Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert

Eat Pray Love
Elizabeth Gilbert

I did not choose this book voluntarily, it was forced upon me by my bookclub. The girl who recommended it did so knowing I’d object to it.A messy divorce followed immediately by a breakdown of a short yet intense love affair, caused a spiral in Liz Gilbert that ended in a meltdown. In order to recover she decides to go abroad for a year spending up to four months in three different countries: Italy (purely to indulge in pleasure), India (to live in a small Ashram devoting herself to reaching divinity) and finally Bali (to live close to an old medicine man who once read her palm). So far a clichéd formulae guaranteed to get her on Oprah – Oh wait Liz Gilbert was on Oprah!
I really thought it was going to be a torturous read with enough spiritual mumbo jumbo to irritate my skeptical mind. My irritation was further inflamed when I found out there was going to be a month’s wait at my local library to get a copy. Thankfully they had the audio Cds, unabridged and read by the author. From that day on I listened to Liz read me her story, one single prayer bead at a time. She climbed into the passenger seat every morning for our long drive to work and waited patiently for me to return in the evening picking up where she left off. She tells her story with clarity and stripped-bare honesty and happily, repeated passages I did not understand. She is gracious and respectful towards the countries and the people who are hosting her; thankful for the part each one of them plays in her long healing process. In each country, she takes care in sharing their folklore, myths and customs, revealing to her readers the heartbeat that is unique to each country.
I love this book. I am touched by Gilbert’s sincerity and willingness to bare all. Even though our life experiences are vastly different, I find myself agreeing and identifying with many things Gilbert writes about. My one criticism was with how much bigger simple experiences were described. I have travelled through both Italy and Bali and never thought the food or the locals were as amazing as they were in this book. I guess that’s why I love books, it allows me an entry into another person’s world, lets me walk in their shoes and see their world through their paradigm. I am still going to be skeptical about books trumpeted by Oprah, but in this case I am willing to admit I made a mistake.

Fear The Worst - Linwood Barclay

Fear The Worst
Linwood Barclay
Orion

How would you feel showing up to where you thought your daughter had been working all summer only to be told she never worked there. Worst still how would you feel if your daughter was now missing? This is the nightmare Tim Blake, a Toyota car salesman, faces when his 17-year-old daughter Sydney who was staying with him for the summer, goes to work one day and fails to come home. So begins a mystery with more high speed twists and turns than the wildest rollercoaster. At every turn, there are new complications and more question marks all of which conspire to keep Tim away from finding his daughter.

At the heart of the story is Tim’s overwhelming love for his daughter and his guilt at not having been the best possible father to her. As he delves deeper into his daughter’s disappearance, he finds out Syd and her friends may have been involved in some shady business lead by very dangerous people. These people, Tim soon finds out are just as determined as he is to find Syd.
Fear the Worst is a rollicking page-turner that sticks to the reader’s fingers like superglue and refuse to let go till the very last page.

The uncommon reader - Alan Bennett

The uncommon reader
Alan Bennett

This whimsical and heartwarmingly original story set in England, is about the queen’s passion for reading.
When the queen stumbles across a traveling library visiting the palace, she feels compelled to borrow a book more out of a sense of duty than any particular interest. Had she anticipated how this simple task would change her life she may have reconsidered her choice. She falls in love with reading, taking every opportunity to immerse herself into characters, far off places and lives far different to her own. To her surprise not only do her staff not share her passion but disapprove of it. For HRH to have a hobby is to be exclusive, she is told, because it made her appear to be preferential towards certain groups of people. Undeterred the queen becomes ever more eager to race through her official duties and get back to her books leaving her subjects, staff and dogs at a loss.
In his quirky and very British style, Bennett questions our passion for reading. ‘Just like a writer finds it impossible to stop writing, a lover of books finds it impossible to not be passionate about reading.’ The ending of the book with its sharp and witty twist carries a surprising punch.
A truly delightful tale that is sure to anchor itself into many book lovers hearts.

The Australian Long Story - Mandy Sayer

The Australian Long Story
Mandy Sayer (editor)
Hamish Hamilton

Mandy Sayer describes a long story as one between 10-50000 words and long enough to have subplots but not long enough to be a standalone book. In this collection, Sayer has assembled the heavy weights of the Australian literate for a compellation that is eclectic in both storyline and execution of its plots.
Sayer has chosen seven Australian authors who have written long stories set in Australia. The collection begins with David Malouf, one of the elders in Australian authors and concludes with one of the new rising stars, Nam Le. Her aim in choosing this collection is to present the reader a sample of Australian literature; introduce and sample a voice they had not read; and to celebrate the emergence and growth of storytelling that is uniquely our own.
Aside from Le, Winton and Goldsworthy, I had not read any of the other authors. Lyrical and Surreal, Peter Carey’s ‘The Chance’ set in a futuristic world was probably the most surprising. Daunted by Carey’s literary supremacy, I had till now shied away from his work. His confidence and great assurance in his writing, for me at least, set him apart and certified his ascendancy. As for my favourite, if pressed to choose I would pick two: the whimsical and funny ‘Ten Anecdotes About Lord Howe Island’ by Louise Nowra and Peter Goldsworthy’s haunting yet lovingly told story of parents faced with the terminal illness of their child in ‘Jesus wants me for a sunbeam’.
If looking for a tightly constructed collection of Australian literature, then it would be hard pressed to go past The Australian Long Story.

Town - James Roy

Town
James Roy
UQP

Set in a fictional town, Town is a string of thirteen linked stories revolving around the lives of the young adults who live there. Each character is diverse in their background, personality, gender and age thus illustrating the characteristics of the town and the individual struggles, wants and desires of its residents.
Town is also an illustration of no matter what our background, we all share the common need for love, security, acceptance and a sense of belonging. Many of the stories revolved around family ties that bind or drive us apart. Amongst the thirteen stories, there is at least one character that the reader will recognize or identify with which proves that despite our outward appearances, deep down we are not all that different from one another.

The Story Of Tom Brennan - JC Burke

The Story of Tom Brennan
JC Burke
Random

Tom Brennan and his family are forced to leave their home in the small town of Mumbilli, and move in with their grandmother in the nearby town of Coghill. Their move follows a tragedy involving Tom’s brother Daniel after a night of celebration. Feeling trapped and claustrophobic Tom is haunted daily by the memory of the tragedy. Throughout the story each member of the Brennan family struggles to come to terms with their new situation. At the same time Burke slowly reveals the dark side of Daniel’s character that had lead to the tragedy.
The Story of Tom Brennan is both a coming of age book and an illustration of how quickly the trajectory of our lives can change over a single incident. Tom and his family must come to terms with the new course their lives have taken and learn to tap into their inner strength to help them survive it.
This book is also a meditation on our innate need to belong, to love and find acceptance. It is an ode to the human spirit and its ability to rise under the most trying circumstances.

Came Back To Show You I Could Fly - Robin Klein

Came Back To Show You I Could Fly
Robin Klein
Puffin

I first read this book as a teenager. It was the summer holidays and feeling bored and hot I picked this book up for lack of something better to do. Fifteen years later when it was chosen for our bookclub, I had only a vague memory of the plot. It has become a habit with our little group to choose youth fiction. Maybe its the ability of YA to probe into dark and serious topics with eloquent subtlety that often make them a favourite with our small group.

Shy, reserved 11-year-old Seymour is dumped by his over controlling mother to spend his summer holidays with a fussy guardian. Seymour finds himself bored, frustrated and confined to his guardian’s house. By chance he meets Angela whom he finds glamorous, beautiful and bubbly. He is flattered by her attentions and her willingness to take him with herself on outings. What Seymour does not realize however, under her happy exterior, Angela is hiding a dark secret. Klein shows great mastery in slowly unfolding Angela’s secret through her interactions with Seymour and with letters placed at the end of chapters like small clues for the reader to decipher.

Came Back to Show You I Could Fly delves into the destructive nature of drugs and how it crushes not only the lives of its users but also their families. Trust breaks down, relationships are destroyed and lives are ruined as the addiction takes hold over its victims’ lives.

Black Like Me - J H Griffin

Black Like Me
John Howard Griffin
Granada

This is the diary of a journalist who for six weeks lived as a black man in New Orleans and Mississippi during the early 1960’s. As part of his experiment Griffin visited various establishments: chemists, cafes, retail outfits first as a white man and later as a black person. He recorded the difference in the attitude of the sales clerks who served him each time he visited these establishments. It confused and bewildered Griffin as to how the same clerks could display such contempt and hatred towards blacks while treating their white counterparts with pleasant and courteous consideration.

‘My revulsion turned to grief that my own people could give the hate stare, could shrivel men’s souls, could deprive humans of rights they unhesitatingly accord their livestock.’

Griffin took care to demonstrate not all whites treated blacks with animosity. However due to the suffocating atmosphere in the South, none except a few brave whites were willing to speak out in empathy with the blacks. Blacks in turn treated the whites with distrust and suppressed contempt, turning their features blank whenever a white person spoke to them.

In my opinion Griffin showed great courage to see his experiment to the end and then showed even greater courage to publish his experiences. There were times as a black man that he felt trapped and unsafe amongst the whites. He s a black, Griffin endured unprovoked 'hate stares' from otherwise ordinarily good, upstanding whites and experienced the raw base human behavior that was almost primal in its treatment of another race.

Black Like Me is a facinating sudy of the internal prejudices we carry and remains as timely today as when it was penned almost 50 years ago.

The Ghost at The Wedding - Shirley Walker

The Ghost at the Wedding
Shirley Walker
Viking

A lyrical memoir written with great tenderness, The Ghost at the Wedding is an imaginative retelling of Jessie Walker’s family truth. In parts where facts fall short or time has eroded, Walker’s imagination has stepped in to fill in the gaps and breathe soul into the characters. Through family photos, letters, anecdotes and Jessie’s paintings in her later life, The Ghost at the Wedding Spans two generations, of the Walker family through two world wars as they survive hardship, disappointments, death, betrayal and sorrow.

Unlike most war books that concentrate on the battles and the soldier’s experiences, The Ghost at the Wedding reflects on the generation of women who saw their brothers and loved ones go off to war in search of adventure whilst the women stayed behind and mourned their absence. Upon the soldier’s return, the women picked up the pieces of their broken bodies and grieved for the ones who never made it back. As their lives continued along its path one generation of men lost to the Great War was soon replaced with another who grew and fought in the next war.

The Ghost at the Wedding is a poignant snapshot of Australian history retold through this beautifully reconstructed memoir that should rightfully be treasured by all Australians.

My Mistress's Sparrow Is Dead - Jeffrey Eugenides

My Mistress's Sparrow is Dead

Jeffrey Eugenides

Harper Perennial



The moment I love best about any book, is the moment I start the first sentence. That sense of anticipation when starting something new. It's the moment when I open myself to a whole new discovery of characters, plot and settings. It's also an intimate conversation with the author, a small personal confession perhaps or an admission of values whispered through dialogue between characters.



I don't tend to read anthologies of short stories. I only bought 'My mistress's sparrow is dead' because I accidently spilled coffee over it and felt compelled to purchase it. But what a great find it turned out to be! In this anthology of love stories, Eugenides has brought together an eclectic collection of both well known as well some lesser known authors.



I cannot imagine why I had not gravitated towards anthologies before. They are like a beautiful jewelry box that presents you with a new treasure every time you open it. Each story repeated for me the trill of a new begining, a cast of new characters and a whole new backdrop waiting to be discovered. It was like a ten course meal, presented with humility and muted fanfare.



Although I enjoyed most of the stories, some did bore me which is another thing I found wonderful about such anthologies. If the story failed to grab me in the first couple of paragraphs, I just skipped to the next one and started the journey of discovery all over again.



The only disadvantage I can think of with such anthologies is, how can one review a book with 27 stories, each written by a different author? Although Anton Chekhov's story was clearly my favourite in both prose and plot, I did enjoy most of the others in the collection as well. My mistress's sparrow is dead, is a great collection to keep by your bedside and open at anytime and at any story. Most are short enough to be finished in around 30 minutes, so you can pick it up in between books or when you are looking for something to read over a cup of coffee. And if the story does not match your mood, then you can let your fingers and eyes roam like a pair of talismen, till they lead you to one that does.

Censoring An Iranian Love Story - Shahriar Mandanipour

Censoring An Iranian Love Story
Shahriar Mandanipour
Little Brown

It's no easy feat writing a love story at the best of times. It is doubly hard if you are an Iranian writer hoping to have your book published in the Islamic Republic. The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance take a serious view towards protecting the Iranian people from illicit phrases that may lead their thoughts and imaginations astray. This is the challenge the narrator of the book faces as he weaves the relationship between two young lovers Dara and Sara.

Woven in between the love story and the daily frustrations of the narrator, are subplots that draw the reader into the poetry and stories deeply rooted in the Persion mythology. At times these subplots work, at times they become confusing. This could be the fault of the translation - this book was originally written in Farsi- or it could be because some things lose their original meaning once translated.

Censoring An Iranian Love Story is at times darkly comic, at times disturbing and at times a frustrating read. It's a satirical sketch of the hypocracy the authorities perpetrate to maintain a public image of protecting the Iranians who may otherwise fall prey to impure thoughts. I found the ending disappointingly unsatisfactory but otherwise Censoring an Iranian Love Story, is an interesting meditation of modern life in Iran.

The Year Of The FLood- Margaret Atwood

The Year Of The Flood
Margaret Atwood

Bizarre, nonsensical and totally bohemian. But it works! With The Year Of The Flood just like Oryx And Crake, Atwood has done away with conventional story telling and has decided to instead take the reader on a roller coaster ride into a futuristic world where the ruling power exert their supremacy with questionable ethics.

The book begins at the end, after the Waterless Floods have been unleashed and the human race has become extinct. Amongst those who have survived are Toby, an ex-counter sales clerk at SecretBurger and Ren a trapeze dancer at Scales and Tails. At one stage both Toby and Ren were members of The God's Gardeners, a religious group devoted to respecting the commands of the living world. Headed by Adam One, the God's Gardeners are tolerated by the CorpSeCorps (the ruling elite driven by increasing profit share at all cost) because they are not considered a threat. Adam One has long predicted the floods and under his saintly songs and holy teachings, the Gardeners are prepared for its tidal wave. Now barricaded in the Anoo Yoo Spa and locked in the solitary confinement room in Scales and Tails, Toby & Ren reminisce of their days with the Gardeners and contemplate how they are going to survive.

Oryx and Crake was the first Atwood book I had read and it completely blew me away. It still remains as one of my all time favourite books. When I heard there is a sequel, I could not wait to get my hands on it. Maybe I had too high an expectation of this book, and hence was a little disappointed when it did not hit the same high notes as Oryx and Crake. But that should not have really surprised me. Atwood does not seem the type of writer who would mearly imitate the same idea throughout several books. Atwood's imagination, her clever use of words, and the intelligent way she pens her stories continue to keep me in awe of her.

The Year Of The Flood is fun and at times disturbing. It is an eerie reminder of the delicate nature of our ecosystem and how close we are to destroying it.

Then - Morris Gleitzman

Then
Morris Gleitzman
Penguin

Once and its sequel, Then are harrowing and beautifully told stories of ten year old Felix; a Jewish boy caught in the midst of the Holocaust. Similar to The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas and equally as good, Once and Then are told through the eyes of Felix, illustrating with child like purity the senselessness of war.

Once opens with Felix in a catholic orphanage where his parents had placed him in 1939. Two years later he escapes the orphanage to find the world outside changed dramatically. He suddenly found himself alone and on the run. He met Zelda, whose parents - Nazi sympathisers - were murdered by the polish resistance and the two become unlikely companions.

In Then, we are reunited with Felix and Zelda when they jump off a train destined for a death camp and find themselves in a village occupied by the Nazis. In the climax of the book, Felix's own values are challenged. He has to choose as to whether he allows his pain to turn into hatred towards the Nazi aggressors or stay true to himself.

I read these books when my son brought them home as part of his English text. I am glad there are books illustrating the horrors of the past wrtten for young readers, so the future generation may hopefully not repeat them in the future.

Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi
Vintage

A graphic memoir published originally in French, Persepolis is a timeline of Satrapi's life. Outspoken, strong headed and savvy, Satrapi describes the revolution, Iran/Iraq war and her period of exile in Vienna with finesse, humour and great intelligence. This is an unflinching memoir retold through often witty illustrations and with great honesty. Satrapi does not pull any punches, criticizing both the Shah's and Islamic Republic regimes for its abuse of human rights and its hypocrisy.

I really enjoyed reading Persepolis. I saw my own thoughts and experiences growing up as a young girl in Iran reflected back at me through this moving memoir. It was amazing how parralel our lives were: both born in the same year, grew up in North Tehran and attended bilingual schools. Our parents marched in the same demonstrations and were bitterly dissapointed when their dreams of democracy turned into dust. Maybe that's why this book struck a cord with me.

Persepolis remains a timely book and a must read for anyone interested in Iran and her troubled history

American Rust - Philipp Meyer

American Rust

Philipp Meyer

A&U




American Rust is a story of unfulfilled dreams; a story of a town raised on the back of a steel factory and its slow death once the factory closes down. Set against the natural beauty of Pennsylvania, Meyer paints the aftermath of economic downturn on people once their livelihood is taken away.


Isaac and Poe are two young men bound to the town by their families, responsibilities and its natural beauty. They both dream of a future away from the shackles that keeps them from moving forward. A violent act however sets them on a course that threatens to trap them further into the very life they wish to escape.


What I liked best about this book is that the characters are real with everyday ambitions and frailties. There are no heroes overcoming super human situations. Just regular people with simple dreams of college, family, love and a happy home life.


Told with empathy and great insight, American Rust a hugely ambitious book for a first time writer. Meyer however has managed to execute his task to perfection. It is a timely book given the recent collapse of GM and the closing of factories in US and abroad.

Goodnight Mister Tom - Michelle Magorian

Goodnight Mister Tom
Michelle Magorian
Puffin


It soon became apparent at our first bookclub meeting that I was the only one who had not read Goodnight Mister Tom, so it was quickly decided that it should be our first bookclub book. I bought it the very next day and immediately fell in love with timid Willie Beech and the reclusive Tom Oakley.


On the brink of declaring war on Hitler's Germany, and in anticipation of the bombings, the British children are evacuated from the major cities into the countryside. The sleepy village is soon crowded with an influx of children from London. Amongst them is Willie Beech, shy, undernourished and afraid. It does not take long for Tom to discover that Willie has left behind a horrific family life and Tom finds himself in the position of not only tending to Willie's physical needs but also his emotional ones. Under Mister Tom's guardianship, Willie grows and blossoms, discovering talents that had been dwarfed by his upbringing. His ability to love and trust swells and together they rediscover love and enter a relationship rich and rewarding.


It is impossible not to love this book. At times Willie's suffering was so sad it was difficult to continue reading. I feel however the novel would have had a stronger finish had it ended soon after Tom goes to London in search of Willie and discovers the shocking truth of Willie's home life. The last couple of chapters were a tad unnecessary and in my opinion detracted from the climax of the book.

Marcelo in the Real World - Francisco X Stork

Marcelo in the Real World
Francisco X Stork
Arthur A Levine Books


Marcelo Sandoval is different from other seventeen year old boys- he hears music in his head, has a perverse interest in religion, owns 100's of classical music CDs and sleeps in a tree house at his family home. When spoken to, Marcelo takes longer to process what is said before responding and when speaking about himself refers to himself in the third person. As a result he is often mistaken for being slow. In the private school he attends, Marcelo is classified as having a ''development disorder", an autism-like condition.


Marcelo's father never believed in his son's condition and feels Marcelo has been over protected. He wants him to join him in his law firm over the summer rather than look after the ponies at his school for kids with special needs as Marcelo had hoped. At his fathers law firm Marcelo meets Jasmine, beautiful and free spirited, as well as Wendell, the son of his father's partner.


At the law firm, Marcelo is thrust into an environment where desire, envy, cruelty and greed live along side kindness and compassion. He temporarily loses his inner music as he is forced to recognise and react to situations instantly rather than take his time to slowly analyse them. The complexities of daily human interactions confuse him but he eventually learns that not everything can be neatly separated into right or wrong - that there are grey areas where ones morals are challenged.


Marcelo in the real world is a moving, beautifully told coming of age story. As the story unfolds, I felt an urge to protect Marcelo from the "real" world he is forced to deal with. It was heart breaking to watch Marcelo recognise that the world is a difficult place, but at the same time, heart warming to see him discover that he can still find his sense of belonging and hence his inner music by staying true to himself.

Butterfly - Sonya Hartnett

Butterfly
Sonya Hartnett
Penguin


I have always enjoyed coming of age stories; there is a purity of truth about them that I really find appealing. They conjure up old memories and forgotten insecurities that at the time I had felt were uniquely my own. Set in an Australian suburban neighborhood in the 70's Butterfly is one such story.


Plum Coyle is on the cusp of turning 14. She considers her approaching birthday as the start of a new beginning, a shedding of her old self. Until now her best friends have treated her as the least important member of their group. Plum feels tolerated rather than accepted by them. To protect herself she collects small objects - a fanta yoyo, an ABBA badge, a glass lamb, an old penny - and hides them in a small chest under her bed. She pulls them out when she needs them, holding them in her hand like a talisman, using their hidden powers to give her strength.


Plum lives with her parents and her two older brothers - Justin and Cyder - whom she adores. Across from her lives her sophisticated neighbour Maureen with her young son David and her often absent husband. Maureen is everything Plum wishes she could be and when Maureen befriends her, Plum thinks she has found the mentor who will propel her into a new life of popularity.


In Butterfly, Hartnett has not pulled any punches, tackling head on the sensitive subjects of deceit, turbulent teenage years - with its insecurities and uncertainties- and the regret of past choices with delicacy and razor sharp insight.


This is my second book of Sonya Hartnett, the first being The Silver Donkey. It took a little while for me to get into Butterfly but by the end, my patience was rewarded. Its great to come across authors such as Hartnett who are not afraid to tackle a diverse range of topics. It is even better when these talented story tellers are Australian!

The Cellist Of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway

The Cellist of Sarajevo
Steven Galloway
Text


One of my greatest disappointments in not being able to attend 2008's Brisbane Writer's Festival, was the chance to meet Steven Galloway and hear him talk about the events that inspired his lyrical novel, The Cellist of Sarajevo.


There are many dark stains throughout the history of man. One of our greatest shames was to witness the atrocities committed during the siege of Sarajevo and do nothing to help her people. Like the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 , the world looked on as the Serbian army turned against the city during a four year siege. Between April 1992 and February 1996, the soldiers burrowed into the hills surrounding the city, shelling the city while snipers took arbitrary shots at innocent people as they crossed the street.


The Cellist of Sarajevo was inspired by real life events. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, a cellist living above a bread shop witnessed 22 people killed by a mortar while waiting to buy bread. The next day, the cellist at precisely 4 pm and dressed in a tuxedo walked out of his building, sat where the mortar hit and played a rendition of Bach's Adagio in G minor. For the next 22 days at precisely 4pm, the cellist continued to play the same piece in the memory of each of the people killed there. As the news of the cellist spread, each day people gathered to hear him play, some leaving flowers. In a city gripped with fear and violence the cellist became a reminder of what was once good about the city and its people.


For three of the city's residents: Arrow (A sniper asked to protect the Cellist), Dragon (an elderly man wanting to cross a road targeted by snipers) and Kenon (a family man risking his life to get water for his family), the cellist awakened a part of themselves they had thought was permanently lost to the war. Through his selfless gift the cellist gave back to his city, unlocking in them the deep resilience that throughout history had been responsible for rebuilding cities and lives after years of war and devastation.


Poinant, lyrical and inspiring, The Cellist of Sarajevo is a story that will warm the heart and make us question how we wish to live our lives. Its about resiliance and the triumph of the human spirit; how it is fed, nourished and kept alive despite being surrounded by heartbreak.


If you're only going to read one book this year, make sure its The Cellist of Sarajevo.

The Boat - Nam Le

The Boat
Nam Le
Hamish Hamilton

Nam Le's book of short stories, hit our stores under a great umbrella of praise from the literary society. It was picked by book the 'The Tuesday Bookclub' and was the first book chosen for the 'Debra Camron' (702 ABC Radio) bookclub.


Graduate of the Iowa Writer's Workshop, Le has written a collection of unique stories, each with their own tempo and heartbeat. The writing is lyrical and descriptive, taking time to slowly allow the reader a portal view into the background of each character. Le shows great talent in weaving charactors as diverse as a Colombian hit man living life on the edge; an elderly artist in New York struggling to renew a connection with his daughter; and a teenage boy in a small Australian fishing town dealing with his mother's illness.


Like bookends his two stories about the Vietnamese experiences were by far the most poinant and heartbreaking of the anthologies. I once read that each person has a story in their past that if they told you, would break your heart. Its hard to imagine that Le's own family experiences reflects the experiences depicted in the two stories.


Le is clearly talented and his stories are well crafted. I really wanted to be awe inspired by his stories, but i'm afraid aside from the two Vietnamese ones, the rest left me cold. Most of them had an ambigous ending as if the story simply folded without reaching a resolution. Maybe that was the aim of Le: to confuse us into not forgetting his stories, or maybe I was just not clever enough to follow the ending the author intended me to conclude. Either way, not having a satisfactory resolution retracted from my overall enjoyment.

The Likeness - Tana French

The Likeness
Tana French
Hodder

Detective Cassie Maddox is back, this time without Rob (her previous partner from Tana French's first book The Woods).

In this sequal a young woman is found murdered and Cassie's boyfriend Sam is called in to investigate. He arrives to find the victim is the spitting image of Cassie and what's even more strange, the victim's identity card identifies the victim as Lexie Maddox - Cassie's undercover name on an assignment years ago.

The victim shared an old house with four other students from Trinity college. Secretive and insular, the five stuck close to one another at the exclusion of all others. With no suspect or clues as to the murderer, Cassie's boss Frank Mackey convinces her to go under cover again - this time in the place of the murdered girl.

French with only two books, has already established herself as a master story teller. The story unfolds slowly, with each chapter revealing another piece to the overall puzzle surrounding the case. Throughout the story tension is built with great skill through the characters and the seamless changing of an atmospheric backdrop.

This book will stick to you and wont let you go till the very last page. Tana French's future promises to be bright and I for one look forward to read more books from this promising author.

Jasper Jones - Craig Silvey

Jasper Jones
Craig Silvey

After three disappointing books in a row, my husband finally shoved 'Jasper Jones' in my hands and simply said

'You will love it'. And I did.

In fact I loved it so much I asked for three copies: one for me, one for my mother-in-law and one for my parents so there will be no fights over who will read it next.

Laura Wishart is missing and only two people know where she is: Jasper Jones and Charlie Bucktin. Charlie Bucktin, a bookish, deep thinking thirteen year old is startled one night by a knock on his window. Outside stood Jasper Jones, an outcast of mixed blood who lived with his drunken, often absent father. Charlie is surprised when Jasper tells him he needs his help and against his better judgement follows Jasper to his secret place by the river. There Charlie discovers something that make his stomach slide and sink like a brick.

After a string of disappointing books (some of which I did not bother to finish) 'Jasper Jones' once again restored my faith in the publishing industry. It is a coming of age story set in a small Australian rural mining town during the Vietnam war which starts closing on itself as fear and suspician takes hold. It is a gem of a story that will both break your heart and uplift your spirits. Despite his young age, Silvey has achieved in 'Jasper Jones' an intelligent, witty and insightful meditation on life and our role in it.life and our role in it.

For me, 'Jasper Jones' was a sheer joy to read.

Sepulchre - Kate Mosse

Sepulchre

Kate Mosse

Could someone please tell me why author's with a brilliant first book feel the need to follow it up with an almost identical one? Don't they know intelligent readers are attracted to not only brilliant writing but also to an original theme - that unique element that is the pulse of the story. Personally, if the author fails to deliver something fresh or something that does not make the me feel my loyalty to the author has been rewarded, then that author risks losing a loyal fan forever!

I loved Mosse's first book 'Labrynth' so much I wanted to name my next baby Alais after it's heroine (Alas I have so far been blessed with boys). In Sepulchre, Mosse repeated the themes that had gelled so well in her first book. The setting is once again in two time frames and locations, bound together by an ancient mystery in the form of sepulchre and a deck of Tarot cards. Similarly the antagonists are increadibly attractive with striking eyes and black, manipulating hearts. The heroines - again one lives in the late last century and the other unlocks the clues in the modern day France - are innocent females with a sharp intellect and the ability to rise against all odds in the face of extreme danger.

Yawn

The two books were so ridiculously similar in format and theme, it made me regret not sticking to my 'One book per author' policy.

I abandoned Sepulchre after persevering with it for 200 pages. Hence I will never know if it managed to redeem itself by the last page.

Pulishers take note. You are selling your audience short.There are far too many great gems waiting for their chance to impress to waist time on a repeat of an already explored theme. As a devoted book reader, I'd rather see author's take their time and come up with something original and fresh rather than feel duped into buying something that has been rushed through to cash in on the author's last brilliant work.

Could someone please tell me why author's with a brilliant book feel the need to follow it up with an almost identical one? Don't they know intelligent readers are attracted to not only to brilliant writing but also to an original theme - that unique element that is the pulse of the story. If the author fails to deliver something fresh or something that does not make the reader feel their loyalty to the author has been rewarded, then that author risks losing a loyal fan forever!



I loved Mosse's first book 'Labrynth' so much I wanted to name my next baby Alais after it's heroine (Alas I have so far only been blessed with boys). In Sepulchre, Mosse repeated the themes that had gelled so well in her first book. The setting is once again in two time frames and locations, bound together by an ancient mystery in the form of sepulchre and a deck of Tarot cards. Similarly the antagonists are increadibly attractive with stricking eyes and black, manipulating hearts. The heroines - again one lives in the late last century and the other unlocks the clues in the modern day France - are innocent females with sharp intellect and the ability to rise against all odds and in the face of extreme danger.



Yawn



The two books were so ridiculously similar in format, it made me regret not sticking to my 'One book per author' policy. I abandoned Sepulchre after persevering with it for 200 pages. Hence I will never know if it managed to redeem itself by the last page.



Pulishers take note. You are selling your audience short.



There are far too many great gems waiting for their chance to impress to waist time on a repeat of an already explored theme.



As a devoted book reader, I'd rather author's took their time and come up with something original and fresh rather than feel duped into buying something that has been rushed through to cash in on the author's last brilliant work.

The Wolf of Wall Street - Jordan Belfort

The Wolf of Wall Street
Jordan Belfort

The day Jordan Belfort entered the surreal prism of Wall Street his life did a wild u-turn. From that day Belfort lived his life like a fast train set on a high speed collision course. In his own words
'I lived like a king and partied like a rockstar.'

Three chapters in to 'The Wolf of Wall Street' and I was in no doubt why so many 'Kings' and 'Rockstars' end up in rehab.

Written in a sharp, coarse language (enough to make any Granny turn crimson to the tips of their ears), Belfort describes his destructive life as he rose in the ranks of stockbrokers to ultimately own his own stock broking firm, Stratton Oakmont. In Belfort's world Money was the only God. He popped uppers, downers and pain relief tablets like lollies, provided prostitutes as perks to his young employees and manipulated the market right under the nose of the regulators.

'The Wolf of Wall Street' is a testostrone charged tale of an over sexed, pill popping, manipulating stock broker who made it to the top only to realise (on those rare occasions when he was sober) that he did not really like the view! Reading this book I couldn't help thinking that Belfort wrote this book not as a penance but instead to massage his ego with a brag story.

The Secret Speech - Tom Rob Smith

The Secret Speech
Tom Rob Smith
Simon & Schuster

Former MGB officer Leo Demidov returns in this fast paced action packed novel. Three years after Child 44, the Soviet Union is undergoing dramatic change. Stalin is dead and his successor Khrushchev pledges an end to the violent regime via a secret speech. A speech that once known to the general public, will reveal the extent of the cruelty and torture inflicted on the Soviet people.

In the midst of such potential upheavel, Leo finds himself yet on another impossible mission, fighting to save his family and himself from the ghosts of his past. He travels from the Siberian Gulags, to the belly of the Soviet underworld and finally the Hungarian revolution.

Throughout the book Smith raises some interesting questions. At times of great cruelty and injustice, who are the people that are really to blame: The system that allows and even encourages such behaviour; the perpetrators that actively take part in it; or those who stand by and do nothing. All dictators manage to reign through fear and the reluctance of masses to do anything. One cannot exist without the other, hence when serving out punshment, how wide should the net be spread?

Another issue which I found interesting was the effect of long term anger and bitterness on the individual's heart. Freara's (Leo's antagonist) single minded revenge on losing her child had blackened her heart to the point that she seemed void of any other human emotion with devastating result.

After reading Child 44 I had high expectations from this book which unfortunately for me Smith did not meet. He did not offer the reader anything new, just more of the same as Child 44. The Secret Speech is still a thoroughly enjoyable read delivered at a fast and furious pace in short punchy chapters.

For me, it was good but not great, enjoyable but not special.

Towelhead - Alicia Erian

Towelhead
Alicia Erian
Headline Review

Jasira, a 13 year old Arab-American girl has been sent by her mother to live with the Lebanese father she barely knows. Jasira is not happy living with her father; he alienates her with his strict rules, harsh punishments and lack of affection. Alone and confused about her rapidly changing body she looks to people around her to fill the void. She meets her neighbour Melina who becomes Jasira’s confidant and protector, taking on the parental responsibilities neglected by Jasira’s parents. She also meets Mr. Vuoso, an Army reservist whose inappropriate attentions escalate to abuse.

Towelhead challenges the reader by not shying away from often uncomfortable and evocative subjects. The title was a little misleading as I had wrongly assumed it was about the difficulties of growing up Muslim in America during the first Gulf War- something similar to ‘Does my head look too big in this.’

Jasira’s character is surprisingly unsophisticated and ignorant towards her changing body. After all what 13 year old American girl does not know about tampons? Aside from the media advertising and programs, schools spend a lot of time educating the kids about their changing bodies and appropriate and inappropriate touching.

Towelhead now a Hollywood movie staring Toni Collett, makes for a confronting but not always believable read.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
David Wroblewski
4th Estate

The Sawtelle’s live on a remote farm where they train dogs and then when old enough place them into homes. Gar and Trudy after many attempts finally have a son. Edgar, a smart and otherwise healthy child has never had the power of speech. When his father dies under suspicious circumstances, Edgar initially blames himself till on a stormy night he is visited by the ghost of his father.

Wroblewski’s first novel is lucky enough to have the stamp most authors can only dream about – Oprah Book Club. For me however it was the write up at the back of the book by Stephen King that peaked my curiosity. He wrote‘I closed the book with that regret readers feel only after experiencing the best stories…I wont read one this good for a long time.’ I too had felt the same ache many times before, a deep regret equal to parting with a close friend. Such expectations probably added to my deep disappointment when I read this highly praised novel. Long passages, though beautifully crafted and executed in lyrical perfection, dragged on to the extent that made me wish for more assertive editing. Equally I found endless scenes and explanations on dog breeding and training, tedious and arduous read. If I was not on holiday and my readily supply of books, I would have moved on to a different book within the first 100 pages.

Fortunately the pace and the narrative of the book lifted in the second half of the book when Edgar escapes home with three of his dogs. For the first time I slowed down my reading, not so impatient to finish it. Incredibly unlike the slow pace throughout the book, the ending was rushed, leaving me bewildered by how the story folded into itself.

When my husband asked me to describe my feelings towards the book, I compared The Story of Edgar Sawtelle to Prince’s greatest hits double album – It would have made a great single album!

What is America - Ronald Wright

What is America: A Short History of the New World Order
Ronald Wright
Text

How did America, transform from a frontier country to the lone super power in just over two centuries? How do America’s claims to be the most modern and democratic country in the world, stand up to scrutiny whilst Middle America – The Backwoods America – remains the stronghold for the religious right?

In ‘What is America’, Wright traces the origins of America back to its original Indigenous Americans – the great Aztec and Incas civilizations. Wright explains that these empires were not conquered by the Spaniards until the small pox. In future years, the small pox and other white man’s diseases were deliberately reintroduced whenever they were faced with strong indigenous opposition.In one generation, the American Indian’s population was reduced to just a tenth of its size, mainly through white man’s diseases.

In the first century of their settlement, the white leaders made 370 treaties with the Indians and proceeded to break them all. Aside from breaking all their promises, the white settlers continued to enslave, massacre and drive the indigenous population off their lands. The settlers justified their actions by demonizing the Indians, calling them savages and condemning their beliefs as devil worshipping. It’s interesting to note, echoes of such tactics are still evident in the current US “War on Terror”. Sadly, as Wright notes, such methods give “all repressive regimes of both right and left an excuse for their own atrocities.”What is America is a captivating read about the colonial culture of America and its influence on how America is perceived in the eyes of the world. My one criticism is that I found the book far too brief (There are only 9 chapters and the last third of the book is taken up with notes). I would have liked to have read a more in depth commentary on the state of America during the past century – and its influence on the rest of the world- than what Wright offered.

An enjoyable read but unfortunately the length of the book left me unsatisfied.

Breath - Tim Winton

Breath
Tim Winton
PenguinBruce

Pike (Pikelet) is a paramedic who knows only too well what it’s like to be young, arrogant and addicted to extreme sports. As a teenager, he and his best friend Looney grew up in the small sawmill town of Sawyer. They sought escape from the ‘ordinariness’ of the town’s life by flirting with death, daring one another to surf in conditions which pushed the boundaries and placed their lives in danger. As young boys Pikelet and Looney took their lead from legendary surfer and mentor, Sando. By taking them to breaks other locals find too dangerous to surf, Sando fuels the boys’ curiosity for adventure and risk. His American wife Eva, also once shared Sando’s passion for extreme sports. She was a free style ski jumper till an accident ended her career and left her bitter and lame. No longer being able to ‘fool with death’ she turned to darker habits, involving Pikelet in her dangerous games.

At once rhythmic and tender, Breath is more than just a meditation on surfing. It’s about human frailty, the blurring of escaping the ordinariness of life and taking unnecessary risks.

Breath is possible not the author's best work but the simple clarity of Winton's story telling makes for a very enjoyable read.

Dreams of My Father - Barack Obama

Dreams of My Father
Barack Obama
Text Publishing

Barack Obama’s lyrical memoir was written in 1991 after he had become the first African-American president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review. The election attracted some media attention and an invitation by a New York publisher to publish his memoir.The book opens with the young Barack receiving a call from a distant aunt in Kenya with the news of his father’s death. The son of a white shy mid-western girl and a black African father, his parents divorce when Barack was very young. His mother remarried an Indonesian man Lolo, and the family moved to Indonesia. Barack attends the local school and fondly recalls running barefoot with the local kids.Concerned about Barack’s education, his mother moved him back to Hawaii. He found himself in a unique situation of being a black child raised by white mother and grandparents. He did not have the usual hang-ups of other black kids who were descendents of African slaves. Yet in his teens, Barack became acutely aware of the ‘shackles of his skin colour’. Existing in the periphery of both black and white cultures and yet not belonging to either lead to anger and confusion in him. His father remained an enigma, existing only in the stories told to him ‘each one seamless, burnished smooth from repeated use’ by his mother, grandparents and later still by his half siblings.Before being accepted into Harvard, Barack worked as a community organiser in one of Chicago’s poorest black neighbourhoods. He writes eloquently and with refreshing honesty about the frustrations of trying to galvanize the community to bring better schooling, housing and health care to the neighbourhood.
The last part of the book describes his trip to Kenya where he meets his extended family and learns the bitter truths about his father and ultimately attains a sense of belonging.This is a candid, unflinching memoir. An honest portrayal of a man of mixed parentage who struggles to find his place in the world. Whether his message of hope and change comes to fruition is yet to be seen. As the US president, Obama may be able to lead the US towards a path that could bring about positive change, open dialogue, and hope to those whose dreams of a more equitable world had gone muted and unheard.

The Good Thief - Hannah Tinti

The Good Thief
Hannah Tinti
Headline Review

Set in New England in the 19th century, ‘The Good Thief’ is the story of a twelve year old, one-handed orphan, Ren.Ren has been an orphan at the Saint Anthony’s Monastery as long as he remembers. His parentage and his missing hand had always remained a mystery which Ren struggled to solve. He dreamt of a day that he would one day be part of a loving family.Ren’s dreams appeared to have come truewith the arrival of a stranger, Benjamin Nab who claims to be his older brother but turns out to be a silver-tongued con man and a thief. Together with his partner Tom, they force Ren in to their life of crime, using his disability to gain the trust of their victims.
‘The Good Thief’ is a wondrous tale of love, adventure, friendship and a child’s need for belonging.
Tinti’s frolicking tale of adventure with its quirky cast of outcasts has echoes of Dickensian yarns. Throughout the book I felt there were strong similarities to Oliver Twist with both books exploring the moral paradox of good people having to live and survive in the underworld.

The Household Guide to Dying - Debra Adelaide

The Household Guide to Dying
Debra Adelaide
Picador

Author of 'How to do' books & domestic columnist Delia Bennett is dying of cancer. Before she dies, Delia wants to put her household together by compiling a guide book on it – her last one.

Before she can complete her list, Delia needs to go back to the small country town in the Queensland where she followed her boyfriend as a pregnant teenager and fled from 8 years later after a tragic accident.This story partly blends facts and fiction. Adelaide's own son suffered from Leukemia while she wrote this book. She has drawn from those experiences in her description of Delia's illness and the grief of helplessly watching your loved one's last grips to life.

Don't be fooled by the grim title. This is a heartfelt warm tale of love and loss and will best suite those who have enjoyed 'The Memory keeper’s daughter' and 'My sister's keeper'.

The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein

The Art of Racing in the Rain
Garth Stein
Harper Collins

If dogs could talk, how would they tell their stories? Stein takes a fresh approach to the popular genre of dogs and their owners. Instead of yet another story of an owner droning over how their dog changed their life, we are told the story straight from Enzo – a smart cross who thinks dogs, not monkeys are humans closest relative.

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: he enjoys watching documentaries and video tapes of car races – a passion he has acquired from his master Denny, an up and coming race car driver. The two share everything including the racing philosophy that ‘the car goes where the eyes go’, a philosophy they use in their day to day life.

Denny soon meets and falls in love with Eve despite her parents’ disapproval of him. A year later when they marry and have Zoe, life seems ideal. Until the day Enzo smells the illness that was growing inside Eve’s brain yet feels powerless to warn them of it.

The chain of events that follows Eve’s illness unravels their happiness and lead to circumstances that threaten all that is dear to Denny and Enzo.I was a little disappointed with the predictable ending to the book. However this tale of love, families and determination is so well told, one could easily forgive the author for his indulgence.

All the Shah's men - Stephen Kinzer

All The Shah's Men
Stephen Kinzer
Wiley

An important and timely book that gives an insight to Iran's struggle for democracy and the deep distrust of her people towards the Western Governments.

In 1953 Iran's democratically elected prime minister was ousted in a coup lead by the British secret Service and the CIA and replaced by the last Shah of Pahlavi. The effects of those events left in the Iranian Psyche the belief that the west, particulalrly USA has a stranglehold on Iran's politics and natural resources.

This is a great book in understanding why so many Iranians from different socio economic background rose in support of the revolution in 1978.' All the Shah's men' also provides a deeper understanding of why so many Iranians, despite their deep hatred towards their government, support Iran's nuclear ambitions.

The Outcast - Sadie Jones

The Outcast
Sadie Jones
Chatto & Windus

This is a story about life, love, grief and the consequences of a child denied the love and assurance of a father. 1957 and 19 year old Lewis is going back to his home in South England after 2 years in jail. He is returning to a community of 50's middle-class England whose church-going, stiff mannered appearance hides darker secretly abusive lives. 10 years earlier Lewis’s mother had died in an accident while on a picnic with Lewis. Grief stricken Lewis looked to his father for support and assurance. When denied, Lewis’s grief turns into a rage with terrible consequences.

Jones is a fresh and evocative new literary voice. She deals with very dark topics with great insight and sensitivity. I found myself thinking and worrying about the characters long after I had finished the last page. This book is well deserving of the Orange Prize.

Broken - Daniel Clay

Broken
Daniel Clay
Harper Collins

Skunk is 11 and in a coma. From her hospital bed she guides the reader through the events in her neighbourhood. Across the street to Skunk, live the Buckleys, a mild mannered couple with their awkward son Rick. In the same square live the Oswalds, a family of foul-mouth bullies.

Saksia Oswald, out of a bet with her older sister, went for a drive with Rick Buckley, seduced him and then proceeded to humiliate him throughout the neighborhood. Later in the day, Saksia's younger sister was caught with the contraceptive pills she had stolen from her teacher. To save herself from a brutal punishment, she lied to her father.Skunk was playing outside when Bob Oswald strode across the square and brutally assaulted Rick, accusing him of raping his daughter.

After that Rick was never the same... he had become 'Broken'. He spent his days locked inside his bedroom for the fear he may be attacked again. As Broken's paranoia and madness grows, events around the neighbourhood slowly spiral out of control to a devastating conclusion.
This is a gripping tale and one that I had great difficulty putting down.

Cafe Scheherazade - Arnold Zable

Café Scheherazade
Arnold Zable
Text

Welcome to Café Scheherazade where our narrator, Martin sits in the backroom and listens to the proprietors Avram and Masha, and their regular clientele relive the Jewish Holocaust through their personal stories.

Avram, stooped over his cup of coffee or a bowl of Borscht, recalls his days living in the Ghettos set up by the occupying German army, the mass graves and his last haunting image of his family as they disappeared into the smoldering city. Masha and her family trudged through the Siberian snow in the hope of reaching safety. They met and fell in love after the war as displaced refugees looking for a place in the world which embodied their hopes.

Café Scheherazade, is deeply moving and written in poetic rich language. Zable is a master at using the ancient art of story telling to transport the reader to wartime Europe. Through these stories, Zable creates a portal through which we are witness to the horrors of war and the triumph of the human spirit.

Child 44- Tom Rob Smith

Child 44
Tom Rob Smith
Simon & Schuster

Once in a while a book comes along and digs its claws into you. Child 44 is such a book. A surprise pick for the Man Booker long list, Child 44 is the type of gripping tale that keeps the reader glued to its pages. The story is set against the backdrop of Stalinist Russia where the presumption of guilt comes before innocence. In this police state created after the revolution, the Russians live in a state of paranoia, fearful of being denounced over the most innocent offhand remarks. They are told crime does not exist in their society, that it is the creation of the capitalist West. That is why when a family reports the murder of their son, Officer Leo Domidov from the Ministry of State Security is sent to convince them that his death was nothing more than an unfortunate accident.

Young, good looking and a war hero, Leo Domidov is dedicated to his job and the protection of the revolution. He does not question the methods enforced by the Ministry. He simply regards it as a necessary step for the good of the country and the revolution. However, when the Ministry’s attention turns on Leo and his wife after he raises questions regarding a series of murders, he finds himself the enemy of the state and a man wanted by the same organization he was once a part of.

Child 44 with its enthralling and fast moving plotline, has enough twists and turns to keep the reader immersed. On many occasions I found myself still reading late in to the night, unable to put it down. This is a story that does not disappoint.

The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Junot Diaz
Faber

Meet Oscar Wao, a rare breed amongst the Dominican male-itude: a virginal sci-fi loving ‘ghetto-nerd’ living in New Jersey and fantasizing about all the girls he will never have. Oscar has two passions in life: to write a best selling epic Tolkien-esk fantasy novel and to fall in love. Alas, he seems to be luck-less in both fields. He blames his lack of sucess on Fuku – a curse which has brought devastation to his family for generations. Yet even Fuku cannot dampen Oscar’s enthusiasm. He falls hopelessly in love on a daily basis, with the intensity of ‘a dwarf mother-fucking star’ and he continues to write page after page of his epic tales. The book takes us on a journey, edgy and sharp, following Oscar, his mother Beli who once lead a rebellious youth in the Dominican Republic, and his punk-rocker, track-star, beautiful sister Lola. Surprisingly, the most interesting narrative voice comes from Yunior, who emerges half way through the book as Lola’s two-timing boyfriend and Oscar’s college roommate.

Although The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a work of fiction, Diaz draws heavily from his homeland’s history under the dictator Rafael Trujillo. Diaz cleverly weaves Oscar and his family’s tragic history with the escalating violence of Trujillo’s reign.Diaz writes with energy, wit and insight, although at times his footnotes do get a bit tiresome. The ending was a little far fetched and possibly the only weak part of the book. Even so, once I reached the book’s conclusion, I was satisfied that I had finished something wonderfully original.

The Given Day - Dennis Lehane

The Given Day
Dennis Lehane

The Given Day is in that class of books my husband affectionately refers to as ‘widow makers’. Once I started reading this book, I was quickly immersed in the story and the rest of the world simply dissolved. The Given Day documents a time of violence and struggle for workers rights which saw the birth of the union movement. Against this historical and political landscape, Lehane writes a powerful and moving family epic with sharp and well researched narrative and surprising cameo use of historical figures such as Babe Ruth and J Edgar Hoover as pivotal character points.

Set in Boston in 1919, The Given Day follows the turmoil of events following the return of the WWI war veterans. During this time, the Spanish Influenza, escalating terrorism and the talk of prohibition plagued America. Danny Coughlin, a police officer and the eldest son of one of Boston’s legendary police captains, empathizes with the people’s grievances. Living and working in the predominantly Italian neighbourhoods of the North End, he is faced with the daily assault of the political dissent. He sees first hand the effect of poor working conditions have on those around him. In his own profession, Danny’s pay is below the poverty line and despite long shifts and often dangerous conditions; there is no compensation for his colleagues in the event of injury or disability. When he joins the union, he finds fierce opposition from his father who considers those who join unions as ‘Bolshevik’s and anarchists’ and the stage is set for a showdown between the two.

Another central character in the book is Luther Laurence, a coloured talented baseball player, on the run over a nightclub shooting in Oklahoma. Leaving his wife and unborn child, Luther flees to Boston where he finds employment in the Coughlin household. There he befriends Danny and the Coughlin Irish maid Nora. His troubles however are not far behind as he finds himself once again having to settle scores with old and new enemies.

Lehane’s style is impressive by the way the words leap out of the page with great energy and passion, bringing history alive in their punchy deliverance. I found myself savoring this book, not wanting it to end, and feeling a sharp edge of regret once the end finally came.

The Slap - Christos Tsiolkas

The Slap
Christos Tsiolkas
Allen & Unwin
A group of people are gathered at a suburban Barbecue. During the afternoon an incident between one of the guests and a four year old result in consequences that directly, or indirectly, affect all who are present.

Told almost as collection of short stories through the perspective of eight characters, all with different background, age, ethnicity and value systems, The Slap is a provocative, unflinching novel that explores our inner most beliefs and the conflicting issues we face.

I enjoyed having a different portal in which the same situation had been explored. Hearing the different points of view shows there is no black or white situation - that our beliefs are a sum of all our life's experiences.

The Slap is hands down my clear favourite amongst this year's Australian fiction and if there is any justice in the world, the judges of The Booker & The Miles Franklin Award will agree.

A Fraction Of the Whole - Steve Toltz

A Fraction Of The Whole
Steve Toltz
Viking

Short Listed for the Man Booker prize in 2008, 'A Fraction of the Whole' was originally rejected by agents and publishers in Australia. It was only through a chance contact that the book was brought to the attention of Random House America and like a real-life fairytale went on to receive worldwide release and a nod from the most prestigeous literary prize.

Set in Australia, the book follows the Deans Family as retold by Martin Dean.

'The fact is, the whole of Australia despises my father more than any other man, just as they adore my uncle more than any other man. I might as well set the story straight about both of them.'

And so begins the first part of the book where we are taken on a rollicking rollercoaster of a family yarn. Witty and side-splittingly funny, it is delightfully original and satisfying. Unfortunately that's where the fun ends. From there, Toltz takes the reader on a different tangent. We learn about his parents through his father's diaries upon which, the book loses all its adventurous flare and instead settles into a steady tedium that overshadowes it's original momentum. There are still occasional flashes of its brilliant start but they became increasingly rare as the book draggs on.

A Fraction of The Whole starts with a great deal of promise and probably could have kept it, had it been culled back by a few 100 pages to maintain its momentum.

Wanting - Richard Flanigan

Wanting
Richard Flanagan
Knopf

I heard Richard interviewed on the radio and was intrigued by the story. I love books that use historical characters and weave a fictional story around them - a reason why I enjoy Geraldine Brooks' titles.

The book opens in 1839 in an Aboriginal community at Flinders Island that is ravaged by consumption. Seven year old Mathinna, daughter of a chief king, has lost both her parents but still possesses a quality that charms all that come into contact with her. On a visit to the island, the new Tasmanian Governor Sir John Franklin and his wife Lady Jane become captivated by the girl. The childless couple decide to adopt the girl as an experiment to prove that the savage can be civilised.

Eighteen years later in Manchester, author Charles Dickens is enlisted and befriended by Lady Jane to defend canabalising rumours circulating around the Sir John's failed expedition to find the North West Passage. Dickens gallantly defends Sir John in a piece in his journal 'Household Words'. The piece inspires The Frozen Deep, a play in which Dickens, stars, produces and directs. He meets Ellen Ternan, a girl many years his junior who fills the void of his loveless marriage.

It was Mathinna rather than Dicken's story that kept me reading. After she was cruelly abandoned by the Franklins, her life spiralled into days fuelled by alcohol, sex and violence. Her upbringing in the Franklin household ensured she would never feel at home amongst the Aborigines and yet the colour of her skin ensured she would never be accepted by the whites. Wanting is a tragic meditation on desire and it's denial. Although I fell in love with the concept, I found most of the book a difficult task to read. Up to the point Mathinna was put into an orphanage by the Franklins I had trouble empathizing with any of the characters.

Wanting is the type of book which will surely be winning awards but have trouble finding readership outside die-hard literary circles. Personally I'd rather read something that has me glued to it's pages.