Good Reads
In my previous life of medical science and health administration I unwound by playing sport or reading a good book. I am so busy now that good books are piling up, waiting to be discovered, opened and enjoyed, and sport has been replaced by picking up paca poo. What sort of retirement IS this?
Currently I am reading The Summer Without Men by Siri Hustvedt.
Books waiting to be read include...In Tasmania by Nicholas Shakespeare; Isle of Mountains - Roaming Through Tasmania printed in 1944 and written by Charles Barrett.
Great Reads have included...
BEAUTY by Sheri S Tepper
A story
of mankind and magic, fairies and fairy tales ~ wending its way in and
out of, forward and back in time. Difficult to explain, suffice to say
take the plunge and read for yourself. The Reunification War of 2043,
hmm, let's see.
linger, by Maggie Stiefvater
Wolves, Humans, shifting, longing, winter wolves, summer boys - this captivating story is well written and brilliantly paced.
Tales of a Groupie's Son
- 89 West Pemberton by Jack French
This book gave me many insights into the life my Paternal Grandfather may have led in the south west of Western Australia.
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamast
by John Boyne
This fabulous little book is a must read
if you have a few hours quiet
time. How easy it is for man to hurt man and reconcile it in some
strange way as right and proper. But all actions provoke a reaction.
Many thanks to our friend Aart who gave this book to us.
Taken on Trust by
Terry Waite.
How
did Terry write such a positive book about such a dreadful experience?
Almost 4 years of captivity in Beirut, most in solitary confinement and
chained like a dangerous animal. The picture of his surroundings and
treatment, mixed with the recollections of his previous life
experiences makes a rivetting read. For a balanced look at a life most
of us will never know I heartily recommend this book. This copy was
given to my sister, personally signed by the author. To aid in your
purchase, it was published by Coronet books in 1994, ISBN 0-340-60969-9
my sister's keeper by
jodi picoult.
A
thought-provoking book, think designer baby to provide ongoing medical
aid for an older sibling, the issues aren't easy.
ARTEMIS FOWL and the..., by Eoin Colfer.
This
is a superb series of adventures had by Artemis, a child prodigy from
Ireland who discovers the fairy civilization driven underground by the
appalling acts of humankind. Check out Artemis's wicked world
at artemisfowl.co.uk
THE UNLIKELY VOYAGE OF JACK DE CROW,
by A.J.MacKinnon.
After
deciding to leave his employment of 6 years teaching at Ellesmere
College in Shropshire Sandy decides to depart by Mirror Dinghy and have
an English adventure before resuming normal life. So how did he end up
in the Black Sea? First publishd by Seafarers Books in Suffolk, UK,
then republished by www.blackincbooks.com - hunt it
down by ISBN 9781863951999
THE SCENT TRAIL, by Celia Lyttleton.
After
deciding to have her own bespoke perfume crafted Celia takes us with
her as she travels to the origins of the ingredients of scents and
perfumes. Myrrh, Frankincense, Ambergris and Vetivert are
just
some of the discoveries in places that include the islands of Yemen,
the souks of Morocco and the hills of Sri Lanka. The book is
entertaining and enlightening and you will learn about the make-up of
many wonderful perfumes on the market. It will remain a handy reference
in your library and may even inspire you to develop your own, unique
scent.
DIARY
OF A FRENCH HERB GARDEN, by
Geraldene Holt.
A
wonderful book that details and chronicles the development of a
community and public garden by a committed individual in her adopted
land. The renovation of an ancient garden, this book is entertaining,
educational and heartwarming, giving an insight into French life,
Herb Garden design and development, and also contains an index of
plantings in the garden. ISBN 1 86205 488 6, published by Pavilion
Books LImited. An enjoyable book that may prove useful in developing
one's own garden.
MAKING
HISTORY, by
Stephen Fry.
Fabulously
Fry, an enjoyable read from the first word to the last. You just have
to read this book. ISBN 0 09 945 706 7, found at Arrow Books or
Random House. You will never look at our world in the same way.
WATERLOG,
A swimmer's journey through Britain by
Roger Deakin.
This
is a fabulous factual book by a guy living in Suffolk, UK, who swims
all over Britain detailing his swimming journey from one end to the
other. If you know the UK you'll love learning more about some of the
areas with which you are familiar, and if you are a swimmer you will
delight in his descriptive tales of waterholes of all shapes, sizes
and sorts. I bought my copy in Auckland, but you can track it down by
ISBN 0 7011 6652 5, first published by Chatto and Windus in London.
SURVIVING
GALERAS, one man's battle to tame the power of the volcano
by
Stanley Williams.
Stanley
is one of the world's leading volcanologists, and a professor of
geology at Arizona State University. This is an extraordinary book
about a tiny group of scientists who risk their lives to study and
report on volcanoes. True, informative and gripping. ISBN
0-316-85570-7
THE
FINAL CONFESSION OF MABEL STARK by Robert
Hough
A
fictional autobiography, it's style is so easy to read. It will
transport you to the carnival world of the Big Top, when circus stars
were the superstars. Learn a bit about the big cats, the circus world
of the 1910s and 1920s, it's a fabulous read. As Kate Winslet said,
"Mabel survived a dozen maulings and five husbands, she was
brazen, brave and obsessively driven. She has the story leading
ladies were invented for". (Grammar isn't Kate's strong
point!) Track it down, ISBN 0 - 7336 - 1736 - 0 or look at www.hha.com.au
baggage
by
Emily Barr
People
in trouble or distress sometimes run away to the Australian outback.
It's a stoic place, where people keep secrets, respect each others
privacy and wait to be told rather than make pointed enquiries. So it
is no wonder Daisy Fraser ended up in a small opal mining town
surrounded by family and friends when the truth finally comes to
light. You will love this book for the intrigue and learn a bit about
Australia along the way. ISBN 0-7472-6677-8
A
FINE BALANCE
by
Rohinton Mistry
Set
in mid-1970's India, A Fine Balance is a subtle and compelling
narrative about four unlikely characters who come together in
circumstances no one could have foreseen soon after the government
declares a "State of Internal Emergency". If you have
travelled to India and taken the time to enjoy your experiences, you
will LOVE this novel. You will be instantly transported back to the
colour, the smells, the rush, the amazing...ISBN 0-571-17936-3
RUDLEY
CABOT in... THE QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN CARROT
by
Keith Brumpton
This
is one of a series of little books for children, absolutely
delightful. Rudley Cabot, (Cuddly Rabbit). Great graphics, some
lovely irony, "yeah, its an old carrotmac!", some
childish yet funny play on words, "Lettuce us give thanks",
it is only $3.95 from the Oxford St Books
shop in
Leederville, Perth, WA. ISBN 1-85881-122-8
THE
TATTOOED MAP, by Barbara Hodgson.
This
book has an interesting format, not dull old, text only pages for
this author! Old ticket stubs, maps, scribblings and torn notes
litter the pages. Join Lydia in her adventures as she travels thru
North Africa, as the mysterious marks on her hand develop into a
detailed and macabre map, spreading across her hand. Printed by
Byzantium Books in Hong Kong. ISBN 0-8118-0817-3
BANKER
TO THE POOR, by Muhammad Yunus with Alan
Jolis.
“When
I first set up the Grameen Program, the banks told me that the poor
were not credit worthy. My first reaction was, “How do you
know?
You have never lent to them. Perhaps it is the banks which are not
people worthy.” At the Grameen Bank we have worked with the
poorest
people in one of the poorest countries on earth, yet we have
maintained a recovery record of over 98%.”
This bank lends only to Women! Grameen Bank has strict lending rules, rigid protocol, and even requires its members to acquire skills before borrowing money. Muhammad Yunus strongly advocates Lending rather than Welfare, empowering women along the way, in a culture that traditionally did not allow women to have financial dealings. Member, (Borrowers) adopt Sixteen Decisions, and it is said that most members can recite all sixteen, and feel humbled if they have not lived up to everyone.
The author, Muhammad Yunus, was born in 1940 in Chittagong, the business centre of what was then Eastern Bengal. He is the third child of fourteen. Educated in Chittagong, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and received his PhD from Vanderbilt University, Tennessee. In 1972 he returned to Bangladesh and became head of the economics department at Chittagong University. Professor Yunus is the founder and managing director of Grameen Bank. In 1997 he led the world’s first Micro-credit summit in Washington, DC.
The book is available from Aurum Press, The Autobiography of Muhammad Yunus, 1998. Or, you will find it in Today’s Best Non-fiction, Readers Digest condensed version, 1999.
GETTING OVER IT, by Anna Maxted. A funny, witty and fast paced book. An ideal aeroplane book. Bright green cover, so you will notice it out of the corner of your eye, instead of leaving it behind! Funny, so you can pretend your laughing at the joke of the guy next to you, when you have actually just remembered a funny throw away line from Anna Maxted's laugh a minute journey thru the angst and trial of love, parents and friends. A Random House book, available from most book stores.
THE SURGEON OF CROWTHORNE, by Simon Winchester. This is a terrific book. One of the things that struck me about this was how patient learned men of yesterday must have been, compared with our modern ways of instantaneous answers. The book was very enjoyable, so if you normally keep away from "popular" books, take heart, you will enjoy this one. The compiling of the Oxford English Dictionary must rate as one of the wonders of the world.
THE SECRETS OF PISTOULET. An enchanted fable of food, magic and love. This book, by Jana Kolpen, is enchanting. It is all about the magic and mystery of a French Farmhouse. Find the ancient recipes which transform the weary guests at Pistoulet. - Tourte of Friendship, the Tea of Courage, the Potage of Passion. This is a book with a difference, make sure you track it down. ISBN = 1-55670-443-7. Distributed in Australia by Penbo Pty Ltd, 30 Beaumont Rd, Kuring-gai, NSW, 2080.
DRIVING OVER LEMONS. This book, by Chris Stewart, is a lot of fun. Chris was the drummer with Genesis before he retired at age 17 and launched a career as a sheep shearer and travel writer. Subtitled 'An optimist in Andalucia", it describes his acquisition of, and move to, a remote farm house in Andalucia. You will love it!
THE TWICE BORN by Uma Mahendran will keep you entertained for hours. Briefly, a psychiatrist meets a young autistic boy who leads him on a telepathic mind-journey into the past.....back to 1500BC, when the Arya invaders have just begun to settle in the lush plains of the Indus Valley. It is a truly great read, do yourself a favour, hunt it down and enjoy your read. I bought the book at Kuala Lumpur airport, maybe you could try searching for Platinum Press, Malaysia.
THE WIND UP BIRD CHRONICLE. This great book, by Haruki Murakami, is a little different, challenges everyday concepts and has some stunningly visual pieces in it. It's inventiveness kept me enthralled.16 September 2010
Valeri Pain: re-created 2010 