February: the author Truman Capote

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Jayne:
The book is the first time Jayne has read this author. This novella (only 100 pages) was published in 1958 and the film followed in 1961. The movie is more toned down than the book as was necessary for the times. The story is quite raunchy. Jayne thought that Audrey Hepburn was too sweet and classy in the movie.

The story......A lonely, struggling writer becomes enchanted with his neighbor, an independent young woman who strives to be a high-climbing socialite with a penchance for high-fashion and wild parties. But, soon he uncovers the vulnerability she has at heart.

The jewellery store Tiffanys was a place Holly Golightly would go when she was feeling down. It was like a Nirvana for her and represented the fact that money could buy you anything....even Breakfast at Tiffanys. 

Jayne thought it was a good read. 

Pat:

She agreed with all of Jayne's comments.

Judy J:

Like the others, Judy also enjoyed reading it and commented that the film was very much a 'Hollywood' adaption of the book with a different beginning and ending. In fact Capote has been quoted as saying that the main character was modeled on Marilyn Monroe's early life and he had wanted her to play the part in the film.

One of the strengthens of the book is he way the author brings his characters to life with small but intimate details.

Judy G:

Judy also commented on how raunchy the book was, and although she enjoyed it, felt the story drifted at times.

Pamela:

She hated the film as it distorted the book and the characters.

Some of her thoughts:-

Holly is a person who is unable to make a commitment - she doesn't name her cat or refer to the narrator by his proper name. She exploits her position and uses people. The portrayal of the Japanese photographer is very racist. The only one she really cares for is her brother, her life is a facade. She realises this when she is charged by the police and is quickly dropped by most of her friends. She wont make any commitments, but you can't help liking her.

The book is an illustration of the loneliness of people in a city of many millions. 

In Cold Blood 

Lesley:

Truman Capote's real name was  Truman Streckfus Persons and he came from a very dysfunctional family. He was friends with Harper Lee and Dill (a character from To Kill a Mockingbird) is said to be based on Capote.

In Cold Blood is based on a true story which had been reported in the New York Times. A midwestern family, the Clutters, who had been pillars of the local society, were brutally murdered in their own house, for no apparent motive. 

Capote took 6 years to write the book after extensive research and it was really the first significant book in the genre of True Crime. 

Lesley also commented on the strength of his writing as being his descriptions of people. He even created a feeling of sympathy for one of the killers, as you could see his life heading that way.  

Rosemary S:

She agreed that there was sympathy for one of the killers, Perry. She felt he had been goaded into committing the murder. The book was intense reading and she thought there was a parallel between the family and the killers.

Tam:

She thought there were 2 underlying issues in the book.

Firstly, the death penalty - there was a lot of discussion at this time in Kansas about the morality of executing people.

Secondly, do you kill because of your environmental background or because of your hereditary genes? Perry had come from a terrible background but had a kind streak. Whereas Dick, his co-killer, came from a good family and had only set out to commit a robbery.

Connie:

Connie thought that Dick was greedy and wanted money and so he had to kill to get it.

She enjoyed the writing in the first section which introduced the characters and the places where it all happened. She could picture the whole scene.

Connie doesn't really like to read true crime, and she is not interested in the details of what had happened and why. She is also not really interested in finding out about the author, but just wants to read the story.

Jo:

Her comment was that the killers were only there because they were told the family had a large safe and they wanted the money. They had driven 800 miles to get there and hadn't thought of the ramifications. 

Annette:

She was most interested in the forensic psychologist's evaluation of the 2 killers.

Among his findings were - Perry suffered from a severe mental illness, there was much brutality in his childhood. There was no love, direction or sense of moral value in his life. He had above average intelligence. He felt discriminated against and was overly sensitive to criticism. He was unable to control his rage, which was easily triggered and usually vented towards authority figures. The conclusion by the doctor was that he was capable of murder without apparent motive.

Maree:

As she was reading, Maree was hoping  that the story could change. You have been introduced to this lovely family and you know they are going to be killed. Bad things happen to good people!

Dianne:

Dianne thought there was so much detail through out the book, particularly from the psychiatrist, and it gave you another depth. There was also much loneliness in the book.

The killers were victims, the family were victims and the community were victims as well.

Dianne was moved by the ending.

Joan:

Harper Lee and Truman Capote had exclusive access to the Clutter file and did extensive research. The book was an instant classic because of its biographical treatment of the victims and the killers, the forensic evidence and the psychological background of the killers.

It was an important book at the time.

The Grass Harp 

Rosemary O

This book had been written from memories of the author's childhood in Alabama and the tree house in the backyard. Included in it were his cousin Sook and her dropsy medicine, the recipe of which she eventually took to her grave.

It was a strange book and full of weird characters with no real story.

Jane: 

She agreed, saying she didn't love it or hate it. It just seemed to finish, with no real ending. The group goes and lives in a tree house.

Laura:

Laura also read the book but thought it was beautiful and loved the story. It was very real for her.

She saw it as struggles with family life, the power struggles in a family and who has what rites. It describes how family politics gets town politics involved in solving their problems. These eccentric characters found it very difficult to break out in such a place.

She thought it had a common theme of 'autumn'....the story is set in autumn and the people are in the autumn of their life, this is their last chance.

A Christmas Memory  

Sheila:

Although  only 45 pages long, the story has been published separately. Again, this story is influenced by the author's early life. Until 10years old he had lived in Alabama with extended family members. Among them was a simple, older cousin with whom he spent a lot of time while they were ignored by the rest of the family.

It's a gentle, loving and tender story about 2 lonely people as they go through the rituals of preparation for Christmas.

Sheila described it as a snapshot of how Truman Capote would have lived his early life.

A House on the Heights

Pauline:

This essay is only 28 pages and 4 lines long, and was originally published in 1950 in a holiday magazine.

The book describes the time he spent in Brooklyn Heights, the events of his life, and the colourful characters who also lived there. There is no plot, but just description of his images of Brooklyn.

Pauline liked his descriptive style of  writing, particularly as there was no waffling. 

Answered Prayers - The Unfinished Novel

Julia:

The title is in reference to a quote by Saint Teresa of Avila "answered prayers cause more tears than those that remain unanswered".
By 1975, Capote's increasingly outrageous public behavior, fueled by alcohol, drugs and sexual indiscretion led many to believe that he had no intention of ever publishing Answered Prayers and had given up writing to follow in the footsteps of his fabulous friends as a professional socialite. 

After read the introduction, Julia had no intention of reading it either!

Welcome to a new member Bev, who recommended books written by Tess Gerritsen. These are crime stories featuring  Jane Rizzoli, a detective and Maura Isles  a medical examiner with the Boston Police Department. 

Next month join us as we discuss a great love story we have read.

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.

DECEMBER - CHRISTMAS THEMES

PAMELA:  ANNO'S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS

Pamela brought in some photocopies for us to learn about anamorphic drawing. Ana means back or again. Morphe means shape or form. Anamorphosis is a distorted projection or perspective requiring the viewer to use a special device to reconstitute the image. Pamela also brought in a book and a device to show us how this is done. This was very popular in the 16th century. Pamela always brings in something to increase our knowledge and stretch our imaginations. Very interesting.


SHEILA:  "KISSING CHRISTMAS GOODBYE" BY AGATHA RAISIN  

Sheila said it was the worst book she had ever read.  It was stupid.  She was disappointed as the author was a Fleet Street journalist and she also wrote the Hamish Mackbeth series.


ED:  "THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS" AND  "CALL ME MRS MIRACLE" BY DEBBIE MACOMBER

The first book is very predictable.  In the second book, one of the main characters, Holly, is taking care of her nephew Gabe as her widowed brother is in the army and won't be home for Christmas. She doesn't bond with him very well and wants to get him a toy robot from Finley's for Christmas, but can't afford it. Holly is at Starbucks when her credit card is rejected.  Jake Finley, from the department store Finley's, pays for her coffee. Jake falls in love with Holly.  This book is part of the Angelic Intervention Series. Mrs Miracle, from the Angelic Intervention Series, is working in the toy department at Finley's and Jake Finley is her boss.  Ed enjoyed the book but said it was very predictable.

PAT:  "A WALLFLOWER CHRISTMAS" BY LISA KLEYPAS

Pat didn't think she would get through it.  It was very boring and very demure, or so she thought.  When she got further into the book it was very hot and spicy.  It was not at all what she expected.  It was set in the early 1800's.  The part about Christmas was the new Christmas tree being used in England which originated in Germany.  Pat said the book was well written.

JOAN:  "HOME FOR CHRISTMAS" BY ANDREW M. GREELEY

The author was an Irish/American priest who died at 85.  He was a very prodigious writer.  This book was written in 2009.  There are 3 main characters Petey, the son of an abusive drunk, Marianna, a wealthy professional and Father Jimmy.  Petey and Marianna met in 1st grade when they were preparing for their first communion. They fall in love. As teenagers they go to the Prom together.  Eventually Petey goes off to join the army and is sent to Iraq.  He gets bravery medals.  He has a near death experience and this is where it lost Joan. He goes through the tunnel up to heaven and returns to earth after 9 1/2 minutes.  He rediscovers Marianne and there is a happy ending.  Joan enjoyed the writing before this part and would read this author again.

TAM:  "IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS" BY KATIE FLYNN

Tam had not read this author before but said this was a nice light, simple story. It's pre second world war.  It's a story about two little girls and their widowed mother.  Addie does her own thing and Prue is a little angel.  They grow up and get boyfriends.  The boyfriends then go off to fight when war breaks out.  There is nothing much about Christmas.

CONNIE:  " A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY"  BY ANNE PERRY

The book is set in the 1850's.  It is about well heeled people who meet for a weekend in the English countryside.  There are two young widows looking for a husband to support them.  There is an eligible bachelor at the party and both have their eye on him.  They are catty with each other and one says about the other, in front of everyone, that "she is only after him for his money". It is a great insult.  Everyone is woken up in the night as Vanessa has fallen in the freezing lake and died.  There is a feeling she has been pushed but then they think it could be suicide. They feel it was the comment by the other woman that drove her to suicide and as there are no phones, they decide to get together to be judge and jury.  They decide, as retribution, she has to go on a journey to Scotland to tell the mother and bring back a letter from the mother.  If successful she would be forgiven and no one would ever know.  Although this widow does not want to go on the journey, to avoid scandal, she sets off with her friend in the middle of winter.  Connie was glad to read it because she did not know about retribution.

CLAURENE:  "THE QUEENE'S CHRISTMAS (ELIZABETH 1 MYSTERIES)" BY KAREN HARPER

Claurene said the author writes well with true details of the Elizabethan times.  There is a murder mystery in the middle of it.  In this book Queen Elizabeth celebrates the 12 days of Christmas as they used to do in her father's reign because Kat, her nursemaid and governess and the only woman she trusts, is dying.  The puritanical clergy don't approve of the celebration.  The chef is found hung and his body is decorated for Christmas.  There are more murders, all interconnected but they are really trying to kill the Queen.  Claurene enjoyed it and has read other books by the same author.

ANNE: "A CHRISTMAS GARLAND"  BY ANNE PERRY

Anne enjoyed it but she said it was not a Christmas story.  The story is set in India in 1857 during the Indian mutiny, a very violent and brutal time. It is two weeks before Christmas in Cawnpore and there is an Indian prisoner in the British barracks, who is supposed to have killed a guard and joined the rebels.  He has to be captured as he has vital information about ten men on patrol.  He is not captured and nine of the men are killed and one survives. There is an investigation.  Everyone has an alibi that can be verified except for the medical orderly. They feel they have to do something and John Tallis, the orderly is arrested as he is the only one without an alibi. A young lieutenant has to investigate and they have a trial. He is John's only hope. He solves the crime and the result is unexpected.  Anne enjoyed it.  She said it was a very good book.

JUDY G: "CHRISTMAS AT THE CUPCAKE CAFE" BY JENNY COLGAN

It's called a delicious comedy but she said she didn't laugh.  It was a boring, boring book.  Maybe it picks up?

JO:  "A CHRISTMAS VISITOR" BY ANNE PERRY

Jo said it was very involved and she really enjoyed the book.  The family of a judge have a family gathering. They come from South Africa and other places to meet up in England.  The judge dies. He had fallen into a river and drowned.  There is an investigation and it is found he was murdered.   At first they feel it may have been a fellow who was tried for fraud many years before.  He had maintained his innocence and started badmouthing the judge. The killer is revealed and it all works out in the end.


JUDY:  CHRISTMAS LETTERS BY DEBBIE MACOMBER

Debbie Macomber's books are very similar.  There is a tradition of romantic comedy.
Judy said it was a light and easy read but she wouldn't read another one. The main character is an out of work P.A. who spends a lot of time sitting in a french patisserie. She writes Christmas letters for other people.  She meets a good looking man who is a child psychologist.  He has written a book called " The Free Child".  She disagrees with his philosophy and they argue. He has two children called Zoe and Zara and two dogs called Zero and Zorro.  Eventually the two fall in love.

JAYNE: "CHRISTMAS THIEF" BY MARY HIGGINS-CLARKE

Jayne thought it was trashy.  Someone steals a big fir tree. The thief hides diamonds in the tree but as it grows from the bottom, when he comes to recover the diamonds, they are right at the top of this very tall tree.  It was easy to read like "Scooby-Doo".

ROSEMARIE:  "CHRISTMAS CLOCK" BY KAT MARTIN  

Kat Martin is a best selling author.  The story is about an eight year old boy called Teddy whose mother has died. He lives with his grandmother but she has increasing dementia.  The story includes a young couple. There is the question about who will eventually take care of Teddy.  Teddy tries to get some work at a mechanics.  He wants to save enough money to buy a clock from an antique shop for his grandmother.  The mechanic befriends him.  Rosemarie said she could tell from Page 6 what was going to happen.  She said it was not a deep and meaningful story.


JULIA: "CHRISTMAS EVE AT FRIDAY HARBOUR" BY LISA KLEYPAS

It was in big print so easy to read at this busy time. It was a really nice story.  It is about a little girl, 6 years old, who lost her mother in a car accident and what happens to her afterwards. It all works out well.

ROSEMARIE O:  AGATHA CHRISTIE'S SHORT STORIES

The first story is The Christmas Pudding.  Poirot is invited to a mansion where a ruby gets stolen. The Prince had wanted to marry the girl who ran off with the ruby.  Rosemarie said it was nice to read about the traditional Christmas.  The ruby is found in the pudding. Poirot flushes out the person who is after the ruby. Rosemarie enjoyed the book.

MARIE: "CHRISTMAS WISHES" BY KATIE FLYNN

It is a story about twins who are sent to the countryside during the war.  They are sent to live with a grumpy old couple who eventually fall in love with them. They stay seven years longer as mum is killed by a bomb and the father is a shift worker. One of the twins has an accident and is left with an impairment.  Marie said it was well written, a really nice story and she really liked it.

JANE (OUR NEW LADY)"SQUATTERS CASTLE" BY GEORGE FARWELL

As she is new she did not read a christmas book.  She read this book as she is doing her family history.  It is a history of the Clarence area where some of her family lived.

DIANNE:  "THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS" BY DEBBIE MACOMBER

Dianne said it was Mills and Boon with tinsel on.  She didn't get very far.  She wouldn't recommend it.  She also said "don't bother, life is too short".

LESLEY:  "MEETING IN NO MAN'S LAND"

There is a collection of authors.  It is a collection of soldier's diaries and letters home.  It is about the Christmas truce.  It is about the first Christmas in 1914 along the western front.  The war has just begun.  Some of the trenches along the front are only 20m apart.  The opposing armies can hear what is being said by each other.  A lot of the Germans spoke English and some of the English spoke German.  Over Christmas they had a truce and they shared things with each other, swapping cigarettes, puddings etc.  There was a lot of flooding of the trenches and they respected each other while they cleaned out the trenches.

KRIS:  "CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES" BY ALAN WAKEFIELD

This book is very similar to Meeting in No Man's Land read by Lesley except that it is about all the Christmases spent in the trenches from 1914-1919. Alan Wakefield trawled the archives of the Imperial War Museum, National Archives and National Army Museum to provide a fascinating selection of first-hand accounts of the six wartime Christmases 1914-19 by combatants from Britain and the Dominions. It was widely believed that the war would be over by Christmas but they were still there at Christmas and were determined to set aside the war to celebrate Christmas, if only for a day or so.  I only read the first part of the book due to time constraints at this busy time of the year, but I found the stories of the Christmas truce very touching. I enjoyed reading it.

WENDY:  "SIX GEESE A LAYING" BY DONNA ANDREWS

It is 8.30am on December 23rd.  Meg Lanslow from Virginia U.S.A.is organizing a Christmas holiday parade involving the "The 12 days of Christmas".  There is a reporter covering the story.  The man chosen to play Santa Claus is a horrible man, a bad choice.  Something has happened to Santa.  He is found with a stake through him. The policeman is an African/American.  An investigation begins and the six men playing the geese (but now in duck costumes) are taken in for questioning. The story unfolds.  Wendy said it was light and very funny and she will read her work again.

Wendy will not be back in the New Year as she is going to the U3A bookclub in 2014. She will be missed by us all. Good luck in the future Wendy.

NOVEMBER: Books of our Childhood

This month, members were asked to talk about favourite books from their childhood.

TAM:
Tam had brought along her original Beatrix Potter books. She adored the Peter Rabbit series, with Mrs Tiggy Winkle being her favourite. She remembers being afraid of Mr McGregor!
Another much loved book was The Littlest Reindeer by Joahanna de Witt. The reindeer doesn't have any antlers and can't go to school until they grow. He has to learn to wait and be patient.
Little House of My Own is a book about cubby houses that children love to build with illustrations in black and white.
But her prized possession is a badge from the Famous Five Club. She had written to England requesting it, after having read all the books in the series.

JUDY G:
One of her favourite books was Grimm's Fairy Tales. She reread some of the stories, and commented that several of them were very grim. Her favourites were Hansel and Gretel and The Elves and the Shoemaker.
In contrast, Judy also showed a recent book "Clem Always Could" by Sarah Watt about a boy who didn't want to go swimming. This book had been read to her grandson, who at one stage also had a fear of the water.

KRIS:
Kris was another who loved The famous Five particularly Five Go to Smugglers Top. She loved the Britishness of the characters, the holidays they had, the smuggler's tunnels in Cornwall.
Another favourite was Shakespeare's Midsummer Nights Dream.

WENDY:
Wendy bought along a treasured copy of Jane at Lantern Hill by L M Montgomery.
In the story Jane is a misfit in a cheerless house. Her mother is a wimp and her father has been missing for many years, and thought to dead.
When she is later reunited with her father, life has changed for her. Grandma no longer has power over her, her parents have separated, but they later get together and the story has a happy ending.
Wendy loved the beautiful descriptions of King Edward Island as in the Anne stories.

PAMELA:
Pamela brought along a book of amorphic drawings (distorted pictures) and will share them in greater detail next time.

ED:
Welcome .....just enjoying listening this time.

CLAURINE:
Her favourite was Black Beauty and she remembered first reading it (and crying) as an eleven year old when she had his tonsils out.
It was written in 1877 by Anna Sewell  who died 5 months after the book (her only book) was published. It was very successful with 50 million copies being sold. In the story, told from the point of view of horses, they speak to each other and in those days everything was done by horses.

ROSEMARY:
Rosemary's book was The Diary of Anne Frank. She couldn't remember her original thoughts about it, but after rereading it, commented that as a 13 year old school girl, Anne was very intelligent and precocious. She had a great understanding of what was happening, the depression etc.
Her last entry was August 1st 1944. Soon after this, all 8 who had been hiding in the attic were arrested, not knowing who had tipped off the police. Her father was the only one to survive the Concentration Camps and devoted his life to spreading the word about the diary.

PAT:
Pat had chosen To Kill a Mockingbird. She thoroughly enjoyed it at 14 years old, but doesn't like rereading anything, knowing what is happening.
But she did enjoy the language, how it transported you to the south of USA.
She also commented on the changes with modern life; children played out in the yard, they used their imagination. It reminded her of how she has spent many holidays.

CONNIE:
Connie also chose a Famous Five book, Five Get into Trouble.
She appreciated how gently Enid Blyton taught the readers to behave. In the book, the children lived in the town but had their adventures in the country. They went camping, used sleeping bags, buried their garbage etc. There were lots of  lessons that children could learn from the book..eg bike safety.
These stories made her reminisce of her childhood growing up in England.

ANNE:
Anne chose a book that her daughter had read and recommended.
The List Maker by Robin Klein published in 1997.
The story revolves around a young girl whose mother had died, her father is always busy and so  she is looked after by eccentric old aunts.To cope with her life, the girl makes lists. Anne found it quite funny and touching at the same time.

ROSEMARY:
The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis.
Having seen the movie and feeling that it was quite different, Rosemary reread the book and enjoyed it more this time around. She found that regressing to reading at that age group was very relaxing.
She also read one of The Famous Five books. She thought the content was a bit lame and the children always very good, which was not the case in the C S Lewis story.

MAREE:
The Bobbsey Twins at Indian Hollow by Laura Lee Hope.
Maree had read this at a very young age and recently had visited many  Op Shops etc to track down a copy. 
The Bobbsey Twins want to go to summer camp. Their father and mother rent a house on Indian Lake and create a summer camp for the four children and four of their friends. Maree found the treatment of the black servants very interesting- what would be classed as racism today was then seen as the norm.

JUDY J
Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner, first published in 1894 and is still in publication today.
The author's early life may have been the model for the 'blended family' we read about in the book. Her mother married 3 times and children were born in each relationship.
Judy had very vivid memories of being distraught at the death of her namesake.
On rereading it, she was again drawn to the character of Judy. Ethel Turner had said in her notes for the book, that she couldn't see any future for Judy....too wild, too bright, she doesn't fit into society...she has to be repressed and so she 'kills' her off. Certainly a reflection of the times. 

JULIA:
Julia proudly showed her copy of the Enid Blyton book, The Mystery of the Strange Bundle. This had been presented to her as a Sunday School prize in 1952!
She also pointed out differences in the 1946 and 2011 editions of The Magic Faraway Tree including the names of the characters.....Fanny and Dick are now called Franny and Rich.  

DIANNE:
Famous Five Go Off To Camp. 
The children seemed so innocent on the stories, but Dianne found that often there was a let down after a big build up in the storyline
She also particularly could relate to their adventures with stream trains and the black market, having spent her younger life in England. 
  
JANE:
Jane also read the Seven Little Australians. It had been her favourite book and then she watched and enjoyed the ABC series. 
She had also  enjoyed Little House on the Prairie.

LAURA:
Laura had grown up with a German grandmother and remembered the book Der Struwwelpeter by Dr Heinrich Hoffman. She was fortunate to recently have been able to find another copy. The book contains nursery rhymes and fairytales, told in German but with English translations by Mark Twain. Each one has a message, eg playing with matches, sucking thumbs, eating up our dinner. They are great stories with morals/message you don't forget.

JO: 
Jo has reread all 21 of the Famous Five books. She couldn't believe how innocent the children were and yet they had all these adventures and nothing really bad happens to them.

JOAN:
Joan missed last month but wanted to share her Australiana book, S'pose I Die by Hector Holthouse.
The story begins when Evelyn Evans arrived in Cairns from England, in 1912, to marry Charles Maunsell. They lived under very primitive and basic conditions.
Joan described them as beautiful stories of hardship and life growing up on the Atherton Tablelands.

NEXT MONTH - December  Christmas  stories.
Don't forget
Lunch at The Evergreen Cafe, your Secret Santa gift, and if possible a bra for the Uplift Project.
For more information go to www.upliftbras.org

Hawkesbury Library's Top 10 Reads for November 2013

The October list - Jeffery Deaver
Cross and burn - Val McDermid
Eat, move, sleep - Tom Rath
Hush little baby - Suzanne Redfearn
Dark witch - Nora Roberts
The daylight gate - Jeanette Winterson
Bridget Jones: Mad about the boy - Helen Fielding
Doctor Sleep - Stephen King
Just one evil act - Elizabeth George
Murder and Mendelssohn - Kerry Greenwood

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.




                                               

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

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.

  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