Monday, January 26, 2015
JANUARY:- SANTA SACK
This month we share books we have read during the holiday period.
BETH:- NIGHT SCHOOL by RICHARD WISEMAN
Subtitled 'Wake up to the power of sleep', the book covers myths and research about sleep and dreams. Beth described it as being scientific but written in an easy way. It was funny and whimsical, she enjoyed reading it and learnt much, including techniques for better sleep. The book is available in the library.
TAM:- THE OTHER ANZACS by PETER REES
This is the story of the Australian and New Zealand nurses in World War 1 and Tam thought it was absolutely brilliant.They showed amazing courage, determination and stamina and worked under dreadful conditions. There were many heartbreaking stories and Tam felt emotionally drained after reading the book which was the basis for the recent TV series 'ANZAC Girls'.
ROSEMARY:- THE WHITE MASAI by CORRINE HOFFMAN
This is the story of a young Swiss woman who falls in love with an African warrior while on holidays in Kenya, and returns to find him. They marry and later have a child. Rosemary found this a very annoying story to read with parts of it quite unbelievable. She persevered with the book fascinated with the hardships this woman endured and her complete lack of understanding of the culture and how she had ruined this man's life.
MAREE:
Maree recommended a number of books she had read recently.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
The Nazi Officer's Wife by Edith H Beer ....very interesting as she was Jewish
Det. Jason Strong by John C Dalglish ....great detective stories (no sex)
Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim.... historical novel set in America's deep south
The Ladies Room by Caroline Brown....secrets told in the church's ladies are supposed to stay in the ladies room!
Maude by Donna Mabry.... historical biography of the author's grandmother
PRUE:- THE LOST FLEET by JACK CAMPBELL
This is a military science-fiction series set one-hundred-plus years into an interstellar war between two different human cultures, the Alliance and the Syndics.
Prue thought the character development was excellent, she cheered when they won and cried when they died. Being holiday time, she had plenty of time to read and so finished 5 of the 6 books in the series!
ANNE & LESLIE:- BURIAL RITES by HANNAH KENT
It tells the story of Agnes Magnusdottir, an abandoned outcast/illegitimate farm girl trying to survive in a small village community in Iceland. She is accused, with 2 others, of murdering 2 men. Leslie enjoyed reading about how the rural peasants lived in the frozen landscape, their routines, family structures, education, the high importance religion played and how gossip and superstition influenced decision making. Whilst the book is fiction, the events are real.
ROSEMARY:- A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND by DAVID DARCY
A beautiful book of photographs and stories about women in the outback and their dogs. A lovely doggy book.
THE MINIATUARIST by JESSIE BURTON
Set in Amsterdam 1686, a young girl becomes the wife of a rich merchant. As a wedding present she is given a doll's house, a miniature of her home. To furnish her gift, she employs the miniaturist whose tiny creations foretells the future of the family and other people in her life. A most interesting story.
CONNIE:- GREY MOUNTAIN by JOHN GRISHAM
A young woman is working as a lawyer in New York when the GFC occurs. To retain her position she must leave and work elsewhere without pay for 12 months. She goes to south west Virginia to the Appalatian Mountains where coal mining has polluted the streams and many people are suffering from lung diseases. So she proceeds to take on the big corporations where many of the lawyers are corrupt. Although it is fiction it is probably based on real life.
Connie would certainly recommend it.
JO:- HOLD TIGHT by HARLAN COBEN
Hold Tight is a thriller dealing with problems of parental controls, teenage suicide, children independence and abuse of prescribed drugs. Jo thought it was an interesting story about how parents deal with trusting their children.
CLAURENE:- THE LAST PULSE by ANSON CAMERON
It is the story of a South Australian grape grower whose wife suicides, leaving behind an 11 year old daughter. She was depressed by their situation and believing it to be caused by water being 'stolen' by cotton growers in northern Australia. So he sets off in a stolen punt to Queensland to dynamite the dam that is holding back the water.
Humour is always there, but behind this is the truth that the Murray River is in desperate situation.
Claurine said the book had received rave reviews in the newspaper and these were well deserved.
JUDY J:- THE FOREVER GIRL by ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH
Better known for his Number One Ladies Detective Agency series, this is one of the author's stand alone novels, but Judy found it disappointing. With the exotic settings of Cayman Islands and Edinburgh it is a story of love, heartbreak and how this can shape and direct one's life. The plot is a bit thin and the characters somewhat shallow, and the ending comes quickly and is quite surprising.
The saving grace is the author's beautiful writing which is full of charm and wisdom.
ED:- ELIANNE by JUDY NUNN
Elianne is a huge sugar plantation in Queensland named after the young French wife of the owner. The massive estate is self sufficient but the family has many dark and distant secrets. These are uncovered by later generations when the young wife's diaries are found. Ed found it easy to read, great for holiday times.
PAULINE:- THIS HOUSE of GRIEF by HELEN GARNER
On Fathers Day 2005 the car that Robert Farquharson was driving left the road and ploughed into a dam near Melbourne. Inside were his 3 sons, none of whom survived. The author followed the 2 trials and writes very fairly and with an even level of emotion. Was it an act of revenge or a terrible accident? Pauline found the story to be quite gripping and fascinating.
PAT:- I AM MALALA: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by MALALA YOUSAFZA & CHRISTINA LAMB
In 2012 at the age of 15, Malala was shot by the Taliban while travelling on a school bus in Pakistan. After recovering from her injuries, her family moved to Birmingham (UK) where she resumed her schooling. Her father was a school teacher and had taught her to have confidence in her own opinion and to expect equal treatment for women.
She has become an activist for female education, receiving numerous awards including the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
JOAN:- JUNG CHANG CIXI The Concubine Who Launched Modern China by JUNG CHANG
At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, Cixi was chosen as one of the emperor’s numerous concubines. When he died in 1861, their five-year-old son succeeded to the throne. Cixi at once launched a palace coup against the regents appointed by her husband and made herself the real ruler of China—behind the throne, literally, with a silk screen separating her from her officials who were all male.
She ruled for 47 years and was responsible for much of the early modernization of China.
Joan thoroughly enjoyed the book as she had 'Wild Swans' also by the same author.
SHEILA:- MAJOR PETTIGREW'S LAST STAND by HELEN SIMONSON
Sheila described it as a gentle book, funny, intelligent, romantic and fresh.
Major Pettigrew is a widower living in a small English village. When he meets and begins to fall in love with Mrs Ali a Pakistani shopkeeper and also a widow, they face racism and old conventions with good humour and civility.
PAMELA:- CRUSOE'S DAUGHTER by JANE GARDAM
Polly Flint is being raised in northern England by her 2 very Christian aunts. Books are her solace and Robinson Crusoe is her hero. Polly, like Crusoe comes to terms with her loneliness and isolation and restrictions placed on women in these times. Her isolation is physical (from the setting) and emotional (care, but little love from her aunts).
Pamela said it was not a depressing book, the writing style is very descriptive, it is funny and easy to read.
WENDY:- THE NEW REPUBLIC by LIONEL SHRIVER & THE UNKNOWN TERRORIST by RICHARD FLANAGAN
The New Republic:- A corporate lawyer wanting a change of career, takes up a position as a journalist in Portugal to cover a small terrorist uprising in an imaginary province. A satire/terrorism thriller.
The Unknown Terrorist:-Set in Sydney in 2011, it tells the story of Doll, a pole dancer, who after a one night stand is caught up in an Islamic terrorist plot. The action happens in 5 days and much of her story is manipulated by the media to fit the plot.
Both books had the common theme of the role of the media in modern terrorism.
JULIA:- The COLLECTOR by NORA ROBERTS
Julia can recommend this great thriller set in New York. A house sitter sees something happening in a nearby apartment and the intriguing story begins, finishing with a great twist.
The plot also involves a collection of Faberge eggs with quite a bit of background information which Julia found very interesting.
Other authors of thrillers:- Tami Hoag....Kill the Messenger
Meg Gardiner....The Liar's Lullaby
NEXT MONTH:- Young Adult authors
Saturday, December 20, 2014
DECEMBER: TRAVEL STORIES
JO: SCENIC CRUISES DVDS
Jo chose to review her own DVD collection of scenic cruises. Some were in Victoria and other parts of Australia. There was also "Scenic Cruises of the World". She said the scenery was beautiful.
LESLEY: THIS BARREN ROCK BY SYLVIE HAISMAN
With so much to do at this time of the year, Lesley only read part of the book. It is a true story set in 1875. It's the story of Fanny Wordsworth (great great grandmother of the author) and her very spoiled son Charles who emigrate to New Zealand. They travel down the Cape of Good Hope where the ship is wrecked after terrible gales. The survivors have to find food, shelter, firewood etc in a place with no trees or vegetation and only seabirds to eat. Lesley said it was not a happy story but interesting.
JOAN: IN PATAGONIA BY BRUCE CHATWIN
This book was published in 1977. In 1972 Bruce Chatwin was hired to write an article about a 93year old female architect living in Paris. She had always wanted to go to Patagonia which is at the southern tip of South America. Chatwin told her he had always wanted to go to Patagonia she told him to go for her. The book he wrote about his adventure is ground breaking work with sharp prose and jumbled stories of people and places. Joan particularly enjoyed the book as she has been to Patagonia.
BEV: THE OLD WAYS BY ROBERT MCFARLANE
The story is set in England and describes the walks you can take in England. The author is very interested in geology so he talks about the rock formations as well. It is an interesting book but not exciting.
ROSEMARIE O: NOTES FROM A BIG COUNTRY BY BILL BRYSON
Rosemarie thought the cover looked exciting. Bill Bryson lived in Yorkshire and married a Yorkshire woman. He wanted to move back to New Hampshire. The Sunday Times wanted him to write an article on America so the English would be able to understand American life. American people are very different to English people. It's a witty, funny book and if you need a lift, this is the book to read. It opens your eyes to American life.
ANNE: TRACKS BY ROBYN DAVIDSON
This is the story of a Robyn Davidson, a 25year old woman who makes a perilous journey across Australia from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean in 1975. She has one dog, three adult camels and a baby camel. It is a compelling tale with vivid descriptions. She had to contend with sweltering heat by day and terrible cold at night. She developed an affinity with the aboriginals. She discovered that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be. Anne found the book very interesting.
PAULINE: FULL TILT BY DERVLA MURPHY
Dervla was born in 1931 in Ireland. She was always keen on travelling from a young age after her father gave her a bike and an atlas. At age 31 she decided to travel from Ireland to India on a bike journey. It was a six month journey through Yugoslavia, Persia(Iran), Afghanistan, over the Himalayas to Pakistan and then to India. She had many interesting adventures and she found the people generous and kind. The book is based on the diary she kept on her journey. Pauline really enjoyed it and it is the second time she read the book.
PAT: TRUE PLEASURES - A MEMOIR OF WOMEN IN PARIS BY LUCINDA HOLDFORTH
Lucinda, the author decided to make a life change at age thirty five when she quit her job and moved to a Paris apartment. In the book she describes the elegance of the women, the smell of buttery croissants and coffee. It reminded Pat of the time she was in Paris. Due to other commitments, Pat didn't finish it but she found the book interesting.
KRIS: SHADOW OF THE SILK ROAD BY COLIN THUBRAN
Due to commitments of Christmas Kris did not finish this book but would like to have the time to continue reading it. The book records the journey by the author along the greatest land route on earth. He travels by bus, train, donkey, camel etc.etc. The Silk Road was the first great trade route out of China into the mountains of central Asia, across northern Afghanistan, the plains of Iran and into Kurdish Turkey. He writes beautifully and his intimate conversations with the people he meets are very interesting.
JUDY: TURN RIGHT AT MACHU PICHU, REDISCOVERING THE LOST CITY ONE STEP AT A TIME BY MARK ADAMS
Mark Adams is a travel writer in America and his wife is Peruvian. He believed you should travel properly to be a good travel writer so he decides to retrace the steps of Hiram Bingham III who, in 1911 climbed in to the Andes mountains of Peru to discover Machu Pichu. Judy enjoyed the book as she had been to Machu Pichu although she said there was more detail than she would have liked.
JULIA: JOURNEY TO THE STARS BY STUART CLARK
The book is about dying stars, planets, statistics, black holes and galaxies. Judy has always been interested in astronomy so found the book very enjoyable.
PAMELA: HITCHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY CREATED BY DOUGLAS ADAMS
One of the main characters is Arthur Dent. He has a friend who is an alien marooned on Earth from a planet called Beetlejuice. Arthur Dent's house is going to be demolished for a super highway that will go through the galaxy and destroy earth. Pamela said it is surreal, extremely witty and very verbal. The characters are wonderful and there is fun with mathematics and probability.
SHEILA: LADIES ON THE LOOSE - WOMEN TRAVELLERS OF THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY
This book is not a library book. It is a collection of first person narratives by women travellers of the 18th and 19th century. They went to many different places throughout the world, mostly remote places with people of strange customs. They enjoyed the freedom of travelling on their own. They endured hardship and danger with composure. Sheila felt they were very brave women.
BETH: FIVE WAYS TO CARRY A GOAT BY BEN GROUNDWATER
Ben is a young travel writer. He went to fourteen countries in three months. Some of the countries he went to were Korea, China, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, U.S.A., Canada etc. There was lots of drinking and clubbing and although Beth did enjoy it, it wasn't what she was expecting.
ED: PARIS WIFE BY PAULA MCLAIN
This book is not a travel book. It is a fictional account of the first of Ernest Hemingway's four wives. She was 28 and he was 20 when they met in America. Hemingway started sending her letters. They moved to Paris. They were part of the scene of up and coming writers and artists in Paris. Hemingway needed to be pampered and have his needs and wants met by his wife. Ed did not finish it. She found it interesting but not riveting.
ROSEMARIE: HANOI STORY BY PAM SCOTT
The author is an Australian academic. She is a great writer. She visited Hanoi in the 1980's and stayed there eight years. She opened the first English language bookshop and the book describes the trials and tribulations she experienced. Rosemarie said it was a great read. She thoroughly enjoyed it and read it in two days. As Rosemarie had been to Hanoi, the book revitalized memories of her time there.
PRUE: KINGDOM OF 10,000 THINGS BY GARY GEDDES
The author is a Canadian poet, not a journalist. He discusses the theory that perhaps Columbus wasn't the first person to discover America. There are details of big ships from China. There is a belief that the first person may have been an monk from Afghanistan. Gary retraced the voyage of the legendary 5th century Buddhist monk from Afghanistan to central America. The book is well researched but Prue said it wasn't an easy read. She forced herself to come back to it and then there were snippets of interest. It is still a mystery.
JUDY: ROAD TO PARADISE BY PAULINA SIMONS
Judy said there was no paradise in paradise. It is about a girl who wants to find her mother who had left when she was little. She didn't find her mother but Judy did not read to the end. She found it a very tense book with lots of twists and turns and it definitely wasn't a light read.
CONNIE: A WALK AROUND THE LAKES BY HUNTER DAVIES
The book was written in 1978. The author spent a year doing the various walks around the Lake District. Sometimes he would walk on his own,sometimes with family but often returned home between walks. There are maps in the book. Each chapter is about a different lake so it took a while to read. Sometimes the weather was severe, cold and damp. Connie knew the area very well but the walks were monotonous. She did enjoy the book. There was also a biography of William Wordsworth and it spoiled her illusions of a man she admired.
CLAURENE: DOWN UNDER BY BILL BRYSON
Claurene has been reading his books since 1995 but this book was the only one she had not read. It was interesting. He felt he had privately discovered life on another planet when he came to Australia. He said it teems with life, a large proportion of it deadly. He promptly fell in love with the country and said life doesn't get much better than that.
TAM: COLD MOUNTAIN BY CHARLES FRAZIER
This book is set in the America during the American Civil War. The American Civil War is one of Tam's passions. The main male character has had enough of war and after being in hospital he heads home to his girlfriend Ada in Cold Mountain. It takes him a year to get back. During this time he develops a spiritual relationship with the environment. There are a lot of characters he meets on his journey who change him.He is also being hunted by the men trying to capture the soldiers who have left. It is an external and internal journey. Ada is also on a journey. She is not used to the land and has to learn independence. Tam loved the book.
DI: NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND BY BILL BRYSON
Bill Bryson lived in England for twenty years before going to America. Before leaving he took a trip around England and wrote about it in this book. Di is English so she loved the places. She loved every page and his sense of humour. It was a journey amongst people as well as villages. There was a great divide in England between the North and South. One million people lost their jobs in the North but the people still expressed great humour and wit. Di said it was a great read.
BOOK LIST FOR NEXT SIX MONTHS
JANUARY: Santa Sack - a book you read over Christmas
FEBRUARY: Authors of books for Young Adults
MARCH: Emma by Jane Austen
APRIL: Anzac Day Stories - 100 years Anniversary
MAY: Marelle Day (Australian author)
JUNE: Autobiographies/Biographies
JO: SCENIC CRUISES DVDS
Jo chose to review her own DVD collection of scenic cruises. Some were in Victoria and other parts of Australia. There was also "Scenic Cruises of the World". She said the scenery was beautiful.
LESLEY: THIS BARREN ROCK BY SYLVIE HAISMAN
With so much to do at this time of the year, Lesley only read part of the book. It is a true story set in 1875. It's the story of Fanny Wordsworth (great great grandmother of the author) and her very spoiled son Charles who emigrate to New Zealand. They travel down the Cape of Good Hope where the ship is wrecked after terrible gales. The survivors have to find food, shelter, firewood etc in a place with no trees or vegetation and only seabirds to eat. Lesley said it was not a happy story but interesting.
JOAN: IN PATAGONIA BY BRUCE CHATWIN
This book was published in 1977. In 1972 Bruce Chatwin was hired to write an article about a 93year old female architect living in Paris. She had always wanted to go to Patagonia which is at the southern tip of South America. Chatwin told her he had always wanted to go to Patagonia she told him to go for her. The book he wrote about his adventure is ground breaking work with sharp prose and jumbled stories of people and places. Joan particularly enjoyed the book as she has been to Patagonia.
BEV: THE OLD WAYS BY ROBERT MCFARLANE
The story is set in England and describes the walks you can take in England. The author is very interested in geology so he talks about the rock formations as well. It is an interesting book but not exciting.
ROSEMARIE O: NOTES FROM A BIG COUNTRY BY BILL BRYSON
Rosemarie thought the cover looked exciting. Bill Bryson lived in Yorkshire and married a Yorkshire woman. He wanted to move back to New Hampshire. The Sunday Times wanted him to write an article on America so the English would be able to understand American life. American people are very different to English people. It's a witty, funny book and if you need a lift, this is the book to read. It opens your eyes to American life.
ANNE: TRACKS BY ROBYN DAVIDSON
This is the story of a Robyn Davidson, a 25year old woman who makes a perilous journey across Australia from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean in 1975. She has one dog, three adult camels and a baby camel. It is a compelling tale with vivid descriptions. She had to contend with sweltering heat by day and terrible cold at night. She developed an affinity with the aboriginals. She discovered that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be. Anne found the book very interesting.
PAULINE: FULL TILT BY DERVLA MURPHY
Dervla was born in 1931 in Ireland. She was always keen on travelling from a young age after her father gave her a bike and an atlas. At age 31 she decided to travel from Ireland to India on a bike journey. It was a six month journey through Yugoslavia, Persia(Iran), Afghanistan, over the Himalayas to Pakistan and then to India. She had many interesting adventures and she found the people generous and kind. The book is based on the diary she kept on her journey. Pauline really enjoyed it and it is the second time she read the book.
PAT: TRUE PLEASURES - A MEMOIR OF WOMEN IN PARIS BY LUCINDA HOLDFORTH
Lucinda, the author decided to make a life change at age thirty five when she quit her job and moved to a Paris apartment. In the book she describes the elegance of the women, the smell of buttery croissants and coffee. It reminded Pat of the time she was in Paris. Due to other commitments, Pat didn't finish it but she found the book interesting.
KRIS: SHADOW OF THE SILK ROAD BY COLIN THUBRAN
Due to commitments of Christmas Kris did not finish this book but would like to have the time to continue reading it. The book records the journey by the author along the greatest land route on earth. He travels by bus, train, donkey, camel etc.etc. The Silk Road was the first great trade route out of China into the mountains of central Asia, across northern Afghanistan, the plains of Iran and into Kurdish Turkey. He writes beautifully and his intimate conversations with the people he meets are very interesting.
JUDY: TURN RIGHT AT MACHU PICHU, REDISCOVERING THE LOST CITY ONE STEP AT A TIME BY MARK ADAMS
Mark Adams is a travel writer in America and his wife is Peruvian. He believed you should travel properly to be a good travel writer so he decides to retrace the steps of Hiram Bingham III who, in 1911 climbed in to the Andes mountains of Peru to discover Machu Pichu. Judy enjoyed the book as she had been to Machu Pichu although she said there was more detail than she would have liked.
JULIA: JOURNEY TO THE STARS BY STUART CLARK
The book is about dying stars, planets, statistics, black holes and galaxies. Judy has always been interested in astronomy so found the book very enjoyable.
PAMELA: HITCHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY CREATED BY DOUGLAS ADAMS
One of the main characters is Arthur Dent. He has a friend who is an alien marooned on Earth from a planet called Beetlejuice. Arthur Dent's house is going to be demolished for a super highway that will go through the galaxy and destroy earth. Pamela said it is surreal, extremely witty and very verbal. The characters are wonderful and there is fun with mathematics and probability.
SHEILA: LADIES ON THE LOOSE - WOMEN TRAVELLERS OF THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY
This book is not a library book. It is a collection of first person narratives by women travellers of the 18th and 19th century. They went to many different places throughout the world, mostly remote places with people of strange customs. They enjoyed the freedom of travelling on their own. They endured hardship and danger with composure. Sheila felt they were very brave women.
BETH: FIVE WAYS TO CARRY A GOAT BY BEN GROUNDWATER
Ben is a young travel writer. He went to fourteen countries in three months. Some of the countries he went to were Korea, China, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, U.S.A., Canada etc. There was lots of drinking and clubbing and although Beth did enjoy it, it wasn't what she was expecting.
ED: PARIS WIFE BY PAULA MCLAIN
This book is not a travel book. It is a fictional account of the first of Ernest Hemingway's four wives. She was 28 and he was 20 when they met in America. Hemingway started sending her letters. They moved to Paris. They were part of the scene of up and coming writers and artists in Paris. Hemingway needed to be pampered and have his needs and wants met by his wife. Ed did not finish it. She found it interesting but not riveting.
ROSEMARIE: HANOI STORY BY PAM SCOTT
The author is an Australian academic. She is a great writer. She visited Hanoi in the 1980's and stayed there eight years. She opened the first English language bookshop and the book describes the trials and tribulations she experienced. Rosemarie said it was a great read. She thoroughly enjoyed it and read it in two days. As Rosemarie had been to Hanoi, the book revitalized memories of her time there.
PRUE: KINGDOM OF 10,000 THINGS BY GARY GEDDES
The author is a Canadian poet, not a journalist. He discusses the theory that perhaps Columbus wasn't the first person to discover America. There are details of big ships from China. There is a belief that the first person may have been an monk from Afghanistan. Gary retraced the voyage of the legendary 5th century Buddhist monk from Afghanistan to central America. The book is well researched but Prue said it wasn't an easy read. She forced herself to come back to it and then there were snippets of interest. It is still a mystery.
JUDY: ROAD TO PARADISE BY PAULINA SIMONS
Judy said there was no paradise in paradise. It is about a girl who wants to find her mother who had left when she was little. She didn't find her mother but Judy did not read to the end. She found it a very tense book with lots of twists and turns and it definitely wasn't a light read.
CONNIE: A WALK AROUND THE LAKES BY HUNTER DAVIES
The book was written in 1978. The author spent a year doing the various walks around the Lake District. Sometimes he would walk on his own,sometimes with family but often returned home between walks. There are maps in the book. Each chapter is about a different lake so it took a while to read. Sometimes the weather was severe, cold and damp. Connie knew the area very well but the walks were monotonous. She did enjoy the book. There was also a biography of William Wordsworth and it spoiled her illusions of a man she admired.
CLAURENE: DOWN UNDER BY BILL BRYSON
Claurene has been reading his books since 1995 but this book was the only one she had not read. It was interesting. He felt he had privately discovered life on another planet when he came to Australia. He said it teems with life, a large proportion of it deadly. He promptly fell in love with the country and said life doesn't get much better than that.
TAM: COLD MOUNTAIN BY CHARLES FRAZIER
This book is set in the America during the American Civil War. The American Civil War is one of Tam's passions. The main male character has had enough of war and after being in hospital he heads home to his girlfriend Ada in Cold Mountain. It takes him a year to get back. During this time he develops a spiritual relationship with the environment. There are a lot of characters he meets on his journey who change him.He is also being hunted by the men trying to capture the soldiers who have left. It is an external and internal journey. Ada is also on a journey. She is not used to the land and has to learn independence. Tam loved the book.
DI: NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND BY BILL BRYSON
Bill Bryson lived in England for twenty years before going to America. Before leaving he took a trip around England and wrote about it in this book. Di is English so she loved the places. She loved every page and his sense of humour. It was a journey amongst people as well as villages. There was a great divide in England between the North and South. One million people lost their jobs in the North but the people still expressed great humour and wit. Di said it was a great read.
BOOK LIST FOR NEXT SIX MONTHS
JANUARY: Santa Sack - a book you read over Christmas
FEBRUARY: Authors of books for Young Adults
MARCH: Emma by Jane Austen
APRIL: Anzac Day Stories - 100 years Anniversary
MAY: Marelle Day (Australian author)
JUNE: Autobiographies/Biographies
Sunday, November 30, 2014
NOVEMBER :- Rural Romances
MAREE: The Last Chance Mail Order Bride by Crystal Anne Tilden
When Violet is jilted by her fiancé for a rich older woman, she reluctantly agrees to answer an ad as a mail order bride. After many months of corresponding with this nice widower, she changes her mind and returns to her home town. Many twists and turns, the story of love lost and a sweet easy read.
SHEILA: Wildhorse Creek by Kerry McGinnis
Sheila is not normally a fan of this genre but in this book thought the author told a 'good tale'. Set in 1973 in the Gulf of Carpentaria on a sprawling cattle run, it chronicles the ups and downs, the highs and lows of life on a cattle property. She thought the descriptions of the countryside and the people who lived there were very accurate as the author had lived most of her life in the bush. A good tale.
MARGARET: The Outback Heart by Fiona Palmer
Margaret described it as a romance with an underlying theme.....a young fellow who has had a heart transplant, befriends a young girl who also has had a transplant. When she dies, he is so distressed he moves away so that his family wont have to feel this pain if anything happens to him. It was interesting to see how these people feel about themselves, the donor and the grief they put their family through.
CHERYL: Call Me When the Cross Turns Over by Darcy Niland
Written in 1957, the cross refers to the Southern Cross and tells of a young lady trying to learn and survive in the harsh outback conditions of the times.
The Girl in the Hard Hat by Loretta Hill
This book was written in 2013 and tells of a young woman trying to make her way in a
mining community in the Pilbara.
These 2 books highlight the different place women now have in society, the changing lifestyle in the bush and the language used .
CLAURINE: Border Watch by Helene Young
Set in North Queensland, the story is mainly a mystery but with hints of a romance. There were very good descriptions of the country but the story revolves around a terrorist operation and who should be protecting northern Australia. It is the first book in a series of 3.
CONNIE: Heart of the Valley by Catherine Hein
This was chosen by Connie as it is set in a horse stud in the Hunter Valley and had a personal connection as her granddaughter worked there. There were great descriptions of the horse studs and the love the characters showed for their horses.
But as a love story, she looked at it from an older person's perspective and found much frustration as to what the younger people considered 'true love'.
BETH:
Beth also read the same book, and having come from the area, praised the descriptions of the community and the neighbours. This she found more interesting than the romance, which she thought was only a minor part of the story and a bit silly. She related more to the horses!
JULIA:
Julia also read the book, enjoying the author's knowledge of horses and the running of the properties.
She commented on the important role that women have in this industry.
LIBBY: Outback Blaze by Rachael Jones
Libby described it as a 'shocking book'. The story revolves around a fire in the small town of Bunyip Bay with the main male character called Blaze! The romance in the story was too much like Days of Our Lives. She couldn't recommend it.
WENDY: Right as Rain by Tricia Stringer
Based in South Australia, the story involves a young woman who has returned to work on the family farm with her father. But when he becomes ill, her mother encourages her brother ( who has never shown any interest in working on the land) to take over the farm. The plot is worked through and well resolved.
The romantic interests of the various characters are also quickly sorted out.
Wendy enjoyed the book and also learnt a lot about corriedale sheep.
ROSEMARY S: Tracking North by Kerry McGinnis
Rosemary thought the setting of far northern Queensland was well described and there was enough suspense to hold your interest through the book. It was an easy read but with a predictable ending.
JOAN: Rocking Horse Hill by Catherine Hein.
Joan was encouraged to read this book following a visit in June to the library by the author. She came from family where 3 generations had been involved with horses and had been very enthusiastic in her presentation. Joan described the story as 'very predictable'.
JUDY:
Judy also read this book, and having grown up in Adelaide, found some place and family names had greater meaning for her. Again, the family fortunes and inheritance rites are thrown into turmoil when a new comer arrives on the farm. After a couple of near misses and eventually a tragedy, all is resolved. An easy read, good for holidays.
LESLEY: Heartland by Catherine Hein
Another book by Catherine Hein which seems to follow the formula of many books in this genre.
Beautiful girl who doesn't realise she is beautiful.
Handsome guy who has issues.
Horsey theme which helps to heal her broken heart.
Family misunderstandings.
Ended as you expect.
ROSEMARY also read the book.
Surprisingly, there were quite graphic sex scenes in this book! The love story was between an older man and a younger woman. There were also some annoying characters.
Rosemary said she enjoyed it but had read better.
JO: Red Dust by Fleur McDonald
After the death of her husband in a plane crash, a young woman takes on the daunting task of looking after the cattle property. As well as coping with her husband's death, she also has to contend with rumors that his death was not an accident, and a cattle rustling gang.
Jo loved it.....'it had everything in it'.
LAURA: Rain Dance by Karen Wood
A 16 year old greenie and vegan, lives on the mid north coast with her father. When he is laid off from his job as a builder, they move to a job on a cattle station.
The rich young son comes home from private school. Sweet young love occurs but with no sex or romance.
There are issues of rich v poor, climate change, cold seam gas, water shortages, and bushfire all in this one summer period! But Laura still described it as 'well written'.
TAM: Crimson Dawn by Fleur McDonald
Romance was secondary to the story with the underlying theme being women coping with responsibilities on the land. They are tough, independent women dealing with things in a man's world. They have to do double the amount of work to prove they are capable.
Tam described it as a good bedtime read.
PRU: Driftwood by Mandy Magro
Set in north Queensland, Pru described it as the 'simplest read'. A young girl who will never met her biological father, determines to become a jillaroo to be more like him. As she begins life on a country station, there are many references John Deere tractors, R M Williams clothes etc almost as if they are sponsors of the author. She has written 3 books in 3 years.
ED: Dark Country by Bronwyn Parry
The story is set in a small town in western New South Wales.When a convicted murderer returns after completing his sentence, he is immediately suspected when a body is found in the boot of his car. But the local police sergeant isn't convinced of his guilt.
Ed enjoyed it, finding it interesting but predictable.
Other Recommendations:
KRIS: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
A thriller, with a wife disappearing on their 5th wedding anniversary. It is riveting with many plot twists and nothing as it seems.
DECEMBER: Enjoy reading a book about TRAVEL and come along to discuss. All welcome.
When Violet is jilted by her fiancé for a rich older woman, she reluctantly agrees to answer an ad as a mail order bride. After many months of corresponding with this nice widower, she changes her mind and returns to her home town. Many twists and turns, the story of love lost and a sweet easy read.
SHEILA: Wildhorse Creek by Kerry McGinnis
Sheila is not normally a fan of this genre but in this book thought the author told a 'good tale'. Set in 1973 in the Gulf of Carpentaria on a sprawling cattle run, it chronicles the ups and downs, the highs and lows of life on a cattle property. She thought the descriptions of the countryside and the people who lived there were very accurate as the author had lived most of her life in the bush. A good tale.
MARGARET: The Outback Heart by Fiona Palmer
Margaret described it as a romance with an underlying theme.....a young fellow who has had a heart transplant, befriends a young girl who also has had a transplant. When she dies, he is so distressed he moves away so that his family wont have to feel this pain if anything happens to him. It was interesting to see how these people feel about themselves, the donor and the grief they put their family through.
CHERYL: Call Me When the Cross Turns Over by Darcy Niland
Written in 1957, the cross refers to the Southern Cross and tells of a young lady trying to learn and survive in the harsh outback conditions of the times.
The Girl in the Hard Hat by Loretta Hill
This book was written in 2013 and tells of a young woman trying to make her way in a
mining community in the Pilbara.
These 2 books highlight the different place women now have in society, the changing lifestyle in the bush and the language used .
CLAURINE: Border Watch by Helene Young
Set in North Queensland, the story is mainly a mystery but with hints of a romance. There were very good descriptions of the country but the story revolves around a terrorist operation and who should be protecting northern Australia. It is the first book in a series of 3.
CONNIE: Heart of the Valley by Catherine Hein
This was chosen by Connie as it is set in a horse stud in the Hunter Valley and had a personal connection as her granddaughter worked there. There were great descriptions of the horse studs and the love the characters showed for their horses.
But as a love story, she looked at it from an older person's perspective and found much frustration as to what the younger people considered 'true love'.
BETH:
Beth also read the same book, and having come from the area, praised the descriptions of the community and the neighbours. This she found more interesting than the romance, which she thought was only a minor part of the story and a bit silly. She related more to the horses!
JULIA:
Julia also read the book, enjoying the author's knowledge of horses and the running of the properties.
She commented on the important role that women have in this industry.
LIBBY: Outback Blaze by Rachael Jones
Libby described it as a 'shocking book'. The story revolves around a fire in the small town of Bunyip Bay with the main male character called Blaze! The romance in the story was too much like Days of Our Lives. She couldn't recommend it.
WENDY: Right as Rain by Tricia Stringer
Based in South Australia, the story involves a young woman who has returned to work on the family farm with her father. But when he becomes ill, her mother encourages her brother ( who has never shown any interest in working on the land) to take over the farm. The plot is worked through and well resolved.
The romantic interests of the various characters are also quickly sorted out.
Wendy enjoyed the book and also learnt a lot about corriedale sheep.
ROSEMARY S: Tracking North by Kerry McGinnis
Rosemary thought the setting of far northern Queensland was well described and there was enough suspense to hold your interest through the book. It was an easy read but with a predictable ending.
JOAN: Rocking Horse Hill by Catherine Hein.
Joan was encouraged to read this book following a visit in June to the library by the author. She came from family where 3 generations had been involved with horses and had been very enthusiastic in her presentation. Joan described the story as 'very predictable'.
JUDY:
Judy also read this book, and having grown up in Adelaide, found some place and family names had greater meaning for her. Again, the family fortunes and inheritance rites are thrown into turmoil when a new comer arrives on the farm. After a couple of near misses and eventually a tragedy, all is resolved. An easy read, good for holidays.
LESLEY: Heartland by Catherine Hein
Another book by Catherine Hein which seems to follow the formula of many books in this genre.
Beautiful girl who doesn't realise she is beautiful.
Handsome guy who has issues.
Horsey theme which helps to heal her broken heart.
Family misunderstandings.
Ended as you expect.
ROSEMARY also read the book.
Surprisingly, there were quite graphic sex scenes in this book! The love story was between an older man and a younger woman. There were also some annoying characters.
Rosemary said she enjoyed it but had read better.
JO: Red Dust by Fleur McDonald
After the death of her husband in a plane crash, a young woman takes on the daunting task of looking after the cattle property. As well as coping with her husband's death, she also has to contend with rumors that his death was not an accident, and a cattle rustling gang.
Jo loved it.....'it had everything in it'.
LAURA: Rain Dance by Karen Wood
A 16 year old greenie and vegan, lives on the mid north coast with her father. When he is laid off from his job as a builder, they move to a job on a cattle station.
The rich young son comes home from private school. Sweet young love occurs but with no sex or romance.
There are issues of rich v poor, climate change, cold seam gas, water shortages, and bushfire all in this one summer period! But Laura still described it as 'well written'.
TAM: Crimson Dawn by Fleur McDonald
Romance was secondary to the story with the underlying theme being women coping with responsibilities on the land. They are tough, independent women dealing with things in a man's world. They have to do double the amount of work to prove they are capable.
Tam described it as a good bedtime read.
PRU: Driftwood by Mandy Magro
Set in north Queensland, Pru described it as the 'simplest read'. A young girl who will never met her biological father, determines to become a jillaroo to be more like him. As she begins life on a country station, there are many references John Deere tractors, R M Williams clothes etc almost as if they are sponsors of the author. She has written 3 books in 3 years.
ED: Dark Country by Bronwyn Parry
The story is set in a small town in western New South Wales.When a convicted murderer returns after completing his sentence, he is immediately suspected when a body is found in the boot of his car. But the local police sergeant isn't convinced of his guilt.
Ed enjoyed it, finding it interesting but predictable.
Other Recommendations:
KRIS: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
A thriller, with a wife disappearing on their 5th wedding anniversary. It is riveting with many plot twists and nothing as it seems.
DECEMBER: Enjoy reading a book about TRAVEL and come along to discuss. All welcome.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
OCTOBER BOOKS
Our Author this month was RUTH PARK.
Tammy - POOR MAN'S ORANGE. Easy to read but the story was filled with hardship and not much communication.
Rosemary - MISSUS. Written in 1985 the story was quite disjointed. It was about the courtship and romance of the main characters of Harp in the South. Set in outback NSW with shearing sheds, pubs and rural town life.
Jo - PLAYING BEATTIE BOW. The story is about the very difficult times of a young girl and her family. The father leaves the mother and daughter (Abigail). The daughter finds a way back to 1873 and lives with other people. Absolutely marvellous.
Ann - PLAYING BEATTIE BOW. Fantasy - Abigail chases another child (Beattie Bow) & finds herself in another time zone - 1873. Descriptions of The Rocks at that time. The intrigue is that in every 5th generation a stranger appears, and the family that Abigail goes back to think she is the stranger - so they wont let her travel into her own real time zone.
Diane - HARP IN THE SOUTH. Story of and Irish family, their neighbours and their simple but challenging lives. The characters hardly move away from their own street. Their existence is enclosed by the Pub, the SP Bookie and the Church. Grinding poverty is clearly depicted. They are a good family despite their challenges. Wonderful language.
Lesley - HARP IN THE SOUTH. Written in 1948 was a huge success for Ruth Park. The story is set in the slums of Surrey Hills.The themes cover domestic violence, prostitution, alcoholism, crime but also deep love, forgiveness, faith, resilience, stoicism, support for ones own class and acceptance. Some sections of society at the time of publication wanted it banned as it clearly displayed many facets of human life that weren't openly discussed at the time. A good read.
Pamela - HARP IN THE SOUTH. Graphic details and slum life. It truly depicted Paddy's Market and was evocative of Haymarket at the time. Well written - the language, whilst easy to read, disguises the complex language structures Ruth Park was so good at penning.
Connie - THINGS IN CORNERS. 5 stories for young readers age 12-13. One story is about a child living in a block of units that had a lift. This child had a strong fear of the lift and the story reveals how the child overcame this fear. Perhaps the stories all end a little quickly, the conclusions settled in short time. Maybe this devise is because the stories are aimed at younger readers.
Claurine - THE SYDNEY WE LOVE. Needed to sit and read this with the UBD opened beside her. Book is full of interesting and factual information. Gov.Philip suffered from sea sickness. The Harbour Bridge was nicknamed the Ironlung as it kept 1400 people alive through the Depression. Hotel called Golden Cobb in Essex St had a viewing window so patrons could watch hangings in the street. Lots of artwork, lots of reading and was very much enjoyed.
Beth - SYDNEY. Interesting factual book, a chapter on the Hawkesbury. Map with walks, information about historical buildings in Sydney, early Sydney people. Fascinating. Also read The Muddle Headed Wombat - not enthralling in the modern day. Beth's grandchild read it as well with her mum but was neither delighted nor engrossed with the story. (She liked the time spent sitting with Mum much more).
Rosemary - FISHING IN THE STYX. Vol. 2. Life story of Ruth Park from when she was married. Lots of pictures. Her husband - D'arcy Niland - wrote the Shiralee. This became somewhat of a burden to her as his success gained more attention and allowed him to pursue his writing completely whereas she was still tied to the family and the pressures of looking after everyone
Judy - FISHING IN THE STYX Vol 1. About Ruth Park's early life, growing up in NZ. Very poor, a harsh mother, little affection. Revealed some familiarity with the Maori language.
Pauline - FISHING IN THE STYX Vol 1 and Vol 2. Enjoyed both. Talked about her marriage, 5 children, husband died when only 50, having to really pull self together to cope. Had amnesia through the shock of D'Arcy's death. Ruth resented the freedom D'Arcy had to follow his career when she was tied much more closely to the family. Ruth won a SMH competition and was offered 20 pounds a week to write for the paper but she turned it down as she had the family to manage.
Pat - SWORDS AND CROWNS AND RINGS. About a dwarf rejected by his father but deeply loved by his mother. He had a tough life, always judged by his looks, struggled to gain employment. His mother gave him confidence and good values and he was able to overcome his burdens. Set in the Rocks, a good story. Won the Miles Franklin Award in 1997.
Bev - MY SISTER SIF. Aimed at young adults, an easy read, well written and very descriptive. About a family who lived on an island in the Pacific - the mother is a mermaid, the father a human. There's romance, science, environmental issues, pollution, nuclear testing. Quite enjoyable.
Shiela - POWER OF ROSES. Set in The Rocks 1948/52. Slums, privies, grey houses, reveals the lives of Sydneysiders at the time. Descriptive language wonderful, the characters are given life and are believable. Different type of poverty revealed, not like todays. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Julia - CALLIES FAMILY. Family story, many arguments within the family, Callie made up a castle to hide in (really the attic in the house). Story is about how she grew up and continued to live with the castle.
Tammy - POOR MAN'S ORANGE. Easy to read but the story was filled with hardship and not much communication.
Rosemary - MISSUS. Written in 1985 the story was quite disjointed. It was about the courtship and romance of the main characters of Harp in the South. Set in outback NSW with shearing sheds, pubs and rural town life.
Jo - PLAYING BEATTIE BOW. The story is about the very difficult times of a young girl and her family. The father leaves the mother and daughter (Abigail). The daughter finds a way back to 1873 and lives with other people. Absolutely marvellous.
Ann - PLAYING BEATTIE BOW. Fantasy - Abigail chases another child (Beattie Bow) & finds herself in another time zone - 1873. Descriptions of The Rocks at that time. The intrigue is that in every 5th generation a stranger appears, and the family that Abigail goes back to think she is the stranger - so they wont let her travel into her own real time zone.
Diane - HARP IN THE SOUTH. Story of and Irish family, their neighbours and their simple but challenging lives. The characters hardly move away from their own street. Their existence is enclosed by the Pub, the SP Bookie and the Church. Grinding poverty is clearly depicted. They are a good family despite their challenges. Wonderful language.
Lesley - HARP IN THE SOUTH. Written in 1948 was a huge success for Ruth Park. The story is set in the slums of Surrey Hills.The themes cover domestic violence, prostitution, alcoholism, crime but also deep love, forgiveness, faith, resilience, stoicism, support for ones own class and acceptance. Some sections of society at the time of publication wanted it banned as it clearly displayed many facets of human life that weren't openly discussed at the time. A good read.
Pamela - HARP IN THE SOUTH. Graphic details and slum life. It truly depicted Paddy's Market and was evocative of Haymarket at the time. Well written - the language, whilst easy to read, disguises the complex language structures Ruth Park was so good at penning.
Connie - THINGS IN CORNERS. 5 stories for young readers age 12-13. One story is about a child living in a block of units that had a lift. This child had a strong fear of the lift and the story reveals how the child overcame this fear. Perhaps the stories all end a little quickly, the conclusions settled in short time. Maybe this devise is because the stories are aimed at younger readers.
Claurine - THE SYDNEY WE LOVE. Needed to sit and read this with the UBD opened beside her. Book is full of interesting and factual information. Gov.Philip suffered from sea sickness. The Harbour Bridge was nicknamed the Ironlung as it kept 1400 people alive through the Depression. Hotel called Golden Cobb in Essex St had a viewing window so patrons could watch hangings in the street. Lots of artwork, lots of reading and was very much enjoyed.
Beth - SYDNEY. Interesting factual book, a chapter on the Hawkesbury. Map with walks, information about historical buildings in Sydney, early Sydney people. Fascinating. Also read The Muddle Headed Wombat - not enthralling in the modern day. Beth's grandchild read it as well with her mum but was neither delighted nor engrossed with the story. (She liked the time spent sitting with Mum much more).
Rosemary - FISHING IN THE STYX. Vol. 2. Life story of Ruth Park from when she was married. Lots of pictures. Her husband - D'arcy Niland - wrote the Shiralee. This became somewhat of a burden to her as his success gained more attention and allowed him to pursue his writing completely whereas she was still tied to the family and the pressures of looking after everyone
Judy - FISHING IN THE STYX Vol 1. About Ruth Park's early life, growing up in NZ. Very poor, a harsh mother, little affection. Revealed some familiarity with the Maori language.
Pauline - FISHING IN THE STYX Vol 1 and Vol 2. Enjoyed both. Talked about her marriage, 5 children, husband died when only 50, having to really pull self together to cope. Had amnesia through the shock of D'Arcy's death. Ruth resented the freedom D'Arcy had to follow his career when she was tied much more closely to the family. Ruth won a SMH competition and was offered 20 pounds a week to write for the paper but she turned it down as she had the family to manage.
Pat - SWORDS AND CROWNS AND RINGS. About a dwarf rejected by his father but deeply loved by his mother. He had a tough life, always judged by his looks, struggled to gain employment. His mother gave him confidence and good values and he was able to overcome his burdens. Set in the Rocks, a good story. Won the Miles Franklin Award in 1997.
Bev - MY SISTER SIF. Aimed at young adults, an easy read, well written and very descriptive. About a family who lived on an island in the Pacific - the mother is a mermaid, the father a human. There's romance, science, environmental issues, pollution, nuclear testing. Quite enjoyable.
Shiela - POWER OF ROSES. Set in The Rocks 1948/52. Slums, privies, grey houses, reveals the lives of Sydneysiders at the time. Descriptive language wonderful, the characters are given life and are believable. Different type of poverty revealed, not like todays. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Julia - CALLIES FAMILY. Family story, many arguments within the family, Callie made up a castle to hide in (really the attic in the house). Story is about how she grew up and continued to live with the castle.
Monday, September 22, 2014
SEPTEMBER - FANTASY
CLAURENE: DRAGON FLIGHT BY ANNE MCCAFFREY
The author is American of Irish descent and these books were written while she lived in Ireland. It was published in 1970. It is one in a series of books. Claurene has read all her books and likes science fiction and fantasy written by women. It's based on an earthlike planet that was settled and then fell apart. The settlers lost contact with earth. They return to a rural type of life but have to protect themselves from spores sent off from a red planet when it gets close to them. The original inhabitants are a species of large telepathic dragons. They are ridden by dragon riders. Claurene liked the book.
BEV: MAGICIAN BY RAYMOND E. FEIST
Bev was surprised she enjoyed what she has read. She hasn't finished it yet as she was very busy but will finish it. It is about an orphan boy apprenticed to a magician.
JO: RESERVED FOR THE CAT BY MERCEDES LACKEY
The story is about a ballerina in the late 1800's in France who loses her job as she is too good. For a female, at this time, it is very depressing to not have a job. You either starved or became a prostitute. The cat decides she has to go to England. The cat turns out to be her father in cat form. She said it was a good book although not normally her "cup of tea". It was weird and wonderful.
JUDY: THRESHOLD BY URSULA K. LE GUIN
The author has received many awards for her books. This book was written in 1980 and Judy said it was very dated. She had read it in primary school. There are explicit sexual references that don't really fit. It is about a misfit boy in his 20's. He has a depressive mum. He likes to jog in the woods where he meets a runaway girl. They discover a gate that only certain people can see that takes them to a different land back in time to the 16th century. Life is degenerating and the boy becomes the chosen one but to save them he needs the help of the girl to translate. She is able to understand and speak this different language. Judy would not recommend this book.
ANNE: NIGHT CIRCUS BY ERIN MORGENSTERN
Anne said the book was boring, then it became a bit interesting and then boring again. She only read part of it. It is about a circus that appears and then disappears overnight. There are good descriptions but there is a sinister thread throughout.
KRIS: THE HOBBIT BY J.R.TOLKIEN
This book forms the prelude to the trilogy "Lord of the Rings" and as stated in the front of the book "It is a complete and marvellous tale in itself". The Hobbit was originally written as a story for his own children but I think it is enjoyed just as much by adults. The story begins with the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins who has a very comfortable life he does not want to abandon. When the Wizard Gandalf visits he talks Bilbo into joining a group of dwarves on a quest for reclaiming stolen gold which is guarded by a giant dragon. On their quest they encounter trolls, goblins, elves and giant spiders. The book was great and Tolkien is a wonderful writer.
LESLEY: DAGGERSPELL BY KATHARINE KERR
The book has a Celtic feel. The people speak a different language, believe in fate and reincarnation. It begins around 1045 in a fictitious land called Deverry. The story line didn't grab Lesley and she didn't want to read more of the series but could see how people could get drawn in.
PAULINE: ANIMAL FARM BY GEORGE ORWELL
Pauline doesn't like fantasy. She had read this book as a teenager but did not appreciate the political side of the book. It is an allegory of Russia and the revolution. It is set on a farm called Manor Farm where the animals are not treated well. There is an old boar called Major. The animals have a meeting and decide to have a revolution but it doesn't happen until after the Major dies. They take over the farm and get rid of the farmers. One of their commandments is "All animals are equal" but of course, as in all societies, certain ones take over as leaders. Pauline found it an interesting book.
JUDY G: RIVER'S GIFT BY MERCEDES LACKEY
Judy doesn't like fantasy and thought "yuck". She's not hooked on fantasy after reading this book.
TAM: INFINITY GATE BY SARA DOUGLAS
This is the third book in a series. Tam generally doesn't like fantasy but she enjoyed reading this book. It is a story of good and evil. It involves sorcery, magical spells, mythical beings and time travel. The kingdom is going to be overcome by a power struggle. She thought Sara was quite a good writer and Tam said she will try another fantasy book.
JAYNE: ALICE IN WONDERLAND BY LEWIS CARROLL
Jayne said there was a lot in the book you don't realize as a child. The author is English and Lewis Carroll is a pseudonymn. The book was written in 1865. It was the most popular children's book when Lewis Carroll died. Lewis Carroll was also a photographer and he based Alice on a real child he had photographed. Rumours have said he was high on opium when he wrote the book but these have been disputed. He was a genius mathematician and there are mathematical puzzles throughout the book.
ROSEMARIE: PETER PAN BY J.M. BARRIE
Rosemarie doesn't like fantasy so read Peter Pan instead. Rosemarie said it was a good tale. J.M.Barrie was born in 1860 and died in 1937. He was a Scottish author and dramatist. Peter Pan was based on his older brother who died in an ice skating accident when he was fourteen. The book popularized the name of Wendy. Rosemarie enjoyed the book.
LAURA: ABRAHAM LINCOLN, VAMPIRE HUNTER BY SETH GRAHAME-SMITH
The book is a mashup which is two genres mashed together. In this book the biographical facts are correct and very good. The vampires could buy slaves to eat and Lincoln hated slavery. Laura enjoyed it as she is interested in both genres but wasn't sure who else would enjoy it.
ROSEMARIE O: APPLE FOR THE CREATURE BY CHARLAINE HARRIS AND TONI L.P. KELNER
This book is a number of short stories. Rosemarie chose the Spellcaster. It is about a group of university students writing up documents for the professor. One of them is a saboteur changing formulas for the spells and when the wrong spell is used a demon is unlocked. The saboteur is killed. The demon is in control of faith and science. Rosemarie found it hard to get her head around. She also read a second story about Suki Stackhouse who is visiting her nephew when a failed suitor comes to the school with a gun. The replacement teacher is a witch. Rosemarie enjoyed the stories and might read more.
ED: PAWN OF PROPHECY -THE BELGARIAD BY DAVID EDDINGS
This book is part one of a series. Ed enjoyed it. It is a coming of age story of young man called Garion and the recovery of the legendary Orb of Aldur. He seeks to fulfill an ancient prophesy that will decide the fate of the universe. She enjoyed it much more than two of our recent authors, one being Doris Lessing.
JULIA: WIZARD OF OZ BY L.FRANK BAUM
The author was born in 1856 in New York. This is America's best loved fairy story. Julia saw the movie10 to 12 times as a child and she loved it. The author wrote the book in the late 1800's . He thought it was time for a new fairy story, a modernized fairy story. His incentive was to have a fairy tale that did not have all the horrible things. Julia found it very interesting.
PAMELA: GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT - ANONYMOUS
Although it is not known who wrote it, the book was edited by Tolkien. It is a late 14th century tale written in the north west midland dialogue which is more Germanic than Chaucer (more Norman French). It is a serious as well as funny story. The setting is King Arthur's court on Christmas eve. A challenger rides into the hall on horseback. He is very big and green and his horse is also green. He is carrying holly for good luck. In the other hand he is carrying a 90cm wide axe. The green knight wants someone to cut his head off. Gawain takes it on. The head rolls under the table and people try to keep the head separate from the body so it will die but the knight gets his head and races off. In a year and one day Gawain has to travel to the green chapel to have his head cut off. He keeps his part of the bargain. It is a long journey in winter and he stops at a castle beforehand to rest. The host is married to a beautiful woman who tries to entice him. There is also an old, ugly lady at the castle who is treated with great respect. There is a very interesting twist at the end. The book explores fidelity, chivalry and loyalty. It is a wonderful story.
SHEILA: A BLINK OF THE SCREEN BY TERRY PRATCHETT
Sheila doesn't enjoy fantasy. She read it due to pressure from her family. She thought it was clever but she said "she wouldn't really give you two bob for it". She also read THE DIRTY STREETS OF HEAVEN. She said she should have thrown it in the bin. It was about good angels and bad angels fighting over the spirit as it leaves the body. She said the language is appalling, the swearing terrible and there was a lot of torture. She only got to page 40 and said it was just awful.
DIANE: WATERSHIP DOWN BY RICHARD ADAMS
This book won an award for children's fiction. Diane thought she would enjoy it. It is a story of rabbits who leave their warren to find a safer place. She got to page 130 and didn't like all the different names and trying to follow them. The pace of the story was slow. The author is English and he's a brilliant wordsmith. It is a bit drawn out because it started as a story told to his children on a long road trip.
PAT: LAVINIA BY URSULA LE GUIN
She only read 12% of the book. It is a book of passion and war and the cost of war. Pat just could not get into it. She has enjoyed some fantasy including the Hobbit.
CONNIE: ENCHANTMENT BY ORSON SCOTT CARD
The book is well written and she enjoyed the first few chapters. It is set in what is now the Ukraine The story is about a boy who liked to run in the woods. His parents are poor farmers. He gets lost and finds a female body lying on a pedestal in a lake full of mud. After he is grown up the body of the woman still haunts him. He studies Russian folklore as he believes it is necessary for our psyche to read very old folklore. He sets out to find the body 20 years later and falls in love with her. They cross a bridge to a land 2000 years ago and go back and forth in time. They continue to do this even after they get married and have children. Connie said it was well written but it was too long (400 pages) and the print was too small.
The author is American of Irish descent and these books were written while she lived in Ireland. It was published in 1970. It is one in a series of books. Claurene has read all her books and likes science fiction and fantasy written by women. It's based on an earthlike planet that was settled and then fell apart. The settlers lost contact with earth. They return to a rural type of life but have to protect themselves from spores sent off from a red planet when it gets close to them. The original inhabitants are a species of large telepathic dragons. They are ridden by dragon riders. Claurene liked the book.
BEV: MAGICIAN BY RAYMOND E. FEIST
Bev was surprised she enjoyed what she has read. She hasn't finished it yet as she was very busy but will finish it. It is about an orphan boy apprenticed to a magician.
JO: RESERVED FOR THE CAT BY MERCEDES LACKEY
The story is about a ballerina in the late 1800's in France who loses her job as she is too good. For a female, at this time, it is very depressing to not have a job. You either starved or became a prostitute. The cat decides she has to go to England. The cat turns out to be her father in cat form. She said it was a good book although not normally her "cup of tea". It was weird and wonderful.
JUDY: THRESHOLD BY URSULA K. LE GUIN
The author has received many awards for her books. This book was written in 1980 and Judy said it was very dated. She had read it in primary school. There are explicit sexual references that don't really fit. It is about a misfit boy in his 20's. He has a depressive mum. He likes to jog in the woods where he meets a runaway girl. They discover a gate that only certain people can see that takes them to a different land back in time to the 16th century. Life is degenerating and the boy becomes the chosen one but to save them he needs the help of the girl to translate. She is able to understand and speak this different language. Judy would not recommend this book.
ANNE: NIGHT CIRCUS BY ERIN MORGENSTERN
Anne said the book was boring, then it became a bit interesting and then boring again. She only read part of it. It is about a circus that appears and then disappears overnight. There are good descriptions but there is a sinister thread throughout.
KRIS: THE HOBBIT BY J.R.TOLKIEN
This book forms the prelude to the trilogy "Lord of the Rings" and as stated in the front of the book "It is a complete and marvellous tale in itself". The Hobbit was originally written as a story for his own children but I think it is enjoyed just as much by adults. The story begins with the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins who has a very comfortable life he does not want to abandon. When the Wizard Gandalf visits he talks Bilbo into joining a group of dwarves on a quest for reclaiming stolen gold which is guarded by a giant dragon. On their quest they encounter trolls, goblins, elves and giant spiders. The book was great and Tolkien is a wonderful writer.
LESLEY: DAGGERSPELL BY KATHARINE KERR
The book has a Celtic feel. The people speak a different language, believe in fate and reincarnation. It begins around 1045 in a fictitious land called Deverry. The story line didn't grab Lesley and she didn't want to read more of the series but could see how people could get drawn in.
PAULINE: ANIMAL FARM BY GEORGE ORWELL
Pauline doesn't like fantasy. She had read this book as a teenager but did not appreciate the political side of the book. It is an allegory of Russia and the revolution. It is set on a farm called Manor Farm where the animals are not treated well. There is an old boar called Major. The animals have a meeting and decide to have a revolution but it doesn't happen until after the Major dies. They take over the farm and get rid of the farmers. One of their commandments is "All animals are equal" but of course, as in all societies, certain ones take over as leaders. Pauline found it an interesting book.
JUDY G: RIVER'S GIFT BY MERCEDES LACKEY
Judy doesn't like fantasy and thought "yuck". She's not hooked on fantasy after reading this book.
TAM: INFINITY GATE BY SARA DOUGLAS
This is the third book in a series. Tam generally doesn't like fantasy but she enjoyed reading this book. It is a story of good and evil. It involves sorcery, magical spells, mythical beings and time travel. The kingdom is going to be overcome by a power struggle. She thought Sara was quite a good writer and Tam said she will try another fantasy book.
JAYNE: ALICE IN WONDERLAND BY LEWIS CARROLL
Jayne said there was a lot in the book you don't realize as a child. The author is English and Lewis Carroll is a pseudonymn. The book was written in 1865. It was the most popular children's book when Lewis Carroll died. Lewis Carroll was also a photographer and he based Alice on a real child he had photographed. Rumours have said he was high on opium when he wrote the book but these have been disputed. He was a genius mathematician and there are mathematical puzzles throughout the book.
ROSEMARIE: PETER PAN BY J.M. BARRIE
Rosemarie doesn't like fantasy so read Peter Pan instead. Rosemarie said it was a good tale. J.M.Barrie was born in 1860 and died in 1937. He was a Scottish author and dramatist. Peter Pan was based on his older brother who died in an ice skating accident when he was fourteen. The book popularized the name of Wendy. Rosemarie enjoyed the book.
LAURA: ABRAHAM LINCOLN, VAMPIRE HUNTER BY SETH GRAHAME-SMITH
The book is a mashup which is two genres mashed together. In this book the biographical facts are correct and very good. The vampires could buy slaves to eat and Lincoln hated slavery. Laura enjoyed it as she is interested in both genres but wasn't sure who else would enjoy it.
ROSEMARIE O: APPLE FOR THE CREATURE BY CHARLAINE HARRIS AND TONI L.P. KELNER
This book is a number of short stories. Rosemarie chose the Spellcaster. It is about a group of university students writing up documents for the professor. One of them is a saboteur changing formulas for the spells and when the wrong spell is used a demon is unlocked. The saboteur is killed. The demon is in control of faith and science. Rosemarie found it hard to get her head around. She also read a second story about Suki Stackhouse who is visiting her nephew when a failed suitor comes to the school with a gun. The replacement teacher is a witch. Rosemarie enjoyed the stories and might read more.
ED: PAWN OF PROPHECY -THE BELGARIAD BY DAVID EDDINGS
This book is part one of a series. Ed enjoyed it. It is a coming of age story of young man called Garion and the recovery of the legendary Orb of Aldur. He seeks to fulfill an ancient prophesy that will decide the fate of the universe. She enjoyed it much more than two of our recent authors, one being Doris Lessing.
JULIA: WIZARD OF OZ BY L.FRANK BAUM
The author was born in 1856 in New York. This is America's best loved fairy story. Julia saw the movie10 to 12 times as a child and she loved it. The author wrote the book in the late 1800's . He thought it was time for a new fairy story, a modernized fairy story. His incentive was to have a fairy tale that did not have all the horrible things. Julia found it very interesting.
PAMELA: GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT - ANONYMOUS
Although it is not known who wrote it, the book was edited by Tolkien. It is a late 14th century tale written in the north west midland dialogue which is more Germanic than Chaucer (more Norman French). It is a serious as well as funny story. The setting is King Arthur's court on Christmas eve. A challenger rides into the hall on horseback. He is very big and green and his horse is also green. He is carrying holly for good luck. In the other hand he is carrying a 90cm wide axe. The green knight wants someone to cut his head off. Gawain takes it on. The head rolls under the table and people try to keep the head separate from the body so it will die but the knight gets his head and races off. In a year and one day Gawain has to travel to the green chapel to have his head cut off. He keeps his part of the bargain. It is a long journey in winter and he stops at a castle beforehand to rest. The host is married to a beautiful woman who tries to entice him. There is also an old, ugly lady at the castle who is treated with great respect. There is a very interesting twist at the end. The book explores fidelity, chivalry and loyalty. It is a wonderful story.
SHEILA: A BLINK OF THE SCREEN BY TERRY PRATCHETT
Sheila doesn't enjoy fantasy. She read it due to pressure from her family. She thought it was clever but she said "she wouldn't really give you two bob for it". She also read THE DIRTY STREETS OF HEAVEN. She said she should have thrown it in the bin. It was about good angels and bad angels fighting over the spirit as it leaves the body. She said the language is appalling, the swearing terrible and there was a lot of torture. She only got to page 40 and said it was just awful.
DIANE: WATERSHIP DOWN BY RICHARD ADAMS
This book won an award for children's fiction. Diane thought she would enjoy it. It is a story of rabbits who leave their warren to find a safer place. She got to page 130 and didn't like all the different names and trying to follow them. The pace of the story was slow. The author is English and he's a brilliant wordsmith. It is a bit drawn out because it started as a story told to his children on a long road trip.
PAT: LAVINIA BY URSULA LE GUIN
She only read 12% of the book. It is a book of passion and war and the cost of war. Pat just could not get into it. She has enjoyed some fantasy including the Hobbit.
CONNIE: ENCHANTMENT BY ORSON SCOTT CARD
The book is well written and she enjoyed the first few chapters. It is set in what is now the Ukraine The story is about a boy who liked to run in the woods. His parents are poor farmers. He gets lost and finds a female body lying on a pedestal in a lake full of mud. After he is grown up the body of the woman still haunts him. He studies Russian folklore as he believes it is necessary for our psyche to read very old folklore. He sets out to find the body 20 years later and falls in love with her. They cross a bridge to a land 2000 years ago and go back and forth in time. They continue to do this even after they get married and have children. Connie said it was well written but it was too long (400 pages) and the print was too small.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
AUGUST "Far From the Madding Crowd" by Thomas Hardy
JOAN:
Joan enjoyed reading the book, and thought it successfully described for her what life was like in 1874. It was worthwhile reading it.
CONNIE:
Connie explained that 'madding' from the title meant 'frenzied', and possibly this was because the story took place in a small village away from crowds.
She enjoyed every single page especially the descriptions of the countryside, and the words and accents of the people.
Another comment was that the author was very knowledgeable about many things, eg the Bible, Turner's paintings, and history (Napoleon).
She has been reading Hardy since she was 15 years old.
ED:
Ed also enjoyed the book but found she had to slow down her reading due to the amount of descriptive language used. She thought the plot was predictable.
TAM:
Tam was another to enjoy the book, not having read Hardy since her HSC days. She thought the author showed incredible knowledge of human nature and the natural landscape.
ROSEMARY O:
Rosemary didn't read it as it was 'too heavy'.
Instead she read her Secret Santa gift from last Christmas, 'The Grub-and-Stakers House a Haunt' by Charlotte MacLeod. An old lady is confronted by a ghost from the 1800's who want her to help him find his bones and gold.
JO:
Jo found it too slow and too much description and very hard to get into. There were too many adjectives and adverbs, she wanted more action.
JUDY J:
Judy was another to enjoy the book, although she had to resort to some skimming techniques to finish it.
She commented on how quickly and deeply the 3 men fell in love with Bathsheba!
Although Frank Troy had few redeeming features, in the end he mourned the death of his true love, Fannie.
ANNE:
Anne explained that it was first published as a serial and so it needed 'cliff hangers'.
She tried to look at the characters and to see how their behaviour was in keeping with the times they lived in.
CLAURENE:
The 12 pages she read took her 3 days! She couldn't continue. She found the sentences very long, she doesn't like complicated grammar and tortured descriptions.
BEV:
Bev had a plan to read a chapter a day, but this was such a long process she only managed 12 chapters. But she did read the final one.
She thought the story was too long and drawn out.
CHERYL:
Cheryl thought that Hardy needed an editor. So much of what he writes is good, but he waffles in his descriptions you lose the beauty of his writing.
She thought it was nice to see a man's perspective of love.
PAT:
Some of the descriptions annoyed her so much it was difficult to pick up the story. Consequently she became bored with it.
DIANNE:
Dianne was another to not finish the book, but this was because she did not allow enough time to read it all. But she will complete reading the book.
She also commented that not much has changed...the men are still in the Oast House and the best looking woman gets all the men!
PAULINE:
The title Far From the Madding Crowd comes from Thomas Gray's famous 18th-century poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard".
She also commented that she found that the names that Hardy had chosen for the men, were very interesting.
Oak...solid and dependable
Boldwood...not very emotional
Troy.... Trojan horse, he was hiding what he really was
BETH:
She enjoyed the words and the descriptions of wandering through the countryside. She liked the author's use of words but found some of the characters annoying.
SHEILA:
Sheila found it ponderous and so gave up reading it.
PAMELA:
Pamela thought that Hardy was a better poet than novelist. But she still loved his use of words and thought it was very clever the way he writes the dialects and describes village life.
She thought some of the plot was unbelievable and this was a fault with the book.
JULIA:
The version that Julia borrowed had many references, notes and maps. It also included an author's preface and information about the places in the story. This added to her reading of the book. She enjoyed it but thought it was one of the few examples where the film version is better.
MAREE:
Maree really liked some parts but not others. This was also true of his descriptive passages, some were wonderful where others she found too long. She thought the story was good, but used selective skimming to get through the book.
She was not disappointed she had read it as it was not the type of book she normally read.
KRIS:
Kris liked it and especially loved the language used to describe the Wessex landscape. Wessex was a fictitious place but the name came from a medieval Anglo Saxon kingdom.
She thought Hardy loved the area and the times and could see things beginning to change.
Bathsheba- Troy hated her for her beauty enticing him. She was so young, she couldn't see the steadiness in Oak, till later.
ROSEMARY:
She found the book ponderous, but may go back to it after hearing that so many others had liked it.
LESLIE:
Leslie finished it by skipping over some parts (descriptions). She thought the imagery of the names was clever and that village life was reflective of the proprieties of the times.
She described the book as 'dense'.
Some things about life haven't changed...men and affairs for example
Bathsheba was very young and naive (only 24) and had 3 suitors from different backgrounds.
The message may be....don't marry for love or lust. Marry for security and steadiness.
Join us next month when we will be sharing our thoughts on books from the genre 'Fantasy'.
Joan enjoyed reading the book, and thought it successfully described for her what life was like in 1874. It was worthwhile reading it.
CONNIE:
Connie explained that 'madding' from the title meant 'frenzied', and possibly this was because the story took place in a small village away from crowds.
She enjoyed every single page especially the descriptions of the countryside, and the words and accents of the people.
Another comment was that the author was very knowledgeable about many things, eg the Bible, Turner's paintings, and history (Napoleon).
She has been reading Hardy since she was 15 years old.
ED:
Ed also enjoyed the book but found she had to slow down her reading due to the amount of descriptive language used. She thought the plot was predictable.
TAM:
Tam was another to enjoy the book, not having read Hardy since her HSC days. She thought the author showed incredible knowledge of human nature and the natural landscape.
ROSEMARY O:
Rosemary didn't read it as it was 'too heavy'.
Instead she read her Secret Santa gift from last Christmas, 'The Grub-and-Stakers House a Haunt' by Charlotte MacLeod. An old lady is confronted by a ghost from the 1800's who want her to help him find his bones and gold.
JO:
Jo found it too slow and too much description and very hard to get into. There were too many adjectives and adverbs, she wanted more action.
JUDY J:
Judy was another to enjoy the book, although she had to resort to some skimming techniques to finish it.
She commented on how quickly and deeply the 3 men fell in love with Bathsheba!
Although Frank Troy had few redeeming features, in the end he mourned the death of his true love, Fannie.
ANNE:
Anne explained that it was first published as a serial and so it needed 'cliff hangers'.
She tried to look at the characters and to see how their behaviour was in keeping with the times they lived in.
CLAURENE:
The 12 pages she read took her 3 days! She couldn't continue. She found the sentences very long, she doesn't like complicated grammar and tortured descriptions.
BEV:
Bev had a plan to read a chapter a day, but this was such a long process she only managed 12 chapters. But she did read the final one.
She thought the story was too long and drawn out.
CHERYL:
Cheryl thought that Hardy needed an editor. So much of what he writes is good, but he waffles in his descriptions you lose the beauty of his writing.
She thought it was nice to see a man's perspective of love.
PAT:
Some of the descriptions annoyed her so much it was difficult to pick up the story. Consequently she became bored with it.
DIANNE:
Dianne was another to not finish the book, but this was because she did not allow enough time to read it all. But she will complete reading the book.
She also commented that not much has changed...the men are still in the Oast House and the best looking woman gets all the men!
PAULINE:
The title Far From the Madding Crowd comes from Thomas Gray's famous 18th-century poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard".
She also commented that she found that the names that Hardy had chosen for the men, were very interesting.
Oak...solid and dependable
Boldwood...not very emotional
Troy.... Trojan horse, he was hiding what he really was
BETH:
She enjoyed the words and the descriptions of wandering through the countryside. She liked the author's use of words but found some of the characters annoying.
SHEILA:
Sheila found it ponderous and so gave up reading it.
PAMELA:
Pamela thought that Hardy was a better poet than novelist. But she still loved his use of words and thought it was very clever the way he writes the dialects and describes village life.
She thought some of the plot was unbelievable and this was a fault with the book.
JULIA:
The version that Julia borrowed had many references, notes and maps. It also included an author's preface and information about the places in the story. This added to her reading of the book. She enjoyed it but thought it was one of the few examples where the film version is better.
MAREE:
Maree really liked some parts but not others. This was also true of his descriptive passages, some were wonderful where others she found too long. She thought the story was good, but used selective skimming to get through the book.
She was not disappointed she had read it as it was not the type of book she normally read.
KRIS:
Kris liked it and especially loved the language used to describe the Wessex landscape. Wessex was a fictitious place but the name came from a medieval Anglo Saxon kingdom.
She thought Hardy loved the area and the times and could see things beginning to change.
Bathsheba- Troy hated her for her beauty enticing him. She was so young, she couldn't see the steadiness in Oak, till later.
ROSEMARY:
She found the book ponderous, but may go back to it after hearing that so many others had liked it.
LESLIE:
Leslie finished it by skipping over some parts (descriptions). She thought the imagery of the names was clever and that village life was reflective of the proprieties of the times.
She described the book as 'dense'.
Some things about life haven't changed...men and affairs for example
Bathsheba was very young and naive (only 24) and had 3 suitors from different backgrounds.
The message may be....don't marry for love or lust. Marry for security and steadiness.
Join us next month when we will be sharing our thoughts on books from the genre 'Fantasy'.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
JULY - FEMALE BIOGRAPHIES OR AUTOBIOGRAPHIES
CONNIE: "NEVER SAY DIE" BY DR CHRIS O'BRIEN
This book is about the life and work of Sydney brain surgeon, Dr Chris O'Brien. Connie said it was an excellent read.
JOE: "WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD"
This book is a compilation of pocket biographies of great women. Joe said it was excellent.
PAMELA: "GOD IT'S A WOMAN" BY NANCY BIRD WALTON
This book is about the youngest commercial pilot in the Commonwealth and the wonderful tales of the early days in aviation. She flew from the age of 19 and died at 93.
SHEILA: "THE HOSPITAL BY THE RIVER" BY DR CATHERINE HAMLIN
This is the excellent story of Dr Hamlin and her specialist husband setting up and maintaining a fistula hospital for women in a third world African country. It was inspiring.
ED: "BY MYSELF AND THEN SOME" BY LAUREN BACALL
This is the life story of highly acclaimed American actress, Lauren Bacall. It was interesting and a good read.
TAM: "PLEASE STOP LAUGHING AT ME BY JODEE BLANCO
This book is about school bullying. It is set in the U.S.A. It was a bestseller. The story is about the author's lectures and workshops to prevent/handle bullying.
CLAURENE: "GEORGETTE HEYER"BY JENNIFER KLOESTER
This is an account of the author, Georgette Heyer's life. She doesn't come across as a nice person. The reader would continue to love Georgette Heyer's books but his biography falls short.
ANNE: "STORY TELLER" BY ZOE DANIEL
An ABC's foreign correspondent's stories from her assignments in South East Asia. Anne felt it was poorly written.
DIANE: "GREAT CATHERINE" BY CAROLLY ERICKSON
This book is about the life of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. It is a great story but poorly written.
PAT: "DON'T WAKE ME AT DOYLES" BY MAURA MURPHY
This story is about a woman's trials in a loveless marriage with many children. It is set in Ireland in the 1950's. There is crude language but good insight into family hardship and Pat said it was well written.
LAURA: "THE FOSSIL HUNTER" BY SHELLY EMLING
This book is set on the UK coast. It is poorly written. ? wrong genre.
BEV: "RAELENE" BY RAELENE BOYLE AND GARRY LINNEL
This is Boyle's story on her running career. It was an enjoyable read.
ROSEMARY: "DUCKS ON A POND" BY ANNE SUMMERS
This is the story of the personal family life and good works by the author. It was an enjoyable read.
ROSEMARY O: "JANE GOODALL" BY LISA KOZLESKI
Enlightening but "too much animal"!
JULIA: "DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I USED TO BE" BY JULIA NORRIS
Julia found it disappointing and would not recommend the book.
JOAN: "DESERT QUEEN" BY JANET WALLACH
This is the story of Gertrude Bell, an English woman (1868-1926) and her outstanding achievements as an adventurer, archaeologist, British spy and more. It is an excellent biography and historical read.
KRIS: "JULIE AND JULIA" BY JULIE POWELL
Julia Child, born in 1912 is an American chef, author and television personality. She is recognized as bringing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". This book is about Julie, a young bored woman who feels a bit of a failure, taking on the challenge of cooking 524 recipes in a year from that cookbook. She decides to write a blog detailing the event. She swears a lot throughout the book. It wasn't a great book and I really would have liked to read more about Julia Child.
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