In the past four months, I have managed to fill in twenty out of twenty-five categories in Books and Bites Bingo with Monique Mulligan. I have a few of the others planned, and others I need to decide. I have three months to complete this and my other challenges and hope that I can make it through and get as many as possible read by the thirty-first of December!
It’s been a slow process at times – especially with the specific categories, as finding these books has sometimes been a challenge. Especially during a pandemic when we can’t all get to libraries or bookstores, there are times when I have read what I have and sometimes found ways to make the book fit into my challenges where possible.
Looking forward to reading the others I have, but for now, here are the ones I have completed!
Title: The Good Germans: Resisting the Nazis 1933-1945
Author: Catrine Clay
Genre: World War Two History, Non-Fiction
Publisher: Hachette/W&N
Published: 8th September 2020
Format: Paperback
Pages: 404
Price: $32.99
Synopsis: Award-winning historian Catrine Clay tells the gripping stories of six ordinary Germans who witnessed the rise of Nazism in Germany from within, and dared to resist it.
After 1933, as the brutal terror regime took hold, most of the two-thirds of Germans who had never voted for the Nazis – some 20 million people – tried to keep their heads down and protect their families. They moved to the country, or pretended to support the regime to avoid being denounced by neighbours, and tried to work out what was really happening in the Reich, surrounded as they were by Nazi propaganda and fake news. They lived in fear. Might they lose their jobs? Their homes? Their freedom? What would we have done in their place?
Many ordinary Germans found the courage to resist, in the full knowledge that they could be sentenced to indefinite incarceration, torture or outright execution. Catrine Clay argues that it was a much greater number than was ever formally recorded: teachers, lawyers, factory and dock workers, housewives, shopkeepers, church members, trade unionists, army officers, aristocrats, Social Democrats, Socialists and Communists.
Catrine Clay’s ground-breaking book focuses on six very different characters: Irma, the young daughter of Ernst Thalmann, leader of the German Communists; Fritzi von der Schulenburg, a Prussian aristocrat; Rudolf Ditzen, the already famous author Hans Fallada, best known for his novel Alone in Berlin; Bernt Engelmann, a schoolboy living in the suburbs of Dusseldorf; Julius Leber, a charismatic leader of the Social Democrats in the Reichstag; and Fabian von Schlabrendorff, a law student in Berlin. The six are not seen in isolation but as part of their families: a brother and sister; a wife; a father with three children; an only son; the parents of a Communist pioneer daughter. Each experiences the momentous events of Nazi history as they unfold in their own small lives – Good Germans all.
~*~
The Nazi regime of 1933-1945, fuelled by propaganda, and thrust into place by a small number of Germans who voted for them, saw those 20 million people who never voted for Hitler’s party. During the twelve years the Nazis terrorised Germany and Europe, there were many Germans who resisted.
These Germans found ways to resist. They knew the consequences of resisting or helping those the Nazis had deemed enemies, and wanted to rid the country of, but they still resisted, often at great risk to their lives. There were several ways they did this: moved to the country, joined opposing parties and resisted openly that way, and later, acting as go-betweens for people in a party such as the Communist party. Some resisted from within the system – joining up and working with underground resistance movements, as described in The Beast’s Garden by Kate Forsyth, and several of the people in this book.
The six characters explored in this book – Irma Thalmann, Fritzi von der Schulenburg, Bernt Engelmann, Julius Leber and Fabian von Schlabremdorff – each tackle their resistance in a different way, and the Fritzi’s sister, Tisa, also contributes to the resistance.
There of course, were other resistance groups operating during this time. These groups did good work too. Here are six individuals who took a different tack and looked at what they could do and how. Catrine Clay also weaves the reality and darkness of what the Nazis did, interspersed with these stories, to illustrate what these six and others like them were up against in a realistic and gritty way. Catrine does not shy away from the grittiness of what they faced and the consequences they faced – imprisonment, torture or execution. Not all would survive to the end of the war. Those who did saw the downfall of the man and regime they had been fighting against for twelve years, proving that resistance in all its forms will eventually have its cumulative effect.
Resisting the Nazi’s was hard – but not impossible. The power in this book was in the way it explored how people resisted, and what they did, and how this impacted their families and lives. Tisa is one resistance fighter whose family, for the most part, were Nazis. Living a reality like this must have been fraught, and there would have been many tensions, but people like Tisa stood their ground, and in the end, that is what counted. This is a book that needs to be read, and is one that is powerful in its historical context, and a contemporary context.
I received this book for review, and whilst it wasn’t one I requested, these sorts of stories are always very interesting, because they’re layered and nuanced, and take what at the surface might be presented as a simplistic good versus bad story at times, and shows that there was perhaps more resistance than we might realise sometimes. It is not easy reading. It is one that does require breaks at times, to process what you’ve just read, and is one that is worth pursuing with. It took me a little longer than most books this size, but it was one that showed that there is more to this period of history than some books let on and opens a narrative that says resistance is effective. It does work. Cumulatively, this resistance and the wider war contributed to the defeat of Hitler and Nazi Germany. We find out how the war wraps up, and the division of Germany into the British, French, American and Russian zones – but we do not know where the surviving resistance fighters ended up.
Catrine used documents and stories from the families of these six resistance fighters to put together this book and has managed to sensitively tell their stories. She’s made them human and flawed but shown their great strength in this fight. This is a must read for anyone interested in World War Two history in all its forms.
I learned many things from this book, but the most important was the importance of resistance and standing up for what you believe in, and finding a way, however small, to stand up against people like Hitler and the regimes that create havoc and pain. A worthy read, but also one that needs time to digest.
Due to recent events, many Australian authors have had to cancel book launches and festival appearances. For some, this means new novels, series continuations and debut novels are heading into this scary, strange world without much publicity or attention. The good news is, you can still buy books – online or get your local bookstore to deliver if they’re offering that service. Buying these books, talking about them, sharing them, reading them, reviewing them – are all ways that for the next six months at least, we can ensure that these books don’t fall by the wayside.
Over the next few months, a lot of us will be consuming some form of art – entertainment, movies, TV, radio, music, books – the list goes on. It is something we will be turning to take our minds off things and to occupy vast swathes of free time. One of the things I will be doing to support the arts, and specifically, Australian Authors, will be reading and reviewing as many books as possible, conducting interviews like this where possible, and participating in virtual book tours for authors.
Tanya Heaslip grew up in the Northern Territory and has lived in Prague during eighties and nineties following the fall of the Berlin Wall before coming back to Australia. Last year she released Alice toPrague, and this year, she has released the prequel in the midst of a pandemic – and like many authors, has had her publicity opportunities diminished due to the implications of lockdown and social distancing restrictions. One way she is getting word about her book out is through blogs and interviews such as this one.
Hi Tanya, and welcome to the Book Muse
To begin, can you tell my readers who may not have read An Alice Girl or Alice to Prague a bit about each book?
Both books are memoirs. An Alice Girl is the prequel to Alice to Prague. An Alice Girl is set during the 1960s and 70s and explores my life as a young girl growing up in Central Australia on an isolated cattle station. Alice to Prague chronicles my journey to the Czech Republic in 1994, following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
You grew up in the remote Northern Territory – when you weren’t studying, or mustering cattle with your dad, what sort of games did you play with your siblings?
We played a game called “cattle duffers” on horseback. It was the most fun game, with goodies and baddies; the baddies were always trying to steal the cattle and the goodies trying to get the cattle back. We never actually had real cattle to play with – Dad would have hung us upside down if we’d messed with his precious cattle – but we didn’t need them as our imaginations were so vivid that we could gallop around on horseback and chase them in our mind’s eye.
Do you all still live in Alice, and what is it about the area that drew you back there after exploring the world?
I’ve lived in many places but I now live back in Alice Springs. I think it’s mostly the land that’s drawn me back – the raw power of the red outback, the space, the huge blue skies and the magnificent MacDonnell Ranges that fill my heart with joy – it’s a place where I feel most centred, strengthened, grounded, and where I feel I most belong. Of course, I have family here as well so it’s a double calling.
Many of my readers will have never experienced School of the Air or Correspondence School – how did these differ from your experiences at boarding school, and did you find they complemented each other in any way?
Correspondence School was done remotely, using written sets of lessons, overseen by a governess, and School of the Air was half an hour each day on the wireless with a real live teacher in the Alice Springs studio. We couldn’t see her or the other students but we could hear them all and put faces to their names. Every day we wore jeans and riding boots and relished the freedom and independence of the way we studied. If Dad needed cattle work done, he would pull us out and work would come first; we have to make up for it on the weekend.
This was incredibly different from boarding school, where I found myself locked away in an all girl’s school of 700 students, studying in traditional classrooms, wearing uniforms, and trying to learn the niceties of being one of many students, instead of one of three (the other two having been my younger siblings). There was certainly no getting out of school there!
It is difficult to see how I different types of education complemented one another as they were so different but there is no doubt my early studies set me up for “real school” as I was academically equivalent in almost every way once I got to boarding school. However what I lacked were art skills, sports skills and the capacity to ‘navigate’ a classroom with other students. That took a long (and often painful) time to learn.
An Alice Girl is going to be/was released on the 19th of May. Did you have to cancel any events or festival appearances due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and what were they?
I had to cancel everything! I was launching at the NT writers festival in Darwin and the Margaret River readers and writers Festival in Margaret River and I had book events lined up in every state. Within three days, my four months worth of hard work in setting up these events and appearances vanished before my eyes. It was initially a very tough time. I had to learn to “pivot” as they say in Silicon Valley and find new ways to publicise my book!
While growing up, you loved to read – which authors and books did you gravitate towards during the sixties and seventies, and what was so special about them for you?
The books I gravitated towards were the ones that were held by the Alice Springs School of the Air. Mum would go into Alice Springs once a month to get supplies and return with a box of books. They were mostly Enid Blyton with a dash of Heidi and Swallows and Amazons. I adored them all. They were all about children having adventures without parents, and set in incredibly beautiful places – green, soft, cool with lots of water. Every chapter was short and ended with a cliffhanger. They took me to other places and told me about other worlds “overseas”. I was a naturally curious child and this style of mystery book, filled with beautiful landscapes, drew me in. I couldn’t get enough of these books. I was an insatiable reader. It filled my imagination so that I felt like I was truly there when I read them. And of course, then we had our own stories – the Silver Brumby books by Elyne Mitchell, which we adored, and Colin Thiele, whose best book for me was February Dragon, because it was all about bushfires, which we understood from personal experience on the land.
You grew up in isolation – a state that many of us are finding ourselves in at the moment – have the skills you learned as a child helped you cope with the current isolation, or is it too different to the isolation of the cattle station?
There is a difference in the two types of isolation, in that the Covid isolation is enforced and panic driven, whereas the isolation of my childhood meant freedom and space and endless opportunities for daydreaming and escapism. However that isolation trained me well so that I’m very self-disciplined and able to work on my own – after all that’s how I did my schooling – and so I guess in some ways it has helped me manage this time. Resilience, independence and discipline are woven deeply into my DNA and for that, at any time, I feel very thankful.
Do you still have those first stories you wrote on your typewriter as a child, and what do you think they taught you about writing and storytelling?
Oh my goodness yes I do but I wouldn’t let anybody read them! They really are atrocious! They are all about children having adventures in English lands or English children having adventures in the bush and demand a great stretch of imagination! But I wrote so many stories that I think I became a writer and storyteller without realising it.
You studied to be a lawyer after boarding school – what made you decide to go down this path, and has writing been a welcome break from this career?
I became a lawyer because I had the marks is to get into law school at University and the teachers therefore said I should do law. I didn’t know anything about law, what it was or what it meant. I fell into it and spent much of my life trying to escape it! Writing is a joy as it lets me go back into that space of imagination. However I’ve had to keep working to pay for that privilege of writing! So it’s not really a break from my career – I write and work simultaneously.
What area of law did you/do you work in, and where did you practise law after graduating university?
I’ve worked in almost all areas of law but specialised in property and civil litigation. I’ve practised law in almost every part of Australia, except for Victoria, and even appeared in front of the High Court, which is the pinnacle of success for a young lawyer! I felt like I’d really made it that day!
You’re living in Alice now, and you’re currently the Regional Vice President of the Northern Territory Writer’s Centre – first, what do you do in this role, and second, do you do it as well as practising law?
I was the regional Vice President for two years and now I am the President. It is a busy role as numerous issues constantly arise that require strategic management, plus I work closely with the executive to ensure that the NTWC delivers programs and benefits to writers as planned. It is not a paid role so I definitely do it as well as practising law! Work goes on, whether I’m in the President’s role or writing or doing anything else.
How has the NT Writer’s Centre helped and supported you during your career as a writer?
There is nothing more fabulous than having a group of people to connect with when you’re writing, both for support and encouragement, and to bounce ideas around. I’ve also done a number of courses through the NTWC which helped me hone my skills and learn to become a better writer.
Has the NT Writer’s Centre had to cancel or adapt any of its program’s due to the pandemic?
The NTWC had to cancel its Festival which was devastating but cross fingers it will be resurrected in October this year. The NTWC has also “pivoted” and put a lot of the events online, which has been marvellous, so that people haven’t missed out on everything that was planned. And the NTWC has just finalised and seamlessly delivered its Chief Minister’s Book Awards online, so it’s doing a fantastic job despite all the pressures it is under.
What sort of support has the NT Writer’s Centre offered local authors at this time?
It offers courses that encourage and support, and the current NTWC online focus gives more people to engage when they are isolated.
When buying books, which local booksellers do you frequently use?
I am passionate about supporting local book sellers, especially as we only have one indie bookshop in Alice “Red Kangaroo” and one in Darwin “the Bookshop Darwin”, so they are the only bookshops I use. I’ve launched both my books at them both and done events there and I have a wonderful cooperative relationship with both. To be honest, I can’t sing the praises of Red Kangaroo and the Bookshop Darwin enough, and feel so lucky that we have them. Despite the pandemic, both of them have also “pivoted” and done their best to provide books and opportunities to their customers, and are still keeping the doors open, which is a blessing, and in large part thanks to their hard work which has created its own loyal following. My mantra of late has been “Go indie bookshops!”
What can people do during these hard times to support authors and their work?
Buy books. Buy books. Buy books. And buy them from your local bookshop. Or support your library. Do whatever you can to encourage authors to keep going!
You’ve lived in Alice, Adelaide and Prague – have you lived anywhere else, and how did each of these places shape who you are?
I lived in so many places in addition to Alice, Adelaide and Prague – Darwin, Perth, Margaret River, Sydney, a short stint in Brisbane – and lots of short stints in different parts of WA. They have all shaped me in different ways but the best part has been the arts and writing groups that I found along the way so I’ve been able to do music, singing, acting and writing where ever I’ve lived, and I’ve learned so much more about life by living through the eyes of other places. I think each placement people I’ve met there have broadened my thinking and made me braver and more courageous, not to mention more grateful and optimistic. Travel is the best thing you can do in life, I think.
Do you prefer to write by hand, typing on a computer or with a typewriter, or do you use a combination?
I write by hand and a computer – sadly I no longer have my typewriter – and I also use Dragon NaturallySpeaking from time to time, because nearly 20 years ago I gave myself carpal tunnel in both wrists from writing, and so have to juggle the way I write on a daily basis, so that I don’t overuse my hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders and back.
If you weren’t a writer or lawyer, what career do you think you would have embarked on?
I would have been a journalist. That was what I wanted to do before the teachers at school talked me into doing law. Being a travelling foreign correspondent was my dream. So I guess throughout my life I’ve been frustrated journalist and reluctant lawyer, combining both wherever I go – doing enough law to support my travels and the chance to write about other people places!
Do you think you’d ever write a fiction book, and what age group do you think you’d write for?
That’s such a good question! I used to write mountains of fiction when I was a kid but law stripped that creative side from me, and really took my imagination, and I have struggled for years to get it back. I think it’s a process. First, memoir and non-fiction to try and recover my creativity and imagination. Once I’ve done that, hopefully I’ll be ready for fiction! I always thought I’d write children’s adventure stories, like the ones I loved growing up, but now – who knows – my main goal is just to unearth and bring back that sense of creativity and freedom I had when I was a child and could write unfettered. That’s my dream!
Anything I may have missed?
A wonderful chance to chat – thank you so much, Ashleigh!
In July, I read twenty-two books, and have managed to complete my Australian Women Writer’s Challenge – which I am still going with, and my Book Bingo Challenge. All those posts are written and scheduled, as are several others for reviews and my isolation publicity series, which ends on the twenty-first of this month. I’ve been doing a lot of reading since lockdown and restrictions began, and it has allowed me to get on top of my review list finally. Below are my July numbers and reviews.
Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales – Walkley Book Award
Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
Pippa’s Island: Puppy Pandemonium by Belinda Murrell
Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr
The Nine Hundred: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz by Heather Dune McAdam
Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn
The Soldier’s Curse by Meg and Tom Keneally (Monsarrat Series Book One)
Ella at Eden: New Girl by Laura Sieveking
The Binder of Doom: Speedah-Cheetah by Troy Cummins
The God Child by Nana Oforiatta Ayim
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling (Ravenclaw Edition)
Shark Out of Water by Ace Landers
A Testament of Character (Rowland Sinclair #10) by Sulari Gentill
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan
Dragon Masters: Future of the Time Dragon by Tracey West
The Killing Streets: Uncovering Australia’s First Serial Murderer by Tanya Bretherton
Dolphin Island: A Daring Rescue by Catherine Hapka
The River Home by Hannah Richell
The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
Radio National Fictions (various short stories on ABC Listen App)
Withering-by-Sea (A Stella Montgomery Intrigue) by Judith Rossell
Death in the Ladies’ Goddess Club by Julian Leatherdale
Hapless Hero Henrie by Petra James (House of Heroes)
The Story Puppy by Holly Webb
Trails of Apollo: The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan
The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting
The Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valour by Ally Carter
The Republic of Birds by Jessica Miller
Captain Marvel Hero Storybook by Steve Behling
Esme’s Gift by Elizabeth Foster
Friday Barnes: Girl Detective by R.A. Spratt
The Last Firehawk: The Cloud Kingdom by Katrina Charman
Christmas in Paris (Miss Lily 3.5) by Jackie French
The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha Pulley
The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester
Museum Kittens: The Midnight Visitor by Holly Webb
Firewatcher Chronicles: Phoenix by Kelly Gardiner
The Lost Jewels by Kirsty Manning
The Girl She Was by Rebecca Freeborn
Ninjago: Back in Action by Tracey West
Layla and the Bots: Happy Paws by Vicky Fang
Friday Barnes: Under Suspicion by R.A. Spratt
Daring Delly: Going for Gold by Matthew Dellavedova and Zanni Louise
Aussie Kids: Meet Katie at the Beach by Rebecca Johnson and Lucia Masciullo
Aussie Kids: Meet Eve in the Outback by Raewyn Caisley and Karen Blair
The Besties Make A Splash by Felice Arena and Tom Jellett
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by JK Rowling/Newt Scamander
Liberation by Imogen Kealey
The Year the Maps Changed by Danielle Binks
The Deceptions by Suzanne Leal
Puppy Diary: The Great Toy Rescue by Yvette Poshoglian
The Octopus and I by Erin Hortle
Friday Barnes: Big Trouble by R.A. Spratt
The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L.D. Lapinski
The Inheritance of Secrets by Sonya Bates
Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire by Nat Amoore
Jane in Love by Rachel Givney
Persuasion by Jane Austen
The Austen Girls by Lucy Worsley
The Unadoptables by Hana Tooke
Friday Barnes: No Rules by R.A. Spratt
Anzac Girl: The War Diaries of Alice-Ross King by Kate Simpson and Jess Racklyeft
Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery by Renée Treml
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
Ribbit Rabbit Robot by Victoria MacKinlay and Sofya Karmazina
Nim at Sea by Wendy Orr
Rescue on Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
The Complete Adventures on Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
The Monstrous Devices by Damien Love
An Alice Girl by Tanya Heaslip
Daisy Runs Wild by Caz Goodwin and Ashley King
Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal by Anna Whateley
Her Perilous Mansion by Sean Williams
What Zola did on Monday by Melina Marchetta and illustrated by Deb Hudson
Henrie’s Hero Hunt (House of Heroes) by Petra Hunt
The Power of Positive Pranking by Nat Amoore
Edie’s Experiments: How to Make Friends by Charlotte Barkla
Alice-Miranda at School (10th anniversary edition) by Jacqueline Harvey
Alice-Miranda in the Outback by Jacqueline Harvey
The Giant and the Sea by Trent Jamieson and Rovina Cai
Shoestring: The Boy Who Walks on Air by Julie Hunt and Dale Newman
Orla and the Serpent’s Curse by C.J. Halsam
A Treacherous Country by K.M. Kruimink
Elephant Me by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
Eloise and the Bucket of Stars by Janeen Brian
Snow White and Rose Red: And Other Tales of Kind Young Women by Kate Forsyth and Lorena Carrington
Tashi: 25th Anniversary Edition by Anna Fienberg, Barbara Fienberg and Kim Gamble
On A Barbarous Coast by Craig Cormick and Harold Ludwick
Elementals: Battle Born by Amie Kaufman
Lilies, Lies and Love (Miss Lily #4) by Jackie French
Kid Normal and the Final Five by Greg James and Chris Smith
Toffle Towers: Fully Booked by Tim Harris and James Foley
Monty’s Island: Scary Mary and the Stripey Spell by Emily Rodda and Lucinda Gifford
Wonderscape by Jennifer Bell
When Rain Turns to Snow by Jane Godwin
League of Llamas: Undercover Llama by Aleesah Darlison
League of Llamas: Rogue Llama by Aleesah Darlison
Kensy and Max: Freefall by Jacqueline Harvey
The Silk House by Kayte Nunn
The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle by Pamela Rushby and Nellé May Pierce
Roxy and Jones: The Great Fairy Tale Cover Up by Angela Woolfe
Alexandra-Rose and Her Icy Cold Toes by Monique Mulligan and Kat Fox (Illustrator)
Meet Mia by the Jetty by Janeen Brian and Danny Snell
Meet Sam at the Mangrove Creek by Paul Seden and Brenton McKenna
Death by Shakespeare: Snakebites, Stabbings and Broken Hearts by Kathryn Harkup
Edie’s Experiments: How to Be the Best by Charlotte Barkla
Finding Eadie by Caroline Beecham
Emma by Jane Auste
Beyond Belief by Dee White
Evie and Pog: Party Perfect by Tania McCartney
The Wild Way Home by Sophie Kirtley
The Schoolmaster’s Daughter by Jackie French
Kitty is Not a Cat: Teddy’s Bear by Jess Black
Kitty is Not a Cat: Lights Out by Jess Black
A Clue for Clara by Lian Tanner
Starfell: Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale by Dominique Valente
What Zola did on Tuesday by Melina Marchetta
The Battle of Book Week (Yours Troolie, Alice Toolie) by Kate and Jol Temple
Monty’s Island: Beady Hold and the Yum-Yams by Emily Rodda
The Louvre: The Many Lives of the World’s Most Famous Museum by James Gardner
The Adventures of Princess Peony by Nette Hilton and Lucinda Gifford
Ella at Eden: The Secret Journal by Laura Sieveking
Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser by Kate Bailey
Toffle Towers: The Great River Race by Tim Harris and James Foley
The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome by Katrina Nannestad
Toffle Towers: Order in the Court by Tim Harris
The ABC Book of Australian Poetry compiled by Libby Hathorn
Max Booth, Future Sleuth: Chip Blip by Cameron Macintosh and Dave Atze
Lapse by Sarah Thornton
A Monstrous Heart by Claire McKenna
Books and Bites Bingo
Set in Europe: Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn
Debut Novel: The Soldier’s Curse by Meg and Tom Keneally (Monsarrat Series Book One)
Travel Memoir: The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L.D. Lapinski
Published More than 100 Years Ago: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Written in the First Person: Pippa’s Island: Puppy Pandemonium by Belinda Murrell
Fairy Tale Collection: Snow White and Rose Red: And Other Tales of Kind Young Women by Kate Forsyth and Lorena Carrington
A Book with a door on the cover: The Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valour by Ally Carter
Written by someone called Jane: Persuasion by Jane Austen
An Australian crime or thriller: A Testament of Character (Rowland Sinclair #10) by Sulari Gentill
Wherever you go:
Eco-themes: The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
A Neil Gaiman book:
Short story collection: Radio National Fictions (various short stories on ABC Listen app
Published the year you were born:
Makes you blush: The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome by Katrina Nannestad
That book you keep putting off: The Louvre by James Gardiner
A book with lots of hype: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling (Ravenclaw Edition)
Has “the girl” in the title: The Girl She Was by Rebecca Freeborn
A book with bad reviews: Trials of Apollo: The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan
Book to movie: Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
Scary: The Monstrous Devices by Damien Love
Someone you love’s fave book:
Made into a TV Series:
A title longer than five words: The Nine Hundred: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz by Heather Dune McAdam
Fave childhood book:
STFU Reading Society #AustLit Reading Challenge
Found on #BookstagramAustralia
The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan
An Australian classic
A book by an Indigenous Australian author
Meet Sam by the Mangrove Creek by Paul Seden and Brenton McKenna
A book about climate change [cli-fi or non-fiction]
Fiction: The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte, The Giant and the Sea by Trent Jamieson and Rovina Cai
Non-Fiction:
A book by an LGBTQ+ Australian author
Firewatcher Chronicles: Phoenix by Kelly Gardiner
A #LoveOzYA book
The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
A memoir by an Australian woman
Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales
A poetry collection
The ABC Book of Australian Poetry compiled by Libby Hathorn
A 2020 Finalist for a State Premier’s Literary Prize
* Note: Not all states have a Premier’s Literary Prize / some are awarded biennially rather than yearly, so are not running in 2020.
Bonus: Read a finalist [shortlisted book] from each of the State Premier’s prizes
A Book by a Territorian author – NT or ACT
Bonus: Read both an NT and ACT author
ACT: On A Barbarous Coast by Craig Cormick and Harold Ludwick
NT: An Alice Girl by Tanya Heaslip, Between Us by Claire Atkins
Read and watch a book to movie adaptation
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr (21st anniversary edition)
A book from across the ditch – A book by a New Zealand author
Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn
THE MODERN MRS. DARCY
2020 Reading Challenge
a book published the decade you were born:
a debut novel: The Soldier’s Curse by Meg and Tom Keneally (Monsarrat Series Book One)
a book recommended by a source you trust: Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales – Amanda Barrett
a book by a local author: Pippa’s Island: Puppy Pandemonium by Belinda Murrell
a book outside your (genre) comfort zone: The God Child by Nana Oforiatta Ayim – literary fiction
a book in translation: The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting
a book nominated for an award in 2020: Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery by Renée Treml (Nominated for the 2020 Readings Children’s Prize)
a re-read: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling (Ravenclaw Edition)
a classic you didn’t read in school: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
three books by the same author:
Friday Barnes: Girl Detective by R.A. Spratt
Friday Barnes: Under Suspicion by R.A. Spratt
Friday Barnes: Big Trouble by R.A. Spratt
The Nerd Daily 2020 Challenge
Author Starting with A: Shark Out of Water by Ace Landers
Female Author: The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan
Purchased on Holidays: Withering-by-Sea (A Stella Montgomery Intrigue) by Judith Rossell
2020 Film Adaptation: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Fantasy or SciFi: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling (Ravenclaw Edition)
Recommended by Us: The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
Under 200 pages: Ella at Eden: New Girl by Laura Sieveking
Six Word Title: The Binder of Doom: Speedah Cheetah by Troy Cummins, Death at the Ladies’ Goddess Club by Julian Leatherdale
Written by two authors: The Soldier’s Curse by Meg and Tom Keneally (Monsarrat Series Book One)
Mystery/thriller: A Testament of Character (Rowland Sinclair #10) by Sulari Gentill
Green Cover: The Soldier’s Curse by Meg and Tom Keneally (Monsarrat Series Book One)
Recommended by a friend: Any Ordinary Day be Leigh Sales
Set in the past: Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn
2019 Goodreads Choice Winner:
A book you never finished: The Louvre by James Gardiner (Never finished in time to review for release date, managed to finish after)
Protagonist starting with H: The Soldier’s Curse by Meg and Tom Keneally, Hapless Hero Henrie by Petra James (House of Heroes)
Reread: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Non-fiction: The Nine Hundred: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz by Heather Dune McAdam
Released in February: Ella at Eden: New Girl by Laura Sieveking, The Binder of Doom: Speedah-Cheetah by Troy Cummins
Part of a duology: The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha Pulley
New York times best seller:
Recommended by family:
Over 500 pages:
An award-winning book: Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales – Walkley Book Award 2019
Orange cover: Trials of Apollo: The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan
Bookstore recommended: The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome by Katrina Nannestad
A number in the title: Alice-Miranda at School (10th Anniversary Edition) by Jacqueline Harvey
An audiobook: Radio National Fictions (various short stories)
Debut author: The God Child by Nana Oforiatta Ayim
Inspired my mythology/folklore: Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan, Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr,
A retelling: Jane in Love by Rachel Givney
A one-word title: Liberation by Imogen Kealey
Bought based on cover: Friday Barnes: Girl Detective by R.A. Spratt
Author that starts with M: What Zola did on Monday by Melina Marchetta and illustrated by Deb Hudson
Start a new series: Ella at Eden: New Girl by Laura Sieveking
A book released in 2019: The Last Firehawk: The Cloud Kingdom by Katrina Charman
Male author: Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan, Death in the Ladies’ Goddess Club by Julian Leatherdale
2020 TV Adaptation:
A book gifted to you: Captain Marvel Hero Storybook by Steve Behling
Author with a hyphenated name: Elephant Me by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
Released in September: The Wild Way Home by Sophie Kirtley
Purchased years ago:
A standalone: The River Home by Hannah Richell
Author with the same initials:
Told from two perspectives: The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
Romance or thriller: Liberation by Imogen Kealey, The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
A protagonist starting with S: Withering-by-Sea (A Stella Montgomery Intrigue) by Judith Rossell (Stella Montgomery)
Two-word title: Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr, Esme’s Gift by Elizabeth Foster
Set in a foreign country: Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn, The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan
Animal featured in cover: Dolphin Island: A Daring Rescue by Catherine Hapka
Written by your favourite author: The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester
Based or inspired by a true story: Museum Kittens: The Midnight Visitor by Holly Webb, The Lost Jewels by Kirsty Manning
Dymocks Reading Challenge
A book by an Australian author: Pippa’s Island: Puppy Pandemonium by Belinda Murrell
A book by an Indigenous author: On A Barbarous Coast by Craig Cormick and Harold Ludwick, Meet Sam by the Mangrove Creek by Paul Seden and Brenton McKenna
A book from our Top 101:
A book from our Kids’ Top 51: Withering-by-Sea (A Stella Montgomery Intrigue) by Judith Rossell, Friday Barnes: Girl Detective by R.A. Spratt
A Dymocks ‘Book of the Month’:
Re-read your favourite book of all time: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Ask a friend for a recommendation: Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales
A book featuring your favourite country: The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan (Ireland)
A book from your TBR pile: Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn
An award-winning book: Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr – CBCA Honour Book, Prime Minister’s Literary Award 2017 – WINNER: 2017 Prime Minister’s Literary Award, Children’s Fiction
WINNER: 2018 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, Children’s Literature
HONOUR BOOK: CBCA Book of the Year, Younger Readers, 2017
A Mystery/Thriller: The Soldier’s Curse by Meg and Tom Keneally (Monsarrat Series Book One), A Testament of Character by Sulari Gentill
A memoir:
A book outside your usual genre: The God Child by Nana Oforiatta Ayim
A book of short stories: Snow White and Rose Red: And Other Tales of Kind Young Women by Kate Forsyth and Lorena Carrington
A self-help/motivation: Elephant Me by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
A fairytale/fable adaptation: Esme’s Gift by Elizabeth Foster
Book one in a fantasy series: Trials of Apollo – The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
A book that teaches you something new: The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester
A book with a red cover: Elementals: Battle Born by Amie Kaufman
A book with a colour in the title: Snow White and Rose Red: And Other Tales of Kind Young Women by Kate Forsyth and Lorena Carrington
A book you can read in a day: Pippa’s Island: Puppy Pandemonium by Belinda Murrell, Ella at Eden: New Girl by Laura Sieveking
A book about books: Jane in Love by Rachel Givney
A book that made you laugh: Puppy Diary: The Great Toy Rescue by Yvette Poshoglian, The Power of Positive Pranking by Nat Amoore
A book published this year: The Nine Hundred: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz by Heather Dune McAdam, The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
A book you said you’ve read but haven’t: Emma by Jane Austen
Australian Women Writers Challenge – 25
Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales – Walkley Book Award
Pippa’s Island: Puppy Pandemonium by Belinda Murrell
Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr
Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn
The Soldier’s Curse by Meg and Tom Keneally (Monsarrat Series Book One)
Ella at Eden: New Girl by Laura Sieveking
A Testament of Character (Rowland Sinclair #10) by Sulari Gentill
The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan
The Killing Streets: Uncovering Australia’s First Serial Murderer by Tanya Bretherton
The River Home by Hannah Richell
The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
Withering-by-Sea (A Stella Montgomery Intrigue) by Judith Rossell
Hapless Hero Henrie by Petra James (House of Heroes)
The Republic of Birds by Jessica Miller
Esme’s Gift by Elizabeth Foster
Friday Barnes: Girl Detective by R.A. Spratt
Christmas in Paris (Miss Lily 3.5) by Jackie French
The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester
Firewatcher Chronicles: Phoenix by Kelly Gardiner
The Lost Jewels by Kirsty Manning
The Girl She Was by Rebecca Freeborn
Friday Barnes: Under Suspicion by R.A. Spratt
Aussie Kids: Meet Katie at the Beach by Rebecca Johnson and Lucia Masciullo
Aussie Kids: Meet Eve in the Outback by Raewyn Caisley and Karen Blair
The Year the Maps Changed by Danielle Binks
The Deceptions by Suzanne Leal
Puppy Diary: The Great Toy Rescue by Yvette Poshoglian
The Octopus and I by Erin Hortle
Friday Barnes: Big Trouble by R.A. Spratt
The Inheritance of Secrets by Sonya Bates
Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire by Nat Amoore
Jane in Love by Rachel Givney
Friday Barnes: No Rules by R.A. Spratt
Anzac Girl: The War Diaries of Alice Ross-King by Kate Simpson and Jess Racklyeft
Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery by Renée Treml (Nominated for the 2020 Readings Children’s Prize)
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
Ribbit Rabbit Robot by Victoria MacKinlay and Sofya Karmazina
Nim at Sea by Wendy Orr
Rescue on Nim’s Island
The Complete Adventures on Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
An Alice Girl by Tanya Heaslip
Daisy Runs Wild by Caz Goodwin and Ashley King
Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal by Anna Whateley
What Zola did on Monday by Melina Marchetta and illustrated by Deb Hudson
Henrie’s Hero Hunt (House of Heroes) by Petra Hunt
The Power of Positive Pranking by Nat Amoore
Edie’s Experiments: How to Make Friends by Charlotte Barkla
Alice-Miranda at School (10th Anniversary Edition) by Jacqueline Harvey
Alice-Miranda in the Outback by Jacqueline Harvey
Shoestring: The Boy Who Walks on Air by Julie Hunt and Dale Newman
Eloise and the Bucket of Stars by Janeen Brian
A Treacherous Country by K.M. Kruimink
Snow White and Rose Red: And Other Tales of Kind Young Women by Kate Forsyth and Lorena Carrington
Tashi: 25th Anniversary Edition by Anna Fienberg, Barbara Fienberg and Kim Gamble
Elementals: Battle Born by Amie Kaufman
Lilies, Lies and Love (Miss Lily #4) Lilies by Jackie French
Monty’s Island: Scary Mary and the Stripey Spell by Emily Rodda and Lucinda Gifford
When Rain Turns to Snow by Jane Godwin
League of Llamas: Undercover Llama by Aleesah Darlison
League of Llamas: Rogue Llama by Aleesah Darlison
Kensy and Max: Freefall by Jacqueline Harvey
The Silk House by Kayte Nunn
The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle by Pamela Rushby and Nellé May Pierce
Alexandra-Rose and Her Icy Cold Toes by Monique Mulligan and Kate Fox (Illustrator)
Meet Mia by the Jetty by Janeen Brian and Danny Snell
Edie’s Experiments: How to Be the Best by Charlotte Barkla
Finding Eadie by Caroline Beecham
Beyond Belief by Dee White
Evie and Pog: Party Perfect by Tania McCartney
The Schoolmaster’s Daughter by Jackie French
Kitty is Not a Cat: Teddy’s Bear by Jess Black
Kitty is Not a Cat: Light’s Out by Jess Black
A Clue for Clara by Lian Tanner
What Zola did on Tuesday by Melina Marchetta
The Battle of Book Week (Yours Troolie, Alice Toolie) by Kate and Jol Temple
Monty’s Island: Beady Hold and the Yum-Yams by Emily Rodda
The Adventures of Princess Peony by Nette Hilton and Lucinda Gifford
Ella at Eden: The Secret Journal by Laura Sieveking
The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome by Katrina Nannestad
Lapse by Sarah Thornton
A Monstrous Heart by Claire McKenna
Book Bingo – BINGO
Themes of culture – The Republic of Birds by Jessica Miller
Themes of inequality – The Nine Hundred: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz by Heather Dune McAdam
Themes of Crime and Justice – A Testament of Character (Rowland Sinclair #10) by Sulari Gentill
Themes of politics and power – The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
About the environment – The Giant and the Sea by Trent Jamieson and Rovina Cai
Prize winning book – Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales – Walkley Book Award
Friendship, family and love – Pippa’s Island: Puppy Pandemonium by Belinda Murrell
Coming of age – Ella at Eden: New Girl by Laura Sieveking
Set in a time of war – The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester
Set in a place you dream of visiting – The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan (Ireland)
Set in an era you’d love to travel back in time to – Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr (Minoan Times)
A classic you’ve never read before – Emma by Jane Austen
Due to recent events, many Australian authors have had to cancel book launches and festival appearances. For some, this means new novels, series continuations and debut novels are heading into this scary, strange world without much publicity or attention. The good news is, you can still buy books – online or get your local bookstore to deliver if they’re offering that service. Buying these books, talking about them, sharing them, reading them, reviewing them – are all ways that for the next six months at least, we can ensure that these books don’t fall by the wayside.
Tim Cope
Over the next few months, a lot of us will be consuming some form of art – entertainment, movies, TV, radio, music, books – the list goes on. It is something we will be turning to to take our minds off things and to occupy vast swathes of free time. One of the things I will be doing to support the arts, and specifically, Australian Authors, will be reading and reviewing as many books as possible, conducting interviews like this where possible, and participating in virtual book tours for authors.
Tim Cope is an adventurer, film maker and author who has travelled the world, and conducts treks all over the world. On one trek, he met his beloved travel companion, Tigon, and has recently released their story for younger readers. Whilst the book came out last year. Tim had author appearances and treks postponed. He talks about those here, and what he plans to do during the pandemic. The map and headshot in this post were provided by Tim.
Map of Tim’s journey.
Hi Tim, and welcome to The Book Muse
You’re an author, an adventurer and a film maker – which did you start with, and how did you get into all three?
It all started with a writing project I did in year nine English in which I chose to describe what it was like to come out of a coma (at age ten I had contracted encephalitis). My teacher told me that I could be a writer one day. I’ve always loved writing, particularly the way in which it can harmonise and express the complexities of perception, allowing for the synthesis of thought, feeling and of the senses.
Parallel to that, I grew up in the countryside with a father in the outdoors. I began dreaming of adventure in my teens and by the time I finished school decided to delay university and pursue travel. During a year of working and travelling on a shoe-string budget travel in the UK and Europe I decided that writing and adventure fitted hand in glove for me.
Of all the places you’ve been to on your adventures, do you have a favourite, and why?
I’ve been travelling to Mongolia just about every year since the year 2000. It is an extraordinary country where traditional life still holds sway. It’s a place where we can reflect on the many alternative systems available to us as societies. In regional areas Mongolians are still predominantly nomadic, private property is almost unheard of, and people mostly only own as many possessions as they can fit on the back of their camels, or on their trucks.
Tim and Tigon – your new book – is aimed at middle grade to early young adult readers and comes out in September. What is Tim and Tigon about, and where did the inspiration come from?
My inspiration originally came from Tigon himself – my Kazakh dog. A few months into the trip a man who accompanied on horse back for a couple of weeks gave me his small puppy. “In Kazakhstan dogs choose their owners. He is yours” he had told me. I looked down at this scrawny six month old pup, named Tigon, and wasn’t sure he would make it more than two weeks through the perilous winter of Kazakhstan (where it regularly drops below -40 degrees). I would soon learn, however, that his spirit was much larger than his tiny frame. As we travelled together for three years across the Eurasian steppe to Europe, I watched Tigon grow into an adult, and live through untold challenges and scrapes. His sense of humour, his bravery, his curiosity and ability to appeal to the better side of human beings inspired me and lifted my spirits every day. And somehow, across all cultures, young people could immediately relate to Tigon.
Back here in Australia I visited hundreds of schools and organisations with my story, and the feedback from parents and teachers was always that it was hard to find engaging non-fiction for young people. Eventually I was able to fulfil the dream of writing about Tigon in this new book.
Have you had to cancel any author events, launches or appearances due to COVID-19 yet, and if so, what were they? If not, what are you looking forward to?
2020 for me was a slated as a year in which I would do three main things:
1.Tour schools nationally with my book.
2.Run expeditions to Mongolia
3.Buy a house.
By mid March, all three of these had been more or less wiped out. Like for many my life has been turned upside down.
In terms of book events I had schools scheduled across Victoria, NSW, WA and Queensland that have all been indefinitely postponed or cancelled. I am in the process of trying to convert these to virtual appearances but it is a very fast changing landscape as everyone knows.
What other books have you had published, and what audience do you primarily write for?
I’ve published three books: Off the Rails (Penguin), On the Trail of Genghis Khan (Bloomsbury), and Tim & Tigon (Pan Macmillan). I write for a wide audience including those interested in adventure, travel, history, culture, and more recently animals.
Most of your books are non-fiction or memoir – any plans for a fiction book, either based on your experiences or in another genre?
My COVID lockdown project is to fulfil another dream, which is to complete an illustrated picture story book about Tigon. I don’t intend to write fiction at this stage although that idea has always been brewing in the back of my mind.
You present to schools a lot – what are some of the things you love about doing this, and what sort of things do you speak to students about?
In my talks to students I talk about the adventures I’ve been on, and the lessons I’ve learned – primarily from the people and lands I travel through. These lessons revolve around resilience, patience, friendship, grief, risk taking, and learning to embrace the unfamiliar. I think it’s crucial for young people to look at the wide variety of options that exist for pathways in life. By looking into cultures, lands, and people who are different from ourselves we can extend ourselves and our understanding of the world – and of course assess our place in it. I enjoy the type of questions and reactions that young people have. They don’t self-limit their imagination, or aspirations, and have a natural curiosity about the great unknown. For adults sometimes adventures can seem like crazy, dangerous projects for which there are untold reasons not to undertake in the first place.
Your adventure dog is Tigon – where did you meet Tigon, and what sort of writing and adventure companion is he?
Tigon was born in a small village called Zhana Zhol (‘new road’) in Eastern Kazakhstan. (Rest of this question more or less answered in question 3).
You’re also a film maker – what sort of films have you made in the past, and what do you have planned for the future?
I made a documentary for the ABC about my journey by recumbent bicycle across Russia to China. It was called ‘Off the Rails: On the Back Roads to Beijing.’ Following on from that I rowed a wooden boat through Siberia to the Arctic Ocean with three mates. We sold the footage to National Geographic who made a documentary film. In 2010 I directed and co-produced a three hour TV series for the ABC and for ARTE in Europe. It was called ‘On the Trail of Genghis Khan.’
All of my films to date have been based on my adventures with a focus on the people, culture, and lands that I travel through.
Was there a certain book or film that you read or watched as a child that sparked your interest in taking on big adventures across the world?
When I was a teenager I watched Sea to Summit, a film about Tim Macartney Snape walking from the bay of Bengal to the summit of Everest. I later read classic adventure stories such as Arabian Sands (Wilfred Thesiger), and the iconic mountaineering book Into the Void (Joe Simpson). I knew then that adventure was what I wanted to pursue in life.
When you’re not on treks or adventures and at home, what do you enjoy doing during these down times?
I love reading, spending time with family and friends, hiking, walking, cycling, and surfing. I follow politics closely, and try to study to improve my language skills (Mongolian and Russian).
In all three fields you work in, which authors, explorers and film makers were your inspiration?
In terms of authors, my inspiration were both fiction and non-fiction. As an 18 year old I loved reading Tolstoy classics, as well as the above mentioned author Wilfred Thesiger. In terms of adventurers, Mountaineer Tim Macartney Snape was definitely a big inspiration, as were Australian modern adventurers Eric Phillip and John Muir. My passion was adventure filmography. Michael Dillon, who made Sea to Summit was someone I looked up to. Amazingly many years later Mike joined me briefly as a videographer on my trek by horse from Mongolia to Hungary.
Adventuring, like writing, is often a solitary and isolated quest – do you feel that the impacts and feelings that come with each intersect, or are there differences in how isolated you are writing versus heading off on an adventure?
It’s a really good question. I think I’m a naturally introverted person. For me both writing and adventure offer time to reflect and digest in solitude. On an adventure I love being out there in new environments, meeting new people, then retreating to the wilds and the inner of my tent where I have solitude and my diary. I think the difference between writing from the confines of a house, and being on an adventure is that the adventure offers more of a rich sensory experience. Adventure for me is about seeking new experiences, and writing is about reflecting on them and learning from those experiences, and preparing myself for new ones.
You also run group treks with World Expeditions – which of these treks are the most popular, and have any of these stories made it into your writing?
My most popular trek takes us through the Altai Mountains in Western Mongolia. The route roughly follows the trail I took in 2004 during the early phases of my trek from Mongolia to Hungary. I love returning there. People still live a life mostly free from mechanical transport. They live with the seasons, closely tied to the land.
When you’re at home, which local booksellers do you enjoy visiting?
Well until recently I lived in North-East Victoria in a small village called mount beauty. So the nearest place for new books was the local library. I think libraries are an underestimated resource these days.
Having said that, I am now in Melbourne, and I do enjoy going down to Readings in Carlton from time to time.
Exploring and adventuring feels as far from the arts as it can get sometimes, but do you find that there is some intersection between the two industries?
Most adventurers that I have admired are people, like artists, who challenge society to think critically, and who have chosen an unconventional path in life. Adventure can take on so many meanings, but for me it is largely about the creative concept of that adventure. One I have come up with a theme, and driving question, I assess everything through that prism, much in the way that many kinds of art projects might be driven. Yes I believe there is a very strong intersection between the arts and exploration.
Once travel is open again, where do you hope to do your next trek?
I had a trek in New Zealand all planned before COVID came along, so I will probably be headed to the South Island as soon as its possible. I also look forward to getting back to some of my favourite local hunting grounds in the Victorian Alps and Wilsons Promontory.
Have nomadic people always been an area of interest – and where did this interest first come from?
When I was a kid growing up in rural Gippsland, I often used to try to imagine the landscape pre-colonial times. My Dad had a book about indigenous Australian cultures and I spent untold hours gazing at the photos. I wanted to know what it was like to live more in rhythm with nature, rather than locked in to human constructs of time, space, and land. those same elements drew me to Nomadic culture in Mongolia many years later.
Finally, what is next in terms of writing? Are you working on anything while you’re at home?
My upcoming project is to complete a picture story book for 4-6 year olds about Tigon.
Beyond that I would love to write a book about living in Mongolia for a year with nomads, or perhaps following the trail of the Roma people (Gypsies) from India to Europe.
In May, we seemed to settle into a lockdown routine, so I got a bit more reading done. This month, I read 20 books – the vast majority of those – seventeen – were by Australian women writers – some for review, some my own reads and one or two that I read alongside Isolation Publicity interviews. Below is a breakdown of my current numbers, and a table with each read and the challenge they worked for. Some categories are easier to fill, as always, and some have multiple entries. I’ve got plenty to read – the books keep coming so I’m trying to keep on top of everything as best I can.
The Modern Mrs Darcy 11/12
AWW2020 -53/25
Book Bingo – 11/12
The Nerd Daily Challenge 45/52
Dymocks Reading Challenge 22/25
Books and Bites Bingo 15/25
STFU Reading Challenge: 10/12
General Goal –89/165
In June I am hoping to read more and get further on top of all my reviews – look for more great books by Australians and especially kids and young adult books to come in the next few weeks.
Synopsis: From the bestselling author of Alice to Prague, for fans of Toni Tapp Coutts’ A Sunburnt Childhood and Mary Groves’ An Outback Life, comes Tanya Heaslip’s extraordinary story of growing up with her sister and brothers in the late 1960s and early 70s on an outback cattle property just north of Alice Springs.
An Alice Girl is Tanya Heaslip’s extraordinary story of growing up in the late 1960s and early 70s on a vast and isolated outback cattle property just north of Alice Springs.
Tanya’s parents, Janice and Grant ‘the Boss’, were pioneers. They developed the cattle station where water was scarce, where all power was dependent on generators and where a trip to town for supplies usually meant a full day’s journey. Grant was determined to teach his children how to survive in this severe and isolated environment and his lessons were often harsh.
Tanya and her siblings led a childhood unimaginable to many Australians. Whether working the mobs of cattle with the stockmen, playing cattle-duffing on horseback or singing and doing lessons at their School of the Air desks, the children were always aware of the demands of the land.
But while her sister and brothers loved riding and working stock, Tanya’s heart longed to be back at the homestead with her books and stories.
In a childhood that many would consider very tough, Tanya tells of this precious time with raw honesty, humour, love and kindness. This is the story of an Alice girl.
~*~
Tanya Heaslip grew up in the outback near Alice Springs with her brothers, sister and parents, working with cattle or playing games once their work had finished. For Tanya, this was a precious time but also a time of isolation – where her only connection with the outside world at first was with her School of the Air friends and Correspondence School teacher. Yet through School of the Air and her friend Jane, she discovered a world beyond her family’s home and beyond spending every day with her family and nobody else.
This biography tells the story of Tanya’s first eleven to twelve years, before she headed off to boarding school in Adelaide, as the rest of her family did in the following years. This is a story of isolation and a life that seemed tough – as Tanya tried to please her father but also, found solace in writing and books – in a world of words.
These stories precede Alice to Prague, and show readers where Tanya came from and how she found herself on the journey and in the career she has now. Reading both is a great experience – two periods in her life, both as fascinating and as intriguing as the other. From one extreme to another across both books – isolation in Alice and the Northern Territory to surveillance under a Communist regime in Prague. Both are fascinating stories.
In An Alice Girl, we get a glimpse of what life is like on a remote cattle station, how everything they did differs from what most of us know, and the way of life they led, what was most precious to them and how they managed – the tough exteriors Tanya and her siblings built up, and the way they learned to cope with what they had and accept it.
Tanya explores why this is, and how her parents, who were born on the cusp of World War Two, were impacted by living through war, and how it made them who they were. Vastly different from her family, Tanya was still very close to her siblings – for much of their lives, just about every day – they could only interact and play with each other – there were times when there were other children around, but this was often temporary and short lived.
The Northern Territory came to life in this book, and was as big a character as Tanya’s family, evoking a sense of place that feels familiar yet at the same time new and unfamiliar to many readers who live in cities or suburbs. For those who lived in regional or remote areas, some things might be relatable, others might have been experienced differently. It is part of Australia’s story – one person’s experience of the world around them and how they navigated it through childhood and learned things along the way and in adulthood that they hadn’t realised or noticed at the time.
It is honest, at times brutal, and also has many heart-warming moments. Combined, this makes it an engaging personal and family story of childhood, and what having an isolated childhood is like, up to the feeling of being ripped away from all you know to a boarding school in another city, another state. An Alice Girl is the story of a childhood where what she had was loved, yet Tanya also wanted more. It explores her love of words and books, of school – of friends she had never met until she was able to attend a country show where she watched her friend compete.
It was a different world to today. Tanya only knew her friend’s voice, whereas these days, we know how our friends who live far away from us write, what they look like but not always what they sound like. We’d recognise their faces, but maybe not their voices. For so long, this was the opposite for Tanya. But she shone through and her life is fascinating. Reading about it showed there was a whole world out there beyond what we know in the cities and suburbs along the coast.
I enjoyed reading this book about Tanya’s early years, seeing how she grew up and what initiated her taste for writing, and the outside world, which is further explored in Alice to Prague. For readers of that book and new readers, this is a fantastic read that everyone will get something out of.
I should be doing this for each bingo line I hit – with the regular book bingo, it is being included in the relevant post. For this one with Monique, I am trying to update as I complete a line.
My first BINGO of the sheet is the top lime – which I actually completed last month but have only just managed to find time to write this brief post. This was possibly the easiest line – some squares I am still finding books, or waiting for a release, or am, not sure what I will use. Luckily, these are fairly broad categories and I can go with anything for many of them, so when I find something that fits, that is what I will use. This is my overall challenge strategy and I am finding it less stressful as it allows me to read what I have and if it fits, that’s a good thing.
This was a challenge I signed up for later than the others, but am having fun with it nonetheless. Of the books I used in this challenge, I loved them all and there were so many others that could have worked here. I admit to stretching the travel memoir category – using a fictional book with travel that felt like it could be a travel memoir – I expand on this more in the post, however.
I look forward to filling the rest of the squares and reporting on them in the coming months.
In April, we found ourselves amidst a pandemic – and I found myself with an influx of review books, some quite long, and some not so long. As I usually do, I aim to read ahead in my review stack, to get things cleared, and posted or scheduled to save time. I’m still a bit behind, reading some books that should be on this list on the day of writing and posting. However, this is the case due to the fact that the books may have arrived after or a day before publication date due to the current overload of deliveries due to the COVID-19 crisis we’re facing.
I’ve also been doing an Isolation Publicity series with Australian authors – which by the looks of things will take me into mid – late August at this stage, a month short of the planned lockdown. Some of these interviews are really exciting and make me wish I could share them now, but the schedule means everyone gets a special day for their interview. Many authors have had launches cancelled, festivals and appearance cancelled or moved online – which has meant a loss of income and has been detrimental to the arts sector. These authors need the love and publicity the book blogging community can give them so their work can get into the hands of readers.
I read 19 books this month, and all except The Austen Girls and The Unadoptables have a live review at this stage. The Austen Girls will be appearing around the 19th of May with several other reviews and posts. The latter is appearing in June. I also ticked off a few challenge categories – not as many as I had hoped, however, I am getting there and should hopefully have filled them all in by the end of the year.
Reading Challenge, AWW2020, The Modern Mrs Darcy (Nominated for the 2020 Readings Children’s Prize)
Shortlisted Readings Children’s Book Prize 2020 AU; Shortlisted Speech Pathology Award, Eight to Ten Years 2019 AU
Title: Anzac Girl: The War Diaries of Alice Ross-King
Author: Kate Simpson and Jess Racklyeft (illustrator)
Genre: Historical
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Published: March 2020
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Price: $24.99
Synopsis: The true story of Anzac girl Sister Alice Ross-King, who sailed to war in December 1914 and became the most decorated woman in Australia.
It was 1914 when Sister Alice Ross-King left Australia for the war. Nursing was her passion – all she had ever wanted to do. But Alice couldn’t have imagined what she would see. She served four long years and was brave, humble and endlessly compassionate.
Using extracts from Alice’s actual diaries kept in the Australian War Memorial, this true story captures the danger, the heartache and the history of the young nurse who would one day become the most decorated woman in Australia.
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Anzac Girl: The War Diaries of Alice Ross-King is a picture book, based on the war diaries of the WW1 nurse, written by her great-granddaughter, author Kate Simpson, who is also the co-host of kids lit podcast, One More Page with Liz Leddon and Nat Amoore. This has been a book that has been on my shelf for a few weeks – and I thought Anzac Day was the perfect time to read it.
Like many authors who have released or will be releasing books in the next few months, Kate had the launch of her book cancelled. I hope my review can bring some publicity for this special book alongside my other reviews and Isolation Publicity series.
When Alice Ross-King sets off for war as a nurse, she isn’t prepared for what she will see and who she will meet. Kate has used extracts from her great-grandmother’s diary to tell the story, and the illustrations by Jess are combined with photos of the actual documents from the war and Alice’s time spent as a nurse across Gallipoli and Europe. Told simply for kids aged six and older, it is still very evocative and encapsulates the sense of what the war was like for Alice. It captures what the war was like in a time of war in a way that isn’t too confronting for younger readers. Readers feel Alice’s heartache, hope and despondence throughout. It is one of the most engrossing picture books I have read recently. It is a great book to read for history lessons or ANZAC Day or both. I would have loved to have had a story like this to study during history at school, and hopefully, it finds its way into future curriculums for all levels and ages.
An excellent picture book that captures the ANZAC spirit.
In An Alice Girl, we get a glimpse of what life is like on a remote cattle station, how everything they did differs from what most of us know, and the way of life they led, what was most precious to them and how they managed – the tough exteriors Tanya and her siblings built up, and the way they learned to cope with what they had and accept it.
Title: Anzac Girl: The War Diaries of Alice Ross-King
