Staff Favourites2009 - Scotch College Library

This is a dark, somewhat Dickensian tale, full of eccentric characters.

If you like a good mystery or ghost stories then this is the book for you. This is a dark, somewhat Dickensian tale, full of eccentric characters. Set in the bleak English countryside, a writer tries to piece together the mystery of Vida Winter and the ruin of Angelfield, an old house with many secrets. The story does take a while to warm-up but once you are hooked, it's hard to put down.

It is the story of one boy's discovery of surfing and the friendships he makes while finding the courage to surf some seriously big waves.

SENIOR FICTION ONLY This is Winton's first novel in 7 years and it won the Age "Fiction of the Year" Award. It is the story of one boy's discovery of surfing and the friendships he makes while finding the courage to surf some seriously big waves. Even if you don't surf, Winton makes you feel like you're there. It's the closest you can get to surfing 20 foot waves without getting wet.

Thoroughly recommended to anyone who enjoyed Beevor's book on the battle

Although I've read many books about the Eastern Front, this one contained much that was new to me. Jones has interviewed many veterans of the battle, and their testimonies are often vivid and touching. There are new interpretations of topics such as Pavlov's House, the snipers, Chuikov and Order 227. Thoroughly recommended to anyone who enjoyed Beevor's book on the battle, even though Jones points out some errors in that enjoyable book.

... is perhaps most memorable ...

Paul Ham's opinionated but nonetheless excellent and highly readable 'history' of the Vietnam War: Ham takes up the cause of the Australian soldiers who served in this violent and much misunderstood conflict and, in the process, tries to lay to rest a number of leftist 'myths' about the definitely unbenign Uncle Ho and his generals who fed a generation of their countrymen, women and children into a bloody war of attrition via their own perverse brand of 'hearts and minds' pitter patter. To be true, no politician from any country involved, comes out looking good: certainly (with the exception of the extraordinary Graham Edwards) not our own - some of the insights are shameful and a real eye opener to one such as myself who, whilst at school and university formed strong views about a war which he really knew very little about.

His book is perhaps most memorable however for the extraordinary stories it contains of courage and loss of the common person, whether opposed to the war here or serving abroad, on any side. Interestingly, in light of the publicity recently about Australia's most recent Victoria Cross winner, Mark Donaldson it is equally moving to read of the (posthumous ) sacrifice of three of the 4 VC winners in Vietnam, 'Dasher' Wheatley's, for exampl, As well as of Roden Cutler VC's surprise at how few - given the bravery shown - VC awards were made in Vietnam. Ham speculates - convincingly - that this may well be due to political sensitivities about the unpopular nature of the war.

Readers are further left to ponder how this country could have so cruelly deserted the soldiers who fought for it - for so long and so badly...To have found a former classmate on the Honour Roll and not to have known of his loss implicates me as heavily as anyone…

The book takes you on a history lesson of famous people and their mistakes.

I think that the name of the book gives a clear outline of the content. The book takes you on a history lesson of famous people and their mistakes. The thing that I liked the most about the book was that each person's chapter was only a few pages in length, so if you don't have much time to get into a large story line or your reading is intermittent then this is the book for you.

Each chapter takes you on a different journey through Jamal's life where he proves that he has answered the questions on the game show not from book knowledge, but from his own life experiences.

I'm sure everyone has heard of the movie by now, but I recommend that you read the book first… Slumdog Millionaire (originally titled "q & a") is a book about an illiterate street kid (Jamal) from Mumbai who lands himself an appearance on a local game show similar to "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". The producers do not believe that a street kid from the slums could possibly win the game show and come to the conclusion that he must have cheated. Each chapter takes you on a different journey through Jamal's life where he proves that he has answered the questions on the game show not from book knowledge, but from his own life experiences. Slumdog Millionaire is book of poverty, brutality, romance, humour and hope.

It's a magical realist story about a French mass murderer who perceives the world through smell.

This is my favourite novel. It's a magical realist story about a French mass murderer who perceives the world through smell. The central character is grotesque in thought, word and deed. Yet, the story draws us into his story so we find ourselves allies with a killer. The novel provides a unique view on religion, beauty, sexuality and pre-revolutionary France. It's funny, exciting, thought provoking and quite moving (especially the final climactic scene). Moreover, similar to the central character. the novel makes you start to see the world in a different way - and isn't that what great books are supposed to do?

It's about a nine year old boy, Oskar, who has lost his father in the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre.

This novel is strange, amusing and very moving. It's about a nine year old boy, Oskar, who has lost his father in the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre. Oskar has found a key that belonged to his father and sets off around New York to find the lock. The story also spans the history of his grandparents. It is challenging in the way that it is structured (there are elements of poetry, journal writing, photo journalism and internal monologue). The audience is kept engaged by the mystery of the missing lock and the central character's sense of humour.

A great read for those who enjoy historical fiction ...

A great read for those who enjoy historical fiction Set in medieval Britain at a time when the plague was still a distant threat, a small, but disparate group of travellers set out on a journey to avoid the main ports and towns on their quest to reach the safety of a religious shrine in the Midlands. Each traveller brings his/her own story which impacts on the wellbeing of the group.

Her journey of self discovery is intertwined with the activities of the tenants in her building in Paris ...

A witty story of a clever person who hides her intelligence behind a mask of loneliness and lack of self confidence and self worth. Her journey of self discovery is intertwined with the activities of the tenants in her building in Paris as she slowly learns to shed her "spikes" and make meaningful friendships.

It was so engrossing I had to read through the night to finish it!

The Girl Who Played With Fire is a fantastic read and will not disappoint anyone who enjoyed The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. It was so engrossing I had to read through the night to finish it!
Lisbeth Salander is again one of the central characters, and we find out more about her background. Michael Blomkvist's Millennium is about to expose shattering information regarding the trafficking of whores between Eastern Europe and Sweden. It is expected to be a huge story particularly with the expected exposure of a number of well-known and respected people in high and visible positions in Swedish society. Just before the publication of the findings, the journalist writing the story is gunned down and killed together with his girlfriend. On the gun used in the shooting are the fingerprints of Lisbeth Salander. Almost everybody is convinced that Lisbeth Salander is guilty and a hunt starts. The evidence seems clear but Mikael Blomkvist is not convinced that Lisbeth Salander is guilty.

This is an absolutely riveting read about the shameful period of British appeasement of Hitler

This is an absolutely riveting read about the shameful period of British appeasement of Hitler in the lead-up to WWII. Olson focuses on the Tory rebels, like McMillan, Boothby, Amery and Cartland who risked their careers and their reputations by standing up to PM Chamberlain who was duped by Hitler and professed to have achieved "peace in our time". While German armies marched across Europe, the ill-equipped British forces were being asked to fight a phony war against the military might of the Germans.
The rest is history ...

The book has an interesting premise, but is much more historical fiction than adventure.

The Solitude of Thomas Cave is about a whaling ship in the 17th century that, on a bet, leaves a willing Thomas Cave behind in Greenland to brave the winter on his own. Once alone, we learn through Cave's log book he keeps and his personal memories what sort of personal demons and grief he has that would cause him to volunteer for such a lonely task.
The book has an interesting premise, but is much more historical fiction than adventure. I found it to be a bit slow at times, and it could have ended much earlier. I learned about whaling in the 16th century, but aside from that I didn't get much from this book.

With interesting characters and a historical commentary ranging across a variety of themes, I found this to be an easy and enjoyable read.

Told from the perspective of Leonardo da Vinci's servant, this story highlights the interplay between Art, Politics, Religion and Science in an era of artistic geniuses. His story takes place as Leonardo paints the Last Supper and would be an interesting read for anyone interested in the reasons for the paintings rapid degradation. With interesting characters and a historical commentary ranging across a variety of themes, I found this to be an easy and enjoyable read.

... a thirteen year old girl, as she struggles with issues of friendship, family and her own identity.

Sonya Hartnett's Butterfly follows a few weeks in the life of Plum, a thirteen year old girl, as she struggles with issues of friendship, family and her own identity. These topics have the potential to lead to cheesy writing and twee scenarios of teen angst, but instead Hartnett deals with them sensibly yet beautifully. Whilst the narrative is written in the third person, we still get the sense of Plum's naive self-centred focus and unreliable version of events, and this adds to our understanding of the difficulties and fears which come with adolescence. This novel is aimed at young adults but, due to the mature style of writing, I think adult readers would still enjoy it; however, it may be more appealing to female readers than males.

I found it all fascinating.

This is the book on which the film "The Duchess" was based (starring Keira Knightley). It was previously published as Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. This non-fiction writing provides evidence of the painstaking and thorough research undertaken by the author, with many quotations, footnotes and endnotes.
As a very amateur "history buff" I enjoyed finding out more of the family background and profile of Georgiana. As someone who has lived in Derbyshire and explored the Duke of Devonshire's family home at Chatsworth, I found it all fascinating. This is definitely not a book of light fiction, and after initially wanting to give up on it due to its small text size I decided to give it another go… and was glad I did. And if you thought that Charles and Di were the first to have "three people in their marriage" then you might be surprised to discover that Georgiana also experienced this.

This is as much required reading by anyone interested in the loveliest ...

'This is as much required reading by anyone interested in the loveliest if most elusive literary gene of them all, especially if their liking is (or is not!) for the local product. Following in the footsteps of its predecessor (80 Great Poems From Chaucer To Now), Page provides a (usually) substantial critical essay on a wide range of Australian poetry, from the pioneering days through to the present. While they follow a standard pattern, they rise above tedious 'lit crit' through the extensive background knowledge Page (himself a distinguished Australian poet) brings to them - and his recognition that compiling any list such as this is fraught with all kinds of dangers, especially from this often highly critical sector itself! Bravely, he has not let this deter him; he even provides an alternative list inviting further condemnation or praise?!! Finally, Page is to be commended for his straight down the line Introduction and an excellent Appendix which defines and demystifies more poetic terminology than most textbooks on the subject - and, again, in the same straight forward, down- to- earth manner characteristic of his own verse. Highly recommended for students and general readers alike.'

The writing is powerful, spare and very masculine

I'd never heard of Peter Landesman when this book caught my eye, but I'm now looking for other gems by him. The writing is powerful, spare and very masculine - like Hemingway in some ways. Landesman skilfully evokes the rough, hard lives eked out by lobster fishermen in a Maine seaside community, and the irrevocable damage caused to the town when a boatful of visitors is drowned under mysterious circumstances. Only the female bodies are found - bloated and chewed. The cause of the tragedy and the whereabouts of the male bodies provide the question which drives the novel, but the rugged, terse characters and the visceral, clipped prose are its real strength.

A must read for anyone interested in the diversity of the human mind.

Daniel Tammett has Savant Syndrome, a rare form of Asperger's . This is his story . He offers the reader in insight into his remarkable life from his years of isolation as a young boy through to his extraordinary achievements as a young man.
Daniel's condition allows him to remember long sequences of numbers as they take on a life of their own; he can learn a complex and obscure language such as Icelandic in a week. As well as these extraordinary gifts Daniel gently and eloquently explains how he experiences words and numbers and what they mean to him and why it is difficult to 'read' other people.
The real breakthrough in his emotional engagement with other people came when he applied to teach English in Lithuania. Having never been separated from his family nor away from his home and town, his journey to Lithuania as a young man of 19 gave him the confidence to form friendships and to test the limits of his abilities.
This book offers a rare insight, enabling greater understanding of people with severe autistic disorders. Daniel is unique in that he is now able to live a fully independent life as a highly gifted member of society and this reader had a sense of being on that incredible journey with him.
A must read for anyone interested in the diversity of the human mind.

... extremely readable and enjoyable ...

Casey, Ed and Tommo are three mates who have always been united by their love of footy and girls. Unfortunately, Year 11 has brought with it some unforeseen complications and their previously cruisey routine has suddenly disintegrated. Ed is hoping to be recruited to the Bombers' Youth Squad and his new footy mates are all about drinking and acting tough. Tommo can't seem to decide whether he hates the hottest girl in school, or is actually in love with her. Casey's brother has "come out" and his family has splintered as a result. Not knowing how to deal with his angry father and absent mother, he's started avoiding Tommo and doesn't seem to care that Ed is in hospital after things at Saturday night's party went way too far. Amidst all the drama in these boy's lives, there's still plenty of humour in this extremely readable and enjoyable novel.

this is one of those great novels that hooks you in from the very first line.

Nick and Nora are two teenagers thrown together by circumstance and a shared love of punk rock. Caught up in a marathon Manhattan night, music, misunderstandings and crazy characters fuel the sparks of their surprising yet captivating connection. Told alternatively from Nick and Nora's point of view, this is one of those great novels that hooks you in from the very first line. The characters are passionate, memorable and extremely honest and the dialogue is gritty and littered with expletives. I didn't want this wild ride of a story to finish!

... passion for drugs, alcohol and sex has regularly derailed his career ...

Comedian, actor, tabloid fodder; Russell is a cult performer whose story is compelling because of his utterly self-destructive lifestyle. An exhibitionist even as a child, his passion for drugs, alcohol and sex has regularly derailed his career, yet Brand somehow manages to bounce back from each controversy with even more fans. Like many biographies, the style is self-indulgent, but Russell's willingness to spare no detail of his shameful and shocking behavior makes it addictive reading. Obviously an intelligent and articulate man, Russell tells his story in a way that makes you feel like he's confiding in you, yet wanting to show off at the same time. Definitely one for the fans, this memoir leaves some unanswered questions, "can he stay on the straight and narrow after rehab? Will he get his Hollywood movie career off the ground? Will he achieve the massive fame he so obsessively courts?" We'll just have to wait for Russell's promised follow-up volume to find out…

The stories are compelling, and at times uncomfortable to read. It is the type of book which is interesting to dip in and out of rather than read through in order

What We Knew is an oral history text, providing accounts from a range of people about their experiences in Nazi Germany. The main aim of the book is to explore claims that many 'everyday' Germans have made about their lack of knowledge of the Nazi atrocities. The authors contacted many surviving Germans and Jewish Germans and undertook lengthy interviews. The interviews have been edited and organised into sections in the book, but the text is largely focused on the oral accounts rather than historical analysis. The stories are compelling, and at times uncomfortable to read. It is the type of book which is interesting to dip in and out of rather than read through in order (and I must admit that I haven't read every single part as yet!) I would recommend it to those interested in social and/or WWII history.

A very squalid and seedy story.

Lindsey Davis' The Jupiter Myth, about her 12th or 15th in the Falco series, has Marcus Didius Falco, agent during Vespasian's imperium stationed in Londinium with his wife, Helena, his sister and best friend along for a vacation - yeah, go figure - a vacation in a backwater port at the edge of the empire?! A 'noble' Briton is found dead, head first down in a well at the back of a pub near the docks, and Falco is ordered by the procurator and governor to find the killer. Roman gangsters are setting up an extortion ring among the poor along the Thamesis. A very squalid and seedy story.

If you are interested in the Steven Saylor Roma Sub Rosa novels, this one finds Gordianus during the siege of 49 BCE. "The Finder" and his son-in-law, Davus, have come to find Gordianus adopted son, Meto, who was Last Seen in Masillia (present day Marseille). The pair of seekers encounter the army of Caesar besieging the city, which has aligned itself with Pompey. A fortification undermining tunnel allows them entry to a city on the brink. What follows is another compellingly authentic description and narration that takes the reader back into ancient times.

it's different, but very readable and at times quite funny.

Kafka on the Shore is quirky and astoundingly original. Kafka is a 15 year old boy who leaves home to escape the fate foretold by his father, (whom he hates), that he will kill his father and sleep with his mother and sister. If that's ringing Oedipal bells don't worry - this is no Greek myth. It's more an amalgam of magical realism - Japanese style, and mystery with a philosophical bent. Kafka is offered a job in a private library run by an enigmatic, beautiful but sad 50 year old woman and a kind, handsome and erudite transsexual. They each play their part in Kafka's search for the truth about his past and how he wishes to go on living. Is the woman the mother who abandoned Kafka when he was only four? Who did kill Kafka's father? Will Kafka lose his virginity to the spirit who visits his bedroom each night...and just what place do Colonel Sanders, Johnny Walker and the man who talks to cats fill in this surreal jigsaw? As I said, it's different, but very readable and at times quite funny.

I enjoyed the novel and highly recommend it.

"The Slap" by Christos Tsiolkas is the well deserved recipient of the Commonwealth Writers' Prize 2009. The story revolves around the lives of 8 different people who attend a suburban BBQ where a child is slapped by a man who is not his father. Each chapter is about a different character and his/ her view point on the incident. It is interesting to read about how people with varied backgrounds, life experiences, beliefs and religions can share such different opinions on the same event. I enjoyed the novel and highly recommend it.

... the focus moves from the slap itself to explore the difficulty of marriage, work-life balance and mid-life crisis in a modern world.

The slap of the title takes place at a family BBQ in Melbourne: spoiled brat toddler Hugo is about to swipe 8-year old Rocco with a cricket bat. Rocco's father slaps Hugo to prevent this. The result? Friends and relatives divided. However, the book is about more than this, and the focus moves from the slap itself to explore the difficulty of marriage, work-life balance and mid-life crisis in a modern world. I agree with Emily Atchison's comments in her earlier review of the same book that the structure Tsiolkas employs - of telling the story from a different character's point of view in each section - makes the book engaging. However, I found it hard to keep reading at times due to the sheer dislikeability of many of the characters. Yes, the book tapped into conundrums faced by many 30 and 40-somethings in first world countries. But at times you wanted to shake them and say 'stop being so selfish! You have a kind wife and healthy children, so stop worrying about your grey hair and the fact that the kids are hindering your music or recreational drug habits!' A thought-provoking read, but I hope I don't get stuck next to any of these characters at a dinner party.

... The novel has the usual exploration of social norms and the female protagonist facing difficult decisions about relationships and marriage ...

At the time of her death, Austen left an unfinished work about a seaside bath town called Sanditon and its close-knit group of inhabitants. Shapiro, an expert on Austen and her writing, has taken Austen's piece and turned it into a complete novel. It is hard to tell where Austen's writing finishes and Shapiro's begins (according to some websites, Austen wrote the first half or so plus planned the ending). The novel has the usual exploration of social norms and the female protagonist facing difficult decisions about relationships and marriage, plus a smattering of caddish men and cases of mistaken identity!

A thoroughly enjoyable novel, well researched and difficult to put down.

The White Queen details brilliantly, the life of Elizabeth Woodville, a common woman who ascends to royalty by virtue of her beauty. She marries Edward IV, and as Queen of England, is the passionate wife of a king and devoted mother to his children. The setting is at the height of the War of the Roses and Elizabeth's life is filled with violent conflict, betrayal and murder. Once again Philippa Gregory has produced an entertaining historical novel, exploring the unsolved true mystery of the central figures of that time. A thoroughly enjoyable novel, well researched and difficult to put down.

... A great read ...

I had the privilege of hearing the author Craig Silvey speak at a "book club" event recently. It was great to gain some background to his writing and thinking. Whilst Jasper Jones has been labelled as suitable for the "younger reader" it hits the spot for all ages. It allows the reader the enter the world of 13 year old Charlie who lives in a small WA country town. Jasper Jones knocks on Charlie's sleepout window one evening... and the story takes off. This wonderful book includes elements of sadness, indigenous issues, relationships, cricket, peer pressure, love, grief, trauma, redemption... whew, it has it all. A great read from a very talented young Australian. By the way the book recently won the 2009 Indie Book of the Year Award!

Mitford has a great style and her well-timed dialogue makes you laugh out loud.

Anyone who loved "Pride and Prejudice" is bound to love Mitford's collection of stories, filled with eccentric British characters pursuing love and creating scandals in this very mannered world. Mitford has a great style and her well-timed dialogue makes you laugh out loud. This collection is made up of three novels which each tell the tale of a different character, who are all connected by family and geography. A very well crafted and interesting set of stories.

You'll find the same visceral love of Australian landscapes, vivid portraits of the people with their loveable, fatal flaws, and the same exciting, imaginative scope. And to top it off, Tolz is delightfully, irreverently funny.

I thoroughly enjoyed this rambling, ambitious, very, very Australian masterpiece. Tolz leads us blindfolded through a maze with twists and turns like the literal maze that Martin Dean, one of his main characters builds for himself to live in. Terry Dean, the brother of Martin is a Ned Kelly style man, brutal and at least partly mad but loved by the Australian public for his murderous escapades - all aimed at purging sacred Aussie sports of the criminals who rort the systems. His brother's notoriety contributes to Martin's slow, inexorable descent into madness, a curse to which his own son Jasper is in danger of succumbing. These are well-fleshed out, quirky, intelligent characters supported by equally interesting women. Anouk, a nubile, smart, slightly kooky left-wing radical who enters the Deans' lives when she runs her keys along the body of Martin's new red MG convertible, and the beautiful Caroline, apex to a love triangle both tragic and believable. If you like Peter Carey, try Tolz. You'll find the same visceral love of Australian landscapes, vivid portraits of the people with their loveable, fatal flaws, and the same exciting, imaginative scope. And to top it off, Tolz is delightfully, irreverently funny.