January: Our "Holiday Reads"

This month's discussion revolved around books we were able to indulge in over the Christmas holidays. We also welcomed 2 new members Pauline and Annette.

Tam:   Salvation Creek & The Briny Cafe by Susan Duncan
 After the author had  spoken at Windsor Library, Tam bought her first book, Salvation Creek. This is her memoir telling of her life as an editor of The Australian Women's Weekly and The New Idea. Her life fell apart with the death of her husband and brother within a few days. When she herself was later diagnosed with breast cancer, she retreated to the idyllic Pittwater. Here she gets her life back together again, finds new love and moves into a house previously owned by Dorothea McKellar.
The Briny Cafe is fiction but seems to be based on many of the characters from her life and it is also set in Pittwater.
Tam enjoyed it so much she took a trip to Pittwater, recognising many of the places and even possibly some of the people. She really recommends it, both the book and the day out in Pittwater.

Rosemary:   Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin
This autobiography tells the story of Li who grew up in a destitute rural household in China, was selected by Chinese Communist Party to become a ballet dancer trainee in Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy when he was eleven. Later, he got a chance to study abroad in America as an exchange student. After struggling hard, he finally decided not to go back to China, instead achieving great success in America. There were many moving parts in the book, including the reunion with his parents when they were allowed to leave China and saw him dance for the first time.
Li currently lives in Australia with his Australian wife and 2 children.
A very inspiring book.

Diane:  The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing
David and Harriet seem to have been blessed with four children and a very happy life. This changes after her fifth pregnancy when following a difficult labour their child is born who is different. He brings much misery and suffering to the family. The book tells some of the story of this child's life without ever really explaining what the syndrome or the problem was.
Diane thought it was well written but not a very nice book.

Jo:   Black Smoke by Margaret Wise
This is the incredible story of a woman suffering from cancer, and how she sought treatment from tribes living in the Amazon jungle. Many of the descriptions were horrible and quite gory, but still very interesting.
Jo explained that pharmaceutical companies have taken an interest in some of the products that were used in her treatment.

Jo also read 61 Hours by Lee Child. This another book featuring Jack Reacher, a former Major in the United States Army Military Police Corps. Set in South Dakota in the snow, Reacher gets caught up in the hunt for a  murderer and the protection of a key witness.
Jo loved it!

Annette:   Matthew Flinder's Cat by Bryce Courtney
The story is set in Surry Hills close to where Annette works.
It records the relationship between a homeless former lawyer and alcoholic, and a young skateboard riding boy with a troubled background. He befriends the boy who pesters him to tell him the story of Matthew Flinders and his cat who travelled with him on his voyages.
Annette described it as a gripping story with a positive ending.

Joan: Waiting to Be Heard, A Memoir by Amanda Knox
Amanda is a young American college student who left Seattle to study in Perugia in Italy. Following the brutal murder of her housemate (a fellow student from England), she and her Italian boyfriend are accused, tried, found guilty and sentenced for the crime. This is despite them proclaiming their innocence and the confession of a black immigrant.
In 2011 after 4 years in prison, they were freed on appeal. The book highlights the incompetence of the police and the inconsistency in the evidence presented. It records a  foreign legal nightmare which is still ongoing.

Lesley and Ann: The Black Box by Michael Connolly
The author has been a prolific crime writer and this is his 16th novel featuring Harry Bosch a clever, old school detective. In this story he uses technology to bring closure to a murder that happened 20 years ago when a journalist was killed while investigating the riots in Los Angeles.
The black box, as in the title is the 'key' to solving the murder, as a black box in an airliner is the 'key' to identifying any problems the plane may encounter.
Lesley thought there was an interesting use of technology, the book moved at a good pace and it was not too far fetched!

Ed:   Marley and Me by John Grogan
"I laughed and I cried"
 She also read The Winter Sea Di Morrissey
Set in the islands off the north coast of Italy and a little town on the south coast on New South Wales, the story is a family saga involving several generations and spanning both countries. It is the perfect holiday read with great descriptions of the characters and the places mentioned, as well as giving a sympathetic insight to the difficulties that migrants have settling in this country.

Connie:   These Wonderful Rumours by May Smith
This is the diary of a young primary school teacher in Saddlington, Derbyshire during the war. As it is a diary, it recounts her day to day activities, which Connie could relate to, as she was of school age then. She also talks of the stories that circulated during the war and gave personal insights into what life was like then.
The book had been a Christmas gift from a friend in England which made it all the more enjoyable for Connie.

Pat:   Marching Powder by Rusty Young
Rusty Young was backpacking in South America when he heard about Thomas McFadden, a convicted English drug trafficker who ran tours inside Bolivia's famous San Pedro Prison. Curious about the reason behind McFadden's huge popularity, the law graduate went to La Paz and joined one of Thomas's illegal tours. They formed an instant friendship and then became partners in an attempt to record Thomas's experiences in the jail. Rusty bribed the guards to allow him to stay and for the next three months he lived inside the prison, sharing a cell with Thomas.The book documents the corruption, where there are no rules and money buys everything.

Pauline:   Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
This is the author's debut novel and is set in Iceland. Although it is written as fiction, the book is based on fact. In 1828, 3 people were found guilty of the murder of 2 men. As there were no prisons they were sent to different farms to await their execution. One of the prisoners was a woman, and the family who received her were horrified at the situation.
It is a gentle and compassionate story, beautifully written and with wonderful descriptions of the Icelandic countryside where the author had lived for several years.

Kris:   The Olive Season by Carol Drinkwater
The author and her husband go to France to start a provincial olive farm. It is a true story but some liberties have been taken with a few of the details. The book tells of the highs and lows of their lives, the vagaries of the seasons and the customs and the local cuisine of the area.
Kris thought there were many poignant parts, colourful characters, beautiful scenery and a lovely life in the south of France.

Sheila:   Paris Imperfect by Susie Vereker
This is a light, interesting and funny book about Clio, her life and her loves. Should she marry her French lover with the intimidating mother when what she really wants is stability for her son? But when she goes on a trip to the battlefields, she meets a handsome Canadian.
Sheila enjoyed the author's knowledge of Paris and the French people and their opinions of the English!
She also read Open Secret: The Autobiography of the Former Director-General of MI5 by Stella Rimington.

Pamela: 
Pamela belongs to EETS, Early English Text Society and through them she has obtained the definitive edition of The York Plays.
There are between 47 to 50 plays of which the first know record is in 1377 and they were performed until 1586. They cover the creation, the life and passion of Jesus Christ right up until the day of judgement. These plays tell the biblical stories as well as entertaining and informing as most people could not read. The plays were put on by the appropriate Trade Guilds, performed on pageant wagons and each play was performed up to 12 times in a day around the city of York.

Julia:   The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowlings
This is the author's first book following her success with the Harry Potter novels. Even though a story for adults, it seems congested with too many characters. It is set in a small town, with everyone at war with everyone else. When one member of the Parish Council dies, there is great difficulty choosing a replacement.
Julia thought it was much better suited to being a TV show.

Judy:   The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith
This is the 14th in the series featuring Precious Ramtswe as the owner of The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency in Botswana. When her assistant Grace takes maternity leave, and Precious has to solve the crimes on her own, she realises how much she values Grace's friendship. As with all the other books in the series, familiar characters keep appearing, good homespun philosophies are discussed at length and the beautiful African country side is a feature of the book.
Judy thought there would be greater appreciation of the story and the characters, if at least some of the previous books had been read, but still a delightful holiday read.


Maree:   The Book Thief
She loved the book and loved the movie, noting that at the conclusion some in the audience actually clapped!

Jayne:  Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville
Although this is a sequel to The Secret River, it can be read as a stand alone novel and is the story of the youngest member of the family featured in the previous novel. They were the first generation born in this land. Their parents were convicts but not proud of it. There were no grandparents and so there was no one to ask about the past.
Jayne has driven around the Wisemans Ferry area and found many of the places mentioned in the book.

DON'T FORGET:   February :- Truman Capote
Bring along your favourite story, otherwise books available through the Library.
See you then.