G'day girls.
This months book pick was my suggestion and I would love to hear what people think so far. Reading it for the second time, I am coming across so many slang Aussie terms that I wanted to make a big list with a definition column but decided against it, as everyone learns selectively when it comes to new books. An odd phrase I've come across the most is fair dinkum, which I looked up to mean "something is truthful. Fair share of work, truth, or honesty" Try to throw into a conversation today.
Another point I wanted to point out that with this book as opposed to the American classics we have been reading is the lack of quotation marks. Without these important punctuations, it is not certain if a character is speaker their dialogue or just thinking it. This creates a bit of surrealism to the story and adds a dreamy tone although some events can be quite violent.
I have quite slew of things to talk about regarding Fish. But I will read a bit more before I jump into that subject...
Christine
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Back on Track...hopefully
So the last month has been very challenging, but, on the bright side, I have had loads of time to read. I am hoping now to get back on track with Book Club and not only be prepared for the next meeting but also keep up with the blog. Obviously, our discussions are not only clarifying, but also very necessary in this time of endless hospital talk. I don't know if I can handle learning anymore acronyms, let alone learning how to work all of the equipment in Kevin's room.
I, unfortunately, wasn't able to attend the meeting that Jane so nicely had at her home last night. I snuck in around 10:30, just in time to grab a couple glasses of wine. So far, I have only heard a few opinions about 3 Cups, but the verdict so far is very informative, but less of a pleasure read than some of our past books. I think that is just the difference between fiction and non-fiction. I definitely found Greg Mortensen's tale very inspiring, especially for someone who is completely uncertain about what they would like to do. It was a lot of information, though, and I had to push myself through some parts. As a side note, the co-author, David Oliver Relin, apparently lives in Portland and I saw a car Friday night with a license plate that said "3 Cups T". I'm pretty sure it was him, so, needless to say, I have had an amazing brush with near-celebrity.
The next book on our incredible journey is Cloudstreet by: Tim Winton. I had never heard of this book, but have had several conversations with Christine and Cam about it. In Australia, the book is a modern classic and Cam cannot wait for us to take on the deep, Outback dialect. (That's the region, not the restaurant ladies.) He said to prepare ourselves for some complicated translating, but that the book is one of his absolute favorites.
Here are some reviews of Cloudstreet:
'I found that it took a while to get into this book. Once I got my head round the use of Australian colloquialisms and strange names (Fish, Quick) I thought this was an excellent story of two Australian families brought together by adversity during the 1950's and 60's.'
'Two white Australian families, both disabled members, end up sharing a house. One is hard working and poor but proud, the other is into betting and booze. Strangely, they don't end up killing each other and one of the children seems to have been swapped at birth. This book is part grounded and realistic and part mystic. Sometimes the two parts work together, as when the mentally handicapped man talks about ghosts and is misunderstood. A long read, but it is easy to get attached to some of the characters. If you like family stories go for it.'
'Probably the most extraordinary book I have ever read. A myriad of strange characters, vivid and very beautiful imagery, juxtaposed with the mundane and trivial, even banal. It took me some time to get into it but once I had I found it a compulsive read. It was a bit like 'Grapes of Wrath' in an Australian setting. There was, incredibly, also a spiritual element. Was the 'black man' real?'
I hope that everyone gets a chance to read it and to come to the next meeting. As always, feel free to invite new peeps to the club and add comments to the blog.
Hope everyone is well and thanks for all of your support.
I, unfortunately, wasn't able to attend the meeting that Jane so nicely had at her home last night. I snuck in around 10:30, just in time to grab a couple glasses of wine. So far, I have only heard a few opinions about 3 Cups, but the verdict so far is very informative, but less of a pleasure read than some of our past books. I think that is just the difference between fiction and non-fiction. I definitely found Greg Mortensen's tale very inspiring, especially for someone who is completely uncertain about what they would like to do. It was a lot of information, though, and I had to push myself through some parts. As a side note, the co-author, David Oliver Relin, apparently lives in Portland and I saw a car Friday night with a license plate that said "3 Cups T". I'm pretty sure it was him, so, needless to say, I have had an amazing brush with near-celebrity.
The next book on our incredible journey is Cloudstreet by: Tim Winton. I had never heard of this book, but have had several conversations with Christine and Cam about it. In Australia, the book is a modern classic and Cam cannot wait for us to take on the deep, Outback dialect. (That's the region, not the restaurant ladies.) He said to prepare ourselves for some complicated translating, but that the book is one of his absolute favorites.
Here are some reviews of Cloudstreet:
'I found that it took a while to get into this book. Once I got my head round the use of Australian colloquialisms and strange names (Fish, Quick) I thought this was an excellent story of two Australian families brought together by adversity during the 1950's and 60's.'
'Two white Australian families, both disabled members, end up sharing a house. One is hard working and poor but proud, the other is into betting and booze. Strangely, they don't end up killing each other and one of the children seems to have been swapped at birth. This book is part grounded and realistic and part mystic. Sometimes the two parts work together, as when the mentally handicapped man talks about ghosts and is misunderstood. A long read, but it is easy to get attached to some of the characters. If you like family stories go for it.'
'Probably the most extraordinary book I have ever read. A myriad of strange characters, vivid and very beautiful imagery, juxtaposed with the mundane and trivial, even banal. It took me some time to get into it but once I had I found it a compulsive read. It was a bit like 'Grapes of Wrath' in an Australian setting. There was, incredibly, also a spiritual element. Was the 'black man' real?'
I hope that everyone gets a chance to read it and to come to the next meeting. As always, feel free to invite new peeps to the club and add comments to the blog.
Hope everyone is well and thanks for all of your support.
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