Otherland- Maria Tumarkin

Otherland

Maria Tumarkin

A Russian-Jewish immigrant, Tumarkin and her family move to Australia in 1989. Twenty years later, Tumarkin returns to share the country of her childhood with her daughter Billie.
On the surface Otherland is the chronicle of this six week journey. At the core of it however lies a tale of interconnecting mother-daughter stories welded together through shared histories and experiences. Visiting the places and people of her youth, Tumarkin hopes to bring a closer understanding of her roots to her daughter.
During her travels, Tumarkin’s makes perceptive and honest observations about the new Russia, which in her absence has morphed into a country that is foreign and unfamiliar to her. Extracts from Billie’s diary peppered throughout the book add fresh, sharp insights that are surprisingly clear and immediate for someone so young.
In Australia, our memoirs are often reflections of our multicultural identities. Otherland mirrors this unique characteristic with prose that is engrossing and unadulterated. No words are wasted. A touching tribute to migrants, it depicts the cost of leaving the lands that house our history, to countries where we etch new identities in the soil. 3.5 stars

What Makes Us Tick - Hugh Mackay

What Makes Us Tick

Hugh Mackay

Truth be told, I am a sucker for studies on social behaviours. Complex and insecure, we have a tendency to think of ourselves as the most important person in the world, with problems and desires that are uniquely our own. In What Makes Us Tick? Mackay reveals that as a whole, we share ten ‘social’ desires that motivate our behavior and are linked to our sense of identity, relationship with people and place in the society. Interestingly, Mackay also offers explanations as to the motivation behind some of the uglier characteristics of our behaviour.
'The darkest shadow cast by each of our desires is the wish to see that same desire frustrated in someone else…Refusing to acknowledge another person, for instance, is usually a shadow cast by our own unfulfilled desire to be taken seriously.'
A longtime social researcher, Mackay’s conclusions revolve around studying small groups of people and observing their interaction with one another. Peppered throughout the book are quotes that add personal colour and life to each chapter. There is nothing new or earth shattering revealed here. Most readers will recognise these desires in themselves and in their daily interactions with others. But maybe that’s the point: maybe we’re not so different after all. The ten desires chronicled connect us and by recognizing and acknowledging them, we can learn to be a little kinder, more accepting and a little less self-possessed. 3.5 stars

Inheritance - Nicholas Shakespeare

Inheritance

Nicholas Shakespeare

I first saw this book on the new release shelves and later found it on the Independent booksellers’ bestsellers list. When a member of our bookgroup whose turn was to choose did not show, I made a split decision and picked Inheritance.
Any Larkham is a bumbling young (Hugh Grant like) Englishman working as an editor in a small publishing house with a dubious list of self-help titles. Recently dumped by his fiancé and about to be evicted from his flat, he faces a dim future until he accidently stumbles into a funeral and embarrassed by his mistake, feels compelled to stay to the end. At the end of the service, Andy reluctantly signs the guest list only to discover a few weeks later that he has inherited 17 million pounds. Encouraged by his best friend David, Andy seeks to discover the man he never met who has changed his life forever.
A delicate tapestry of woven lives, Inheritance is an ambitious tale executed with perfection and filled with characters that command our attention. 4 stars

My Brother Jack - George Johnston

My Brother Jack
George Johnston

An Australian classic, My Brother Jack is the story of Davy and Jack Meredith, two brothers growing up in a Melbourne suburb during the years between the First and Second World War.

Born to a drunken, abusive father and a caring, loving mother, the boys are distinctively different from an early age. While the older brother Jack is a tough fighter, who drinks, swears and wenches, the younger brother Davy lives a quiet existence under the shadow of his brother, preferring the company of books. During the depression years, the fortune of the brothers starts to change. Davy earns a good income and a growing popularity as a writer. With a glamorous wife, a new house in a new suburb and a set of fashionably desirable friends, Davy seem to have it all. Yet feeling straitjacketed by constraints of his new status, Davy yearns for the grounded simplicity and honesty of Jack’s life.

At the advent of WWII, the brothers grow further apart as Davy’s status and importance increases. With the relationship of the brothers taking 180 degrees turn, Jack looks up to his younger brother, showing the type of admiration that as youngsters, Davy felt towards jack.

Flawless and effortless prose has ensured that both My Brother Jack and its sequel Clean Straw for Nothing win the prestigious Miles Franklin Award. However, the book feels dated which may explain why it’s rarely studied anymore in the Australian schools. 3 stars

Last Song - Andrea Levy

Last Song
Andrea levy

Miss July -with a little editorial help from her son- tells the story of her life in Jamaica during the last years of slavery and the early years of freedom that follow.

Born a slave girl on the Amity sugar plantation, July is removed from her mother at a young age and used by the mistress of the plantation Caroline Mortimer, as a housemaid. Set during a dark chapter in human history Long Song is a moving story that marries the deepest, smallest personal emotions with an epic narrative tale. July leads the reader through the turbulent years recalling her heartache, fears, disappointments, hopes, desires, loves, betrayals, and eventually her acceptance of the events that constitute her life.

July’s occasional breaks from recounting her story to speak directly to her reader adds a humourous and unique tempo to the narrative. Her banter with her son Thomas Kinsman, as he attempts to abide and abet his mother with the editing of her story adds a humourous and unique twist to the narrative.

Told with unwavering honesty, Love Song’s bittersweet ending is touching without being over sentimental. Levy is a talented and distinctive voice whose perceptive eye and sharp wit assures her of a bright-bright future and much fuss-fuss!

Last Song was shortlisted for the 2010 Man Booker Prize. 4 stars

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

The Help
Kathryn Stockett
Penguin

Set in Mississippi at the time of the equal rights movement, The Help is a sumptuous tale of courage and determination to right what is wrong.

In Jackson Mississippi, segregation is a way of life. While Martin Luther King marches in Washington, the black Americans living in Jackson, continue to live a life of quiet desperation. The laws ensure the two races do not mix outside of the master-servant relationship. For three women suffering under the laws that defines their lives, the time has come to make a change.

Skeeter, young white daughter of a wealthy plantation family, returns home from graduating college to discover her beloved maid Constantine has left and no one will tell her why.

Aibileen and Minny, two African-American maids working for white families, struggle daily with the humiliation of living in a society entrenched in segregation and governed by laws that offers them no protection.

The three come together under the most unlikely circumstances and agree on a project that threatens the status-quo of the town they live in forever.

Poignant and moving, The help effectively cuts through the outer layers of race and culture to reveal the bare bones of humanity. The characters wonderfully narrated are well rounded and believable. Stockett’s loving tribute to her own maid Demetrie rounded the book nicely, leaving the reader with the resonating message that even though we are each individuals with our own separate consciousness, deep down our hearts still beat to the sound of the same drum. 3.5 stars

White Tiger - Aravind Adiga

White Tiger
Aravind Adiga

Witty and sharply observant, White Tiger is the story of Balram Halwai, one of India’s many poor struggling with the filth and the humiliation that constitutes his daily existence.
Servant to a rich family, Balram narrates his life through a series of emails to a Chinese diplomat, beginning with his childhood raised in the Darkness to a successful entrepreneur with a flourishing business.

Balram’s generous spirit and his battle with his conscious for the act he must commit to free himself is terribly touching. Aware of the dire consequences to his extended family once discovered, Blaram is faced with a difficult decision. It did puzzle me however as to why Balram chooses to narrate his life to a stranger in emails when he’s a wanted man living under a false identity.

White Tiger is an enjoyable and engaging read. Adiga has an unflinching ability to describe the harsh reality of India's poor and her democratic duplicity with an acid tongue and a flowing narrative. I do not feel however that Adiga offers anything new in his observations of the Indian society that previous writers have not already covered. Still, in 2008, White Tiger impressed judges of The Booker Prize to award Adiga the highly prestigious prize. 3 stars

Brooklyn - Colm Toibin

Brooklyn
Colm Toibin
Picador

Toibin has produced a wonderfully sensuous novel that as the cover correctly describes, is quietly magnificent. The story itself is rather unremarkable in its account of a young Irish girl, Eilis Lacey, who moves to America and settles in Brooklyn. Working in a large department store during the day, Eilis aims to better herself by studying bookkeeping classes in the evenings, hoping eventually to find a job in an office. The two years living in Brooklyn have a profound effect on Eilis. Summoned back to Ireland following a tragedy, Eilis is aware the locals treat her differently to the girl who left two years ago.

Brooklyn is tender and loving. For me, the real joy lies in Toibin’s talent to choose and fit words to create passages that have a lingering effect on the reader. I found myself thinking and worrying about the characters, eager to return to them in between reads. It is with great sadness that I finally read – and reread – the last page, not wanting it to end yet feeling privileged that I was part of something truly remarkable. 5 stars

Ghost Watch - David Rollins

Ghost Watch
David Rollins

Rollins returns with another installment of his hugely successful Vin Copper character. Following the death of his longtime partner, Cooper agrees to accompany two American entertainers who are to perform for the troops in a secret location in Rwanda. Flying over the dense jungles of Congo, their chopper suddenly stalls and forced to crash land.

Finding themselves in a hostile land and caught between warring armies fighting for stranglehold on the mineral rich mines, Cooper has a complicated job keeping his principals safe. Things are further complicated when some of the principals are taken captive.

Unapologetically testosterone charged ‘Ghost Watch’ squarely targets the male market. Quick paced with lots of explosions, gunfire, near death missions and double-crossings, its an ideal alternative for fans of Matthew Riley and Chris Ryan. Rollins knows his target market well and delivers a punchy, fun, action packed thriller that will keep his readers churning through the pages. The cheesy one-liners and wisecracks work well with the character and add humour to a highly enjoyable novel. 3.5 stars.

Nowhere Man - John M Green

Nowhere Man
John M Green
Pantera Pres

PJ O’Rourke describes Green as ‘Just like Michael Crichton… only better.’ After reading this part thriller, part science fiction novel, I can only assume O’Rourke wrote such a glowing review because he was a) drunk, b) bribed by a wad of cash or c) had a momentary absence of his senses. As for the brilliant novelist Michael Crichton, I feel hugely affronted on his behalf to have his talents compared to Green.
Sonya (and no I don’t know what her surname is because the author in his wisdom does not bother to mention it when we, the reader, first meet her. In fact as one astute "fan" told me, you have to turn to page 31 to learn it's 'Wheen') arrives back after her morning run to discover her husband Michael is missing. Suspecting foul play, she sets out to investigate his disappearance. Sonya, the red lipstick wearing, motorbike riding, sexy, University professor(no cliché was spared when it comes to our heroine) comes across a computer software game that accurately predicts the future of the stock market. Which brings us to the only interesting (and surprisingly well written) part of the book. Using the software, Sonya successfully rides through the stock market crash, saving her house from the clutches of the big bad bankers before they foreclose on her.

Does Sonya finally solve the riddle of her husband’s disappearance? Personally, I could not endure the torture long enough to find out. The story told with excruciating clumsiness is a long yawn stretching over far too many pages. What I would like to know however is how the editor could do such a disservice to the author, the publisher and the reading public by allowing such a clumsy work released into the market. 1 star – for effort!

The book Of Emmett - Deborah Forster

The Book of Emmett
Deborah Forster
Vintage
Praise to first time novelist Helen Forster for her sublime portrayal of this Australian suburban family. Growing up in the outskirts of Melbourne Louisa Brown and her siblings endure the daily onslaught of their father’s alcohol fueled rage. Years later, the family gathers for Emmett Brown’s funeral, reflect on their lives and the effects of the long shadow cast by their father.
The Book of Emmet arrived in my hands like a breath of fresh air. Forster’s symmetry and artistry to string words into prose is a pure delight to read. As a writer reading this book, Forster’s talent is nothing short of magic. Retracing the pages, I re-read passages, and underlined so many sentences, no page was intact. I love Forster’s delivery, subtle and effortless in its execution. At no time did the writing feel forced or pretentious.
It’s a privilege to come across such a wonderfully crafted work. It gives me an added pleasure that Forster is Australian and that I, a bookseller, can press this jewel like a cherished gift in to the hands of my customers with the words ‘You’re going to love it.’ And mean it. 5 stars.

The Delta - Tony Park

Tony Park’s compelling tale is the latest action packed thriller set in the beautifully unique yet troubled African continent. Set in Botswana’s Okavango Delta and the neighbouring Namibia, Delta is inspired by real life rebellions and the looming prospect of future wars over climate change and dwindling water resources.

The heroine Sonja Kurtz - an ex-soldier turned mercenary – is on the run after a failed assassination attempt on Zimbabwe’s president. Hoping to start afresh, Sonja takes refuge in the Okavango Delta. Instead of respite however, she finds herself again in the eye of the storm fighting alongside rebellions to destroy the dam that’s threatening the delta’s fragile eco-system.

Since 1995, Park and his wife have spent an average of six months a year in Africa, traveling and researching topics for his novels. Delta is the meshing together of Park’s love and concern for Africa with his knowledge of years serving the Australian Army Reserve. The result is an environmentally conscious, heart-thumping thriller that grabs the attention of the reader from the opening scene and maintains it till the very last page.

Although the audience for this book is males between 30-50, there is a vulnerability and insecurity beneath Sonja Kurtz’s tough exterior that makes her appealing to the female readers. 4 stars

The House of Special Purpose - John Boyle

The House of Special Purpose
John Boyle

Georgy Daniilavich is a Russian peasant whose life takes a dramatic turn when he saves the life of Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholavich, the uncle of Tsar Nicholas II. Moved to the Winter Palace in Petrograd, Georgy finds himself at the centre of the Royal life at a time of great turmoil in Russian history.
Going back and forth between the Russian Court and Georgy’s later life in London - where he lives in exile with his wife Zoya – the story follows the events that have conspired in changing Georgy’s life forever.
The brutal murder of the Tsar and his family has always been one of the most talked about focal points of the Russian revolution. Since then, there has been much speculation surrounding the Tsar’s youngest daughter, Anastasia, surviving the execution. It is these myths that Boyle weaves into his story as we move closer to the events of that faithful day and the true identity of Georgy’s wife Zoya.
Already a fan of John Boyle, I was drawn to The House of Special Purpose by its historical content. Although much research has obviously gone into making the story credible, the story itself is disappointing. Despite Boyle’s attempt to tease out Zoya’s identity, it is clear from quite early on in the book who she is. With the mystery of Zoya taken out, the story’s strength becomes its historical context and at the heart of it, the love affair of the two main characters. And although the blossoming love affair is tender and touching, the historical points seem forced in their delivery. 3 stars

Alone in Berlin - Hans Fallada

Alone in Berlin
Hans Fallada
Penguin
Otto and Anna Quangle, law abiding, simple working class couple living in a Berlin, have always done their very best to stay out of trouble. When they receive a letter informing them that their only son is killed in the war, something breaks in them and they turn their anger and grief into an extraordinary act of defiance against the Nazis. Ignoring the dangers, the Quangles drop anonymous postcards denouncing Hitler in busy buildings throughout the city.
The postcards soon reach the attention of the Gestapo and the ambitious inspector Escherich who makes it his personal endeavor to catch their author.
Based on real life characters, Hans Fallada weaves an intriguing and vivid portrait of life under Nazi Germany. The totalitarian system that spread paranoia, fear and torture moved to crush any opposition to it with swift, brutal violence. Most of the previous literature I’ve come across about this period tend to concentrate on persecution of Jews by the Nazis or the war itself. Alone in Berlin, is the first book I’ve read that gives an insight into the scale of fear spread by the Nazis throughout Germany and the treatment of those who dared to defy them.
For me the great importance of this story is in the characters’ moral integrity. Despite the great danger to their lives and those around them, they remain loyal to their values, refusing to bow down to the threats of an unjust regime. It mattered little to them how effective their campaign was because in Otto’s words ‘The main thing was you fought back.’ 4 stars

Love in The Time Of Cholera

Love in The Time Of Cholera
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Penguin
This highly acclaimed Latin classic has long since been a source of curiosity to me. Written lovingly and with great care for the characters, Marquez weaves a tale of unrequited love spanning half a century between Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daze.
Following the accidental death of the prominent doctor Dr Juvenal Urbino, Florentino seizes his chance to re-declare his love to the doctor’s widow. As teenagers, Fermina rejects Florentino’s love choosing instead to marry the famous doctor. Spurned but not disheartened, Florentino takes refuge in the arms of numerous lovers while secretly continuing to love Fermina from a distance. In their seventies, and after the death of Dr Urbino, Florentino hopes to kindle in Fermina the passion he had long since held for her.
The long drawn-out sentences coupled with a lack of pronouns, makes reading Love at the Time of Cholera, an arduous task. Florentino with his refusal to move forward borders on pathetic. His insipid moaning and scampering into the arms of other women, is both tedious and sad. The story redeems itself only in the last pages when the two main characters set off on a river cruise. Having to endure the 400 previous pages, the last scenes came too late to leave any lasting favourable impressions. 2stars

God Of Small Things - Arundhati Roy

God Of Small Things
Arundhati Roy

Like ripened fruit Roy presents her tale in delicate segments, gently pulling apart each piece to reveal the mystery enclosed at its core. In truth I struggled with this book and twice nearly gave up. It was not till 2/3rds into it that I finally fell in love with the narrative. The following quote marks the pivotal moment when The God Of Small Things stops being a string of beautifully constructed sentences and turns into narrative that I identify with.

'In the great stories you know who lives, who dies, who finds love, who doesn't. And yet want to know again. That is the mystery and their magic.'

The strength of this book lies in its originality. With poise, wry wit and sharp intellect, Roy creates a narrative based around her flawed, blemished characters. The result is a cleverly created plot, teased out in a shuffle of interlocking chapters. The last chapter is possibly the most beautiful narrative I have ever read on human frailty, love and loss.

The God of Small Things is a rare and highly ambitious tale that has stayed with me long after the last page. 4.5 stars

Mao's Last Dancer - Li Cunxin

Mao's Last Dancer
Li Cunxin
Viking


The sixth of seven boys, Li is born into a poor yet proud Chinese peasant family. At 11 he is selected by Madam Mao's men searching the countryside for children who can be developed into ballet dancers. Knowing nothing of the arts, Li leaves his small village and moves to the Beijing Dance Academy where he spends the next seven years perfecting his art. On a scholarship to Houston Li defects, greatly angering the Chinese government. Battling heartache, loneliness and guilt, Li rises to eventually become one of the most celebrated leading men in the world of ballet.

Peppered with Chinese parables, anecdotes and fables that add authenticity, Li retells his story with care, poise and balance. His love and respect for his parents throughout the book adds a touching note which I personally found particularly moving.

Full of grace, dignity and gravity, Mao's Last Dancer is an inspiring story of a remarkable man who risks everything to achieve his dream. 4 Stars

Lovesong - Alex Miller

Lovesong
Alex Miller
A&U

Sabiha and John's love affair begins unexpectedly when John, seeking shelter from heavy rain takes refuge in Chez Dom, a small Tunisian cafe Sabiha runs with her aunt in Paris. Despite their deep love and affection towards one another, over the years a shadow begins to fall over the couple's lives. Whilst John longs to return to his native Australia, Sabiha refuses to leave until she has a child. Unable to conceive and desperate to have a daughter of her own, Sabiha makes a decision that changes the course of their lives.

Years later in Melbourne Ken, an aging writer is intrigued by the sadness in the eyes of the beautiful Tunisian woman who has opened a pastry shop in his neighbourhood. Befriending her husband, Ken slowly learns of John & Sabiha's story. Lured by their tale, Ken sees in the couple, the possibility of one last novel.

Lovesong marries the deepest, smallest emotions hidden in a person's heart with the clarity and subtlety of a well constructed novel. I love this book and would recommend it to all lovers of good story telling.

Mr Rosenblum's List - Natasha Solomons

Mr Rosenblum's List
Natasha Solomons

Jack and Sadie Rosenblum escape Hitler's Germany and land on the shores of England knowing know one, with very little money and heartsick at having left their loved ones behind. Desperate to regain a sense of belonging Jack immerses himself in becoming a proper English Gentleman, much to his wife's irritation. He follows the guidelines on manners, customs and habits of his new home as set out in the 'helpful list' for immigrants. Overtime he adds to the list his own observations, until he reaches his last point: English Gentlemen play golf.

After repeated requests to join various golf courses are rejected, Jack decides to build his own. Selling their home in London and moving to Dorset, Jack throws himself full heartily into building his golf course. Meanwhile Sadie spends her days remembering her lost family by baking towering cakes that taste of sadness and tending to her rose garden.



Filled with a cast of ecentric characters Mr Rosenblum's List is a quaint tale that leaves the reader with a warm feeling in the stomach and a breezy smile. I liked the idea that for all of us in exile there are corners in the world where we can regain our sense of belonging.

Wonders of a Godless World - Andrew McGahan

Wonders of a Godless World
Andrew McGahan

As a writer still finding my voice, Andrew McGahan provides me with the inspiration to stick to an art that gives me as much heartache as pleasure. Original, eclectic and talented, McGahan deserves far more attention, adoration and awards as other heavy weights in Australian literature.

On a warm night, a stranger, a foreigner, with no name or identity is washed ashore on a small tropical island and delivered to a rundown hospital for the mentally ill. From this point McGahan takes the reader on a unexpected journey with one eye on the imaginary world and another on the real. The mysterious catatonic patient is suspected of causing havoc, as the patients start behaving erratically, at times with disturbing consequences.

This is a book that will not disappoint. With its artful arrangement of words and plenty of twists, Wonders of a Godless World best suits a reader who is not merely interested in a straight forward plot but enjoys an unexpected journey. Like a rose that leaves its scent on the hand so is the effect of Wonders of a Godless World on the appreciative reader.

The Rabbit Proof Fence - Doris Pilkington

The Rabbit Proof Fence
Doris Pilkington

Set during one of the darkest periods of Aboriginal and white Australian history, "Rabbit Proof Fence" follows the lives of three Aboriginal 'half cast' girls who are taken from their families and placed in the Moore River Native Settlement north of Perth, some 1,600 kilometres away from their home. Most Aboriginal children placed in such institutions never saw their families again. However feeling displaced and imprisoned the girls escape their compound and follow the Rabbit proof fence back to their homes.


Rabbit Proof Fence although a very important account of 'The stolen Generation', falls short in evoking the emotions that such a story deserves. Pilkington may have been better off co-writing the book with a professional writer better skilled in tapping into the emotions that instill empathy with the subject matter. All the same, the stolen generation is a tragic and evocative chapter in the Australian history deserving of attention through stories such as The Rabbit Proof Fence. These persoanl accounts not only illustrate the effects of the white man's law on the Aboriginal communities but hopefully encourage us to avoid the same mistakes to be repeated.

The Reader - Bernhard Schlink

The Reader
Bernhard Schlink
Phoenix

The Reader is the story of 15-year old Michael Berg and his relationship with the much older Hanna Schmitz. Intense and short-lived, the relationship has a profound effect on Michael. By chance Michael meets Hanna again whilst studying Law at university and discovers a secret she has kept hidden throughout her life.

This deceptive tale of love and loss is a merely a thin veil masking over the more complex themes of betrayal, shame, and guilt. One can almost feel the heavy burden of guilt carried by the generation of Germans who lived through the Holocaust. They not only bear the guilt of witnessing the death of millions but must now face the accusations of the generation that came after them.

Schlink forces us to examine our own characteristics, that lie dark dormant and caged in the furthest corners of our minds, only to reveal themselves in extreme circumstances. The Reader questions who should be held responsible for the atrocities committed during the Holocaust; the perpetrators who made the rules, the commanders, officers and guards who blindly carried out the rules or the bystanders who turned a blind eye.

Acutely observant, The Reader is a modern classic that is well deserving of its hype.

chocolat - Joanne harris

Chocolat
Joanne Harris
Black Swan

When the new stranger, Vianne Rocher opens a chocolate boutique in the small French village of Lansquenet, it threatens the suffocating statuesque of the church as enforced by its cure Father Reynaud. Vianne’s plan for an Easter Festival further divides the community and escalates resentments.

Chocolat is an exotic tale of love, belonging and earthly pleasures. Harris skillfully weaves a tantalizing tale spiced with delicious delicacy and prose. It is a novel to enjoy unashamedly in a smoky café over a strong cup of Chocolate espresso and a slice of cake.

Female Chauvinist Pigs - Ariel Levy

Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the rise of raunch culture.
Ariel Levy

There was a time not too long ago when women felt offended if viewed as mere sex objects. Having fought for equal rights, equal pay, we insisted equal respect for our intellect and opinion. It was the feminist movement and women all over the Western world felt empowered by it. Today however there is a rise of different women’s movement. Popularity of celebrities as Paris Hilton and Britney Spears has seen an increasing acceptance of women flaunting their bodies in an array of sexual poses. It is thought liberating, fun and sexy to show, press and flaunt as much female flesh as possible. This rise of raunchiness is not exclusive to our celebrities and pop stars. Striptease and pole-dance classes have gained incredible popularity over the past decade. Girls as young as 12 dress in micro shorts and revealing tops usually with the words ‘Princess’, ‘Diva’ or ‘porn Star’ across their chests.

In Female Chauvinist pigs, Levy investigates the rise of this new pop culture. Is it really women’s newfound liberation or a decline in the level of self-respect? Does attracting men or sleeping with countless partners make women more empowered or just cheap? Have we regressed to the dark ages before the feminist movement or is this a natural progression of our liberation and if so why have our men folk not gone through the same transformation?

Female Chauvinist Pigs is a fascinating study into today's culture; how it has given rise to this new phenomenon that frowned by our feminist mothers is embraced as the norm two generations later.

A very rude awakening - Peter Grose

A Very Rude Awakening
Peter Grose

In 1942, Sydney was a party town. Despite many Australians shipping off to war, for most Australians the fighting felt a long way away. The daily newspapers devoted more space to horseracing than to Hitler. Even after the Darwin bombing, and the speed by which the Japanese were advancing through South-East Asia, no one believed the Japanese could advance this far south. The party came to a shattering halt on May 31st when 3 Japanese midget submarines crept into the Sydney harbour. What followed was a night of mayhem that saw 27 sailors killed exposing the ill preparation and the lack of competency of Australian officers to protect against foreign attack. Expertly researched using archives and first person accounts A Very Rude Awakening is the account of the sheer luck by which Sydney and the Allied navy survived a major attack in her harbour. 4 stars

Brothers and Sisters - Charlotte Wood (editor)

Brothers & Sisters
Charlotte Wood (editor)

‘Your brother or sister, it might be said, is your other self – your grander, sadder, braver, shrewder, uglier, slenderer self.’

Despite (or maybe because of) sharing the same gene pool, our relationship with our siblings is often fraught with friction. At various times, we love and hate them in equal measure. We are fiercely protective of them one moment and ferociously fighting them the next.

In this collection, Wood has compiled twelve short stories by individual Australian authors. In each (with the exception of one about an only child) the characters speak of the deep bonds – whether beautiful or broken – between themselves and their siblings. Because of the familiarity of the subject, each story has elements that we recognize in our own personal lives or the lives of those around us.

Unlike the theme of love in its infinite scope to hold one’s attention, reading repeated stories on sibling relationship was a tad tiresome. However, the artful assembly of this collection and the close proximity of its theme to our own lives makes it a worthwhile read. 3 stars

The power of forgiveness - Janice Beaumont

The Power Of Forgiveness
Janise Beaumont
A&U

Beaumont, wishing to rid herself of destructive anger has set out in search of people who have harnessed the power of forgiveness to turn their lives around. The result is a self-help book based on detailed examples of her own and other peoples’ experiences.

Where other self-help books offer meditations or a step by step template the reader can follow, The Power of Forgivenes only gives reasons why one should rid themselves of anger. There are no guideline as to how these inspiring individuals have managed to turn their lives around.

Most chapters are far too short, often no more than a page and in most cases with the same repeated message: if we don’t learn to forgive, our anger will eat away at us and if not treated it will lead to bitter, pathetic personalities.

Initially I thought that this book although well intentioned fails to offer any real help to the reader. After all we have all seen examples of destructive behaviour, what we want to know is how to rid ourselves of it. A month after however, I still find myself thinking and practicing its message. I can’t say I have forgotten or wish to reconnect with people who are nasty but I have stopped holding on to the experiences. 3 stars

Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse 5
Kurt Vonnegut
Vintage

Slaughterhouse 5 tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, a 44 year old optometrist time traveler. On the night his daughter marries Billy abducted by aliens from Tralfamadore, is put on display in their zoo, where he is a great attraction for the locals. So it goes.

A POW in WWII, Billy held in Dresden works as free labour during the day and locked up in the slaughterhouse at night. When Dresden is bombed by the allies, Billy and his inmates survive the assault whilst above them firestorms destroy the city, killing 135,000 people.

My favourite passage is the movie Billy watches documenting ‘The gallant American pilots’. Watching the movie backwards, the bloodied and battered gallant pilots fly backwards. The German bombers help them by sucking the bullets out of their battered American planes. In return the Americans open the big belies of their planes and take back all the bombs they have dropped. The pilots climb out of their planes, the deadly chemicals are shipped back to the factories and buried in the ground where they cannot hurt anyone. So it goes.

Slaughterhouse 5 reads a cross between a science fiction and a meditation on the futility of war. The story of Billy Pilgrim told with wry humour echoes Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy. A dark poignant undertone running through the book throws the spotlight on the human cost of war. At times moving, at times nonsensical and times laugh outloud funny, Slaughterhouse 5 is one of the most surprising and original novels I have read on WWII. It is no surprise it has remained a timeless classic for over 4 decades.
Poo-tee-weet. 4stars