Reviews of Books
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Nov 14th, 2011
A friend recommended this book to me at least a year ago. I picked it up a couple of times in various different book stores, but wasn’t that interested. Then I saw it in my local $5 book store and picked up a copy. In the way these things go, I really enjoyed it and [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Oct 25th, 2011
I bought this novel based solely on the title – there should be more dancing, don’t you think? I have read and enjoyed Summer at Mount Hope, so that might have made me more receptive to buy a book knowing nothing at all about it. Rosalie Ham is Australian and this novel is definitely Australian. It [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Aug 23rd, 2011
This was a random choice by my book club. Someone had it, but hadn’t read it yet, but was keen to read it. That was enough – a bit of enthusiasm and we will all jump on board. Here’s the blurb … In the dawning light of the late summer morning, the people of lower [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Aug 2nd, 2011
I read about this novel on a book blog, but I can not remember which one and google searching hasn’t enlightened me. This novel consists of five elegies. In each one the narrator is talking to the character describing their lives and her interaction with them. It is an interesting structure like, but also different [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Jul 27th, 2011
I selected this book for book club after reading a review in the Weekend Australian. I liked it. It has different points of view – the structure is quite intriguing ranging from first person to third person there is even an amazing chapter in second person. The time period changes as well from the near [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Jul 25th, 2011
After having enjoyed Freedom, this one was a must read. I didn’t enjoy it as much as Freedom - the characters weren’t as appealing – although I did get the same sense of an America not normally described in novels. Here is the blurb … After almost fifty years as a wife and mother, Enid Lambert is ready to [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on May 19th, 2011
This book is about Patty and Walter’s marriage, but it is also about so much else; America’s involvement in Iraq, the environment, parenting, the effect of poverty on a community and individuals, etc. Here is the blurb … Patty and Walter Berglund were the new pioneers of old St. Paul – the gentrifiers, the hands-on [...]
Posted in Serious on Apr 11th, 2011
When my Victorian book club decided to read Mary Barton as our first Gaskell book (we read three of each author) I was slightly nervous. I’ve read North and South and Wives and Daughters and enjoyed them both, but Mary Barton just sounded depressing. I was pleasantly surprised, however I don’t think it will appeal [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Mar 21st, 2011
This is just a quick post (more of a reminder to myself) to say I read this book, I enjoyed it, the ending was unexpected, but realistic and I shall be looking for more of her work.
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Mar 11th, 2011
A friend recommended this one. It is a book of (longish) short stories. Nine all together. I preferred the ones that had a female point of view Lohrey does a great job of getting inside her character’s heads and writing their innermost thoughts – like the sexual fantasy in ‘Primates’. The stories felt very real [...]