I love travel narratives, and this one is one of the best I’ve read. A J (Sandy) Mackinnon is an Australian born teacher and now writer, who decided to quit his job at a school on the Welsh Borders, and sail away in an ancient little Mirror dinghy he’d “borrowed” from the school. His original goal was London, no mean feat in itself, but on reaching there, he decided to keep going, and ended up, 12 countries and nearly 5,000 kilometres later, on the shores of the Black Sea.
Told with wit and flair, this is the ultimate slow travel story, in the company of an eccentric raconteur of great charm.
This multi award winning book was our pick for the Book of the Year in 2009, and went on to win the Indie Award (the award made by independent Australian booksellers, for the best book that year written by an Australian author) and many others. It tells the story of Jasper Jones, a 14 year old half caste aboriginal lad growing up in rural Western Australia in the early 1970s, and his relationship with the narrator of the story, 13 year old Charlie Bucktin. Both misfits, the boys are thrown together one night when Jasper appears at Charlie’s window and asks for help.
A coming of age story which has been compared to the seminal “to Kill a Mocking bird”, this books is beautifully written, combining humour and life-affirming narrative, and setting it against the challenging issues of the age in which the book is set (and of today) – racism, war and prejudice. The characters are well rounded and believable, as are the emotions. A real page turner, with a strong message.
I’m a sucker for a good ‘feel-good rom com’ and this book, soon to be a movie, is one of the best I’ve read in a long time. With loads of genuine laugh out loud moments and for those inclined that way, many tears, this book will brighten your day. Following a one night “fling” on the night of their graduation in 1998, Emma and Dex go their separate ways. So where will they be and what will they be doing on that very day next year? And the year after that? And every year that follows? 20 years years later?....
We’ve just got this book in an exciting new book format called “flip-back”. Printed on bible paper and hand stitched for strength, these wonderful little new books are designed to fit in your back pocket or hand bag, yet are still easy to read. Light and easy to handle, flip-backs are taking Europe by storm.
One of my favourite genres is historical fiction, and Bernard Cornwell is, in my opinion, the master. He combines meticulous historical detail with a rollicking good pace, to produce page turners which are so good you can almost “smell” the atmosphere of the times.
I first read a Cornwell because he wrote a series about King Alfred (b: 848, d: 899), the first king of a unified England. I was drawn to the series because, as a Winchester resident before arriving in Australia, I walked past Alfred’s statue in the High Street on an almost daily basis. I’m so glad I did, because the “Alfred” series, as it is known, is simply brilliant. This book though, Azincourt, is a stand-alone book set in 1415, documenting the epoch defining battle better known as Agincourt, when the English longbow archer defeated the much better equipped and far more numerous French army.
This book is widely regarded as his best book yet, and describes the battle from the viewpoint of one archer, Nicholas Hook. The historical detail is a reward in itself, but when combined with the fast-paced, heart stopping narrative, the result is simply brilliant. Story telling at its best.
I just had to put this book in. My soon-to-be eight year old daughter, who has been reading by herself for a year now, still allows me to read this to her if I’m very, very good. We’ve been reading it together for nearly six years (and with my elder daughter for a year before that) and we both know it by heart. With rhyming text, perfect illustrations and a great message, this is a book for all kids from 2 to 92. I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t smile broadly at the last page.
