Bev: Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
This unusual memoir is told in 2 parts. The first tells of the author living in poverty in Paris in the 1920s, working at the bottom of the restaurant industry as a dishwasher. The second part describes his life on the road in and around London as he aspires to be a journalist.
Bev was surprised that she enjoyed it so much.
JUDY DE la T: Khaki Town by Judy Nunn
In 1942, Townsville in Queensland suddenly had 70,000 American and Australian troops stationed there ready for combat in the Pacific. Tensions between the Aussies and the confident Yanks soon broke out, as well as between the black GIs, enjoying the lack of segregation, and white GIs.
Judy had heard the author talk about her latest book and was keen to read it.
KRIS: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
The book is set in 1922 during the birth of Communism in Russia. The main character, Count Alexander Rostov, is convicted of being an unrepentant aristocrat and is stripped of his wealth by the new Bolshevik regime. He is sentenced to live in an attic of the Metropol Hotel, never being allowed to leave.
Rostov is such an interesting character, and the story has humour, history and philosophy. It was a joy to read, said Kris.
PAMELA: Waterland by Graham Swift
Pamela reread this favourite book, originally published in 1983. It is set in the fens in England, and is a very complex, totally brilliantly written book that needs to be read slowly and carefully.
It has many and varied themes, but is most importantly about the importance of history, and the concept that history is circular, and no one learns anything from history.
SHEILA: Displaced by Stephan Abarbanell
Set in Palestine in 1946, elderly Elias Lind will not accept that his scientist brother has died in a concentration camp. Elias arranges for someone to search for him. There are clues indicating he may still be alive.
Sheila described it as beautifully written and very readable, an interesting story on several levels, that is also partly factual.
CONNIE: I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven
This is the story of a young Anglican priest who is sent by his bishop to a little Indian village north of Vancouver. Unbeknown to him, he only has a few years to live, but in the meantime, he totally immerses himself in their traditional beliefs and ways of life.
Connie described it as a sad, but comforting story. You can learn much about the real tribal Indian village life and the difficulties of those who want to leave for a different life in Vancouver.
PRUE: Scrublands by Chris Hammer
A journalist suffering from PTSD is sent to a little country town to get ‘his mojo back’. Twelve months before, the priest had killed 5 men, so the journalist is to investigate how the town is coping. For Prue, the description of the dying country town in drought, is absolutely brilliant. The character development is very good, and while the last part is long, and not very exciting, it is necessary to understand what has happened.
DIANN: A Woman of Force by Mark Morri
Deborah Wallace joined the NSW Police and in 1983 was stationed at Blacktown.
The book is the story of her rise to Superintendent, focusing on the highlights and lowlights of her life. It was very difficult being a woman in those times, always having to prove herself. But she did open the door for the many women who followed her into the police force.
Diann described it as an honest and excellent read.
LESLEY: The Survivor by Jane Harper
Like her other novels, this one is also influenced by the environment in Tasmania where the ocean and weather play a part. In a small coastal town, a visitor is found murdered on the beach. There are flashbacks to previous events and gradually lots of small town secrets are revealed.
Lesley thought it easy to read, but not as good as The Dry, the author’s first book.
JO: Wild Fire by Ann Cleaves
Book 8 in the Shetland series, has domestic violence as its main theme, and the sad fact that it can continue from one generation to the next, and the hurt goes on. Jo would love to visit the Shetland Islands.
CLAURENE: Mad World Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Brideshead
Claurene enjoyed this book which is partly a biography of Evelyn Waugh's life and partly a portrait of the Lygon family, used as a model for the characters in the novel. This is a fascinating portrait of the this time in England (1930s) as life began to change.
JOAN: The Good Germans – Resisting the Nazis 1933-1945 by Caterine Clay
Two thirds of the German people didn’t vote for or supported the Nazis, so to survive, they moved to the country and kept their head down. They were always in fear of losing their jobs, their homes, but many found the courage to resist. The book follows 6 different individuals in all aspects of German life. There are great connections between the 6 characters, their methods are daring but each is different.
Although the content is very stark, it is not a depressing book as you get caught up in the bravery of the individual.
JUDY J: The Soldiers Curse by Meg Keneally and Thomas Keneally
Although it had a rather slow buildup, the book tells the story of Hugh Monsarrat, a second offender, who is sent to the Port Macquarie penal settlement. His skill with words and writing gets him a privileged place as scribe to the commander. When the housekeeper is accused of murder, Monsarrat sets out to prove her innocence by finding the culprit. The descriptions of the penal settlement and the treatment of the convicts often lead to feelings of empathy for some villains. This is the first in a series, and Judy would certainly read more of them.
JUDY A: The Bone People by Keri Hulme
This slightly autobiographical book tells the story of a mixed European/Maori who lives in a tower on the New Zealand coast. One day she finds a mute boy Simon, in her tower. He has been raised by his Maori foster father Joe who rescued him from a shipwreck.
Judy described the book as beautiful, yet disturbing, an unforgettable story but could not really recommended for everyone to read.
ROSEMARY: Wearing Paper Dresses by Anne Brinsden
This family saga is set in the Malleee in northern Victoria in the 1950s. Elise and Bill with their 2 daughters were living in Melbourne when Bill’s mother died. Although his father tried to manage the farm alone, Bill and his family eventually are forced to return to help out. Elise finds life very difficult and as her love of art and music evaporate, the family worries about her depression.
Rosemary loved the author’s descriptive style of writing and found it very enjoyable to read.
Julia: When She was Good by Michael Robotham
This book follows on from “Good Girl, Bad Girl” where the character of Evie is first introduced. It’s a very complicated storyline. Evie, the girl with no past, was discovered hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a terrible crime.
She has the unsettling ability to know when someone is lying. Julia loved it, but emphasized that you need to read Book 1 of the Cyrus Haven series first.
January 2021 We begin the year by sharing books we have been given, or just read over the Christmas holidays.
The Book Club will be followed by a lunch in the Stan Stevens Room to acknowledge 10 years of the Third Thursday Book Club!
Wear your pearls to celebrate!
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