The Life of an Unknown Man

This poignant story The Life of an Unknown Man by Andrei Makine was beautifully written. A writer, Shutov, lives in Paris after leaving the Soviet Union then feels the need to return to the "new" Russia at the time Putin was President. He finds a country he does not recognise. He stays at an apartment owned by a former girlfriend which is still being renovated and is now a sumptuous building. He watches the TV and is shocked at the vulgar materialism shown e.g. dogs eating caviar. He is in St Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) and goes out to see a carnival in the city which disturbs him. He returns to the apartment and his hostess's son asks him to watch over the last tenant of the converted building to ensure he is safe before being removed in the morning. The old man is Volsky who tells Shutov about his life, which included surviving the Siege of Leningrad, the War and Stalin's purges. His main story is of his love for one woman during all that time in which music sustained them. It is a beautiful story of love, survival and resilience amidst the horror they endured. Highly recommended. 5/5

The End of the Wasp Season

I very much enjoyed this disturbing murder thriller The End of the Wasp Season by Denise Mina. A young woman in Scotland is brutally murdered in her home by two teenage boys. Shortly after, a millionaire in London commits suicide. We soon learn that the two events are related, but not to what extent till later. DS Alex Morrow, pregnant with twins, investigates the murder and each chapter alternates between the investigation and the story of the family of the suicide, Lars Anderson. It is a disturbing look at a dysfunctional wealthy family and the effect that dysfunction has on the lives of those outside the family. DS Morrow gradually pieces together the elements involved in the murder before the reader learns the shocking conclusion. 4/5

Inheritance

I very much enjoyed Inheritance by Nicholas Shakespeare. Andy Larkham is late for his favourite teacher's funeral and stumbles in to the wrong service where there are only two other people. Surprised not to see more, he realises too late he's at the wrong funeral. He is asked to sign the attendance book and by doing so he is one of the two "attendees" between which the deceased, Chris Madigan's fortune is divided. Andy meets Madigan's daughter, Jeanine, who arrived too late to sign the attendance book and Andy enjoys his new found wealth before deciding to learn more about his mysterious benefactor. It's a story of love, betrayal and lost opportunities. Highly recommended. 4/5

Past the Shallows

I very much enjoyed Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett, a debut Australian author. The novel is set on the coast of southern Tasmania in about 1980s. Three brothers, Joe, Miles and Harry deal with their embittered father as he tries to make a living fishing for abalone. Joe had left the family and had been living with his grandfather until his recent death, leaving Miles and Harry with Dad. There is a mystery as to what happened to their mother, killed in a car crash. Teenagers Joe and Miles surf to escape their unhappy lives and 8 year-old Harry potters about on the shore. He eventually befriends a recluse, George, who has a lovable dog. There are fearful undercurrents in this story and the reader is tossed around on this sea anxiously awaiting the outcome, so difficult to put down as we want to learn the fate of these boys, yet dread to. This book was reviewed on First Tuesday Book Club this week. A hauntingly powerful novel. 41/2/5

When River Was Roadway

I enjoyed reading When River Was Roadway - Pioneer Farmers of Brisbane's Seventeen Mile Rocks District by Meg Gordon. This has been published by Centenary Suburbs Historical Society to which I belong and I designed the cover. The book focuses on the 19th century settlement of the current Centenary suburbs including descriptions of the pioneer community, the countries of origin of settlers, lifestyle including transport, community institutions, school, and churches. It also includes a history of the pioneers’ farming activities, the changing pattern of land ownership, changing sizes of land holdings and land usage. About 2/3rds of the book has profiles of pioneer families showing their land holdings and community involvement. It is quite a comprehensive work and it was interesting to learn the most of the farmers came from Germany and Ireland (Protestants). Most of them made a substantial contribution to their new country and embraced the opportunities presented to them. As I read the details of their lives, I couldn't help but wonder at the stamina and determination demonstrated by these people, particularly the women. This book is recommended to anyone with an historical interest in this area. 4/5

August Book Club

I hosted book club at my place this month (see post below for list of books I bought). It was a cool evening but warm inside and we all had a lovely time. Penny announced she will be a grandmother for the first time and Jenny will be one for the fifth time. That's wonderful news for both of them. Bev will be visiting her mother in Zimbabwe next month. She and Kath recently celebrated birthdays with Bev receiving a Kindle for hers. They would be great for travelling, so you don't have to carry a pile of books. We missed Ulla who is enjoying a holiday in Paris, Marilyn is in Hong Kong, and Robyn was visiting her mother. I've picked some good books to read for the month and am looking forward to getting in to them.

The Lake of Dreams

I quite enjoyed The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards which is set in America. Lucy Jarrett returns to her childhood home for a visit and the past catches up to her in a number of ways. She re-connects with a former boyfriend and she is torn between him and the boyfriend she left behind in Japan, who plans to join her later. She discovers some hidden letters that reveal aspects of her ancestry of which she knew nothing and as she explores further she discovers family secrets which had been covered up, literally. She confronts the truth about her father's untimely death and wonders how these discoveries will affect her life and those around her. I found this a bit "soap-opera-ish" at times, but it's not a bad yarn. 31/2/5