That day was no different than any other. High school was as cruel as ever. Many teenage stories are ultimately about belonging. It's something we all want, of course - to belong to someone or something, to feel connected to a group, a family, a tribe who makes us feel like we're not alone, like … Continue reading The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart | Chesil #JPNfiction
I had wanted to be a writer. But after the events I am about to describe, I studied engineering geology and became a building contractor. This was my first Orhan Pamuk. I had fairly high expectations. To say I was underwhelmed is an understatement. We start with a young man, fatherless for all intents and … Continue reading The Red-Haired Woman | Orhan Pamuk #ReadtheNobels
There was a time, and it was many years ago now, when I had to stay in hospital for almost nine weeks. When planning my summer holiday reading, I wanted a mix of books. I wanted short stories, I wanted some Australian authors, particularly Gen IV Australian Women Writers, I wanted a Japanese book, a … Continue reading My Name is Lucy Barton | Elizabeth Strout #USAfiction
From the best-selling author of Strange Weather in Tokyo comes a collection of playful, delightful, delectable Japanese micro-fiction. Take a story and shrink it. Make it tiny, so small it can fit in the palm of your hand. Carry the story with you everywhere, let it sit with you while you eat, let it watch you while … Continue reading People From My Neighbourhood | Hiromi Kawakami #JPNshortstories
It seemed like it was the right time to finally read this book. The Fire This Time was first published in 2016, but my edition is a 2019 Bloomsbury publication. The collection of essays and poems is edited and introduced by Jesmyn Ward. I like to give space to every essay or article in a … Continue reading The Fire This Time | Jesmyn Ward #USAnonfiction
I'm loving Japanese literature more and more. The modern stuff in particular, appears deceptively simple, but as you read, and for weeks afterwards, you become aware of layers of meaning. The Convenience Store Woman is no exception. On the surface it appears to be a light tale about the life of a young woman who … Continue reading Convenience Store Woman | Sayaka Murata
A Gentleman in Moscow has been on my radar ever since it first came out in 2016 simply because I thoroughly enjoyed Amor Towles first book, Rules of Civility. It took my book club assigning it as our October read though, to finally force me to fit it into my reading schedule. And I'm so glad … Continue reading A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Thankfully Jane Lawson's book, Tokyo Style Guide is more of a walking tour of Tokyo than a pure style guide, as my interest in shopping is minimal. Unfortunately, it's also a hardback book, so it didn't get to come on holidays with me. I browsed it a little before leaving, but have thoroughly enjoyed going … Continue reading Tokyo Style Guide by Jane Lawson
I had a rather unexpected, almost obsessive response to Jonathan Jones' installation at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney last year. It touched me in ways that I'm still finding hard to catch and define. My fascination kicked in at several levels: the fire the architecture the history the cultural aspect the loss the healing the … Continue reading barrangal dyara (skin and bones) Jonathan Jones
The Last Days of Ava Langdon has been shortlisted for this year's Miles Franklin award, that fact, and it's striking cover, brought it into my life at this time. I have yet to read Eve Langley's The Pea-Pickers (1942) - it has been on my TBR pile for quite some time though. Reading O'Flynn's fictionalised account … Continue reading The Last Days of Ava Langdon by Mark O’Flynn
As most of you know, the past couple of months or so has been rather trying for me and my family. As a result I've been searching through my rather extensive (okay, out of control) TBR piles for comforting, cosy, entertaining reads to ease me through this time. The Essex Serpent came highly recommended to … Continue reading The Essex Serpent | Sarah Perry
During my recent blogging malaise, Maisie Dobbs kept me sane and calm. She is familiar, comfortable and cosy. Although some of the crimes are getting a little nasty now that Hitler is involved, Winspear still avoids gory details and gruesome forensic descriptions, for which I am eternally grateful! Journey to Munich is book 12 in … Continue reading Journey to Munich | Jacqueline Winspear
Louise Park is an amazingly prolific Australian children's author who writes under several pseudonyms, including H. I. Larry (Zac Power books), Mac Park (Boy Vs Beasts books) and Poppy Rose (Bella Dancerella series). The Harriet Clare series of books are written under her own name. Harriet Clare Secret Notebook #5 Mystery Dare was published a couple … Continue reading Harriet Clare #6 Christmas Fair | Louise Park
For four days I've been trying to write a review that would do this rich, engrossing, mosaic of a book due justice.It wasn't so much writer's block as writer's muddle.There was soooo much to say! I couldn't even decide which lens or which perspective to choose?Because I was enjoying Do Not Say We Have Nothing … Continue reading Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
A good memoir is a true delight and I love it when I find one that catches me by surprise. Memoirs, good memoirs, have the power to heal, to connect, to normalise, to reach out, to understand and to promote empathy. When I picked up the ARC of Spiegelman's I'm Supposed to Protect You From … Continue reading I’m Supposed To Protect You From All This | Nadja Spiegelman
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