AUSTRALIANA
JUDY G: "EUCALYPTUS" BY MURRAY BAIL
Judy found the book a bit boring at first but later found some humorous events. It is the story of a wealthy Australian landowner whose wife dies in childbirth. She had twins. The baby boy dies and the girl lives. When his daughter is 19 he decides that the person who can marry her has to meet certain criteria. In the meantime his daughter meets a man floating around the property. He tells her stories. After page 50, Judy wanted to know what happened and in the end, enjoyed it.
WENDY "MR STUART'S TRACK" BY JOHN BAILEY
This book is an account of the life of John McDouall Stuart who was descended from the Royal Line of Stuarts. He migrated to South Australia at 23. He was a surveyor who did seven expeditions, including one with Sturt. He got a backer to do an expedition to reach the centre of Australia, south to north. Wendy felt sorry for the explorers, aborigines and the horses. Wendy said it was an easy book to read and would recommend it.
PAMELA "WILD MEN OF SYDNEY" BY CYRIL PEARL
This is non fiction. Pamela had read it before and thought she would like it but she didn't like the fact the author does not back up what he writes. There is no referencing. Because of a serious error in the book she doubts the veracity of some of the book. It is the story of some of the men in the New South Wales parliament in the early 1900's. Two of these men were John Norton, editor of the "Truth" and Patrick Crick. It is a story of corruption, the terrible brawls and the bad behaviour in parliament. The speaker's Mace went missing in a brothel! After a while their bad behaviour starts to pall.
SHEILA "DEAR COUSIN:THE REIBY LETTERS"
This book is an account of Mary Reiby's life through letters written by Mary to her family. Mary Reiby was born in 1777. She was brought up by her grandmother after her parents died. She was schooled which was unusual. Mary was difficult to handle. When she was fourteen she dressed as a boy and stole a horse. She was tried and the verdict was death by hanging. It was commuted to seven years in Australia. She married a free settler at 16 and had seven children. Sheila said she was a fascinating, heroic woman who prospered in Australia. She was a very clever woman and was the founding member of the Bank of N.S.W.
ROSEMARIE "TIN TICKET" BY DEBORAH J SWISS
The author, was hiking in Tasmania in 2004 when an artist she met, a descendant from convict women, told her she had a story for her. The American author spent six years researching 19th century diaries.The story is about two convict women from Glasgow who are sent to Newgate prison in London for a trivial incident of stealing one spoon. They are transported to Van Diemens land. She describes the horrors on board the ship taking them to Van Diemens land. Rosemarie is enjoying it and likes the author's ability to tell facts in a readable story. She also quotes from the diaries but keeps the flow of the book. The tin ticket is their identity no.
PAT "100 STORIES BY 100 WOMEN"
This is not a book about Australia as Pat was in Malta, where she borrowed this particular book from the library. She enjoyed reading it. The women in the book are between 77 and 100 and it is about their lives in Malta during the 2nd World War. They had hordes of children, one woman had twenty two. Their husbands died young, they had no food coming into the country so they were hungry and poor. Malta was the most bombed island during the war. Pat particularly liked the stories as they were so similar to stories she heard from her mother.
ANNE "THE LIEUTENANT" BY KATE GRENVILLE
The book is based on the life of William Dawes but Anne says it is fictional. He was an astronomer who came out from England in the hope of sighting Haley's comet. The young Aboriginals visited him and he tried to learn the language. The Governor ordered him to capture or kill six Aboriginals. Dawes was sent back as he didn't approve. Anne found it a bit boring and didn't enjoy it as she is not interested in astronomy.
LAURA "THE HARP IN THE SOUTH" BY RUTH PARK
The book is set in an inner city suburb of Sydney and it is written and set in the 1940's. It is about a poor family of Irish immigrants, the parents and their two daughters. The father drinks away any money. They have boarders in various rooms as well as bedbugs! There are moments of joy and they seem to be quite happy with very little. It is a story of ordinary lives. Laura really enjoyed it, found it very readable and would recommend this book.
CONNIE "SCAPEGALLOWS" BY CAROL BIRCH
This is a novel about the people who escaped the gallows and whose punishment was commuted to transportation. Connie enjoyed the book but would have preferred more about the time in Australia. It didn't get to Australia until the end. It is a story about Margaret Catchpole who was born in 1792 to an unmarried mother. She is given to the 16yr old sister to look after. The book is based on what might have happened. Mary became a competent horsewoman. She taught herself to read and write, never married and acted as a midwife (not trained). She was sentenced to death twice and the second time it was changed to life imprisonment in Australia. She was well known by the time she got to Australia. She moved to the Hawkesbury later. There is a ward in Hawkesbury Hospital named after Mary.
JULIA "MARY BRYANT, HER LIFE AND ESCAPE FROM BOTANY BAY" BY JONATHON KING
The author has written twenty books, a lot about the convict era and television dramas about early Australia. It is called an historical biography. Mary robbed a wealthy woman of a silk bonnet and was given a death sentence but instead was transported to Botany Bay. She escaped by boat and ended up at Timor. Julia said it was a good read!
LESLEY "STORM BAY" BY PATRICIA SHAW
This book is historical fiction. It is the story of a ship full of convicts who were sent to Port Arthur in Van Diemens land. It describes the terrible cruelty inflicted on each other and by their superiors, although some of the soldiers try to improve the situation. The author repeats herself in yet another brutal situation and Lesley felt the book could have been 200 pages less. The main character is a fairly decent man who eventually gets a ticket of leave. The story follows the hardships he endures. Lesley said the book was alright.
JO "THE SECRET RIVER" BY KATE GRENFELL
The story is about a riverboat man who was caught stealing. He was sentenced to death by hanging but this was commuted and he was sent to the colonies. He starts up as a river man again and then comes to the Hawkesbury. He gets 100 acres and learns how to be a farmer. He has problems with the Aborigines. Jo said it was a fantastic book and very well written.
TAM "STRENGTH TO STRENGTH" BY SARA HENDERSON
Tam read this book after reading Sara Henderson's daughter's book. She wanted to get the other side of the story. It is autobiographical. Tam had no trouble reading it. Tam said Sara is a very good writer as well a being a clever and tough woman. She runs a cattle station with two daughters. Her American husband who is an ace pilot dumps her in a tin shed in the Northern Territory and expects her to do everything. She hangs in and hangs in due to her iron will. She is obsessed with the property. There are some amazing stories and Tam wonders if it was a bit exaggerated.
ROSEMARIE O "REMEMBERING BABYLON" BY DAVID MALOUF
Rosemarie read half of the book but said it was a bit boring and not a lot of story. There was a lot of psychoanalysing. It is about a group of Scottish immigrants who come to North Queensland. They all come for different reasons and it spends a lot of time telling you the reasons. Into the story comes a white boy who was brought up by the Aboriginals. He is not well received by the the Scottish people. She will finish it but felt there was no real story content.
KRIS "ISOBEL ON THE WAY TO THE CORNER SHOP" BY AMY WITTING
This book is set in the 20th century. The story is about Isobel, a 21yr old woman who is working in a job translating German into English. Too much is expected of her and she walks out one day after losing her temper. Isobel has grown up with little love in her life. Her dream is to write a novel. She lives in an attic room of a boarding house and with no job and no food, she soon becomes sick. She wonders "how in this world full of people, did one get to be quite alone? She had been working at it for some time, it seemed, shutting doors behind her, one after another". She drags herself out to get some food but collapses in the street. She is put into a sanatorium when it is discovered she has tuberculosis. The rest of the book is about the different people she shares her life with in the sanatorium. Isobel has quite a sense of humour making the situation less grim. The book is well written and worth a read.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Thursday, October 3, 2013
SEPTEMBER:- Fathers
Jo: Fonduing Fathers by Julie Hyzy
Set in the White House, the chef is murdered by an undercover agent. Through the book there is murder, romance, mayhem and recipes. The book looks at the daily life of the First Family of America and is part of the series "A White House Chef Mystery". Jo thought it was a good read, and it didn't contain any swear words.
Rosemary: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Set in the White House, the chef is murdered by an undercover agent. Through the book there is murder, romance, mayhem and recipes. The book looks at the daily life of the First Family of America and is part of the series "A White House Chef Mystery". Jo thought it was a good read, and it didn't contain any swear words.
Rosemary: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Cutting for Stone is a novel written by Ethiopian-born
medical doctor and author Abraham Verghese. It is a saga of twin
brothers, orphaned by their mother's death at their births and forsaken
by their father. The pair are raised in the household of two physicians and so are exposed to much medical information. Much of this also appears in the book.
Rosemary thought there were a lot of coincidences regarding people coming back into the story, but it did lead to a good conclusion.
Judy: Jonestown: The Power and Myth of Alan Jones by Chris Masters
Chris Masters was a journalist for the TV programme, Four Corners and he has written this unauthorized biography of the radio broadcaster, Alan Jones. Judy thought there was some concern that he could write so much that was unsubstantiated. On the 'father theme', Chris masters wishes he'd spent less time being a journalist and more time as a father!
Tam: Her Father's Daughter..The Bonnie Henderson Story by Debi Marshall
Most people know the story of Sara Henderson who saved her outback property from a crippling debt. She had 3 daughters, Bonnie being the youngest. She had an incredible relationship with her father, idolizing him, even though he was arrogant, a womanizer, a daredevil and a loudmouth.
She didn't get on with her mother so her father fostered particular skills in her, including flying, saddle making and working on the property.
Tam thought it was amazing that one person could have achieved so much, she had amazing energy levels.
To balance her view of Bonnie and her father, Tam also read Sarah Henderson's book, giving the mother's point of view.
Both books were very readable!
Pamela: Absolem Absolem by William Faulkner
William Faulkner won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1949.
Pamela said it was a very complicated story, and so it was difficult to explain the story. It is not written in chronological order, it has at least 5 narrators. Pamela thought it was a study of how difficult it is to understand the past.
Connie: Romulus my Father by Raimond Gaita
The book outlines the life of his father who came to Australia, with his wife and child, as an assisted migrant after World War 2. Romulus and his family were sent out to the country where labour was required building a major dam.
The family suffered many hardships but the book details the never dwindling love of Romulus for his son Raimond, in spite of the challenges of being abandoned by his wife and the confusion caused by his mental illness. He was hard on his son, but only wanted him to succeed.
Connie enjoyed it but didn't get a lot of joy from it. She thought she had probably got too involved with the family.
Kris: Her Father's Daughter by Alice Pung
This book tells the story of Alice Pung and her father, a survivor of the killing fields of Cambodia. Kris found the description of these killing fields very harrowing to read and she was amazed at the resilience of the people.
The author's father loved Australia and the chances it gave to his family. He had great determination to make a better life for them.
Anne: The Road by Cormac McCarthy
This is the story of a post apocalyptic journey by a father and son as they wander across the desolate landscape trying to get to the coast. Everything is burnt and cold as they push their cart containing their few possessions.
Anne found the story very depressing but thought that the relationship between the father and son was quite beautiful. The writing was magnificent, the words sparse but everyone of them counted for something. Despite it being harrowing and sad, she felt it was worth reading.
Tam: Her Father's Daughter..The Bonnie Henderson Story by Debi Marshall
Most people know the story of Sara Henderson who saved her outback property from a crippling debt. She had 3 daughters, Bonnie being the youngest. She had an incredible relationship with her father, idolizing him, even though he was arrogant, a womanizer, a daredevil and a loudmouth.
She didn't get on with her mother so her father fostered particular skills in her, including flying, saddle making and working on the property.
Tam thought it was amazing that one person could have achieved so much, she had amazing energy levels.
To balance her view of Bonnie and her father, Tam also read Sarah Henderson's book, giving the mother's point of view.
Both books were very readable!
Pamela: Absolem Absolem by William Faulkner
William Faulkner won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1949.
Pamela said it was a very complicated story, and so it was difficult to explain the story. It is not written in chronological order, it has at least 5 narrators. Pamela thought it was a study of how difficult it is to understand the past.
Connie: Romulus my Father by Raimond Gaita
The book outlines the life of his father who came to Australia, with his wife and child, as an assisted migrant after World War 2. Romulus and his family were sent out to the country where labour was required building a major dam.
The family suffered many hardships but the book details the never dwindling love of Romulus for his son Raimond, in spite of the challenges of being abandoned by his wife and the confusion caused by his mental illness. He was hard on his son, but only wanted him to succeed.
Connie enjoyed it but didn't get a lot of joy from it. She thought she had probably got too involved with the family.
Kris: Her Father's Daughter by Alice Pung
This book tells the story of Alice Pung and her father, a survivor of the killing fields of Cambodia. Kris found the description of these killing fields very harrowing to read and she was amazed at the resilience of the people.
The author's father loved Australia and the chances it gave to his family. He had great determination to make a better life for them.
Anne: The Road by Cormac McCarthy
This is the story of a post apocalyptic journey by a father and son as they wander across the desolate landscape trying to get to the coast. Everything is burnt and cold as they push their cart containing their few possessions.
Anne found the story very depressing but thought that the relationship between the father and son was quite beautiful. The writing was magnificent, the words sparse but everyone of them counted for something. Despite it being harrowing and sad, she felt it was worth reading.
Judy: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
While reading this favourite book, Judy noted how the children, Jem and Scout, saw their father, Atticus. Some of their comments were:
He was a single parent, and much older than all the other parents.
He read to them nightly, from his court papers as well as local newspapers.
He was approachable, a good listener and 'practised what he preached'.
He tried to instill in his children his sense of morality and justice.
He never held a grudge and always looked for the good in people.
He loved his children and always put their welfare first.
These are certainly all very honourable attributes for any father to have.
Julia: Only Dad by Alan Titchmarsh
Alan Titshmarsh is a well known BBC personality and garden expert. In his first novel he writes about the Drummond family who seem to live an idyllic and very happy life. All this changes when on a family holiday in Tuscany, disaster strikes them.
Julia really enjoyed this lighthearted and funny story. It had a nice feel to it and was a good read.
Laura: Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
Morrie is the archetypical father figure giving advice from his deathbed. He knows he's dying and takes this opportunity to share his life's wisdom. But much of what he relates we already know: eg people over things and money over family.
There are no new great revelations. Julia thought it a good book but didn't change her life.
Claurine: Short History of Tractors in the Ukraine by Marina Lewycha
The author was born in a refugee camp and so much of the story is about her life in the Ukraine.
The front story begins when the elderly mother dies and her husband who is 84 years old, plans to marry a voluptous blonde Ukrainian woman who is 36 years old.
The 2 daughters, who are not on speaking terms, must overcome their differences, to try to stop this woman.
Within this plot is the writing of the book by the old man, about the history of tractors.
Claurine found parts of it amusing but towards the end of the book, the story was getting a bit silly.
Rosemary: A Twist of Lemmon by Chris Lemmon
It must always be difficult being the child of famous parents and it was no different for Chris Lemmon. He grew up feeling very bitter towards his father for divorcing his mother when he was quite young. In this book he talks about their relationship which he describes as being that of a 'best friend' rather than a father. There was no real home life just recreational time with him.
He also shared many funny anecdotes about his dad which added to it being a good read, a heart warming memoir.
Other recommendations:
Maree: The Storyteller by Jodie Picoult
The Light between oceans by M L Stedman
Pamela: How to be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman ...well written but with a very ambiguous ending
The Fishing Fleet - Husband Hunting in the Raj by Ann De Courcy ...factual account of women who went out to India to work
Anne: A Fine Balance by Rohan Mistry ... despair and hope of the very poor in India
While reading this favourite book, Judy noted how the children, Jem and Scout, saw their father, Atticus. Some of their comments were:
He was a single parent, and much older than all the other parents.
He read to them nightly, from his court papers as well as local newspapers.
He was approachable, a good listener and 'practised what he preached'.
He tried to instill in his children his sense of morality and justice.
He never held a grudge and always looked for the good in people.
He loved his children and always put their welfare first.
These are certainly all very honourable attributes for any father to have.
Julia: Only Dad by Alan Titchmarsh
Alan Titshmarsh is a well known BBC personality and garden expert. In his first novel he writes about the Drummond family who seem to live an idyllic and very happy life. All this changes when on a family holiday in Tuscany, disaster strikes them.
Julia really enjoyed this lighthearted and funny story. It had a nice feel to it and was a good read.
Laura: Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
Morrie is the archetypical father figure giving advice from his deathbed. He knows he's dying and takes this opportunity to share his life's wisdom. But much of what he relates we already know: eg people over things and money over family.
There are no new great revelations. Julia thought it a good book but didn't change her life.
Claurine: Short History of Tractors in the Ukraine by Marina Lewycha
The author was born in a refugee camp and so much of the story is about her life in the Ukraine.
The front story begins when the elderly mother dies and her husband who is 84 years old, plans to marry a voluptous blonde Ukrainian woman who is 36 years old.
The 2 daughters, who are not on speaking terms, must overcome their differences, to try to stop this woman.
Within this plot is the writing of the book by the old man, about the history of tractors.
Claurine found parts of it amusing but towards the end of the book, the story was getting a bit silly.
Rosemary: A Twist of Lemmon by Chris Lemmon
It must always be difficult being the child of famous parents and it was no different for Chris Lemmon. He grew up feeling very bitter towards his father for divorcing his mother when he was quite young. In this book he talks about their relationship which he describes as being that of a 'best friend' rather than a father. There was no real home life just recreational time with him.
He also shared many funny anecdotes about his dad which added to it being a good read, a heart warming memoir.
Other recommendations:
Maree: The Storyteller by Jodie Picoult
The Light between oceans by M L Stedman
Pamela: How to be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman ...well written but with a very ambiguous ending
The Fishing Fleet - Husband Hunting in the Raj by Ann De Courcy ...factual account of women who went out to India to work
Anne: A Fine Balance by Rohan Mistry ... despair and hope of the very poor in India
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
AUGUST - BOOKS ABOUT THE SEA
JO "WAVECREST" by BILL KNOX
This is a mystery/crime set off the Scottish Coast. The weather is terrible, icy and cold. Jo loved this book and would recommend.
ANNE "THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA" by ERNEST HEMINGWAY 1952
It's a book about an old Cuban fisherman and his young devoted apprentice. It is simply written about the old man's endurance in going out further than usual into the Gulf Stream, trying to catch a fish which he feels is too large for his boat and then keeping it while sharks circle........
It is a classic read.
ROSEMARY "THE SEA BED" by MARELE DAY 2009
It is written by an Australian author born in 1947. The author lived in Japan and has written about the pearl divers called AMA. They are mostly women. There are three main characters - a Japanese monk, the granddaughter of a diving AMA and Lillie of the younger generation. Rosemary said it was a good read.
CLAURENE "THE SEA" by JOHN BANVILLE
John Banville is an Irish writer and he won the Booker Prize in 2005. The plot is minimal. It is his memory of past times living in seaside boarding houses. It is a great read and Claurene said "just listen to the wonderful words".
PAMELA "THE NIGGER OF THE NARCISSUS by JOSEPH CONRAD PUB.1898
The story is set on board a ship sailing from Bombay. There are fourteen characters. There is a huge storm and all the crew pull together showing great courage and endurance. The ship was loved by all, though difficult construction had caused problems. There is tension about one of the crew members, a Negro. This leads to a mutiny. This is an exciting early Conrad book and his style was later perfected.
DIANE "THE SHIPPING NEWS" by ANNIE PROULX
The author won the 1994 Pulitzer Prize. It is a story of a man named Coyle who is a journalist. He marries Petal, a user who dies. Coyle goes to the old family home in Newfoundland and resumes journalism. There are great descriptions of the sea, relationships, murder and parenting.
TAM "OPERATION BEACH WATCH" by LEO KESSLER
The book is set in 1941 when the United Kingdom is having problems in the war. It is about life on a submarine but also about the political strategies and secret meetings taking place with Britain trying to get the USA into the war. It is an enjoyable read.
JULIA "TRUE SPIRIT" by JESSICA WATSON
It is the story of a 16 year old girl who, in 2010, was the youngest person to sail around the world in 210 days in her yacht "Ella's Pink Lady". It is a truly inspirational read. There is a movie in the pipeline.
KRIS "SAILING ALONE AROUND THE WORLD" by JOSHUA SLOCUM
A quote from Tim Flannery's introduction to the book "Among the many classics of the sea, few books can rival Joshua Slocum's Sailing alone around the World" for sheer audacity, adventure and beauty of language. Although written little over a century ago it is redolent of an even earlier age, and has made so great an impression that thousands have moved to emulate Slocum's great feats". The book is written by Joshua Slocum about his round the world trip taking three years and two months, arriving back in America in 1898. He built the yacht himself and seemed at one with his boat and the sea. It was a great read. It is not a library book.
The library book borrowed "Saved" by Tony Bullimore was read by Kris's husband. He thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a book about an Englishman who participated in the round the world yacht race in 1996. His yacht capsized in the icy Southern Ocean and despite appalling weather conditions, the Australian rescue services did not give up and after four days being capsized, he was rescued. It's a great story of his bravery and fortitude as well as the immense heroism shown by the Australian rescue services.
JOAN "MASTER AND COMMANDER" by PATRICK O'BRIEN PUB. 1970
This book is the first in a series of 20 epic seafaring fictional novels based on the career of Captain Jack Aubrey during the Napoleonic wars, beginning of 19th century - The Age of Sail and Enlightenment. It is about the action packed life on board a Man of War ship called "Sophie". It is about the interaction of the officers and crew and the battle encounters with all types of ships, including pirates. " The prose is so descriptive you could be a crew member yourself" Joan said. Joan thought is was well worth reading and she cannot wait to read the remaining nineteen in the series.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
JULY: Graham Greene
Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer, play write and literary critic.
His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the
modern world. Greene was noted for his ability to combine serious
literary acclaim with widespread popularity.
Although Greene objected strongly to being described as a Roman Catholic novelist rather than as a novelist who happened to be Catholic, Catholic religious themes are at the root of much of his writing, especially the four major Catholic novels: Brighton Rock, The Power and the Glory, The Heart of the Matter and The End of the Affair. Several works such as The Confidential Agent, The Third Man, The Quiet American, Our Man in Havana and The Human Factor also show an avid interest in the workings of international politics and espionage.
Greene suffered from bipolar disorder, which had a profound effect on his writing and personal life.
KRIS: The Heart of the Matter
The story is set in Sierra Leone, where Greene had worked during the war.
The main character is Scobie, a policeman who is known for his honesty and being immune to bribery. His wife is desperately unhappy living there and eventually moves to South Africa to live. Several incidents including a suicide, murder, extra marital affairs, blackmail and family and wartime tragedy test his scruples and his resolve. The moral dilemma seemed to be - can you make everyone happy?
Kris liked the story but thought it a book of quiet despair.
CLARINE also started this book, but disliked it. She gave up reading it when Scobie fell in love with a 19 year old!
PAT: Monsignor Quixote
Pat had enjoyed the little bit of this book that she had read.
Monsignor Quixote is a relative of Don Quixote, and is also a village priest elevated to the rank of Monsignor.
She enjoyed the author's writing style, really knowing what he was thinking and how he was, even though there was no physical description. It was all done through conversation.
JULIA: The Human Factor
Julia really enjoyed this intriguing spy thriller and was surprised how good it was.
A man is murdered because of a leak in the Secret Service, and you couldn't pick the culprit right up until the end. It was made into a film in 1979.
She also read a collection of short stories The Last Word but didn't enjoy them as much.
PAMELA: A Gun For Sale
This is Graham Greene's 5th novel and is a precursor to Brighton Rock.
The main character, Raven is a cold hearted killer who assassinates the Czech War Minister. When he is paid with stolen money, he becomes the hunted as the police chase him to recover the money.
Pamela thought the writing was very good, with the beginning of the story really getting the reader in.
Jo also read the book and commented on the extreme sensitivity Raven showed concerning his harelip.
JOAN: The Honorary Consul
This is set in a poor northern Argentinian town close to the border with Paraguay.
Charlie Fortnum, is a divorced, self pitying alcoholic who misuses his position as the Honorary Consul and is one of only two British inhabitants of the town.
He is mistaken for an American ambassador and kidnapped by Paraguayan revolutionaries. From then on, his problems are compounded.
ROSEMARY: End of the Affair
Rosemary read The End of the Affair which was published in 1951. She thought it boring, and not spicy at all. It was set in London just after World War 11 and is loosely based on Greene's affair with Lady Catherine Walston which lasted for more than 22 years.
It was a book of misery.... the weather is miserable, the war is miserable, the characters are miserable and he is miserable when the affair ends.
MAREE had only just begun the book, and was interested in Rosemary's comment.
LESLIE also read the same book.
She was pleased she had now read a Graham Greene novel and enjoyed his style of writing, but not the content.
The book had themes about love and religion. He writes about excessive and destructive love, a physical love not a deep love. There are also several occasions when philosophical arguments about God occur in the story. He seems to be a very self centered man.
SHIELA: Captain and the Enemy
Shiela's comment was that it was the worst, most miserable, unbelievable and depressing book that she had read for a long time. She only forced herself to finish it because of her Book Club commitment. The opening pages were good, but from then on, no one was ever happy.
She was impressed with the way he wrote but not his content.
ANNE: The Tenth Man
During the German occupation of France, 30 men were imprisoned and kept as hostages. Each time a German resistance fighter is killed, 3 of these men are to be shot. Of the thirty captives, three will draw a marked slip of paper and will be killed.
When one of the chosen is a wealthy lawyer, he offers all his property to anyone who would trade places with him. An ailing prisoner agrees to this and paperwork is done to ensure that his estate is transferred to his heirs.
Although only a short book, more twists and complications occur all of which Anne enjoyed.
TAM: Collected Short Stories
Tam liked the idea of reading short stories for a change, being able to pick up the book and spend short periods of time with the author.
She thought that Greene was a great observer of people and builds a series of stories around them. They often had a twist at the end but Tam felt that sometimes she didn't understand the meaning of the twist. This she found a little frustrating.
JUDY: The Quiet American
Thomas Fowler is a British journalist in his 50s who has been covering the French war in Vietnam for over 2 years. He has become very jaded and cynical, leaving his wife in England and comfortable with his life style here, especially his indulgence in opium.
Alden Pyle is the quiet American. He is thoughtful, intelligent, serious and idealistic. Fowler finds him arrogant and naive.
When Pyle falls for Fowler's Vietnamese 20 year old lover, she is forced to choose between them according to what they could offer her. After his death more information comes to light about the real reason for Pyle's stay in Vietnam.
The book was published in 1955 and it raises the still relevant question about the rights of Western powers to intervene in other countries' affairs.
JANE: Brighton Rock
Jane had only read about a quarter of the book but her impression so far was that the story was really confusing and depressing. A lot seems to happen that is not really explained.
The story is about gang rivalries who are waring over money from the race tracks.
Although Greene objected strongly to being described as a Roman Catholic novelist rather than as a novelist who happened to be Catholic, Catholic religious themes are at the root of much of his writing, especially the four major Catholic novels: Brighton Rock, The Power and the Glory, The Heart of the Matter and The End of the Affair. Several works such as The Confidential Agent, The Third Man, The Quiet American, Our Man in Havana and The Human Factor also show an avid interest in the workings of international politics and espionage.
Greene suffered from bipolar disorder, which had a profound effect on his writing and personal life.
KRIS: The Heart of the Matter
The story is set in Sierra Leone, where Greene had worked during the war.
The main character is Scobie, a policeman who is known for his honesty and being immune to bribery. His wife is desperately unhappy living there and eventually moves to South Africa to live. Several incidents including a suicide, murder, extra marital affairs, blackmail and family and wartime tragedy test his scruples and his resolve. The moral dilemma seemed to be - can you make everyone happy?
Kris liked the story but thought it a book of quiet despair.
CLARINE also started this book, but disliked it. She gave up reading it when Scobie fell in love with a 19 year old!
PAT: Monsignor Quixote
Pat had enjoyed the little bit of this book that she had read.
Monsignor Quixote is a relative of Don Quixote, and is also a village priest elevated to the rank of Monsignor.
She enjoyed the author's writing style, really knowing what he was thinking and how he was, even though there was no physical description. It was all done through conversation.
JULIA: The Human Factor
Julia really enjoyed this intriguing spy thriller and was surprised how good it was.
A man is murdered because of a leak in the Secret Service, and you couldn't pick the culprit right up until the end. It was made into a film in 1979.
She also read a collection of short stories The Last Word but didn't enjoy them as much.
PAMELA: A Gun For Sale
This is Graham Greene's 5th novel and is a precursor to Brighton Rock.
The main character, Raven is a cold hearted killer who assassinates the Czech War Minister. When he is paid with stolen money, he becomes the hunted as the police chase him to recover the money.
Pamela thought the writing was very good, with the beginning of the story really getting the reader in.
Jo also read the book and commented on the extreme sensitivity Raven showed concerning his harelip.
JOAN: The Honorary Consul
This is set in a poor northern Argentinian town close to the border with Paraguay.
Charlie Fortnum, is a divorced, self pitying alcoholic who misuses his position as the Honorary Consul and is one of only two British inhabitants of the town.
He is mistaken for an American ambassador and kidnapped by Paraguayan revolutionaries. From then on, his problems are compounded.
ROSEMARY: End of the Affair
Rosemary read The End of the Affair which was published in 1951. She thought it boring, and not spicy at all. It was set in London just after World War 11 and is loosely based on Greene's affair with Lady Catherine Walston which lasted for more than 22 years.
It was a book of misery.... the weather is miserable, the war is miserable, the characters are miserable and he is miserable when the affair ends.
MAREE had only just begun the book, and was interested in Rosemary's comment.
LESLIE also read the same book.
She was pleased she had now read a Graham Greene novel and enjoyed his style of writing, but not the content.
The book had themes about love and religion. He writes about excessive and destructive love, a physical love not a deep love. There are also several occasions when philosophical arguments about God occur in the story. He seems to be a very self centered man.
SHIELA: Captain and the Enemy
Shiela's comment was that it was the worst, most miserable, unbelievable and depressing book that she had read for a long time. She only forced herself to finish it because of her Book Club commitment. The opening pages were good, but from then on, no one was ever happy.
She was impressed with the way he wrote but not his content.
ANNE: The Tenth Man
During the German occupation of France, 30 men were imprisoned and kept as hostages. Each time a German resistance fighter is killed, 3 of these men are to be shot. Of the thirty captives, three will draw a marked slip of paper and will be killed.
When one of the chosen is a wealthy lawyer, he offers all his property to anyone who would trade places with him. An ailing prisoner agrees to this and paperwork is done to ensure that his estate is transferred to his heirs.
Although only a short book, more twists and complications occur all of which Anne enjoyed.
TAM: Collected Short Stories
Tam liked the idea of reading short stories for a change, being able to pick up the book and spend short periods of time with the author.
She thought that Greene was a great observer of people and builds a series of stories around them. They often had a twist at the end but Tam felt that sometimes she didn't understand the meaning of the twist. This she found a little frustrating.
JUDY: The Quiet American
Thomas Fowler is a British journalist in his 50s who has been covering the French war in Vietnam for over 2 years. He has become very jaded and cynical, leaving his wife in England and comfortable with his life style here, especially his indulgence in opium.
Alden Pyle is the quiet American. He is thoughtful, intelligent, serious and idealistic. Fowler finds him arrogant and naive.
When Pyle falls for Fowler's Vietnamese 20 year old lover, she is forced to choose between them according to what they could offer her. After his death more information comes to light about the real reason for Pyle's stay in Vietnam.
The book was published in 1955 and it raises the still relevant question about the rights of Western powers to intervene in other countries' affairs.
JANE: Brighton Rock
Jane had only read about a quarter of the book but her impression so far was that the story was really confusing and depressing. A lot seems to happen that is not really explained.
The story is about gang rivalries who are waring over money from the race tracks.
Friday, June 28, 2013
June: Humour
This month, members of the Book Club selected their own books with the theme of Humour.
JULES:
Jules started 3 books before settling on Alexander McCall Smith's 'Morality for Beautiful Girls'. Her comment was that it was nice to read, but not so funny.
She compared it to a previous book she had read, Dawn French's autobiography. This she found very funny because she could 'hear' the author telling her story.
JO: Rosy is my Relative by Gerald Durrell
This is the story of a man, living in London, who inherits an elephant in a will. He decides to walk the elephant to the coast to find a circus and has all sorts of incidents along the way. They involved lords of the manor, fox hunting and a 21st party. Jo said she had never laughed so much in her life.
PAT: Belly Dancing for Beginners by Liz Byrski
Pat didn't really find this book funny, but it was a good easy read though. It is about a belly dancing teacher and 2 women who come to her classes. They all have issues in their life, but gain skills and confidence as they train. The book is really more about empowering women.
JUDY: Charade by John Mortimer
This was the author's first book and is not up to the standard of subsequent novels. It is the story of a young man who joins a film unit during the war. He finds the habits and morals of the crew hard to accept, and when a soldier is killed on the set he alone thinks it is worth investigating. The story line is not funny, the only humour coming from the descriptions of some of the various characters.
ANNE: The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
While she hasn't finished reading the book yet, she has found it very funny so far.
The main character lives in a Nursing Home and is approaching his 100th birthday. He doesn't want a party, even though the mayor and the press will be there, so he climbs out his window and walks away. He has all sorts of adventures and with the flashbacks to the period of World War 1 it is a little like Forest Gump. He is always somewhere at particular times, eg he turns up in the Spanish War, having had dinner with Franco.
CLAURENE: Harnessing Peacocks by Mary Wesley
Claurene had read this book many years ago, and thought it very funny, although not 'laugh out loud funny'.
It is set in the English upper middle class, and concerns a young, unmarried girl who overhears her family discussing her pregnancy. They want her to have an abortion and so she runs away.
Twelve years later she is living in London with her son and using her skills, involving cooking and sex. She cooks for 3 upper class elderly ladies and has sex with 3 upper class men, making lots of money from both. When various connections between the 2 groups become obvious, the situation quickly unravels and becomes a complete French farce.
ROSEMARY: The Boy Who Fell to Earth by Kathy Lette
This is her latest novel about Merlin, a loveable but difficult autistic son and his single mum, Lucy. Kathy Lette drew from her experiences of her own autistic child but it is not based on his life. The book is full of one liners, many very funny, as she struggles to raise him. The funny parts are the things that Merlin does, and the inappropriate things he says. As he matures, he learns what is expected of his behaviour but his trusting nature leads him into worrying situations.
Rosemary enjoyed reading it, it was an easy read and every sentence was funny.
It was an eyeopener to the struggles and ups and downs of having an autistic child.
JOAN: Love Among the Chickens by P G Wodehouse
The story revolves around Jeremy Garnet, an author, and his old friend Ukridge, a known conman. Jeremy eventually agrees to take part in his latest 'get-rich-scheme', and they head off to begin a chicken egg farm in Dorset. They meet other passengers on the train during the journey, and they all become involved in this half-baked scheme. Their trials and tribulations are all interwoven with lovely comic prose.
Joan said it was good to read and discover this author who she had never read before.
PAMELA:
Pamela shared with us different examples of humour.
Firstly she read several ludicrous passages from Jules Verne's Mistress Branican including one about a husband who disappears in northern Western Australia. It eventuates that he had been kept prisoner for 25 years by cannibals in the Kimberleys.
She then shared some cartoons including the difference between Vitruvian Man and a real man.
A different take on humour.
WENDY: You Might As Well Laugh Mate, Australian Humour in Hard Times by Keith Willey
This collection gave an insight into what makes up the Australian sense of humour, and how we laugh when the chips are down. It is part of our ethos and it seems that aboriginal humour is very similar.
CONNIE: They're a Wired Mob by John O'Grady (Nina Cullota)
Connie had first heard the story as an ABC Radio Serial soon after arriving in Australia and loved it. While travelling around she could recognise similar characters, their accents and their sayings, that had appeared in the book.
She has now had the chance to read it and still loved it, enjoying every page. Her comment was that the humour was not so much what was happening, but the things they said. But we've lost a lot of that now as we have become politically correct.
She thought it interesting that the author was not derided for pretending to be someone that he was not.
KRIS: Fat, Forty and Fired by Nigel Marsh
The author is an inspirational speaker, and this is his story of trying to find a work/life balance. He has worked in advertising and is very stressed. The humour comes when you laugh at his neurosis and amusing situations during his year off. He takes over looking after their son and he challenges himself to complete an open water swim (even though he can't swim, yet).
TAM: Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction by Sue Townsend
Tam found this a good laugh and thought she would read other books in the series.
Adrian Mole is an absolute dork who gets himself more and more into debt with his crazy schemes and ideas.
It is written in diary form and the author is very clever the way she observes and describes everything going on around him.
WELCOME to new member Maureen who shared 2 books she had recently read.
Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsaver. This a delightful book, not funny though.
The migration of the monarch butterflies is disrupted because of environmental changes and instead of going to Mexico they end up in Tennessee. Here they are seen by a young woman who has run away from her dysfunctional life. What she sees changes her life. The parrallel is drawn between the challenge of the butterfly to emerge from the cocoon and for her to change the course of her life.
Madness a Memoir by Kate Richards. The author is a doctor and this is her personal story of her mental illness. There is no humour, and it is quite disturbing with episodes of self harm, deep depression and electroconvulsive therapy.
It is enlightning in that with courage, support from family and friends and good medical assistance, Kate has reached a safer, more manageable, peaceful place of balance and wellness.
JULES:
Jules started 3 books before settling on Alexander McCall Smith's 'Morality for Beautiful Girls'. Her comment was that it was nice to read, but not so funny.
She compared it to a previous book she had read, Dawn French's autobiography. This she found very funny because she could 'hear' the author telling her story.
JO: Rosy is my Relative by Gerald Durrell
This is the story of a man, living in London, who inherits an elephant in a will. He decides to walk the elephant to the coast to find a circus and has all sorts of incidents along the way. They involved lords of the manor, fox hunting and a 21st party. Jo said she had never laughed so much in her life.
PAT: Belly Dancing for Beginners by Liz Byrski
Pat didn't really find this book funny, but it was a good easy read though. It is about a belly dancing teacher and 2 women who come to her classes. They all have issues in their life, but gain skills and confidence as they train. The book is really more about empowering women.
JUDY: Charade by John Mortimer
This was the author's first book and is not up to the standard of subsequent novels. It is the story of a young man who joins a film unit during the war. He finds the habits and morals of the crew hard to accept, and when a soldier is killed on the set he alone thinks it is worth investigating. The story line is not funny, the only humour coming from the descriptions of some of the various characters.
ANNE: The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
While she hasn't finished reading the book yet, she has found it very funny so far.
The main character lives in a Nursing Home and is approaching his 100th birthday. He doesn't want a party, even though the mayor and the press will be there, so he climbs out his window and walks away. He has all sorts of adventures and with the flashbacks to the period of World War 1 it is a little like Forest Gump. He is always somewhere at particular times, eg he turns up in the Spanish War, having had dinner with Franco.
CLAURENE: Harnessing Peacocks by Mary Wesley
Claurene had read this book many years ago, and thought it very funny, although not 'laugh out loud funny'.
It is set in the English upper middle class, and concerns a young, unmarried girl who overhears her family discussing her pregnancy. They want her to have an abortion and so she runs away.
Twelve years later she is living in London with her son and using her skills, involving cooking and sex. She cooks for 3 upper class elderly ladies and has sex with 3 upper class men, making lots of money from both. When various connections between the 2 groups become obvious, the situation quickly unravels and becomes a complete French farce.
ROSEMARY: The Boy Who Fell to Earth by Kathy Lette
This is her latest novel about Merlin, a loveable but difficult autistic son and his single mum, Lucy. Kathy Lette drew from her experiences of her own autistic child but it is not based on his life. The book is full of one liners, many very funny, as she struggles to raise him. The funny parts are the things that Merlin does, and the inappropriate things he says. As he matures, he learns what is expected of his behaviour but his trusting nature leads him into worrying situations.
Rosemary enjoyed reading it, it was an easy read and every sentence was funny.
It was an eyeopener to the struggles and ups and downs of having an autistic child.
JOAN: Love Among the Chickens by P G Wodehouse
The story revolves around Jeremy Garnet, an author, and his old friend Ukridge, a known conman. Jeremy eventually agrees to take part in his latest 'get-rich-scheme', and they head off to begin a chicken egg farm in Dorset. They meet other passengers on the train during the journey, and they all become involved in this half-baked scheme. Their trials and tribulations are all interwoven with lovely comic prose.
Joan said it was good to read and discover this author who she had never read before.
PAMELA:
Pamela shared with us different examples of humour.
Firstly she read several ludicrous passages from Jules Verne's Mistress Branican including one about a husband who disappears in northern Western Australia. It eventuates that he had been kept prisoner for 25 years by cannibals in the Kimberleys.
She then shared some cartoons including the difference between Vitruvian Man and a real man.
A different take on humour.
WENDY: You Might As Well Laugh Mate, Australian Humour in Hard Times by Keith Willey
This collection gave an insight into what makes up the Australian sense of humour, and how we laugh when the chips are down. It is part of our ethos and it seems that aboriginal humour is very similar.
CONNIE: They're a Wired Mob by John O'Grady (Nina Cullota)
Connie had first heard the story as an ABC Radio Serial soon after arriving in Australia and loved it. While travelling around she could recognise similar characters, their accents and their sayings, that had appeared in the book.
She has now had the chance to read it and still loved it, enjoying every page. Her comment was that the humour was not so much what was happening, but the things they said. But we've lost a lot of that now as we have become politically correct.
She thought it interesting that the author was not derided for pretending to be someone that he was not.
KRIS: Fat, Forty and Fired by Nigel Marsh
The author is an inspirational speaker, and this is his story of trying to find a work/life balance. He has worked in advertising and is very stressed. The humour comes when you laugh at his neurosis and amusing situations during his year off. He takes over looking after their son and he challenges himself to complete an open water swim (even though he can't swim, yet).
TAM: Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction by Sue Townsend
Tam found this a good laugh and thought she would read other books in the series.
Adrian Mole is an absolute dork who gets himself more and more into debt with his crazy schemes and ideas.
It is written in diary form and the author is very clever the way she observes and describes everything going on around him.
WELCOME to new member Maureen who shared 2 books she had recently read.
Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsaver. This a delightful book, not funny though.
The migration of the monarch butterflies is disrupted because of environmental changes and instead of going to Mexico they end up in Tennessee. Here they are seen by a young woman who has run away from her dysfunctional life. What she sees changes her life. The parrallel is drawn between the challenge of the butterfly to emerge from the cocoon and for her to change the course of her life.
Madness a Memoir by Kate Richards. The author is a doctor and this is her personal story of her mental illness. There is no humour, and it is quite disturbing with episodes of self harm, deep depression and electroconvulsive therapy.
It is enlightning in that with courage, support from family and friends and good medical assistance, Kate has reached a safer, more manageable, peaceful place of balance and wellness.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
What's Happening Over The Next Six Months!
These are the suggested topics for our reading and discussion over the next 6 months.
JULY: the author Graham Greene
AUGUST: Stories about the sea
SEPTEMBER: Fathers
OCTOBER: Australian History
NOVEMBER: Books from our childhood
DECEMBER: Christmas theme
JULY: the author Graham Greene
AUGUST: Stories about the sea
SEPTEMBER: Fathers
OCTOBER: Australian History
NOVEMBER: Books from our childhood
DECEMBER: Christmas theme
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
MAY: Animal stories
This month our task was to read a book that in some way featured animal/s.
Joan & Judy: Foal's bread by Gillian Meers
The book has a gorgeous wrap around cover featuring the head of a horse. It is set in rural NSW between the 2 wars and takes you into the harsh world of horse high jumping.This was evidently very popular after WW1 when there was quite an extensive circuit of the country agricultural shows, with some good prize money and few regulations.
The main characters are the Child's family, including Cecil and his daughter Noah. They are itinerant workers but also involved with horses and the jumping circuit. We also have the Nancarrows including their son Roley who is generally recognised as the best high jumper.
Norah and Roley meet and fall in love. The story follows several generations of their lives as they struggle to raise a team of jumping horses. Personal conflict and tragedy plus the vagaries of weather and life of the land add to the colour of the story.
It is a wonderfully evocative story of love, life and hardship in the bush.
Judy commented that it is ironic that the author describes so beautifully the sensation of freedom to go higher and higher over the jumps while she herself is confined to a wheelchair due to MS.
The author has a unique style of writing using a mixture of the rough ungrammatical country speak of the locals and then her flowing descriptions of the trees, flowers, and the colours of the countryside.
Connie: Silver Brumby's Daughter and White Fang by Jack London
Connie's grand daughter loved the Silver Brumby series but after reading this book, Connie saw it as a children's book about horses. The horses speak to each other which Connie can't cope with. She thought she had left it too late to enjoy it.
Her grandson had recommended White Fang by Jack London and while she had previously been reluctant to read a London book, she loved this one.
Set in the cold northern wilderness of North America in 1906, White Fang is 1/4 dog and 3/4 wolf. The author describes the dog's feelings so well, you feel for him as he forages for food and is captured and cruelly treated by people. There are great descriptions about the wolf pack and how they breed.
Connie really enjoyed it much to her surprise.
Anne: Red Dog by Louis de Bernieres
The dog is born a wanderer but even though he had been adopted by John, he still wanders off occasionally. He was able to hitch rides on trains and trucks etc because people recognised him. The dog is distraught when John dies and spends most of his life looking for him, having his adventures along the way.
Based on a real dog, several other books have been written about him, and recently a very successful film was released.
Jane & Dianne: Marley and Me by John Grogan
John Grogan writes a weekly column for a suburban newspaper. When he and his wife Jenny get a new puppy, he decides to write about the highs and lows of looking after this dog. Jenny is worried whether she will be able cope with a baby, so the pup is almost a trial for raising a child.
The dog gets into the heart of the family and they do go on to have children. Its a true story, light hearted about a loveable dog you could throttle. They were a lovely couple, had a lovely house and lovely children. It is all about loving the dog.
Dianne thought it a bit schmaltzy and sentimental. The dog was the runt of the litter but quite neurotic, terrified of thunderstorms, almost destroying the house when left alone.
Rosemary: The Donkey Who Carried the Wounded by Jackie French
While she has only read about 1/4 of this book, she thought it would be a good way for children to learn more of our history.
Sometimes the story is told through the eyes of the donkey, sometimes through the eyes of Jack.
Wendy: Horrie the Wog Dog by Ion Idriess
Wendy reread this old book set in the Egypt in 1941. Horrie was a dog found in the dessert by an Australian soldier James Moody. The dog was adopted by the soldiers, going into battle with them in Egypt, Crete, Palestine and Syria.
When the war was over, all animal mascots were ordered to be euthanized. Not wanting this to happen, Moody smuggled Horrie back into Australia. There is some confusion as to what happened then, although it seems likely that when the law caught up with Moody, another dog was surrendered in Horrie's place.
Pamela: Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowatt
A young biologist is sent to the Northern Canadian wilderness in 1948/9 to investigate the decline in the caribou population, believed to have been from attacks by wolf packs.
He discovers that it is not the wolves as they eat small vermin, rodents and fish. They aren't generally aggressive animals and are more likely to run away than attack.
Pamela lost some confidence in the author after his descriptions of his interaction with some wolves.
Further research showed that much of the book is fiction and that he had plagiarized 2 very important science books.
But by chance the book got an unexpected result.....it reduced the negative prejudice against wolves. The caribou numbers were decreasing because they were used as food by humans and were being killed by recreational hunters.
Lesley: My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
He was born in 1925 in India, and came back to live in England in 1928 after his father died. The family was very eccentric in a lovely British way. Being totally obsessed with animals and a great observer of their habits, Durrell became a well known conservationist beginning the Jersey Zoo. Many of his principles were in contrast to generally held beliefs of those times.
He only began to write during the war, because he was poor. His writing is laid back, gentle and easy to read. He meanders through life treating everyone equally.
It is a lovely, gentle story full of animals, and a lovely family who didn't see themselves as eccentric, but fascinated by everything and anything,
Kris: A Friend Like Henry by Nuala Gardner
The author is a midwife, and when her son was born he didn't communicate in any way with the family. There was not a lot of professional help around in the 1980s. In desperation they acquired a dog, a golden retriever named Henry and it was through this dog that their son began to communicate. He was eventually able to attend a special class within a normal high school.
A very inspiring book!
Kris also read Life of Pi by Yann Martell.
Her comments...interesting, very descriptive but a bit gruesome.
Tammy: Blind Hope, an unwanted dog and the woman she rescued Kim Meeder
This true story is set in Oregon on a ranch for abused animals mainly horses. They also rescue people who are broken by pairing them with suitable animals.
The author is telling Laurie's story. She has had a troubled childhood, dabbled in drugs etc and eventually ended up on the ranch. When Laurie is paired with a rescue dog who has many problems including blindness and diabetes, she learns to trust, to love, to be dependable and they grow together. There is a Christian emphasis through out the book and many parallels with God in behavior and attitude.
Tammy thought it was a lovely book, a real tear jerker!
Jules: Jonathon Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach
A classic book first published in 1970. It is a fable of a seagull who learns about life and flight and is told in 3 parts. The 4th part is only now (this year) available having been written by the author.
The pictures are really inspiring and the book has been referenced in many other films and books.
A timeless, spiritual classic said Jules.
Joan & Judy: Foal's bread by Gillian Meers
The book has a gorgeous wrap around cover featuring the head of a horse. It is set in rural NSW between the 2 wars and takes you into the harsh world of horse high jumping.This was evidently very popular after WW1 when there was quite an extensive circuit of the country agricultural shows, with some good prize money and few regulations.
The main characters are the Child's family, including Cecil and his daughter Noah. They are itinerant workers but also involved with horses and the jumping circuit. We also have the Nancarrows including their son Roley who is generally recognised as the best high jumper.
Norah and Roley meet and fall in love. The story follows several generations of their lives as they struggle to raise a team of jumping horses. Personal conflict and tragedy plus the vagaries of weather and life of the land add to the colour of the story.
It is a wonderfully evocative story of love, life and hardship in the bush.
Judy commented that it is ironic that the author describes so beautifully the sensation of freedom to go higher and higher over the jumps while she herself is confined to a wheelchair due to MS.
The author has a unique style of writing using a mixture of the rough ungrammatical country speak of the locals and then her flowing descriptions of the trees, flowers, and the colours of the countryside.
Connie: Silver Brumby's Daughter and White Fang by Jack London
Connie's grand daughter loved the Silver Brumby series but after reading this book, Connie saw it as a children's book about horses. The horses speak to each other which Connie can't cope with. She thought she had left it too late to enjoy it.
Her grandson had recommended White Fang by Jack London and while she had previously been reluctant to read a London book, she loved this one.
Set in the cold northern wilderness of North America in 1906, White Fang is 1/4 dog and 3/4 wolf. The author describes the dog's feelings so well, you feel for him as he forages for food and is captured and cruelly treated by people. There are great descriptions about the wolf pack and how they breed.
Connie really enjoyed it much to her surprise.
Anne: Red Dog by Louis de Bernieres
The dog is born a wanderer but even though he had been adopted by John, he still wanders off occasionally. He was able to hitch rides on trains and trucks etc because people recognised him. The dog is distraught when John dies and spends most of his life looking for him, having his adventures along the way.
Based on a real dog, several other books have been written about him, and recently a very successful film was released.
Jane & Dianne: Marley and Me by John Grogan
John Grogan writes a weekly column for a suburban newspaper. When he and his wife Jenny get a new puppy, he decides to write about the highs and lows of looking after this dog. Jenny is worried whether she will be able cope with a baby, so the pup is almost a trial for raising a child.
The dog gets into the heart of the family and they do go on to have children. Its a true story, light hearted about a loveable dog you could throttle. They were a lovely couple, had a lovely house and lovely children. It is all about loving the dog.
Dianne thought it a bit schmaltzy and sentimental. The dog was the runt of the litter but quite neurotic, terrified of thunderstorms, almost destroying the house when left alone.
Rosemary: The Donkey Who Carried the Wounded by Jackie French
While she has only read about 1/4 of this book, she thought it would be a good way for children to learn more of our history.
Sometimes the story is told through the eyes of the donkey, sometimes through the eyes of Jack.
Wendy: Horrie the Wog Dog by Ion Idriess
Wendy reread this old book set in the Egypt in 1941. Horrie was a dog found in the dessert by an Australian soldier James Moody. The dog was adopted by the soldiers, going into battle with them in Egypt, Crete, Palestine and Syria.
When the war was over, all animal mascots were ordered to be euthanized. Not wanting this to happen, Moody smuggled Horrie back into Australia. There is some confusion as to what happened then, although it seems likely that when the law caught up with Moody, another dog was surrendered in Horrie's place.
Pamela: Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowatt
A young biologist is sent to the Northern Canadian wilderness in 1948/9 to investigate the decline in the caribou population, believed to have been from attacks by wolf packs.
He discovers that it is not the wolves as they eat small vermin, rodents and fish. They aren't generally aggressive animals and are more likely to run away than attack.
Pamela lost some confidence in the author after his descriptions of his interaction with some wolves.
Further research showed that much of the book is fiction and that he had plagiarized 2 very important science books.
But by chance the book got an unexpected result.....it reduced the negative prejudice against wolves. The caribou numbers were decreasing because they were used as food by humans and were being killed by recreational hunters.
Lesley: My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
He was born in 1925 in India, and came back to live in England in 1928 after his father died. The family was very eccentric in a lovely British way. Being totally obsessed with animals and a great observer of their habits, Durrell became a well known conservationist beginning the Jersey Zoo. Many of his principles were in contrast to generally held beliefs of those times.
He only began to write during the war, because he was poor. His writing is laid back, gentle and easy to read. He meanders through life treating everyone equally.
It is a lovely, gentle story full of animals, and a lovely family who didn't see themselves as eccentric, but fascinated by everything and anything,
Kris: A Friend Like Henry by Nuala Gardner
The author is a midwife, and when her son was born he didn't communicate in any way with the family. There was not a lot of professional help around in the 1980s. In desperation they acquired a dog, a golden retriever named Henry and it was through this dog that their son began to communicate. He was eventually able to attend a special class within a normal high school.
A very inspiring book!
Kris also read Life of Pi by Yann Martell.
Her comments...interesting, very descriptive but a bit gruesome.
Tammy: Blind Hope, an unwanted dog and the woman she rescued Kim Meeder
This true story is set in Oregon on a ranch for abused animals mainly horses. They also rescue people who are broken by pairing them with suitable animals.
The author is telling Laurie's story. She has had a troubled childhood, dabbled in drugs etc and eventually ended up on the ranch. When Laurie is paired with a rescue dog who has many problems including blindness and diabetes, she learns to trust, to love, to be dependable and they grow together. There is a Christian emphasis through out the book and many parallels with God in behavior and attitude.
Tammy thought it was a lovely book, a real tear jerker!
Jules: Jonathon Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach
A classic book first published in 1970. It is a fable of a seagull who learns about life and flight and is told in 3 parts. The 4th part is only now (this year) available having been written by the author.
The pictures are really inspiring and the book has been referenced in many other films and books.
A timeless, spiritual classic said Jules.
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