The Lure of Singapore

It seems I can be quite distractable when starting a new book. We're off to Singapore for a week later in the year and even for a week-long stay, there's a lot to choose from to see, do and most importantly, eat! So, I'm going to read this lonely planet guide and make a few jottings to plan our time, before getting seriously stuck into Holden's Performance. But then there's the very tempting Further Reading section in the lonely planet guide, for the obsessively well-prepared traveller...Particularly tempting is a "rowdy" Paul Theroux novel, Saint Jack. Might just have to give that one a whirl - I went through a bit of a Paul Theroux phase, I suppose it would have been when in my lates 20s. And there are some titles written by local literary luminaries to try out as well.

A Book about a Car?

I finished Vanishing Points last night. A few days ago, I was surprised to discover the book comprises two novellas. Enjoyed both very much, the second one more so. And I've just realised I can't remember the name of the second one. The first was called the Genteel Poverty Bus Company! And now the book is back at the library.

I was even moved to a few tears last night as I neared the end of the second novella. Julie had taken her children to a very small shanty Aboriginal settlement in the Cape. She'd "abandoned" her children largely to the disinterested care of her dreadful, filthy rich, crass developer husband whom she'd recently left, finally unable to live with his serial infidelities. Anyway, one holiday weekend, she scooped up her three kids, bundled them into a caravan and drove them up to the far north; then blew their minds with a few days at an unofficial mission run by three nuns in this tiny, run down place on the coast. Julie's youngest, some sort of child genius described as eight going on eighty, turned to his Mum and asked her - Mum, why are these people so poor? A few days in that environment had taught them all so much and brought them closer together as a family. Did it for me!

So now, to Holden's Performance. Holden is a person's name I think. But the title still brings to mind a car when I read it ...

Farewell, Captain Starlight

Last night, finished Robbery Under Arms and got back into Vanishing Point.

Robbery Under Arms was such a fascinating book, made more so by the fact that the character of Captain Starlight is based on a real bush-ranger and his two cattle-duffing offsiders. The book is a wonderful picture of rough-and-ready, late nineteenth century Australia and something of a morality tale, to boot. And yes, it seems it's been made into a movie of sorts; I was thinking this morning that the story has all the elements for a pretty good movie - beautiful landscape, plenty of love stories, stick-ups and pursuits, the dramas of mateship and betrayal, etc. So, Sam Neill was Captain Starlight in the movie? Very dashing, I'm sure!

Snugglepot and Cuddlepie

Another purchase while in Ayers Rock! Dominic and I have started reading this very cute story. And talk about action-packed: May Gibbs has created a crowded, bustling and at times gruesome netherworld of the bush creatures. The style reminds me of the stories my Gran used to make up for us kids, about The Bouncy Boys. Not that Gran's stories were unpleasant in any way; there's just a similar "busy" almost breathless narrative style. Works well with children, I think. And amusing for the adult reader as well.

A Quick Jump Off the FAN Track

I also bought this really excellent national park field guide at Ayers Rock Resort and read it over a couple of days. It covers all the things I wanted to know about the area - the geology, history, animals, plants, birds and even the stars. Great little book.

Dream Shop

Wonderful bookshop in Alice Springs ...

The Rock was not a Reading Holiday!

We drove 2000 km, saw many amazing and fabulous places, did lots of beautiful walks ... but I didn't read many books. We turned in pretty early each night in the campervan and woke very early too, despite what is to us Q'landers a very late sunrise of 7.30! As much sleep as possible was the name of the game rather than reading long into the night.

Nevertheless, I did manage to finish Reaching Tin River by Thea Astley. An odd sort of a book about obsession and not fitting in. I finished reading it on the plane home today. Before our holiday, I hadn't yet got to the end of Robbery Under Arms but since that's a borrowed hard cover book with a paper cover I didn't think it would travel all that well. Now that we're back, I'm looking forward to seeing how the Marston brothers' most daring and deadly heist works out; not all that well I'd say, given the fact that the book is narrated from a hangman's prison cell.

There were serious temptations on the trip for a book lover - lots of books on the outback, aboriginal art and things indigenous, Australian history and so on, everywhere we went, including some excellent children's books and a whole shop dedicated to Australian books - see next blog post, forgot to put the photo on this one...

I had weakened by the time we got to Alice Springs airport and got this Kate Grenville book.

I did start the other Thea Astley book I had with me (Vanishing Points) on the plane home but not far enough into it to be totally hooked... so Robbery Under Arms it is tonight. If I can stay awake that long - it's been a big several days away.

Gayle

This is Gayle who recently loaned me a couple of books, including the one I'm currently reading (and really enjoying!) Robbery Under Arms. Today Gayle brought round Tuesdays with Morrie. Now, this book isn't on the ABR FAN poll list but Gayle reckons it should be. I've heard quite a few people speak highly of it and so read it I will. Probably instead of the Ben Elton book that's on the list. I still don't know why a Ben Elton book is on the list.

Anyway, it was great to meet Gayle today, another avid book fan. Given half the chance, we could have gas-bagged for hours ....

We're off on holiday in a few days and I want to make sure I have plenty to read during the long cold nights in the Northern Territory (Alice Springs, Uluru and environs, here we come!). So this is today's haul from the library. The massive book on the bottom of the pile is another from, guess who? Yup, it's another Courtenay doorstop, a saga over four generations. I won't be putting that in my backpack; the nice little Thea Astley books can come on holiday instead.

Just testing to see whether I can blog from my iPhone