Staff Book Nook

In this book, Australia Day, his long-awaited follow up to Talking to My Country, Stan talks about reconciliation and the indigenous struggle for belonging and identity in Australia, and about what it means to be Australian. A sad, wise, beautiful, reflective and troubled book, Australia Day asks the questions that have to be asked, that no else seems to be asking. Who are we? What is our country? How do we move forward from here?

Stan Grant's Australia Day is an exploration into what it means to be Australian. Grant reflects deeply on his family history and identity, as a proud Wiradjuri man and descendant of an Irish convict from the First Fleet. Drawing on ideas from famous philosophers, as well as, his own experiences of racism and new cultures, Grant provides an insightful and nuanced perspective of Australia Day. All Australians- Indigenous or not- should read this book.

Review by tanishadooley

 (Casey Cardinia)

His whole life Danny Kelly's only wanted one thing: to win Olympic gold. Everything he's ever done - every thought, every dream, every action - takes him closer to that moment of glory, of vindication, when the world will see him for what he is: the fastest, the strongest and the best. His life has been a preparation for that moment. His parents struggle to send him to the most prestigious private school with the finest swimming program; Danny loathes it there and is bullied and shunned as an outsider, but his coach is the best and knows Danny is, too, better than all those rich boys, those pretenders. Danny's win-at-all-cost ferocity gradually wins favour with the coolest boys - he's Barracuda, he's the psycho, he's everything they want to be but don't have the guts to get there. He's going to show them all. He would be first, everything would be all right when he came first, all would be put back in place. When he thought of being the best, only then did he feel calm.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It might sound strange, but it's incredibly refreshing to read a book that's about rage, which seems to be Danny Kelly's primary emotion. Danny is an Australian swimmer who dreams of making it to the Olympics; thankfully, there's no swelling inspirational music in this tightly-plotted, intricately structured novel. Danny is almost totally unlikeable, but so utterly fascinating that it doesn't matter. Rage isn't a primary emotion; it's a symptom of the mess of feelings roiling beneath the surface. Mr. Tsiolkas brings those feelings to brilliant life. Also, I'm not Australian, and the look into Australian culture in this novel was a real eye-opener. (read less)

Review by Oh_Carolyn

 (LibraryThing)

An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America - the first African-American to serve in that role - she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare. In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her-from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address.

I really enjoyed the fierceness yet gentleness of her narrative. Having read Dreams from My Father, it was also interesting to hear the overlap of timelines. I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook as I did since you can hear the emotion in her voice and can't help but laugh or cry with her.

Review by thereserose5

 (LibraryThing)

When she arrived in New York on her 18th birthday carrying nothing but $600 cash and a stolen camera, Alice was looking for a fresh start. Now, just one month later, she is the city's latest Jane Doe, an unidentified murder victim. Ruby Jones is also trying to start over; she travelled halfway around the world only to find herself lonelier than ever. Until she finds Alice Lee's body by the Hudson River. From this first, devastating encounter, the two women form an unbreakable bond. Alice is sure that Ruby is the key to solving the mystery of her life--and death. And Ruby, struggling to forget what she saw that morning, finds herself unable to let Alice go. Not until she is given the ending she deserves.

Two girls descend on New York lured by adventure and bright lights, one from Wisconsin and the other from Melbourne in Australia. They are both running away from a relationship with the wrong sort of man. One of the girls ends up being murdered and it is mainly from her ghostly perspective that this story is told. This is a thought provoking and moving tale about women and the perils they face during every day life. It’s beautifully and evocatively written but not always easy to read. It took me a little while to get into it as it has quite a reflective feel but once I did, I found it very compelling. The lives of the girls are brilliantly entwined and interconnected and their individual stories are gripping in their own right. A powerful and very impressive debut. I look forward to reading more of this author’s work. (read less)

Review by VanessaCW

 (LibraryThing)

Don't trust him. It wasn't me. It couldn't have been me. Meet Evie, a young woman held captive by a man named Jim in the isolated New Zealand beach town of Maketu. Jim says he's hiding Evie to protect her, that she did something terrible back home in Melbourne. In a house that creaks against the wind, Evie begins to piece together her fractured memories of the events that led her here. Jim says he's keeping her safe. Evie's not sure she can trust Jim, but can she trust her own memories?

Call Me Evie by J.P. Pomare is an intriguing mystery with plenty of suspense. Seventeen year old Kate Bennet is being held against her will in a cabin in an isolated part of New Zealand. Her captor is an older man whom she calls Jim, and he watches her every move.  Why is Jim holding her prisoner? Will Kate remember what happened the terrible night that precipitated their flight from Melbourne to New Zealand? Call Me Evie is an engrossing mystery despite being a little slow paced. Kate and Jim are interesting characters who are keeping some very dark secrets. The plot is engaging but the story drags a bit in the middle. With a few unexpected twists and turns, J.P. Pomare brings this suspense-laden novel to a shocking, unexpected conclusion. Fans of the genre are sure to enjoy this clever debut.

Review by kbranfield

 (LibraryThing)

Celia and Alice share everything, their secrets, hopes and the increasing horro
r that a killer is on the loose and abducting schoolgirls just like them. Three bodies have
been found, each shrouded in hand-woven fabric. From within the depths of a police
investigation, clues are starting to emerge. But as Alice and Celia discover the truth,
danger is closer than anyone knows. Who can you trust at a time like this?
Summary: Celia and Alice share everything, their secrets, hopes and the increasing horror that a killer is on the loose and abducting schoolgirls just like them. Three bodies have been found, each shrouded in hand-woven fabric. From within the depths of a police investigation, clues are starting to emerge. But as Alice and Celia discover the truth, danger is closer than anyone knows. Who can you trust at a time like this?

This book started very slowly, but it certainly picked up pace in the second-half. It was a creepy, quick read with an open ending that is going to annoy many teens.

Review by HeatherLINC

 (LibraryThing)

First produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender & Harry Potter Theatrical Productions. The official script of the original West End production.  Summary: As an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and a father, Harry Potter struggles with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs while his youngest son, Albus, finds the weight of the family legacy difficult to bear.

Worth the wait, I loved every word in this book. I refuse to post any spoilers, just know that it takes place nineteen years after book seven and is in play format. It's a quick read and once you get going you forget you're reading a script. It's dark, beautiful, and it drops you right back off into the wizarding world. I laughed, I cried (a lot, but that's just me), I was enchanted. I cannot wait to see this acted out on stage. It's wonderful, JK Rowling never disappoints! (read less)

Review by ecataldi

 (LibraryThing)

At the dawn of the nineteenth century, two very different magicians emerge to change England's history. In the year 1806, with the Napoleonic Wars raging on land and sea, most people believe magic to be long dead in England - until the reclusive Mr. Norrell reveals his powers, and becomes a celebrity overnight.

Soon, another practicing magician comes forth: the young, handsome, and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's student, and they join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic, straining his partnership with Norrell, and putting at risk everything else he holds dear.

An elegantly structured novel and one that I enjoyed thoroughly, but also one that's difficult to classify. One could classify it as fantasy but it could just as easily be labelled as alternative history fiction. The book takes place over roughly a decade (1806-1817) and follows the careers of the first two practical magicians in England to appear in several hundred years: Mr Norrell and Jonathan Strange. Clarke's work is brilliant and so well-crafted. She quietly builds a world that mixes history and imagination so smoothly. The overall plot, while building slowly over the 782 pages, reaches a captivating climax and satisfying conclusion resolving the multiple plotlines and character arcs that the reader has encountered. However, while I thoroughly appreciated the cerebral enjoyment the novel provided, I had no extreme emotional connection to the book. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. I enjoyed it. I'm not indifferent to the book by any means and definitely recommend it as a good read, but there's no overwhelming passion where I feel the desperate need to tell everyone I know that they MUST read this book. Rather, it's one I suggest you give a try. It's a lovely read.

Review by MickyFine

 (LibraryThing)

A tale of discovery, meaning and personal growth. In this adventure story a young shepherd boy learns how to live his dreams.

Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy, has always wanted to travel. One day he dreams of finding treasure at the Pyramids of Egypt, and later he dreams the exact same dream again. He decides to go in search of this treasure and has many adventures, meeting a King, an Englishman and an Alchemist along the way. This book is only short, but it is an extremely powerful story, urging you to follow your heart. I found this book extremely profound and moving. It has taught me many things, most important of which is that I must follow my heart, and only that way lies true happiness. Only by listening to your heart can you understand the language of the world, and touch the soul of the world. Amazing.

Review by nakmeister

 (LibraryThing)

Emmett Farmer is working in the fields when a letter arrives summoning him to begin an apprenticeship. He will work for a Bookbinder, a vocation that arouses fear, superstition and prejudice - but one neither he nor his parents can afford to refuse.He will learn to hand-craft beautiful volumes, and within each he will capture something unique and extraordinary: a memory. If there's something you want to forget, he can help. If there's something you need to erase, he can assist. Your past will be stored safely in a book and you will never remember your secret, however terrible. In a vault under his mentor's workshop, row upon row of books - and memories - are meticulously stored and recorded. Then one day Emmett makes an astonishing discovery: one of them has his name on it.

I did not see this book coming. There was not enough info on the back to hint at the plot, so all I knew about it was that it has a beautiful cover and my bookseller highly recommends it. Needles to say, it took me by surprise. It was for me a difficult read, every page an effort for some reason. At times I even found the story cruel. But the beauty of the prose drove me forward, and it had touched something in me like no other book had in a while. By the end, I knew I'm going to read this book again. But not yet.

Review by riida

 (LibraryThing)

Set against the backdrop of an eerie island town in the dead of winter, The Wife and The Widow is an unsettling thriller told from two perspectives: Kate, a widow whose grief is compounded by what she learns about her dead husband's secret life; and Abby, an island local whose world is turned upside when she's forced to confront the evidence of her husband's guilt. But nothing on this island is quite as it seems, and only when these women come together can they discover the whole story about the men in their lives.

I have to confess: I think The Wife and the Widow is even better than his first novel, The Nowhere Child. Unfolding from dual narratives, this domestic mystery takes place on Belport Island. The Wife and the Widow is an incredibly riveting mystery with an atmospheric setting. The chapters alternate between Kate's and Abby's perspectives which builds the suspense to a fever pitch. With an absolutely mind-bending plot twist, The Wife and the Widow brings this outstanding mystery to a stunning conclusion. HIGHLY recommend! (read less)

Review by kbranfield

 (LibraryThing)

The Outsiders is about two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy. The novel tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.

I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. It serves as a reminder that not everything and everyone is who or what they appear to be. I fell in love with these guys and have a feeling that I'm going to be thinking about them for a long time to come. That's always the sign of a great story in my opinion....And just as a side note, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the author of this book is female. (read less)

Review by Pickle115

 (LibraryThing)

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

I found this novel both entertaining and instructive. Anyone (and that’s probably everyone) who has ever bemoaned their life because it’s too mundane, too boring, too insignificant, should read “The Midnight Library.” There is much to learn about not only the main character, Nora, but about ourselves through her. The book is exceptionally well written, and, although I wouldn’t call it a page turner, it will guide you along to the end before you know it. Thoroughly enjoyable and well worth the time to read. I would recommend it for a vacation read, even a beach read.

Review by DanDiercks

 (LibraryThing)

We all have stories we never tell.
Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her.

Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers: Owen's sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As Hannah's increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered; as the FBI arrests Owen's boss; as a US Marshal and FBI agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn't who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen's true identity—and why he really disappeared.

Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth, together. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen's past, they soon realize they are also building a new future. One neither Hannah nor Bailey could have anticipated.

I enjoyed this story of a woman left in an impossible situation by her husband who goes missing. After having no idea as to why her husband disappears suddenly she must unravel the truth behind a man she thought she knew while forging a bond with his reluctant 16 year old daughter. Good story with an interesting outcome - very easy and relaxed read. I would recommend.

Review by tinkerbellkk

 (LibraryThing)

Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed on 9 November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp. Over the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country. Because he survived, Eddie made the vow to smile every day. He pays tribute to those who were lost by telling his story, sharing his wisdom and living his best possible life. He now believes he is the 'happiest man on earth'.

Eddie, now 100 years old, recounts his life, his experiences and mental health issues caused by living through the Holocaust and World War II. At times, his story is heartbreaking, but always full of hope and love. A story never to be forgotten. A memoir for the ages.

Review by Steven1958

 (LibraryThing)

100,000 years ago at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did our foraging ancestors come together to create cities and kingdoms? How did we come to believe in gods, nations and human rights; to trust money, books and laws; and to be enslaved by bureaucracy, timetables and consumerism? And what will our world be like in the millennia to come? In Sapiens, Dr Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the radical and sometimes devastating breakthroughs of the Cognitive, Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions. Drawing on insights from biology, anthropology, palaeontology and economics, he explores how the currents of history have shaped our human societies, the animals and plants around us, and even our personalities. Have we become happier as history has unfolded? Can we ever free our behaviour from the heritage of our ancestors? And what, if anything, can we do to influence the course of the centuries to come? Bold, wide-ranging and provocative, Sapiens challenges everything we thought we knew about being human: our thoughts, our actions, our power ... and our future.

Brilliant. Bold. Fascinating. To say that it's thought-provoking would be a major understatement. I simply wasn't prepared for many of Dr. Harari's arguments, theories and interpretations and the staggering amount of historical time that he covered so aptly! It's not just any history book. Controversial? Yes. But where the author has a point - he is very convincing; where there isn't enough historical information to make a point he honestly says so, all the while producing very plausible theories... Excellent chapter on Polytheism and Monotheism and a great take on Buddhist view of happiness - among so many other fascinating, even if at times "irreverent", insights... Interesting theories about "patriarchal genes" in our societies even up to this day. I also truly see Dr. Harari's reasoning about love-hate relationship between global empires and the societies that they absorbed. What's more, I find the author very objective in his search for answers. All in all, I agree with one of the readers: this book is "most enjoyable and most depressing" at the same time. But it's honest. If I were to choose one book to recommend to my two adult children, this would be the one. (read less)

Review by Clara53

 (LibraryThing)

Hugh "Shuggie" Bain, is a sweet and lonely boy who spends his 1980s childhood in run-down public housing in Glasgow, Scotland. Thatcher's policies have put husbands and sons out of work, and the city's notorious drugs epidemic is waiting in the wings. Shuggie's mother Agnes walks a wayward path: she is Shuggie's guiding light but a burden for him and his siblings. Married to a philandering taxi-driver husband, Agnes keeps her pride by looking good-but under the surface, Agnes finds increasing solace in drink, and she drains away all the family has to live on - on cans of extra-strong lager hidden in handbags and poured into tea mugs. Agnes's older children find their own ways to get a safe distance from their mother, abandoning Shuggie to care for her as she swings between alcoholic binges and sobriety. Shuggie is meanwhile struggling to somehow become the normal boy he desperately longs to be, but everyone has realized that he is "no right," a boy with a secret that all but him can see. Agnes is supportive of her son, but her addiction has the power to eclipse everyone close to her, even her beloved Shuggie.

Believe the hype! In turns harrowing and hilarious, heartwarming and heartbreaking. Like Milkman, a worthy Booker winner and an easy recommendation to all.

Review by alexrichman

 (LibraryThing)

Rosemary's young, just at college, and she's decided not to tell anyone a thing about her family. So we're not going to tell you too much either: you'll have to find out for yourselves what it is that makes her unhappy family unlike any other. Rosemary is now an only child, but she used to have a sister the same age as her, and an older brother. Both are now gone - vanished from her life... There's something unique about Rosemary's sister, Fern. So now she's telling her story; a looping narrative that begins towards the end, and then goes back to the beginning. Twice..

A hard book to review without spilling the crucial beans the narrator tosses on the table 80 pages in. I will say this: 1. High marks for narrative moxie. No high jinx here, just deft use of first-person-addressing-the-reader, a choice that I usually loathe for its archly confidential whisperiness. She not's whispering and it works. 2. The story line could easily have turned in all sorts of implausible, high politicized (barely squeaked by on this one) and/or maudlin directions. Instead, it was entirely believable (and often great good fun), and the ending was better than any of the options I had been entertaining. 3. More high marks for an accurate and rich account of the field of animal psychology. I'm in a position to be critical and Fowler got it all right. I'm impressed! Sorry to be vague, but once you jump in you'll see why. The book is packed with wisdom, insight, laughs and heart. Just don't read too much about it before you start.

Review by SonjaYoerg

 (LibraryThing)

In the long, hot summer of 1989, Ben and Fab are best friends. Growing up in a small country town, they spend their days playing cricket, yabbying in local dams, wanting a pair of Nike Air Maxes and not talking about how Fab's dad hits him or how the sudden death of Ben's next-door neighbour unsettled him. Almost teenagers, they already know some things are better left unsaid. Then a newcomer arrived in the Wimmera. Fab reckoned he was a secret agent and he and Ben staked him out. Up close, the man's shoulders were wide and the veins in his arms stuck out, blue and green. His hands were enormous, red and knotty. He looked strong. Maybe even stronger than Fab's dad. Neither realised the shadow this man would cast over both their lives. Twenty years later, Fab is still stuck in town, going nowhere but hoping for somewhere better. Then a body is found in the river, and Fab can't ignore the past any more.

Small Victorian town nestled in the shadows of the Grampians. Where standing out and being different will make you a target for the ignorant and intolerant. The Prologue sets up the secret, what was discovered and who put it there?  Mark Brandi has perfectly captured the interplay between the two boys, their language, the posturing and their ennui facing the long hot summer. Their lives spread and come full circle, back to whatever was found by the two young children in the prologue. It;s a long burn but well worth it.

Review by Robert3167

 (LibraryThing)