A Rose by any other Name

by Maureen McCarthy

For me the book was a gripping journey. Rose was a highly intelligent secondary student. She attended an elite school but was never quite a part of the social set. Rose experienced bitter disappointment and embarrassment in relationships with family and those she thought were her closest friends. Her journey was of rediscovery both in the direction of her life, faith in her self and those closest to her and her ability to make meaningful relationships. It is a journey we all go through at some stage in our lives.

Mrs Libby Moore

(Head of Information Technology)

The Eagle in the Sand

by Simon Scarrow

A ripping, fast moving yarn set in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire in the first century. The central characters are Macro and Cato two Roman centurians sent to the region to find out if the local governor is conspiring against the emperor. They become caught up in a bloody battle with an army of local freedom fighters eventually escaping intact and with their mission complete. The description of the landscapes, living conditions and battles are particularly vivid bringing to life the conditions of the period. I have been teaching this to year seven history students for years and this book really brought it alive. Well worth a read for someone looking for an entertaining, easy to read story.

Mr Grant Watson

(Head of Christian Education)

Long Way Round

by Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor

This book accompanies the TV/DVD series which I haven't yet viewed. It tells the story of Charley and Ewan's adventure - travelling 19000 miles from London to New York on motorbikes! They travelled through Europe, Asia then by sea to Alaska and from there to New York.

The book's written really well and keeps the reader interested - as events are told from each man's perspective - that is, they fill in the gaps for each other, and at times they "tell on each other" opening up the foibles and weaknesses of their friend. Yet through it all the reader can sense a deep friendship filled with respect and companionship. At first it seemed I was in for a spoiled actor's (Ewan) view on the world - it seemed pretty easy and straightforward for someone of his status to receive BMW and other sponsorship for the trip (Charley is not as well known as Ewan) - however the more I read, the more I realised that it was a deeper book than that. The journey was harsh, challenging and full of calamities, breakdowns, shocking "roads" and scary encounters… but the end result was that they did it! A good rollicking read, even for someone who's only ever been a pillion passenger on a bike!

Mrs Jan Dunn

(Bursar's Secretary)

The Secret History

by Donna Tartt

This book is a real page turner. The novel tells the story of a group of friends who study Classics at an Eastern University in the U.S.A. When one of their friends becomes a liability they are caught up in a murder which they must try and cover up. Very descriptive, Tartt makes you feel like you are living the events with this group of eccentric characters.

This book has something for everyone.

Ms Ophelia Hopkins

(Drama Teacher)

The One from the Other

by Phillip Kerr

Phillip Kerr, well known for the Berlin Noir trilogy has written a GREAT post WW II novel resurrecting Bernie Gunther, intrepid private investigator. Twisting quadruple helix story - not to be missed if you love dark stories ….

Mr Ken Wheat

(Head of Upper School)

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak

WWII is a busy time for the sardonic narrator of this highly original Australian novel. His job is to collect the souls of the dead, so it's not surprising that his voice is a little detached and tinged with irony. He tells the story of a resilient young girl and her wartime experiences in a small German village. Liesel's father teaches her to read in the inky nightmare hours, and her subsequent hunger for words emboldens her to become a serial book thief. Liesel's accomplice is her cheeky and ardent admirer Rudy, with whom she raids orchards and fights bullies.

When Liesel's parents agree to harbour a young Jewish man in their basement, she forges a strong friendship with him through their shared love of words and loss of dear ones. This bond forms the basis for a complex and involving tale which reveals the profound effects of war on a young girl and those around her. Despite harrowing scenes, it manages to celebrate great love, self sacrifice and the endurance of hope. An inspiring read!

Mrs Michelle Sweeney

(Librarian)

Generals Die in Bed: a story from the trenches

by Charles Yale Harrison

Stark, brutal, real. No glamour here, no heralding of bravery…just life in the trenches replete with corpse-fed rats, suffocating mud and the endless, sanity-stealing lice. It's fascinating and enlightening to read how Canadian soldiers regarded their superiors and the English as enemies - even more so than the Germans. To learn how a man could kill one German soldier with his bayonet and then share a cigarette with his victim's brother as they shelter from the bullets raining down from both sides. Such situations are so horrific and insane they become chillingly ludicrous. In this account of WWI by a man who fought in the trenches, the numbing fear is tangible; the scream of bombs is audible.

Unrelentingly Harrison describes battles merging into marches marked by desperate fatigue or drunken escape. It is a deeply moving account of young men who do not know why they are fighting, and who long for good food, clean sheets and quiet safety.

Mrs Michelle Sweeney

(Librarian)

The Year of Magical Thinking

by Joan Didion

If you want to understand more about grief and loss "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion is the best biographical book on the issue since 1961 when CS Lewis wrote "A Grief Observed". Joan Didion, an established author writes with candor and beautiful lucidity of the year following her husband's death by cardiac arrest. The journey is into her mind and emotions as she lays before us her complicated encounter with mortality. Her sense of abandonment is as total as the Psalmist and the Lord himself as they felt and expressed their God forsakenness. She writes: 'His eye is not on the sparrow'. The feeling is terrifying and real, but the truth is different.

Mr Graham Bradbeer

(Chaplain)

Obedience, Struggle and Revolt

by David Hare

Those boys who are interested in writing, directing, theatre or the creative process in general may find many gems of wisdom in this read. The book is a series of lectures given by David Hare (a famous Director and Playwright based in London). The lectures cover current affairs and the ongoing struggle to create art that matters somehow. An easy book to dip in and out of for some new ideas or a fresh angle on writing and creating. Five stars!

Ophelia Hopkins

(Drama teacher)

Dames & Divas

by David Leser

Whilst working for the Australian Women’s Weekly as a senior writer, David Leser interviewed many women and this book contains 21 of the most memorable interviews. Whilst brief, each story provides a unique insight into the lives of these women i.e. Fiona Wood, Anna Murdoch, Helen Garner, June Newton, Dame Elizabeth Murdoch and the grandest dame of all – Dame Edna.

Lillianne White

(Vice Principal’s Secretary)

Between the Lines

by Jason Donovan

Shortly before his 40th birthday Jason Donovan tells the story of his life. From the beginning of his acting career as Scott Robinson in the all time favourite Neighbours, to chart success with Kylie Minogue as well as his appearances in West End musicals in London. This book gives an insight to what life was like at the height of his fame but also shows the downfall that Jason experienced with years of drug use. All in all an interesting book for everyone who likes to relive those 80’s.

Astrid Whitbread

(Music School Secretary)

Can’t get there from here

by Todd Strasser

‘Maybe’ is a kid who lives on the streets of New York. Her fellow tribe members include Country Club, OG, Maggot, Jewel, 2Moro, Rainbow and Tears, the youngest at just 12 years old. Cold, desperate and hungry they spend their days begging for food and searching for a place to sleep. The clock ticks fast for kids on the streets, and one by one their time is up - drug addiction, violence and suicide to blame. In a world full of adults who abuse, abandon and turn a blind eye, Anthony the librarian and Officer Ryan extend a hand of kindness to Maybe in a bid to show her a life off the streets. This is a frightening insight into another world, told in a raw and matter of fact style, which leaves the reader feeling lucky to have a warm bed to sleep in at night.

Angela Morris

(Librarian)

The Island

by Victoria Hislop

This book is about the leper colony which was established in 1903-1957 on the Island of Spinalonga (north coast of Crete) in Greece. The colony was founded in 1903 and only closed in 1957 when a cure was found. It is a great read as the story is told by Alexis who when investigating her family history found that her great grandmother Eleni was sent to the island when she contracted leprosy. The novel reveals a vibrant community dealing with human foibles and a disease which banished people to an island. It is an interesting account of how a person can quickly become an outcast in a society where they once had influence and importance.

Mrs Libby Moore

(Head of Information Technology)