Reviewed by Rod McLary It is a common trope in psychological dramas that a serious event occurs affecting the immediate lives of those directly and indirectly involved. Such an event also reverberates through the many years following the incident until finally it is acknowledged and resolved. This allows for a certain tension as the narrative
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This novel is the second in a two-book deal the author has with Pan MacMillan. Her first was the book Duck à l’Orange for Breakfast. As both of these titles might suggest, these stories have their own quirkiness. never ever forever, with no capital letters, is written by Sydney-based Karina May,
Reviewed by Norrie Sanders One of the more unusual institutions in Zagreb, Croatia, is the Museum of Broken Relationships. Populated by objects and words that tell heartbreaking, though sometimes comical, stories of those who have loved and lost. Courting is a book about a particular kind of broken relationship – one that ends just as
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve The pandemic made our modern lives even more complicated and the thoughtful amongst us gained a new perspective on the nature of love, friendship, and what truly matters. Sigrid Nunez, in her latest novel The Vulnerables, presents a profoundly gentle scenario where it emerges that virtually everyone has a vulnerability that
Reviewed by Antonella Townsend It is said that David Walliams’ books for children cross the brick wall built in the sand by the political correctness brigade. Personally, I didn’t notice, and I have it on good authority that children reading David Walliams think his books are wonderful. Even children who normally regard reading as ‘work’
Reviewed by Rod McLary Social history, which came to prominence in the 1970s as a discipline, sought to document large social changes and reconstruct the experiences of ordinary people through the course of those changes. There is a subset of Social history which also came to some prominence at the same time – women’s history
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke For all those who obtained degrees through The University of Queensland, Mayne Hall will be familiar to you. Peter Roennfeldt, an alumnus of the University of Queensland and Emeritus Professor at Griffith University, has provided a detailed account of Mayne Hall from its first ideas to the years where it fulfilled
Reviewed by Richard Tutin The word “Immortal” is an interesting one. It is used to describe those who might live forever. They inhabit folk stories and, in modern times, action movies. It is also used to describe those who have excelled in a particular field. Various sports, for example, have honoured those whom they regard
Reviewed by Richard Tutin Students of Ancient History are introduced to two mighty rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, very early in their studies. After all they are regarded by historians as being the cradle of civilisation. Despite this knowledge, very few westerners have dipped their toes in their waters nor, in some ways, have
Reviewed by Clare Brook In this memoir Hilton Koppe reflects on his life as a country doctor of forty years. When Hilton received a diagnosis of PTSD from his doctor he was at a loss, how this could be happening to him? Koppe seemed to think that being a doctor should equate to being invincible.
Reviewed by Gail McDonald This was an easy read but with a great story line of love, loss and resilience, written in an engaging and entertaining style and based on actual historical event. The story has a dual setting, one in London in 1940 during the World War II and the German air raids on
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke I love reading the books written by Joanna Nell. They are so uplifting and positive in attitude, filled with humour and their main characters are in their post-work stage of life. From the sunny cover with its quirky font, and the interesting names allotted to places and people, it is a
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke For readers of Fleur McDonald’s books, they will be pleased to follow the storyline of Mia as she takes up her job, as new recruit, for the Barker police force under Detective Dave Burrows. Dave has been a familiar figure in these books and the reader knows that with the breakup
Reviewed by Rod McLary Paul Auster is an elegant and intelligent writer and these two qualities infuse this novel of loss and love. The protagonist – Seymour Baumgartner – has recently lost his wife Anna through a freak accident while she was swimming. Baumgartner was too far away to assist her in any way and
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve The second novel by Burt Surmon is a complete departure from his first where the hedonistic pursuits of a group’s weekend in South Australia’s wine region was only mildly interrupted by a murder. In Da Capo, his main character is Toby Hill whose quest for an enduring happy relationship with a