My entry to Nick Cave's music was the Murder Ballads album, specifically the duet with Kylie Minogue, Where the Wild Roses Grow. By its very name, it is clearly an album chocker block with narrative songs. I love a song with a narrative. My first loves were songs like Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the … Continue reading The Cave of Nick: Grief, Optimism and Creativity
Tag: book reviews
Rewriting history: The Commandant
The victors write history. This is why the day we 'celebrate' Australia is the anniversary of the day Captian Philip of the First Fleet planted the British flag at Sydney Cove. The day is also Invasion Day. As a white person of German (and other) heritage, I have to acknowledge my family's role in taking … Continue reading Rewriting history: The Commandant
Devotion/Obession
This one time, I got addicted to ancestory.com. It would get dark and I would begin to think, I'm tired. Then I would realise it was 2 in the morning. I had to find sleep before 9 to 5 of my workday! Devotion by Hannah Kent retriggered my addiction. On my first read of Devotion, … Continue reading Devotion/Obession
Once There Were Wolves: The Human Predator
I was hopeful, Charlotte McConaghy's Once There Were Wolves starts with a quote from Angela Carter on wolves. It was not immediately downhill from there but there was a turning point that destroyed the book for me. I literally shouted at a character. At the author. I said no, don't. Please no! I have to … Continue reading Once There Were Wolves: The Human Predator
The Goldfinch and Ann
It has been four years since the Pocket Bookclub lost our lovely thoughtful clever Ann. Her last gift to us was The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I wrote this blog post back then and it has sat in my drafts because I couldn't bring myself to post it. Now is the time. Thank you, Ann, … Continue reading The Goldfinch and Ann
Flyaway and heart-shaped lemon cake
The Pocket Bookclub is not a fan of 'fantasy' but I keep trying. My favourite Jonathon Strange and Mr Norell fell flat but I had some success with books that err closer to magical realism. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht was warmly embraced. Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings was a risky choice. Would I like … Continue reading Flyaway and heart-shaped lemon cake
The Silence of Water
The Pocket Book club kicked off 2023 with The Silence of Water by Sharron Booth. We like to theme our food with a book's contents but there is not much food in this book. Lots of alcohol. Not much food. The best we could do was marmalade sandwiches (minus the beach sand). The Silence of … Continue reading The Silence of Water
Fear for Words
Pocket Book Club's first book for 2021 was The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. I am very pleased to say there is madeira Cake in this book. One of our best hopes for any book is for it to include some delicious food and I got to bake the madeira cake twice due … Continue reading Fear for Words
Nature Girl meets Courtroom Drama
"Where the Crawdads Sing" is a North Carolina way of saying "Beyond the Blackstump" which would probably also be a good name for a book if it is not already taken. Everything you need to know about the main character in "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens is contained within her deer analogy. “Kya … Continue reading Nature Girl meets Courtroom Drama
“I left the baby on the bus and now I’m going to fall into a delirious fever”
Pocket Bookclub is not enamoured with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or the monster in the book. This a story we retell and reimagine over and over. In fact, Frankenstein is 200 years old this year. It has captured our collective cultural imagination but the source just did not stand up for us. Let's start with who … Continue reading “I left the baby on the bus and now I’m going to fall into a delirious fever”