Bookoccino

AND ANOTHER AMAZING BOOK

bookoccino — Sun, 13 May 2012 02:10:29 +0000

Two amazing books in two weeks! Now that’s unusual. This week I read 2011 National Book Award winner - Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward. National Book Award winners are reliably great books, and last year’s winner is no exception. It’s Ward’s second book and has been described at heartbreaking, life-affirming,sorrowful, uplifting. It’s all these things and and more, with superb writing. Bois Sauvage is a Mississippi bayou town. Esch is poor, fifteen, pregnant, dealing with a boy who no longer looks at her. Her mother has died, her father is a drunk, her brothers are a strong band who will fight and care for her. But Hurricane Katrina is bearing down on Mississippi and for the twelve days leading up to Katrina we live with this family. Ward is here for Sydney Writers Festival and with luck I’ll get to hear her.

THE DOG STARS

bookoccino — Fri, 04 May 2012 06:54:25 +0000

Occasionally I read such a fabulous book I cant wait to tell you about it, even though it wont be published until later in the year. The last time I did this was with Favel Parrett’s Past the Shallows, and it’s truly wonderful to see this book being shortlisted for the Miles Franklin award. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller is another amazing book. It’s set in a dystopian future when the earth’s population has been decimated by a virus and the trout that Hig likes to fish has gone too. The climate is changing too. Hig is living with his beloved dog Jasper, his aggressive neighbour Bagley (between the two of them they are able to fight off the ferals who want their food, their guns) and his Cessna which he uses to search for food. This is a really exciting book. Due August 28.

IAIN BANKS, AND IAIN M BANKS

bookoccino — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:32:51 +0000

I am a huge fan of either the fiction written under Iain Banks, or the science fiction, written under Iain M Banks (although sometimes the science part of science fiction can get a bit beyond me). Iain’s new book, Stonemouth, has been worth waiting for. It’s set on the east coast of Scotland, north of Aberdeen. Stewart Gilmour has returned home for the funeral of the patriach of Stonemouth’s premier crime family. Stewart had been going to marry into the family until there was an unfortunate incident a couple of weeks before the wedding. Now Jo Murston has died, and Stewart has to come back to this bleak hometown where drugs, gangsters, and seafog rule. Stewart is not at all sure of the reception he is going to get from the Murston family, but it would be lethal to stay away. I think Banks is brilliant.

BLACK DOG DAZE

bookoccino — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 06:45:52 +0000

We were so fortunate to have Andrew Robb come last wednesday for one of our Conversations in the Courtyard series of informal talks. What a terrific morning it was! Andrew has held senior management positions and has served as federal and campaign director of the Liberal Party. He always knew he ‘wasn’t good in the mornings’ and as time went on, these periods of depression lasted longer. He avoided confronting this issue for four decades, and only recently has shared his battle with ‘the black dog’ of depression. It was a great morning, and you can read about his battle in his book Black Dog Daze. A really inspiring talk, an inspiring man.

NEW ANNE TYLER

bookoccino — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 06:47:32 +0000

Yes, a new Anne Tyler - The Beginner’s Goodbye. Tyler hasn’t ever written a bad book so it’s always a joy when a new one appears. In this novel, Dorothy has died, leaving her husband Aaron very bereft - they had a long, happy marriage. Then Aaron starts seeing Dorothy, usually in unusual places. At first it’s wonderful and Aaron wants this materialising to keep on happening. Then he and we begin to notice the arguments between Dorothy the ghost and Aaron the distraught husband and the true state of the marriage begins to appear. It’s a delightful book.

THE HUNGER GAMES

bookoccino — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 05:36:44 +0000

I’m sure you’ve all heard of The Hunger Games. Its a trilogy written for teenagers but with enormous appeal for adults as well. If you haven’t read the first book, do grab a copy before you go to see the movie. It’s a dystopian world, and the twelve states of the continent of Panem have to support the thirteenth state, the state of government. And of course people in the government live very, very well while the people in the other states all border on starvation. One of the ways government keeps everyone in check is to have a reality television show once a year in a huge arena, where every state has to send two teenagers who will join the others to fight to the death. The winner has a lifetime of fame and their state has food for the year. Into this comes Katniss with her expertise on the bow. It’s a terrific read, and I guarantee you’ll be back the next day for the second and third books.

AN AMERICAN SPY

bookoccino — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:29:30 +0000

I love a well written spy thriller - they are few and far between. Early last year I discovered Olen Steinhauer’s The Nearest Exit which is the second in a trilogy Steinhauer is writing revolving around Milo Weaver and his Department of Tourism (not a department for travel, a department for assassination). The third book has just been published, An American Spy. I know it’s really hard to make comparisons with other authors, but Steinhauer is the closest I’ve come to the great LeCarre. I’m about three quarters through the book, and I still have no idea what’s going to happen. The first book in the trilogy is The Tourist which I still haven’t read - the books do stand by themselves very well, but I will go back to read this one. Steinhauer’s that good.

SEVEN DAYS OF BLISS

bookoccino — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:59:29 +0000

I’ve just had seven days of sitting on a deck in Noosa, looking at the river, drinking cups of tea and reading. My idea of heaven, and the books - some fabulous, some not so good. The brilliant ones were Toni Morrison’s Home, due May 1, and Iain Banks’ Stonemouth, due early April. Toni Morrison has been a bit up and down lately, but this book is just so good. Only problem is that it is too short. Iain Banks returns to Scotland and a young man coming home to face a difficult family and a lost love. Brilliant! You’re going to have to wait a little while for these gems, but believe me, both books are worth waiting for.

STEVE HAMILTON’S MISERY BAY

bookoccino — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 05:22:40 +0000

One of the great thrillers from last year was The Lock Artist, the story of Michael, a mute teenager who has an uncanny ability with locks, an ability which makes him irresistable to those of the criminal bent. This was one of those books I couldn’t put down. Now Hamilton’s new book is now instore - Misery Bay. It’s set around Lake Superior in winter when a young man is found hanging from a tree on the shores of Misery Bay. The boy’s father employs a retired cop to investigate, because he doesn’t believe the boy would kill himself. And of course the cop unearths the veritable nest of vipers. Another great pageturner that kept me awake.

MATESHIP WITH BIRDS

bookoccino — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:54:18 +0000

I dont know if you read Carrie Tiffany’s Everyman’s Rules for Scientific Living about five years ago. It was a terrific story from a young Australian author. Carrie’s second book is now out and it’s a gem. It’s called Mateship with Birds, it’s set in country Australia in the 1950s, and it’s the story of Harry the dairy farmer, his next door neighbour Betty, a widow with two children and their relationship with the birds and with each other. It’s delightful. One of those books I cant wait to get home to read. The only problem has been Macmillan and their supply - hopefully today we’ll get stock.