I'm currently reading and really enjoying A Difficult Young Man, by Martin Boyd. And almost finished it. Building up strength to start The Persimmon Tree which is a whopping 700 pages long! Maybe I should start with tirra Lirra ... No, I will be brave and see what the fuss about Bryce Courtenay is all about. I'll get back to you in a couple of months!! Anyway, these two books I picked up from the library today, the Courtenay being the first of his titles on the list currently available from the library and the Jessica Anderson title being the next on the alphabetical list.
Meanwhile, the Young Man is about Dominic and his family and social whirl set in turn-of-the century Melbourne and England. Dominic is really quite eccentric, the novel documenting a series of madnesses and disasters that see the family have to return to England where they pine for the warmer weather, more relaxed citizens and much better ponies of Australia! The book is described as a social comedy - and it is a cuttingly funny read - but it's also a fascinating and intimate, really quite sad at times, portrait of a family. The parents of poor Dominic are refreshingly sane, reasonable and quite liberal without being too indulgent of their children; I think they're the stars of this book and quite a surprise. This book has been something of a jewel and a revelation - I really am enjoying it very much. Good on the person who nominated A Difficult Young Man!
You've got me reading!Busy with my third book. Going to look for a Courtenay book over the weekend. Can't remember the title I am reading now (just had a sneek preview of the first chapter last night) but looks like a fabulous book on a mysterious murder on an Egyptian archeologist. The author has a long list of books, so she's gotta be good. My second book was a juicy romance novel, Seagull Bay, and yes, I can't remember the author's name. I will have to make a list of all the books I've read. Just reading whatever looks like a good readable book.
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