‘…the past is in us, and not behind us. Things are never over’ wrote Tim Winton in ‘Aquifier’. These words are the foreward of this collection of short stories and they set the tone from the get-go as the author promptly transports us back to our high school years. Yes, those teen experiences – wonderful and hideous and embarrassing – are explored in […]
July
19
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
posted by Ms A
Lila, Gigliona, Alfonso, Nino, Pasquale, Rino, Carmela and Ada are just some of the children of various ages featured in this book. Throw in their parents; Fernando, Nunzia, Alfredo, Giuseppina, Melina, Donato, Silvio, Manuela, Nicola, Assunta and the evil Don Achille and you pretty much have the village. These are the names of the friends and […]
July
16
The Strays by Emily Bitto
posted by Ms K
I have a confession. Sometimes this blog can be really, really, really HARD work. I love to read. But, here is the thing. I really only love to read GOOD books. Yeah, duh, I know! Blogging about books sometimes means you have to read ones you would rather throw with great force in the bin. […]
July
06
Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova
posted by Ms K
Unless you have been living under a literary and movie rock, I am sure you know ‘ Still Alice ‘ (Julianne Moore won an Oscar in 2015 for her portrayal of a woman suffering early on set Alzheimers disease, remember?). Well, Inside the O’Briens is penned by the same author and instead of Alzheimers, this […]
June
16
The Wonder Lover by Malcolm Knox
posted by Ms A
This is a man’s book. Actually it is a multi – functional man’s book. First you can read it and marvel at what it tells you about male behaviour; then you can thump the nearest guy across the head with it. Written by Australian author Malcolm Knox (otherwise known for Jamaica, The Life and Summerland), this is a fictional equivalent […]
June
10
Arkie’s Pilgrimage to the Next Big Thing by Lisa Walker
posted by Ms K
Books are like life. Sometimes in life you need a stiff drink, other times, a milkshake. And so it is with books – sometimes it’s War and Peace and then, other days, it’s titles like Arkie’s Pilgrimage to the Next Big Thing. We are complex creatures like that and thankfully there are beverages and books to […]
May
31
The Household Guide to Dying by Debra Adelaide
posted by Ms K
Ok, I know, I know. This might not be the most obvious choice for May Faves but given Barbara Kingsolver and Geraldine Brooks had already earned a place here this month, I simply could not go past this as one of my favourite books of all time. If you judge a book by how often […]
May
28
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver – Guest Review by Ms S
posted by Ms K
My nomination for May Faves is The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver. Which I have just, very reluctantly, finished. I dragged it out as long as I thought I could (the copy belongs to a good friend who let me read it before she read it!). The writing is just beautiful. Lucid, smart, delicate, strong, sharp, […]
May
12
A Little Princess – Guest Review by Miss Ellie (aged 11)
posted by Ms A
“In the early morning smog I had him. But in the lovely lunch of my birthday I lost him.” A Little Princess is written by Frances Hodgson Burnett who also wrote The Secret Garden. Frances weaves a story about a rich girl with perfect manners and an extreme love of books. Frances tells this story […]
May
03
The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks – Guest Review by Ms D
posted by Ms A
Behold, there’s a book that covers everything: rampant disease, death, suicide, murder, torture, grief, greed, lust, sex, sorcery, devil worship, flagellation, crazed mobs, cruel parenting, and that old chestnut: religion. In her first foray into historical fiction, Australian foreign correspondent, Geraldine Brooks (who has witnessed her share of horrific war zones), addresses an ethical dilemma. […]
