The author, Joseph Conrad was a Polish born English novelist who today is most famous for his novel "Heart of Darkness". This is a fictionalized account of Colonial Africa, originally published as a serial in Blackwood's magazine from October 1899 to November 1990.
This novel "Lord Jim" is the story of a man named Marlow's struggle to tell and to understand the life story of a young man named Jim. When Jim is serving aboard a vessel called the Patna, carrying Muslim pilgrims to Mecca, the ship strikes an underwater object and springs a leak. The crew abandon ship and take the lifeboat. Jim joins them on the lifeboat. A trial follows and Jim attempts to come to terms with himself and his past.
At our book club meeting the novel "Lord Jim"produced a great deal of lively discussion and strong opinions about Jim's character.
JUDY D:
This is the story of a young British man who has done quite well. He becomes a captain's mate on a small steamboat carrying 800 pilgrims. The crew take the lifeboat and abandon ship when the boat hits rocks. Jim thinks of himself as a good man but decides to jump in the lifeboat as well. Judy said it was a good story but very depressing. She said it was beautifully written but too wordy. She found going back and forth with the story a bit confusing.
ED:
Ed only read up to Chapter 5. She couldn't get into it and wasn't really interested.
CONNIE:
Connie read the whole book and said the writing was extremely good. She enjoyed the descriptions.
She felt the whole thing hung on the case that Jim was a coward. The story line itself wasn't as important as the thoughts and ideas of Marlow himself who was telling the story. Connie said she would have enjoyed it more years ago. She said the end dragged out a bit.
ROSEMARIE:
She read a small amount and agreed with Connie that it would be better to read in one block.
JULIA:
She liked his actual style of writing. Julia read it at school.
CLAURENE:
Claurene found it unappealing and doesn't like books that use five words instead of two words. She went back to it later and read to page 65 but still didn't like the book.
SHEILA:
She read 70 pages in one sitting. She got the gist of the story before he went to court but decided not to go any further.
PRUE:
Prue said the author wasn't fluent in English until his late teens, early 20's. This story was considered psychological modernism. Marlow is the narrator in several books. This story is about the relationship of Marlow to Jim and what he thought of Jim. In the court trial they didn't want Jim's story, only the facts. One of the judges committed suicide as he didn't agree with the way the court was run. The book explores what shame does to people. Prue found it very descriptive with lots of different structures which made it a bit confusing.
WENDY L:
She didn't think she would enjoy it but once she got into it she did enjoy it, although she had to read the first 100 pages twice. The themes were guilt, morality and honour. Jim was a flawed character, an idealist but tragic. It's a real psychological study of Jim. She found it difficult to read. Apparently the author used an artistic tool called delayed decoding meaning ambiguities in the earlier part of the book that were explained later.
JUDY A:
It's basically a story about a man called Marlow struggling to understand a man called Jim. When Judy understood about Marlow she felt better about the book. She read the whole book but didn't like Jim. "The book was okay but it was a labour and not a labour of love" Judy said.
JOAN:
Joan read it all. She found it hard going initially. The story is in two parts. The first part is very difficult. It's about Jim's sea experiences. Joan got tired and impatient reading the first part and said there was too much over analysis. The second part had wonderful descriptive passages.
TAM:
Tam found it hard to read but she challenged herself and made herself finish the book. She wondered if the author Joseph Conrad just used a theme to explore "how do we handle a guilty conscience". He explores the fact that you can't get away from the inner turmoil despite how far you go. She felt Jim had a deep inner compass. Tam said she would read another one of his books.
VAL:
Val agreed with so much that was said. She read it at school and thoroughly enjoyed it but found it more difficult to read now. She was struggling with it but is definitely going to finish the book. She said it had some lovely phrases.
CHARIS:
Despite the author saying he ultimately wrote Lord Jim as a novel which was serialized over a year as 13 segments in a magazine, he wrote Jim's story in segments outlined by the characters who had met him and had something to contribute to the story of the mariner's life. In the last page of the book Conrad writes of Jim having a "shadowy ideal of conduct" and "one ready to surrender himself faithfully to the claim of his own world of shades". Charis said the writing was dated, and each sentence has to be considered, not skimmed, so it's reading takes time. She found herself re-reading paragraphs wondering if she had fully understood the meaning, and at the same time thinking the writing was good.
DIANN:
Diann felt the author was writing to a very well educated audience. She said she had read it at fourteen with a History and English teacher breaking it down with them. She didn't like the book. She found it very heavy.
PAMELA:
Pamela liked this book but said it was important to mention what hadn't been said. Right from the beginning Lord Jim liked holiday reading, tales of heroic deeds and he saw himself this way. He was a dreamer. He has a position on a steamship carrying 800 pilgrims, men, women, children and babies. He holds himself aloof from the captain and the rest of the crew. He thinks they are scum and sees himself as superior. When the crew abandons ship in the lifeboat, Jim decides to go with them but later blames them that they made him jump. Pamela also feels Marlow is not a reliable narrator as he makes excuses for Lord Jim.
BEV:
Bev read HEART OF DARKNESS as she couldn't get a copy of Lord Jim. She liked it and said it was a good book. Marlow was also the narrator in this story. It explored the treatment of native people in the Congo and the subject of slavery.
Kris
In JUNE we will be reading books by the author Danielle Steele
In JULY we will be reading books by Alex Miller. We have a choice of four books as follows:
Lovesong ~ Passage of Love ~ Journey to the Stone Country ~ Autumn Laing
Friday, May 18, 2018
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
APRIL Michelle de Kretser
Michelle de Kretser is an Australian
novelist who was born in Sri Lanka and moved to Australia in 1972 when she was
14. Her books have won many awards including the Miles Franklin in 2013.
THE ROSE GROWER:
Leslie
This first book by the author begins around
the time of the French Revolution. An American hot air balloon falls out of the
sky into a small farming community. The story highlights problems of rural
towns and those involved in the Revolution. It contrasts politics in Paris and
small communities and unrequited love. It also brings in some of the problems
behind the Revolution.
Sophie is a plain single nobody who creates
the rose hoping to feel special and be remembered.
Leslie described the book as being written
gently and tenderly. It was long, slow, nicely written but not gripping and
didn’t hold her interest.
Comments
from other readers:
Connie:
Too long and too many complications, but
did enjoy reading about the times.
Diane
D:
Waiting for something to happen, but
couldn’t finish it, although found fascinating some of the detail around the Revolution.
Pauline:
Couldn’t get into it, so not finished. Confusing
as it changed from 1st to 3rd person. No flow.
THE
LOST DOG:
Judy
J:
Tom Loxley, an Indian-Australian professor
is trying to finish his book on Henry James while staying in a remote bush hut.
When his dog goes missing he and his friends search for him. Meanwhile there
are many reflections about his father, relationship with his mother and new
friends.
The fact that the dog is lost forms the
framework for all these other narratives.
Judy found it tiring and draining to read.
Comments
from other readers:
Ed:
Found the writing very convoluted and over
descriptive. With this book, at times, she felt lost.
Prue:
The author has fantastic word power, and
great sentence structure.
Prue liked the book for the English, not
the characters or story.
Joan:
The writing is spectacular in places but
too long. The characters are not convincing.
Charis:
Found this book a difficult read full of
seemingly irrelevant prose pieces.
The author’s philosophical ramblings took
precedent over character building.
Dissatisfied with a weak ending.
SPRINGTIME:
Kris:
This is a very short (85 pages) and quirky
ghost story.
Frances, who is in her 30’s meets Charlie
and his young son at a party in Melbourne. Charlie leaves his wife and he and
Frances move to Sydney with a rescue dog called Rod. The story explores the
difficulties Frances faces with Charlie’s young son when he comes to stay.
Frances walks the dog each day and on one
of these walks she sees a woman and a dog in a garden. Believing she has seen a
ghost she wants to find answers.
Comments
from other readers:
Diann
F:
Too descriptive, but didn’t like it.
Sheila:
On re reading the story found it more
interesting. Author brought in many memories
from childhood in Sri Lanka Her short sentences were descriptive but very
irritating.
Pamela:
She liked it. As a ghost story it did not
have the usual setting. It was springtime, sunny, Australia and nothing
frightening about it.
Val:
Beautiful presentation of the book.
Felt a bit like an exercise in beautiful
English. She didn’t feel any attachment to any of the characters. The author is
very clever and observant but sometimes too academic and over the top.
THE
LIFE TO COME:
Judy
A:
5 short stories with different characters
but linked by one character, Pippin.
There is no central plot but it is a book
about the characters. Judy loved it.
The author has an eye or detail, a
brilliant wit and an ability to satirise first world problems.
Comments
by other readers:
Pat:
Found it so monotone, didn’t like the
characters and nothing happened.
Didn’t finish it as she ‘reads for
enjoyment’.
Jo:
Read about half the book, but had no idea
what she was reading. A very forgettable book.
Natalie:
Didn’t like it, hard to follow and confusing.
She felt it didn’t flow. With each story you started again and difficult to
find a connection. Characters were unlikeable and uninteresting.
THE
HAMILTON CASE:
Claurine:
Set in Ceylon in the 1930s with the main
character being Sam Obeysekere, a Ceylonese born but Oxford educated lawyer.
When an English plantation owner is murdered, Sam sets out to find who is
responsible. This changed his life in many ways.
The writing is beautiful and mixture of
murder, mystery, descriptions of the jungle, treatment of the Tamils, and Sam’s
treatment of women make it a very interesting book.
Need to read it slowly, but Claurine
enjoyed it.
Comments
by other readers:
Denise:
Didn’t like it, the characters were
horrible and the plot escaped her.
Wendy
J, Julia and Bev were unable to finish it.
QUESTIONS
OF TRAVEL
Wendy
L:
The novel tells the story of 2 very
different lives, Laura an Australian girl and Ravi from Sri Lanka.
Each chapter builds up their stories, the
characters are well drawn and finally in the later part of the book it all
comes together.
There are many contrasts told beautifully
in little chunks of writing – Ravi an immigrant from a war torn country, his
wife and child murdered, why and the way he is travelling.
Laura is aimless, comes into money and
travels overseas and suffers from first world problems.
Wendy described it as a ‘hard read’.
Recommended
reading by Tam
Breaking
the Spell by Jane Stork – a riveting read about
life in the Ashrams in the 70’s. She couldn’t put it down.
BOOKS FOR THE COMING MONTHS
May ~ Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
June ~ Danielle Steele …..your choice
July
~ Alex Miller
Lovesong The Passage of Love
Journey
to the Stone Country Autumn Laing
Monday, March 26, 2018
MARCH 2018 BOOKS BY MICHAEL ROBOTHAM
CLOSE YOUR EYES
Judy J
The story involves the death of a mother and daughter - strategically placed - the subsequent police investigation - the living families involvement. It was a real suspense thriller.
Pat
In this book Pat thinks that Michael Robotham has included a version of his own private life into the writings. She is looking forward to the next book by the author and reading them with interest.
Wendy 2
Wendy liked the human aspect in the storyline. It was a well enjoyed book.
Jo
Not a happy reader with this whole book - only an OK story.
Lesley
Lesley has a good prior understanding of the author's writing. In this case she could not work out the ending. Clever planning in the story line gave this reader a surprise ending.
Natalie
She enjoyed the book and was surprised as she is not normally a crime reader. She has now recommended the story to others she knows.
Joan
Crime fiction is not her chosen genre - too many plot lines, although she finished the book and received her rewards. Joan also introduced "Lullaby" as a different aspect of crime fiction reading.
Judy 3
Judy loved it. She says that the fluid reading style of this author made the story easy to follow.
Kris
Kris enjoyed reading this book. Will read more by this author as she considers him an excellent writer.
WATCHING YOU
Prue
She liked this story - it had twists and turns in the plot - there was good character development and would read Michael Robotham again.
Connie
Connie enjoyed the story - also found it confronting and hopes this statement won't spoil the story for other readers.
Rosemary
Thoroughly enjoyed this author and will read another of his stories. Enjoyed the twist in the end of this tale.
THE NIGHT FERRY
Ed
The beginning of this story starts in London and ends up taking the reader to Amsterdam. The story takes an interesting turn - female characters evolve - this makes reading this book full of intrigue.
BOMB PROOF
Val
Val acknowledges that this is a well written and well constructed story. She liked the author's way of writing and kept her interest in the story to the end. Other books read by Val - "Say you're Sorry" and "Shatter" (same author).
BLEED FOR ME
Bev
Outlined the story to the group - really about the control of women.
LIFE OR DEATH
Claurene
Claurene gave up after 100 pages - story involved horrible crimes.
THE SECRET SHE KEEPS
Wendy 1
Wendy loved this book - psychological thriller - the main plot in this story is kidnapping. The character development was good - many subtle tones - good human content and well researched story.
Diane D
Diane enjoyed author Michael Robotham's story line - she was surprised how well this male author wrote about the female characters. His insight and the characters of the women helped to make this a good story.
Diann F
First time Michael Robotham reader - liked the way he introduced characters - short way through this story so enjoying crime fiction for the first time.
Pamela
This book has good character development. It's author has a good story line which also creates empathy from the reader.
Julia
Julia thought this story was really good. She has read Michael Robotham before.
Charis
Charis also read "Bomb Proof" and "Bleed for Me". These stories had interesting characters and good story lines.
Sheila
Sheila read Bryce Courtney's "Four Fires" - Four separate stories in one book over the generations - consistent theme "Love" - good reading.
Diann
Next month we will be reading books by the author Michelle De Krester
Judy J
The story involves the death of a mother and daughter - strategically placed - the subsequent police investigation - the living families involvement. It was a real suspense thriller.
Pat
In this book Pat thinks that Michael Robotham has included a version of his own private life into the writings. She is looking forward to the next book by the author and reading them with interest.
Wendy 2
Wendy liked the human aspect in the storyline. It was a well enjoyed book.
Jo
Not a happy reader with this whole book - only an OK story.
Lesley
Lesley has a good prior understanding of the author's writing. In this case she could not work out the ending. Clever planning in the story line gave this reader a surprise ending.
Natalie
She enjoyed the book and was surprised as she is not normally a crime reader. She has now recommended the story to others she knows.
Joan
Crime fiction is not her chosen genre - too many plot lines, although she finished the book and received her rewards. Joan also introduced "Lullaby" as a different aspect of crime fiction reading.
Judy 3
Judy loved it. She says that the fluid reading style of this author made the story easy to follow.
Kris
Kris enjoyed reading this book. Will read more by this author as she considers him an excellent writer.
WATCHING YOU
Prue
She liked this story - it had twists and turns in the plot - there was good character development and would read Michael Robotham again.
Connie
Connie enjoyed the story - also found it confronting and hopes this statement won't spoil the story for other readers.
Rosemary
Thoroughly enjoyed this author and will read another of his stories. Enjoyed the twist in the end of this tale.
THE NIGHT FERRY
Ed
The beginning of this story starts in London and ends up taking the reader to Amsterdam. The story takes an interesting turn - female characters evolve - this makes reading this book full of intrigue.
BOMB PROOF
Val
Val acknowledges that this is a well written and well constructed story. She liked the author's way of writing and kept her interest in the story to the end. Other books read by Val - "Say you're Sorry" and "Shatter" (same author).
BLEED FOR ME
Bev
Outlined the story to the group - really about the control of women.
LIFE OR DEATH
Claurene
Claurene gave up after 100 pages - story involved horrible crimes.
THE SECRET SHE KEEPS
Wendy 1
Wendy loved this book - psychological thriller - the main plot in this story is kidnapping. The character development was good - many subtle tones - good human content and well researched story.
Diane D
Diane enjoyed author Michael Robotham's story line - she was surprised how well this male author wrote about the female characters. His insight and the characters of the women helped to make this a good story.
Diann F
First time Michael Robotham reader - liked the way he introduced characters - short way through this story so enjoying crime fiction for the first time.
Pamela
This book has good character development. It's author has a good story line which also creates empathy from the reader.
Julia
Julia thought this story was really good. She has read Michael Robotham before.
Charis
Charis also read "Bomb Proof" and "Bleed for Me". These stories had interesting characters and good story lines.
Sheila
Sheila read Bryce Courtney's "Four Fires" - Four separate stories in one book over the generations - consistent theme "Love" - good reading.
Diann
Next month we will be reading books by the author Michelle De Krester
Thursday, February 15, 2018
FEBRUARY, 2018 - BOOKS BY JUDY NUNN
PACIFIC BY JUDY NUNN
JOAN:
The first story is a contemporary story about Samantha Lindsay, an Australian actress who lands a lead role in a Hollywood film set in the New Hebrides during World War II. The second story is about Jane Thackeray who lived in Vanuatu during World War II. This was the better story. "The two times lines were very difficult" Joan said. The book was 607 pages which was far too long.
JUDY D:
Judy also read Pacific. The story takes place in two locations, England and Vanuatu and in two different time frames, the 1940's and the early 2000's. The heroine of the story, Samantha Lindsay was born in Perth. She has had some success acting in an Australian soapie and gets a job in England doing pantomime. She falls in love with an old house in Fareham. She buys it before she gets a lead role in a film playing Mamma Tack, a WWII heroine, to be filmed in Vanuatu. Apparitions and other spiritual occurrences with Jane Thackeray from the 1940's lead her to research the history of Mamma Tack and she finds her story is entwined with the house and it's former occupants. The story is written in flashbacks. Judy said it was a good story. She enjoyed it but it wasn't great literature and too long.
MARALINGA BY JUDY NUNN
Maralinga, a remote area of South Australia is the site of British nuclear testing done in the 1950's. It is also the name of the Aboriginal people who lived there.
WENDY J:
Wendy said she said she didn't mind it but it's not great literature. The story is set in England. It's the story of Elizabeth who falls in love with a young man who gets sent to Maralinga. When he dies she comes out to Australia to find out why he died.
JUDY J:
Judy felt there was more to the story of Maralinga. It showed the terrible attitude of the British government and how little the Australian people knew about it. The soldiers were sworn to secrecy. The Aboriginal people were treated badly. Judy said it was an easy read, that she writes about places she knows and the descriptions of the scenery were beautiful. Judy told us that Judy Nunn also wrote some children's books.
DENISE:
Denise said it was an easy read almost like someone talking to you. The story raised her awareness of what happened at Maralinga. She felt angry about the testing. She did find the changeover of characters and times a bit difficult.
PRUE:
Prue was looking forward to reading this book as this was happening when she was growing up. Prue felt we were just colonials and didn't matter. Prue said it was good that Judy Nunn brings up these subjects. It was a good expose of Maralinga. She found the story captivating and an easy read. It had an unusual ending.
ELIANNE BY JUDY NUNN
JUDY D:
Judy also read Elianne. It is another family saga set in Queensland cane fields dating from the 1880's to the 1960's. The Durhams are the equivalent of royalty and the large estate employs hundreds of workers including Kanakas to keep it running. However, there is a family secret that young Kate Durham uncovers when she discovers diaries written in French by Elianne, the wife of Big Jim Durham (Kate's great grandfather). The story is written mainly in the 1960's and encompasses race and religious discrimination, the Vietnam war, conscription, the rise of feminism and the new freedom of young people enabling them to make their own way instead of continuing in the mould of their forbears. She said it was another good story.
KRIS:
Kris was only about 1/3 of the way through. She enjoyed the story but lost interest as it was far too long. Kris said she felt she was a good storyteller but not a great writer.
JULIA:
Julia was only half way through. She sort of liked it but it was too long and she didn't finish the book.
NATALIE:
Natalie really enjoyed it. She read it over a weekend. She said it was easy to read and enjoyed it as well because her husband grew up in the area. She said the two male characters were big characters. It was very male dominated.
VAL:
Val said she tried to read it but it was not her cup of tea. She didn't finish it and felt it was rather formulaic. She felt the treatment of the aboriginal people and the Vietnam war had been done to death. Val said it was an easy read and that Judy Nunn was a good storyteller.
DIANE D:
Diane didn't like it. She forced herself to finish it. The story spanned three generations. She felt annoyed with the male characters.
THE SPIRITS OF THE GHAN BY JUDY NUNN
This is the story of the completion of The Ghan railway linking Adelaide with the Top End. Assurances must be given to the Aboriginal Elders that their sacred sites will be protected.
CONNIE:
Connie said she agreed with what everyone else said about Judy Nunn's writing. She didn't really enjoy it and it was too long. She said the story would have stood on it's own without the Ghan. The story was about the spirits of the Aboriginal people along the path of the Ghan. She didn't feel her heart was in it.
ANNE:
Anne read half. She found it bearable. She didn't like the part about the spirits.
JUDY A:
Judy said she was a good storyteller not a good writer but she said she did learn things about the Ghan.
WENDY L:
Wendy doesn't think she is a good storyteller but rather she tells a good yarn. The characters are cliched and overdrawn. The Aboriginal themes are laboured and superficial. Wendy didn't like this book.
PAT:
Pat said everyone else had covered it and she felt the same. It was a bland read.
TAM:
Tam quite enjoyed it. She said it was an easy read and she was interested in the Ghan.
ROSEMARIE:
Rosemarie enjoyed it, especially the familiarity of places as she has travelled on the
Ghan. She said the story brought up issues. It was an easy read. The print changes when it goes to a different time making it easier to read than some of the other books mentioned.
JO:
Jo read this book in one night. She loved it and couldn't put it down.
BEV: FLOODTIDE BY JUDY NUNN
This book was written in 2007. It's another family saga set in Western Australia and it is over 600 pages. It is the story of four young male friends and their families. It follows them through a period from 1950's to 1990's swapping back and forth in time. Bev said it was too long a period and too much crammed in. She said it was easy to read. It had an abrupt ending. She also felt the female characters had no depth.
LESLEY: TERRITORY BY JUDY NUNN
This book was written in 2002. The story is about the bombing of Darwin. Lesley enjoyed parts of it as she had been to Darwin last year. It is set in the period from 1942 to the 1970's. There were parallel stories. One was the story of the sinking of the Batavia off the coast of Western Australia in 1629. Lesley said the facts were true. The current story was about an English girl who marries an Australian pilot who is domineering and chauvinistic. They settle outside Darwin. It explores the treatment of Aborigines and the discrimination of the Chinese. She felt it was stereotypical. It is a very long story so she hasn't finished. She quite enjoyed it for what it is.
Kris
In March we will be reading books by Michael Robotham - Watching You, The Suspect, Close Your Eyes and The Secrets She Keeps.
JOAN:
The first story is a contemporary story about Samantha Lindsay, an Australian actress who lands a lead role in a Hollywood film set in the New Hebrides during World War II. The second story is about Jane Thackeray who lived in Vanuatu during World War II. This was the better story. "The two times lines were very difficult" Joan said. The book was 607 pages which was far too long.
JUDY D:
Judy also read Pacific. The story takes place in two locations, England and Vanuatu and in two different time frames, the 1940's and the early 2000's. The heroine of the story, Samantha Lindsay was born in Perth. She has had some success acting in an Australian soapie and gets a job in England doing pantomime. She falls in love with an old house in Fareham. She buys it before she gets a lead role in a film playing Mamma Tack, a WWII heroine, to be filmed in Vanuatu. Apparitions and other spiritual occurrences with Jane Thackeray from the 1940's lead her to research the history of Mamma Tack and she finds her story is entwined with the house and it's former occupants. The story is written in flashbacks. Judy said it was a good story. She enjoyed it but it wasn't great literature and too long.
MARALINGA BY JUDY NUNN
Maralinga, a remote area of South Australia is the site of British nuclear testing done in the 1950's. It is also the name of the Aboriginal people who lived there.
WENDY J:
Wendy said she said she didn't mind it but it's not great literature. The story is set in England. It's the story of Elizabeth who falls in love with a young man who gets sent to Maralinga. When he dies she comes out to Australia to find out why he died.
JUDY J:
Judy felt there was more to the story of Maralinga. It showed the terrible attitude of the British government and how little the Australian people knew about it. The soldiers were sworn to secrecy. The Aboriginal people were treated badly. Judy said it was an easy read, that she writes about places she knows and the descriptions of the scenery were beautiful. Judy told us that Judy Nunn also wrote some children's books.
DENISE:
Denise said it was an easy read almost like someone talking to you. The story raised her awareness of what happened at Maralinga. She felt angry about the testing. She did find the changeover of characters and times a bit difficult.
PRUE:
Prue was looking forward to reading this book as this was happening when she was growing up. Prue felt we were just colonials and didn't matter. Prue said it was good that Judy Nunn brings up these subjects. It was a good expose of Maralinga. She found the story captivating and an easy read. It had an unusual ending.
ELIANNE BY JUDY NUNN
JUDY D:
Judy also read Elianne. It is another family saga set in Queensland cane fields dating from the 1880's to the 1960's. The Durhams are the equivalent of royalty and the large estate employs hundreds of workers including Kanakas to keep it running. However, there is a family secret that young Kate Durham uncovers when she discovers diaries written in French by Elianne, the wife of Big Jim Durham (Kate's great grandfather). The story is written mainly in the 1960's and encompasses race and religious discrimination, the Vietnam war, conscription, the rise of feminism and the new freedom of young people enabling them to make their own way instead of continuing in the mould of their forbears. She said it was another good story.
KRIS:
Kris was only about 1/3 of the way through. She enjoyed the story but lost interest as it was far too long. Kris said she felt she was a good storyteller but not a great writer.
JULIA:
Julia was only half way through. She sort of liked it but it was too long and she didn't finish the book.
NATALIE:
Natalie really enjoyed it. She read it over a weekend. She said it was easy to read and enjoyed it as well because her husband grew up in the area. She said the two male characters were big characters. It was very male dominated.
VAL:
Val said she tried to read it but it was not her cup of tea. She didn't finish it and felt it was rather formulaic. She felt the treatment of the aboriginal people and the Vietnam war had been done to death. Val said it was an easy read and that Judy Nunn was a good storyteller.
DIANE D:
Diane didn't like it. She forced herself to finish it. The story spanned three generations. She felt annoyed with the male characters.
THE SPIRITS OF THE GHAN BY JUDY NUNN
This is the story of the completion of The Ghan railway linking Adelaide with the Top End. Assurances must be given to the Aboriginal Elders that their sacred sites will be protected.
CONNIE:
Connie said she agreed with what everyone else said about Judy Nunn's writing. She didn't really enjoy it and it was too long. She said the story would have stood on it's own without the Ghan. The story was about the spirits of the Aboriginal people along the path of the Ghan. She didn't feel her heart was in it.
ANNE:
Anne read half. She found it bearable. She didn't like the part about the spirits.
JUDY A:
Judy said she was a good storyteller not a good writer but she said she did learn things about the Ghan.
WENDY L:
Wendy doesn't think she is a good storyteller but rather she tells a good yarn. The characters are cliched and overdrawn. The Aboriginal themes are laboured and superficial. Wendy didn't like this book.
PAT:
Pat said everyone else had covered it and she felt the same. It was a bland read.
TAM:
Tam quite enjoyed it. She said it was an easy read and she was interested in the Ghan.
ROSEMARIE:
Rosemarie enjoyed it, especially the familiarity of places as she has travelled on the
Ghan. She said the story brought up issues. It was an easy read. The print changes when it goes to a different time making it easier to read than some of the other books mentioned.
JO:
Jo read this book in one night. She loved it and couldn't put it down.
BEV: FLOODTIDE BY JUDY NUNN
This book was written in 2007. It's another family saga set in Western Australia and it is over 600 pages. It is the story of four young male friends and their families. It follows them through a period from 1950's to 1990's swapping back and forth in time. Bev said it was too long a period and too much crammed in. She said it was easy to read. It had an abrupt ending. She also felt the female characters had no depth.
LESLEY: TERRITORY BY JUDY NUNN
This book was written in 2002. The story is about the bombing of Darwin. Lesley enjoyed parts of it as she had been to Darwin last year. It is set in the period from 1942 to the 1970's. There were parallel stories. One was the story of the sinking of the Batavia off the coast of Western Australia in 1629. Lesley said the facts were true. The current story was about an English girl who marries an Australian pilot who is domineering and chauvinistic. They settle outside Darwin. It explores the treatment of Aborigines and the discrimination of the Chinese. She felt it was stereotypical. It is a very long story so she hasn't finished. She quite enjoyed it for what it is.
Kris
In March we will be reading books by Michael Robotham - Watching You, The Suspect, Close Your Eyes and The Secrets She Keeps.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
January 2018 ~ Books we read and enjoyed over the holidays
PAMELA: Love of
Seven Dolls by Paul Gallico
Set in Paris in 1956, a young girl called
Mouche is about to throw herself into the Seine, when her attention is
attracted by a voice belonging to a puppet, part of a struggling street booth
puppet show. The story tells her relationship with
the seven puppets and their grim puppetmaster, Capitaine Coq, and what happens
when she joins their travelling show.
Pamela described it as a charming book,
the writing and the puppets are attractive, but she found the ending not very
satisfactory.
JUDY
De La Torre:
Her holiday reading included
I Survived Auschwitz by Krystyna Zywulska. ~ horrific story,
badly translated.
Our Man in Camelot by Anthony Price ~
following the crash of a US plane, the CIA and the Russians investigate this
mystery.
Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths ~
a murder mystery.
She enjoyed and would recommend the
last 2 titles.
VAL: Let Me Tell You about a Man I Knew by Susan Fletcher
The sunflowers on the cover give a clue as
to the subject of the book. Van Gough spent a year in this asylum, where he
continues to paint. The warden’s wife, although forbidden to mix with the
patients, continues to do so and realizes what she is missing in life. Eventually
she asks him to paint her portrait and through their meeting, she is reborn.
A beautifully, sensitively written book. The
author writes about the ‘little episodes in life’.
NATALIA: has continued to read and enjoy the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.
JOAN: Red Notice: How I Became Putin’s No1 Enemy by Bill
Browder
This is the true story of the author’s
experience working in Russia exposing corruption, investments and tax frauds by
Putin’s operatives. Joan described it as factual, gripping and she couldn’t put
it down.
JO: The Woman in the Window by A J Finn
Anna Fox lives alone, a recluse in her
New York City home, she is agoraphobic and an alcoholic.
She spends her day drinking
wine, watching old movies, on chat sites on her computer and spying on her
neighbors.Then the Russells move into the house across the park: a father, a mother, and their teenage son. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare.
What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems
DIANE D: The Remains of the Day by Kazua Ishiguro
This is a fantastic, gorgeous, most
English book written by a Japanese who has lived in England since he was 5
years old.
It is the story of Stevens, the butler,
who runs a large country estate, where old school attitudes reign supreme and
the upper class believe they are born to rule. They are blinded to normal
relationships and what will happen when everything they believe in comes
undone.
The author won the Nobel Prize for
Literature in 2017; highly recommended by Diane.
DIANN F: Pacific by Judy Nunn
A contemporary fiction story is set in
the South Pacific island of Vanuatu, Pacific explores the lives of two women
from different eras. Samantha Lindsay is an Australian actress who has been
given the lead role in a World War II epic. Samantha plays a character based on
the life of 'Mamma Tack,' a World Way II heroine. Samantha feels compelled to
find out who the real 'Mamma Tack' was, and in solving this mystery makes some
important discoveries about herself.
Highly recommended and very well
researched.
CLAURINE: read several books
by Peter
Goldsworthy.
Maestro ~ wonderful story
Three Dog Night ~ couldn’t finish
it, too graphic
Gravel ~ short stories.
Enjoyed the first one, but did not continue after attempting several more, as they
continued this graphic style of writing.
CONNIE: Sabrina by
Madeleine Pollard
Set in County Cork, Ireland in the
beginning of the twentieth century, it is the story of a landed gentry family,
very traditional Catholics with 6 children. There are expectations and plans for
each of the children. When Sabrina experiences romance for the first time, it
is obvious she is not suitable to be a nun. She and Gerald fight to stay
together, and the story follows their lives . Connie really enjoyed it,
especially the ending; unexpected but very satisfying.
WENDY J: Jane Austin’s Christmas
An interesting (but not fascinating)
book that gave details about food, drinks, etiquette and stories of how her
family celebrated Christmas.
PRUE: Wimmera by Mark Brandi
The story exposes the problems boys face
growing up, their friendships and family relationships. The story develops over
many years, but you have to connect the dots for yourself. It is well
researched, and easy to read. Fast paced, but with hard, dark elements in it.
There is also love, joy and happiness to provide a counter balance, and a sad,
haunting ending.
Prue became very involved in it, adding to
the enjoyment.
DENISE: The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
When Eva's film star sister Katrina
dies, she leaves California and returns to Cornwall, where they spent their
childhood summers, to scatter Katrina's ashes and in doing so return her to the
place where she belongs.
She starts to hear voices in the farmhouse
where they grew up, and moves between the present and the past.
Denise describes it as an interesting,
light and easy read.
WENDY W: First Person by Richard Flanagan
A criminal facing a murder charge contracts
a struggling author to ghost write his memoirs. He is horrified by his life
style and his approach to life, and is scared that he may be beginning to take
on some of these characteristics.
Wendy really enjoyed it.
She also read The Twentieth Man by Tony Jones.
This she described as a great political
thriller set in Canberra during the times of the Serbian/Croatian conflict. Historical
facts are included and cleverly woven through the story.
JUDY A: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail
Honeyman
Eleanor is a loner, socially inadequate
with the same routine every weekend; frozen pizza, vodka and phone chat with
mummy. When she meets the IT guy at work, bumbling and lovable, a relationship
develops. Is she capable of friendship or even love?
A quirky, warm, funny but also dark story
about relationships and confronting your secrets.
TAM: The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
At a suburban barbecue, a man slaps a
badly behaved child who is not his own.
This event has a shocking ricochet effect on a group of people, mostly friends, who are directly or indirectly influenced by the slap.
This event has a shocking ricochet effect on a group of people, mostly friends, who are directly or indirectly influenced by the slap.
Each character has a different
perspective of the event. They are dislikeable people and Tam was horrified at
their lifestyle. She felt they were shallow, had no commitment and was
disturbed that this could be an observation of modern day life in inner city
Melbourne.
ROSEMARY: Force of Nature by Jane Harper
Her second novel also features Aaron
Falk as a Federal Police Officer. Set in a rugged mountain region, a group of
work colleagues set off on a 3-day hike as part of a team building exercise.
Five women leave but only 4 return. Little side stories telling about the lives
of the women throw some red herrings into the story. While Rosemary enjoyed it,
she felt the ending didn’t have the unexpected twist of the author’s previous
book.
JULIA: For her holiday
reading Julia turned to a favourite author, Danielle Steele, reading 3 of
her more recent releases.(2016)
Blue , The Apartment and Property of a Nobel Woman.
She really enjoyed them, particularly
now that the story lines are no longer so predictable.
CLAURINE: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson, Rod Bradbury (translator)
Allan Karlson is sitting in his room in an old people’s home waiting for his birthday party that he doesn’t want to have. So slowly, but surely he climbs out of the window and makes his escape. As his escapade unfolds we learn of his earlier life, brush with world leaders and criminals, and many significant events of the twentieth century. A very entertaining read, and a feel good book.
JUDY J: Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by Davis Graan
In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the
world were members of the Osage Indian Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was
discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built
mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.
Then, one by one, they began to be killed off. After an unknown number of
killings and several years of ineffective and corrupt investigation at local
and state level, the FBI was eventually called in to try to solve these cases. A
sad, shameful and forgotten part of American history.
KRIS: A Street Cat named Bob by James Bowen
When James, a homeless street busker, struggling with addiction finds an injured ginger stray cat sleeping in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, his life changes dramatically. They form a strong bond and James finds purpose in caring for Bob. It's an easy to read, uplifting story of love and redemption. Kris also read 9 Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks. This is a non fiction book by the journalist Geraldine Brooks. It is a compelling insight into the hidden world of Islamic women and it is well worth reading.
FEBRUARY: Judy Nunn ~ Sanctuary, Spirits of the Ghan, Maralinga, Elianne
Friday, December 22, 2017
DECEMBER, 2017 - OUR FAVOURITE BOOK WE READ THIS YEAR
JUDY J: THE DRY BY JANE HARPER
Judy said it was slow moving, had readable chapters and a hook at the end. The author writes well about small Australian country towns in drought. The main character comes back to his hometown to find his friend had committed suicide and killed his family, probably due to the drought and debt. It's a murder mystery with twists and turns. Judy liked it. She said it was a very good story and well written.
WENDY L: THE CHOICE BY SOPHIE LAGUNA
This is Sophie Laguna's third novel written for adults. It is sent in Echuca, Victoria near the narrow part of the river. A ten year old girl is living with her grandfather who has no idea how to look after her. She has dyslexia. The whole family is totally dysfunctional. It is a family of flawed and violent people. Wendy loved it and could not put it down. The fact that the young girl was quite tough and loved the river made it an uplifting story.
ED: THE THORNWOOD HOUSE BY ANNA ROMER
The main character, Audrey inherits an abandoned homestead in rural Queensland. She finds a photo of a handsome World War I medic in Thornwood House and becomes obsessed. After digging into the past she finds out he was a murderer. She suspects he is still alive and tries to solve the crime.
PAT: THE TOYMAKER BY LIAM PIPER
Pat really enjoyed this book. There is a real twist at the end. It is a family saga about a wealthy family. The story goes back in time to the grandfather and a secret he holds from his time during the war and in a concentration camp. It is not what you expect.
ANNE: LOVE SONG BY QUEENIE HENNESSY BY RACHEL JOYCE
Anne didn't finish reading "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry". This book follows on from that and is about Queenie and her unrequited love for Harold. At first Anne didn't think much of it but it got better. She enjoyed the characters in the nursing home with Queenie. Although Anne hasn't finished it yet she said Rachel Joyce writes beautifully.
JUDY D: CHILD 44 BY TOM ROB SMITH
It is the gripping story of Leo Demidov, a former agent. It is set in 1953 in the dying days of Stalinist Russia in and around Moscow, where Leo is forced to make a moral decision whether to denounce his beloved wife, Raisa as a spy. He is also confronted by the death of a neighbour's child who, it is claimed, was brutally assaulted before he was placed on the railway tracks. This is the first book of a trilogy and Judy had to read on to find out what happened to the characters and also read the second book The Secret Speech as well. She would thoroughly recommend this author.
CLAURENE: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT TIME BY MARK HADDON
This is Mark Haddon's first book.. It's the story of a fifteen year old boy, Christopher who is suffering from mild Autism. He lives with his father and attends a special school where he is sitting for an A level Maths exam so he will be able to go to University. He relates well to animals but not with humans. He writes a story which is a mystery. It starts with the neighbour's poodle being found impaled on a garden fork. He decides he will track down the killer of the dog. He cannot understand emotion so the mixture of comedy, mystery and his opinions of the people in the neighbourhood make this a most unusual book. Judy thoroughly enjoyed the book.
CHARIS: MINDING FRANKIE BY MAEVE BINCHY
She said it wasn't her best book but it had a nice feeling. There were plots and sub plots. The story is about an American woman visiting relatives in Ireland. A woman who was dying, gave birth to a baby. Before she dies, she told a man he was the father and would have to look after the child. The family and community pulled together and everything was resolved. Charis enjoyed the book.
BEV: MURDER IN THE SKY BY ELIZABETH PETERS
This is book No. 12 in the series and they need to be read in order, otherwise it is too confusing. It is a mystery and family saga. Bev really enjoyed it. It is set in Egypt in 1914 where Anne and Emerson Peabody are back for an archaeological excavation.
JO: TOMB OF THE GOLDEN BIRD BY ELIZABETH PETERS
Jo loves the series and has most of the books. This story is set in Egypt in1922. Anne and Emerson are hunting for the tomb of Tutankhamun. It is 500 pages long so you need a lot of patience to read this book. Jo loved this book.
WENDY J: RIVER OF DESTINY BY BARBARA ERSKINE
The story is set in present day England. It is about Zoe and her husband Ken. Their marriage is a little bit rocky and so they move to the country hoping this will help. They move into the Old Barn, one of three old buildings that have been converted into modern dwelling. In the second dwelling, the Old Forge, lives a man who has been disfigured in an accident and in the third dwelling, the Threshing Barn, is a family with numerous children. They only use it during school holidays. The lives of these people get entwined. Ken likes to sail on the nearby river and Zoe goes along for her husband's sake. They start seeing ghosts, the first a Viking ship and then a man who has been hanged. A corresponding story is told which is set in the past about the time of the Viking raids of the coast towns of England. Eventually this story explains why the ghosts appear in the present day. Wendy liked it and found it interesting. There are a few twists and turns.
TAM: A MOTHER'S DESTINY BY ROSIE BATTY
Tam said it was a good read but a bit depressing. It was a horrible topic. In 2014 Rosie was a single mum. Her world changed forever when Luke, her son was killed by his father at a cricket match. They had experienced years of family violence.
ROSEMARIE: EUGENIE BY MARK TEDESCHI
The story is set in the 1900's in New Zealand where Eugenie was born. She had a difficult upbringing. Eugenie was transgender and she joined the Navy as a man but the captain discovered she was a woman. She was raped and became pregnant. She spent 22 years as a male and married twice. His first wife was murdered and he/she was charged. This is a true crime. It's not Rosemarie's favourite book but she found it very interesting.
NATALIA: OUTLANDER BY DIANA GABALDON
This is a series of books and Natalia is up to Book 6. She enjoys them. It is the story of Claire Randall who is a nurse in the present day. She also has an interest in herbs. She goes on a second honeymoon and goes through an ancient stone circle back to 1743 Scotland where she eventually falls in love with a handsome Scotsman
JOAN: A STREET CAT NAMED BOB BY JAMES BOWEN
Joan said it was a beautiful and uplifting story. It is about the unlikely friendship between a homeless man who is a recovering addict and a ginger cat that helped saved his life. It is a true story set in London.
She also read A CATHOLIC DISSIDENT - MARTIN LUTHER BY PETER STANFORD.
Joan said Martin Luther had huge moral courage. It was a very good book.
CONNIE: THE RAILWAY MAN'S WIFE BY ASHLEY HAY
Connie said this book affected her. it is set in Thirroul near Wollongong. A fellow comes back from
World War 11 and goes out west to find a job. He falls in love and gets married. They move back to Thirroul and have a daughter and he gets a job on the Railway. After ten years of marriage he has an accident. She becomes a Librarian of the Library at Thirroul railway station. She becomes friends with a friend of her husband from the war who is a war poet. The telling of the story is sympathetic to the characters and Connie said the book stayed with her.
KRIS: BIRDSONG BY SEBASTIAN FAULKS
This book is set before and during World War I. The story begins in France in 1910. Stephen, a young Englishman, gets a job in France and moves in with the family of his employer. He falls madly in love with the man's wife, Isabelle and they have a passionate affair that tears the family apart. They leave together but Isabelle suffers guilt and returns home. Stephen is devastated. As war has broken out Stephen joins the British army and as an officer goes to the trenches of No Man's Land in France. It is a very poignant book of the trials these men suffered. What comes across is the futility of war. The characters are so well defined. Kris loved this book.
JULIA: EARTHLY REMAINS BY DONNA LEON
There are 26 in this series. They are set in Venice. Julia loves them. The main character is Inspector Brunetti who deals with crime around Venice. This book is quite different to his usual books. He is on leave and finds a mystery.
LESLEY: PRIMROSE PATH BY REBECCA GRIFFITHS
This is the author's first book. Lesley really enjoyed the book. It is a psychological thriller set in a small village in South Wales. It's very authentic. It's a story of a woman who witnessed a dreadful murder. She is kidnapped by the murderer but she escaped. The murderer went to gaol for 17 years. The woman starts a new life in a little village. Lesley said it is very clever. There were many strands to it and she enjoyed the writing.
SHEILA: APRIL FOOL'S DAY BY BRYCE COURTENAY
Sheila had never read any of Bryce Courtenay's books before. This book was 666 pages long and she could not put it down. She felt bereft for the family. It is the story of Damon, the third son of Bryce and his wife. He is a haemophiliac who needed many blood transfusions. At the time transfusions were not screened and Damon became HIV positive and developed Aids. The book traced his story until his death. It is beautiful, funny, educational and full of love. It is well worth reading.
PAMELA: IN THE SKIN OF A LION BY MICHAEL ONDAATJE
Pamela said it was an intricate and brilliant book about change. The setting is Toronto between 1910 and 1939. It is about poor immigrants needing work and what they do and how they try to become Canadians. They do different types of work and there are no health and safety regulations. It is about how these people develop strength through their experiences and their interactions with other people. There are bits of humour as well. The author also wrote the English Patient. Pamela would recommend this book.
JUDY A: WATCHTOWER BY ELIZABETH HARROWER
Judy said "this book is in my list of top reads of all time!" It is set in Sydney just before WWII. Sisters Claire and Laura are happy at boarding school when their father dies suddenly and their lives change forever. Laura, who is a promising student is sent to secretarial college and then finds a job at a factory owned by Felix Shaw. When her selfish and self centred mother decides to return to England, Laura feels she has no option but to take up Felix's offer of marriage in order to keep Claire at school. Felix is not the quiet, unassuming man he appears to be but rather a very controlling and cruel man. Laura is so worn down by his psychological and verbal abuse she becomes co-dependent but Claire strives to maintain her independent spirit. Judy said it was one of the most powerful books she has ever read!
Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas and look forward to getting together in the New Year to talk about a book we read in the holiday break.
Kris
Judy said it was slow moving, had readable chapters and a hook at the end. The author writes well about small Australian country towns in drought. The main character comes back to his hometown to find his friend had committed suicide and killed his family, probably due to the drought and debt. It's a murder mystery with twists and turns. Judy liked it. She said it was a very good story and well written.
WENDY L: THE CHOICE BY SOPHIE LAGUNA
This is Sophie Laguna's third novel written for adults. It is sent in Echuca, Victoria near the narrow part of the river. A ten year old girl is living with her grandfather who has no idea how to look after her. She has dyslexia. The whole family is totally dysfunctional. It is a family of flawed and violent people. Wendy loved it and could not put it down. The fact that the young girl was quite tough and loved the river made it an uplifting story.
ED: THE THORNWOOD HOUSE BY ANNA ROMER
The main character, Audrey inherits an abandoned homestead in rural Queensland. She finds a photo of a handsome World War I medic in Thornwood House and becomes obsessed. After digging into the past she finds out he was a murderer. She suspects he is still alive and tries to solve the crime.
PAT: THE TOYMAKER BY LIAM PIPER
Pat really enjoyed this book. There is a real twist at the end. It is a family saga about a wealthy family. The story goes back in time to the grandfather and a secret he holds from his time during the war and in a concentration camp. It is not what you expect.
ANNE: LOVE SONG BY QUEENIE HENNESSY BY RACHEL JOYCE
Anne didn't finish reading "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry". This book follows on from that and is about Queenie and her unrequited love for Harold. At first Anne didn't think much of it but it got better. She enjoyed the characters in the nursing home with Queenie. Although Anne hasn't finished it yet she said Rachel Joyce writes beautifully.
JUDY D: CHILD 44 BY TOM ROB SMITH
It is the gripping story of Leo Demidov, a former agent. It is set in 1953 in the dying days of Stalinist Russia in and around Moscow, where Leo is forced to make a moral decision whether to denounce his beloved wife, Raisa as a spy. He is also confronted by the death of a neighbour's child who, it is claimed, was brutally assaulted before he was placed on the railway tracks. This is the first book of a trilogy and Judy had to read on to find out what happened to the characters and also read the second book The Secret Speech as well. She would thoroughly recommend this author.
CLAURENE: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT TIME BY MARK HADDON
This is Mark Haddon's first book.. It's the story of a fifteen year old boy, Christopher who is suffering from mild Autism. He lives with his father and attends a special school where he is sitting for an A level Maths exam so he will be able to go to University. He relates well to animals but not with humans. He writes a story which is a mystery. It starts with the neighbour's poodle being found impaled on a garden fork. He decides he will track down the killer of the dog. He cannot understand emotion so the mixture of comedy, mystery and his opinions of the people in the neighbourhood make this a most unusual book. Judy thoroughly enjoyed the book.
CHARIS: MINDING FRANKIE BY MAEVE BINCHY
She said it wasn't her best book but it had a nice feeling. There were plots and sub plots. The story is about an American woman visiting relatives in Ireland. A woman who was dying, gave birth to a baby. Before she dies, she told a man he was the father and would have to look after the child. The family and community pulled together and everything was resolved. Charis enjoyed the book.
BEV: MURDER IN THE SKY BY ELIZABETH PETERS
This is book No. 12 in the series and they need to be read in order, otherwise it is too confusing. It is a mystery and family saga. Bev really enjoyed it. It is set in Egypt in 1914 where Anne and Emerson Peabody are back for an archaeological excavation.
JO: TOMB OF THE GOLDEN BIRD BY ELIZABETH PETERS
Jo loves the series and has most of the books. This story is set in Egypt in1922. Anne and Emerson are hunting for the tomb of Tutankhamun. It is 500 pages long so you need a lot of patience to read this book. Jo loved this book.
WENDY J: RIVER OF DESTINY BY BARBARA ERSKINE
The story is set in present day England. It is about Zoe and her husband Ken. Their marriage is a little bit rocky and so they move to the country hoping this will help. They move into the Old Barn, one of three old buildings that have been converted into modern dwelling. In the second dwelling, the Old Forge, lives a man who has been disfigured in an accident and in the third dwelling, the Threshing Barn, is a family with numerous children. They only use it during school holidays. The lives of these people get entwined. Ken likes to sail on the nearby river and Zoe goes along for her husband's sake. They start seeing ghosts, the first a Viking ship and then a man who has been hanged. A corresponding story is told which is set in the past about the time of the Viking raids of the coast towns of England. Eventually this story explains why the ghosts appear in the present day. Wendy liked it and found it interesting. There are a few twists and turns.
TAM: A MOTHER'S DESTINY BY ROSIE BATTY
Tam said it was a good read but a bit depressing. It was a horrible topic. In 2014 Rosie was a single mum. Her world changed forever when Luke, her son was killed by his father at a cricket match. They had experienced years of family violence.
ROSEMARIE: EUGENIE BY MARK TEDESCHI
The story is set in the 1900's in New Zealand where Eugenie was born. She had a difficult upbringing. Eugenie was transgender and she joined the Navy as a man but the captain discovered she was a woman. She was raped and became pregnant. She spent 22 years as a male and married twice. His first wife was murdered and he/she was charged. This is a true crime. It's not Rosemarie's favourite book but she found it very interesting.
NATALIA: OUTLANDER BY DIANA GABALDON
This is a series of books and Natalia is up to Book 6. She enjoys them. It is the story of Claire Randall who is a nurse in the present day. She also has an interest in herbs. She goes on a second honeymoon and goes through an ancient stone circle back to 1743 Scotland where she eventually falls in love with a handsome Scotsman
JOAN: A STREET CAT NAMED BOB BY JAMES BOWEN
Joan said it was a beautiful and uplifting story. It is about the unlikely friendship between a homeless man who is a recovering addict and a ginger cat that helped saved his life. It is a true story set in London.
She also read A CATHOLIC DISSIDENT - MARTIN LUTHER BY PETER STANFORD.
Joan said Martin Luther had huge moral courage. It was a very good book.
CONNIE: THE RAILWAY MAN'S WIFE BY ASHLEY HAY
Connie said this book affected her. it is set in Thirroul near Wollongong. A fellow comes back from
World War 11 and goes out west to find a job. He falls in love and gets married. They move back to Thirroul and have a daughter and he gets a job on the Railway. After ten years of marriage he has an accident. She becomes a Librarian of the Library at Thirroul railway station. She becomes friends with a friend of her husband from the war who is a war poet. The telling of the story is sympathetic to the characters and Connie said the book stayed with her.
KRIS: BIRDSONG BY SEBASTIAN FAULKS
This book is set before and during World War I. The story begins in France in 1910. Stephen, a young Englishman, gets a job in France and moves in with the family of his employer. He falls madly in love with the man's wife, Isabelle and they have a passionate affair that tears the family apart. They leave together but Isabelle suffers guilt and returns home. Stephen is devastated. As war has broken out Stephen joins the British army and as an officer goes to the trenches of No Man's Land in France. It is a very poignant book of the trials these men suffered. What comes across is the futility of war. The characters are so well defined. Kris loved this book.
JULIA: EARTHLY REMAINS BY DONNA LEON
There are 26 in this series. They are set in Venice. Julia loves them. The main character is Inspector Brunetti who deals with crime around Venice. This book is quite different to his usual books. He is on leave and finds a mystery.
LESLEY: PRIMROSE PATH BY REBECCA GRIFFITHS
This is the author's first book. Lesley really enjoyed the book. It is a psychological thriller set in a small village in South Wales. It's very authentic. It's a story of a woman who witnessed a dreadful murder. She is kidnapped by the murderer but she escaped. The murderer went to gaol for 17 years. The woman starts a new life in a little village. Lesley said it is very clever. There were many strands to it and she enjoyed the writing.
SHEILA: APRIL FOOL'S DAY BY BRYCE COURTENAY
Sheila had never read any of Bryce Courtenay's books before. This book was 666 pages long and she could not put it down. She felt bereft for the family. It is the story of Damon, the third son of Bryce and his wife. He is a haemophiliac who needed many blood transfusions. At the time transfusions were not screened and Damon became HIV positive and developed Aids. The book traced his story until his death. It is beautiful, funny, educational and full of love. It is well worth reading.
PAMELA: IN THE SKIN OF A LION BY MICHAEL ONDAATJE
Pamela said it was an intricate and brilliant book about change. The setting is Toronto between 1910 and 1939. It is about poor immigrants needing work and what they do and how they try to become Canadians. They do different types of work and there are no health and safety regulations. It is about how these people develop strength through their experiences and their interactions with other people. There are bits of humour as well. The author also wrote the English Patient. Pamela would recommend this book.
JUDY A: WATCHTOWER BY ELIZABETH HARROWER
Judy said "this book is in my list of top reads of all time!" It is set in Sydney just before WWII. Sisters Claire and Laura are happy at boarding school when their father dies suddenly and their lives change forever. Laura, who is a promising student is sent to secretarial college and then finds a job at a factory owned by Felix Shaw. When her selfish and self centred mother decides to return to England, Laura feels she has no option but to take up Felix's offer of marriage in order to keep Claire at school. Felix is not the quiet, unassuming man he appears to be but rather a very controlling and cruel man. Laura is so worn down by his psychological and verbal abuse she becomes co-dependent but Claire strives to maintain her independent spirit. Judy said it was one of the most powerful books she has ever read!
Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas and look forward to getting together in the New Year to talk about a book we read in the holiday break.
Kris
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