exploits happen, the book is funny in parts, light-hearted and an easy read.

Rosemary S – We All Want Impossible Things. Katharine Newman. Best friends, one is dying, the other goes to stay with her. Whilst a bleak topic there’s funny moments, mostly the women just talk and reflect. It deals with dying and just being there for your friends. Quite moving.

Lyn – The Chocolate Factory. Mary Lou Stephens. Historical fiction. The Cadbury Factory based in Tasmania in 1921 saw many workers migrate from Bourneville England. They brought their skills and knowledge of chocolate making to Australia. The story looks at the lives of many of the workers – there’s jealousy, ambition, recipe stealing and secrets. Lyn found it enthralling.

 

Judy D – Best of Friends. Kamila Shamsie. Set in Karachi Pakistan, an unusual friendship develops between 2 young girls. One is academically brilliant whilst the other will inherit a fortune. Different lives, different personalities. Years later they both live in London and are still best friends, formed through their dreadful, secret past.  A good read.

Kris – A Month of Sundays. Liz Byrski. 4 women start a book club, online by zoom. Years later they decide to spend a weekend together and must choose a favourite book to discuss. Lives change. An easy read.

Ed – Firefly Lane. Kristin Hannah. About Kate a schoolteacher and her friend Tully. They are inseparable but have very different views on what they want from life.

Pamela – Mistress Branigan. Jules Verne. Set in 1891, the world was not yet fully explored or understood. A wealthy woman travels the world looking for her ‘missing’ husband. Australia is a destination full of mystery and danger, and she thinks her missing husband is there. Mistress Branigan travels take her to Australia where she discovers many wonders. The details are fanciful and fulsome.

Sheila – The God of No Good. Sita Walker. The Ba’hai faith is about being a good person. This book is an intergenerational, cross-continent story about 6 women as they try to live their lives according to their faith. Over time the main character questions her faith as values, beliefs and experiences change her.

Our reading for the month of March is a book that has been translated into English.

Happy reading all.  Lesley.

January Santa Sack: CHOOSE A BOOK ENJOYED OVER THE FESTIVE SEASON

 Judy de la T:

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E Butler

Published in 1993, this dystopian novel describes California in the 2020s.

Judy described it as disturbing and revolting.

She also read Australia’s Most Infamous Criminals by Graham Seal. Interesting and gripping stories about heists, clever scams and mysterious murders.

 

Kellie: 

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson

A retired Major and Pakistani shopkeeper form an unlikely friendship in a small English village, but face challenges from society and tradition.

Quirky, easy read with hilarious one liners.

 

Sheila:

Pilbara by Judy Nunn

While she had enjoyed previous books by Judy Nunn, she found this one was too long and became boring. But she acknowledged that the author’s books were always well researched.

 

Helen:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver  (published in 2022)

A powerful coming of age story about a boy’s struggle for survival and identity in a system designed to fail him, set against the backdrop of a devastating opioid crisis in Appalachia. It draws inspiration from Dicken’s classic tale of poverty and resilience. The novel is a powerful exploration of survival, addiction and redemption. A great epic tale.

 

Pat:

Tidelands  (The Fairmile #1) by Philippa Gregory

Set in 1648 England during a civil war, a poor woman living in the marshy Tidelands helps a mysterious fugitive leading to suspicions of witchcraft among her neighbours. The plot of this historical novel intertwines love, history, religion and much more.

 

Val:

My Friend Maigret by George Simenon (published in 1942)

A gentle detective story featuring Simenon’s famous policeman, Maigret. The pace is slow and the plot unoriginal. A fisherman with a connection to Maigret is found dead on a small private island. The descriptions of life on the island are just lovely. Maigret watches all the time and gradually pieces things together. 

 

Joan:

Now We Shall be Entirely Free by Andrew Miller  ( published in 2018)

Set in 1809 in Somerset, Captain John Lacroix returns home from the British Army’s disastrous campaign against Napoleon’s forces in Spain.

He is damaged but on his recovery is hunted for a war crime he had tried to forget.

Great prose, beautiful writing, suspense and a twist at the end.

 

Jo and Bev:

Last One Out by Jane Harper

Jo had read others by this author but was disappointed with this story.

 

Bev: This was different from her other books as it didn’t begin with a murder which was eventually solved.

A family is grieving for their son now missing for five years. This has torn the family apart. Meanwhile the small country town is in decline as a large mine is buying up houses and land, people are moving on. But the mother is determined to find out what happened to her son.

 

Rosemary W:

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

The story told in this novella is based on the real-life history of the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland in 1985. These were workhouses where Irish girls and women were forced into unpaid labour.

Beautifully written, it exposes the culture of secrecy and the power of the church.

 

Debra:

Fantasy is a great way to escape from the world.

The Book of Wisdom Trilogy (Tomorrowland) by Rosalia Aguilar Solace

This is a fantasy novel featuring a magical library and the “Book of Wisdom”. 

The Shadow Weaver by Ivy Cliffwater

This is an epic romantic fantasy about Caris Ironside, a woman with shadow powers.

Other books read, The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers and The Kookaburra Creek Café by Sandie Docker.

 

Prue:

Implacable by Jack Campbell (published in 2023)

Prue reread this book to answer a query for herself. It is the last in the Lost Fleet: Outlander series – the latest in the sci-fi military collection of series featuring Blackjack Geary.

They are exciting, enjoyable, interesting and easy to read, with good plots, great characters, problems to solve, aliens to meet and battles to win.

The entire ‘saga’ is highly recommended to sci-fi readers.

 

Dimity:

Slow Horses by Mick Herron

This espionage novel is the first in the Slough House series and features a team of disgraced MI5 agents seeking redemption. They are asked to investigate a high-stakes case involving a kidnapped man and a live Internet broadcast. Twists and turns at the end, and an enjoyable read.

 

Margaret:

Speak to Me of Home by Jeanine Cummins

A novel about three generations of a family told through the eyes of the women, Rafaela, Ruth and Daisy. The story moves between Puerto Rico and the USA and explores themes of identity, family bonds and racism against a backdrop of the political landscape and social upheaval in both countries over decades. Storytelling at its finest and really enjoyed by Margaret.

 

Judy A:

The Proving Ground (Lincoln Lawyer #8) by Michael Connelly

Micky Haller leaves the criminal defence court behind for his first civil lawsuit. But to him, this is still a murder trial. An AI company has created a chat bot with the ability to be an online companion to subscribers.

Mickey is representing the mother of a daughter who was killed by her ex-boyfriend. He is trying to prove that the boyfriend was urged by his AI ‘girlfriend’ chat bot named Wren to commit murder.

Michael Connelly is the absolute master of police procedurals and court room dramas, and this book is very relevant to our world now.

 

Rosemary S:

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

This is the fourth book in the Thursday Murder Club series. The storyline is totally unbelievable, the characters are very familiar and give you a good laugh. A great summer read! 

 

Judy J:

Mischance Creek by Garry Disher

Constable Paul Hirschhausen runs a one-cop station in a small, dusty South Australian town. He used to be in the city until he became a whistleblower.

This is the fourth book featuring ‘Hirsch’ who not only solves crimes in the area, but he also feels responsible for the welfare of his scattered flock of battlers, bluebloods, loners and miscreants.

The story is very current featuring online bullying, claims of a sovereign state, corruption in the Council and treatment of the local aborigines. All this set in a drought that SA is currently experiencing. A reliable author.

 

Lyn:

The Royal Librarian by Daisy Wood (published in 2024)

Historical fiction set in World War 11.

For their safety, Sophie and her sister are sent from their home in Vienna to live in London. Sophie secures a position as an assistant to the Royal Librarian at Windsor Castle. She was secretly tasked with sending relevant information back to Vienna, to foil a suspected plot against the Royal family. Many twists and turns, a real page turner and very enjoyable.

 

Kerrie: 

The Mushroom Tapes by Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper and Sarah Krasnostein

Unfortunately Kerrie couldn’t come to Book Club because of another commitment but texted in her contribution.

As much about this particularly sensational murder investigation and trial of Erin Patterson, as of our fascination and identification with the human emotions of the people involved, it is a fascinating study of how authors work together to create immersive literature. Neither sensational or melodramatic, it is a way to examine what we know and can never know about the human beings around us.

 

 

FEBRUARY: Women’s friendship

 

 

 

 

DECEMBER, 2025 - OUR FAVOURITE BOOK OF THE YEAR

 We had a lively discussion at our December book club meeting.  Most of our members thoroughly enjoyed their books.

LESLEY

HOUSEMAID BY FREIDA MCFADDEN (2022)

This is a psychological thriller about abuse.  Nina, Andrew and daughter Cecilia live in a beautiful home and life seems perfect.  Millie, just out of prison, gets a housekeeping job there but this is not the dream job she imagined.  Andrew seems to treat Nina well, but Nina is a bit erratic, unhinged at times.  Millie feels sorry for Andrew and starts a relationship with him.  When Nina leaves, Millie moves in with Andrew, but he wants total control. Lesley thoroughly enjoyed this book.

DEBRA

TEA LADIES BY AMANDA HAMPSON (2023)

This is a “cosy” mystery series set in Sydney Australia in 1965. It is the same format as Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, with one character, Hazel, the main solver and gatherer of her fellow tea ladies to solve the case.  When there is a murder in the building, the tea ladies draw on their wider network and put themselves in danger as they piece together clues that connect the murder to a nearby arson and kidnapping.  Being tea ladies, they move about with an air of invisibility.  Debra said the books are an easy read and most enjoyable.

PRUE

THE VALLEY BY CHRIS HAMMER (2024)

This is the fourth in the detectives, Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic series.  They are sent to investigate a suspicious death in the valley. The victim turns out to be Nell’s half-brother. There are so many twists and turns and great characters in the solving of the murder which they find is linked to an old gold mine in the valley and two other killings. Chris Hammer has a gift of description – the Australian countryside, great characters and a sensitivity for emotions in people.  Prue found it most enjoyable.

THERESA

LOLA IN THE MIRROR BY TREANT DALTON (2023)

The author really gets to the core of human’s struggle with life – drugs, domestic violence etc.  A mother and her nameless 17 year old daughter are on the run in Brisbane after the mother killed her daughter’s father.  They are trying to escape a violent past and a drug lord.  The girl dreams of becoming an artist but when her mother drowns, she is forced to find work with a drug dealer.  Theresa said it was very sad and quite miserable. She said Boy Swallows the Universe was difficult, but this book was more difficult

MARGARET

MAD MABEL BY SALLY HEPWORTH

This is Sally Hepworth’s latest book.  Margaret said it was fabulous from the first minute.  It was a very good read.  The characters were great, especially Mabel, a curmudgeonly 81 year old lady living in Melbourne.  The story is about her childhood and her background.

JUDY A.

WILD DARK SHORE BY CHARLOTTE MCCONAGHY (2025)

The setting is Shearwater Island, a fictional island but modelled on Macquarie Island, a lonely research island about halfway between Tasmania and Antarctica.  Dominic Salt and his three children Raff (18), Fen (17) and Orly (9) are the caretakers here.  Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers, but with the sea levels rising, the Salts are the final inhabitants.  They’re packing up the seedbank, because in a couple of months there’s a ship coming to take them back to the mainland.  A body of a woman is washed up on shore after a ferocious storm.  Her name is Rowan, and as they nurse her back to health, they suspect she is not being truthful with them but after Rowan discovers sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realises they also have secrets of their own.  Judy loved this book.  She has read all three but thinks this is the best yet.  She writes “climate fiction” but she’s not heavy handed.  She gave it 5/5

TAM

EVERY LAST SUSPECT BY NICOLA MORIARTY

Tam said she could not put it down.  It had everything in it.  The main character, Harriet Osmond, you love her or hate her, is murdered but while she is dying, she is talking about all the people who could have killed her. Lots of friends have reasons, blackmail, bullying, envy, lust, revenge? It’s a suspense thriller. “The question isn’t who killed Harriet, but why did it take them so long to do it?

ROSEMARY

TANGLED WEB BY TEA COOPER (2025)

The Tangled Web is an historical mystery by an Australian author.  It is set in 1980’s predominantly in Maitland NSW.  After her brother dies of hemophilia, whilst under the care of their surgeon stepfather, Viola Oswald suspects unethical medical practices.   She disguises herself as a boy and investigates in Maitland, uncovering a web of deception involving vulnerable children, who are being lured to Sydney by the surgeon and being used as “Guinea pigs” as blood donors.

This book evokes social conditions of the late 19^th century, from the harsh realities of poverty and homelessness to the limited opportunities for women and explores justice, secrecy and women’s rights.

LYN

ELEPHANT WHISPERER BY LAWRENCE ANTHONY

 WITH GRAHAM SPENCE (2010)

This is non fiction set in South Africa. In the mid 1990’s Lawrence purchased Thula Thula, a 5,000 acre game reserve in Zululand.  There were lots of game animals, but no elephants remained, having been poached or killed for ivory. When offered a herd of rogue extremely traumatised elephants, Lawrence takes them to rehabilitate them. Lyn said she learnt a lot about the compassionate and loyal nature of elephants as well as their enjoyment of fun and games.  She found this book beautifully and sensitive written.

JUDY D

A COUNTRY OF ETERNAL LIGHT BY PAUL DALGARNO (2023)

Margaret Bryce, deceased mother of twins, has been having a hard time since dying in 2014.  When she is dead, she revisits her two children, her husband, other people and places, revisiting the past.  The story spans 75 years.  It is a very witty and interesting book to read.

SHEILA

MRS SPY BY M.J. ROBOTHAM

This is described as “The Thursday Murder  Club for Spies”. Maggie is a widow, mother and spy, (MI5 operative) in London in the 1960’s. There are lots of twists and turns. Sheila said it was funny, well written and easy to read.  She thoroughly enjoyed it.

PAT

VERITY BY COLLEEN HOOVER

Pat said it gets you in from the opening page. An Australian female author is meeting her publisher to get more work.  She is standing behind a man who gets hit by a bus and she is splattered in blood.  The man behind her takes her to a cafe to settle and get cleaned up. She meets with her publisher, and at the meeting is the same fellow. He wants to commission her to ghostwrite for his wife, Verity, a bestselling author who is incapacitated after an accident.  This is a dark psychological thriller.  Pat said it was easy to read and a real page turner.  She read it in three sittings.

DIMITY

LE CROQUE CHAUSSETTES

Dimity is learning French and this is one of the Children’s books she reads to practice her French.  She has also started SLOW HORSES BY MICK HERRON

VAL

FOSTER BY CLAIRE KEEGAN

This book is not bright nor cheerful.  A child is taken to live with distant relatives in rural Ireland.  Here she finds care, comfort and affection which she is not used to, and she begins to blossom, but summer ends and she must go home for school……  It was made into a movie called Quiet Girl. It is economically written.  Claire Keegan is a beautiful writer, known for her spare, precise and deeply resonant prose.

JOAN

THE LOST WIFE BY SUSANNA MOORE (2023)

This book is historical fiction written by an American author. It is based in part on a true story of a woman’s experience in a United States frontier settlement and survival of the “Sioux uprising of 1862.  It was a rewarding read.

JO

A DARK AND STORMY TEA BY LAURA CHILDS

This is Tea Shop mystery 24.  It is a cosy murder mystery set around a Tea shop in an American town.  It is very well written in the style of Agatha Christie.  Jo said she loves them.

ED

THE GREAT ALONE BY KRISTIN HANNAH

This novel is a story about a family and domestic violence.  A woman has a very jealous husband who would bash her if she looked the wrong way at another man.  Ed said she enjoyed the read despite the violence.

KRIS

GO AS A RIVER BY SHELLEY READ

The story is inspired by true events surrounding the destruction of the town of Iola, Colorado in the 1960’s to create the Blue Mesa Reservoir but this story begins in 1948.  The wild Gunnison River, tributary of the Colorado River plays a large part in Victoria Nash’s childhood.  She is 17 years old and runs an all male household on her family’s peach farm. Victoria’s mother died when she was young and she has little idea about what becoming a woman entails. When she meets a young native Indian man, who has come to town looking for work, she feels a great attraction to him.  Her courage and resilience shines through as she deals with the prejudices of a small town.  This book is heartbreaking and unforgettable.  It’s beautifully written and I loved reading it.

Kris

 

IN JANUARY 2026 WE WILL BE READING A BOOK WE READ OVER THE FESTIVE SEASON

 

 

 

 

 

 

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