Australia Books

It took me a while to get through Johnno, despite its less than 200 pages, but I must say I thoroughly enjoyed each page. The slowness was more a function of my available time than of the novel's quality. Johnno is a little gem, a wonderful chronicling of a young man's coming of age, and his relationship with Johnno, a slightly troubled young man, in Brisbane right after World War II. David Malouf is a wonderful writer. Each sentence is a work of art--but nothing is too precious, too anything. It's an enjoyable book that I highly recommend.

I read this book in 1997, having avoided studying it a dozen years earlier in school. Since leaving school I had inexplicably held out on reading what is regarded as the best work of fiction set in and about my home town of Brisbane. Once I started reading I could not stop. In amongst the beautiful prose and vivid description lies Johnno, a character we all know, love, loathe, and long for.

An excellent book. As it turns out I'm glad I held out until I was old enough to really appreciate David Malouf's style, which is rich, evocative and so very (tempted to say 'real', but this is fiction) believable.

In less than two-hundred pages, Malouf manages to capture the coming-of-age angst of the entire Australian post-war generation. Only Malouf could be telling the story of two youths and, virtually on the same page, effortlessly synthesize the realities of Australian experience with European philosophical themes, and connect them both to the whole tangled mess of our national identity. And yet for all its efficiency and high intent, 'Johnno' still reads like an affectionate and deeply-felt memoir, never shying away from the emotional, physical and sexual confusion of youth, nor from the contradictions inherent in what it means to be an 'Australian man'. But that's the genius of Malouf, and it's something we find him doing again and again: telling an apparently simple story about ordinary people, yet with this richly poetic, philosophical undercurrent which can suddenly reach up and pull you under. For Australian readers, this is a particularly important skill. Not only does Malouf deal with significant human issues, but he brings them home. He takes them out of the realm of abstract philosophy and makes them implicit in this place. This makes his work at once deeply personal and resolutely public in the best sense: he has something to share with all of us, something important, and he shares it beautifully.

As an adult, The Journey Home remains one of my absolute favorite books of all time, capturing a brother and sister's incredible travels through all magical elements of life. I reread it now and fall in love all over again.

.

Alison Lester's books capture the innocence of childhood. It's not a saccharine world though. We see a spirit of adventure and at times there is mischievous fun to be had.

When two children have names like Wild and Woolly (we suspect brother and sister) we can anticipate something out of the ordinary will happen.

Every child's fantasy is realized when they dig a hole in their sandpit and fall through it to the North Pole. Their dog (who remains nameless) comes along too.

We all know who lives at the North Pole and it just happens to be Christmas. Turkey and Christmas Pudding are on the menu. They enjoy the feast and its time for bed,

The next day they continue their trek. They visit all the famous fairy tale characters and at each of their houses they are welcomed with generous hospitality, and given a magnificent feast.

Each day they arrive at a new place. Their itinerary (and menu) included angel cakes and sugar kisses at the Good Fairy's, royal trifle and rhubarb fool at Prince Charming's, sea-grapes at the Little Mermaid's, salami sausage and pickled cucumbers at the Pirate King's and goulash and dumplings at the Gipsy Queen's.

After all these feasts they eventually find their way home. Before bed, of course it's time for a big mug of hot chocolate.

Ms. Lester tells the charming story of a sister and brother who fall through a hole dug in their sandbox to the North Pole and then travel home. They visit Father Christmas, a mermaid, and a pirate, among others. The text is charming and the pictures are entertaining. It is a delight to report that the sister is as much the actor in the story as her brother--a still all too rare event in children's literature, where boys "do" and girls "watch."

I read this book at a friend's on Maui on a quasi-spiritual retreat. It was so lovely I had to track down a copy for myself. Not only is the book inspirational, but it really "explained" through the story certain spiritual concepts that I had studied but couldn't yet grasp.

Contained in this book is a lot of wisdom and truth, which really helped me put my life(s) in perspective.

I've read all of Michael Roads books. This one is my favorite. It is the pinnacle of all the books that came before. "Into a Timeless Realm" was published after, but written before "Journey Into Oneness."

Michael Roads has always been admittedly resistant to sharing his knowledge. Perhaps this is why he is so little known in America. Yet part of his appeal is that despite being a true Self-realized master, he is humanly a stubborn, down-to-earth, world-involved person like his readers. This makes it easy to relate to him for he is as gee-whizzed over his adventures as we are.

And what adventures! Most of his books, but especially this one take place in an out of body state where he encounters strange and wise Beings, some of whom turn out to be himself! Every encounter is fraught with danger, humor and great learning -- not just for Michael, but also for the reader. As he grows in consciousness, so do we.

This book is not for you if you are rigidly religious, overly fearful or do not believe in mystical possibility. This book IS for you if you are a genuine spiritual seeker, a believer in wonders and miracles, a lover of Nature, and if you have a hope or a knowing that you, too, can experience the states of being that Michael has and bring your life into the Light of meaning, purpose and love. You will learn that this crazy, seemingly chaotic world and your confused, over-burden life really do have great, amazing purpose and meaning and that you are never alone.

Truly one of my favorite books ever, it challenged the limitations of my thinking in almost every chapter. Often I had to put the book down and let the borders of my mind expand enough to comprehend it. Now two years later, I am still grateful for the exercise of expansion the book puts you through. The mind keeps desiring expansion, pushing the boundaries outward as well as inward. When you're ready- you must read this book!

An astoundingly good read. Visually entertaining. Something perfect for expanding the minds of ones' young whilst at the same time being rather entertaining. The Australian aboriginal tales speak of a time long since past, but strangely of the present. This is a book well worth the purchase, so good that I picked one up for my friends children. Cheers!

This collection of Aboriginal folk tales has been updated for today's readers and one can almost her the haunting notes of the traditional didgeridoo and see the red earth of the arid Australian landscape. Beautifully crafted, these stories of the "Dream Time", as the Aborigines called the beginnings of living things, remind the reader that all morality tales and legends are similar, no matter what civilization or religion. Though often described as primitive, the Aboriginal civilization establised an ecological life that enabled them to survive in their harsh land. This short and easyy-to-read volume will be a helpful addiition of students studies of diverse peoples.

Ancient Aboriginal Tales in New Retellings will nurture your dreams about ancient times. As we say in French, the result of this very professional work is 'merveilleux'.

Laughs, chills and thrills for Children of all ages. Tia - Gam The Trickster delights with a sense of humor and mischief! Whales Canoe will take you on a trip that must be explored by young and old. This CD is a must have for entertainment.... cruising down the road, sitting around the campfire or just playing pretend!

It is no wonder that the author has children fighting over copies of this !!! When I hold it I say "MINE MINE MINE" too. The work is not only excellently WRITTEN - it manages to achieve that ever present goal of the writer - to entertain and teach simultaneously. The parables are so unforgettable - they stay with you and haunt you and make you a better person. I find myself going over and over the stories in my mind when I am quiet or even when I am not - they just keep running through my brain - and each time I learn something more. There is gentle and strong wisdom here - with a touch of magick. However it becomes very addictive - mine is being used and loved till it is worn out. This is more than a collection of stories - it is one of those creations that also becomes a beloved friend.

The stories are wonderful for all ages. Entertaining and engaging. Listen to learn how the kookaburra got it's laugh. Ever wondered how kangaroos found their way to Australia? Dal Burns will draw you into the characters and stories where you will find the surprising answers!

Leaving the shallows is a fun, creative and imaginative book. Jody first sees Dawn, a humpback dolphin. Later, Dawn becomes ill, and Jody tried to warn the people who were feeding the food, which was making Dawn sick, to stop, but then one of them said that Dawn was hungry anyway. My opinion is that this book is a good story with adventures everywhere. My favourite part is the end because I like mostly happy endings. I recommend readers 7 years old and above . It is a very attractive book.

We want more!!! I have been reading this series to my son Zeke since we accidently discovered the first book while vacationing in Florida. We love it! Everything about dolphins/whales/marine biology is of great interest, and I appreciate how the author ties the tropical/aquatic themes and love of nature in with great moral lessons about understanding where different people are coming from. Many kudos for this series, and is # 10 ready yet??
Lori Lynn

read this series. I read this series two summers ago when my friend loaned them to me. I was sick most of the summer. Even though I was stuck inside, the books took my mind to out on the ocean, and before I knew it, I felt like I was there swimming and learning about dolphins myself.
~MY ONLY confusion about this series is that when I went to buy the series for myself all the books I found had a different author, same story, same cover, but different author on the front cover. All my friend's books say Lucy Daniels one the front as theauthor, but all the books I find online and in stores have Ben M. Baglio written on the front as the author.
~Can someone please explain this to me?

Little Miss Naughty (Mr. Men and Little Miss) is the item. I ordered it for my daughter because I had it as a child and enjoyed the series. Now that they are back on tv my daughter loves them so I ordered a couple. It is brand new and exactly the story I remember.

These books are great! They used to be very popular when I was a child and now some of them are out of print. I'm glad to see most of the books still available, they are great for young kids, and a laugh for adults!

Little Miss Naughty tries to be very naughty and do naughty things to other people. Some of the Mr. Men got tired of her naughty tricks. She was going to paint Mr. Nosey's nose red, but someone tweaked her nose. Everytime she wanted to do something naughty, a surprise person tweaked her nose. She got a very sore nose, and learned not to do so many naughty things. This is a very funny book.

I came across this book almost by accident and I was surprised by how easy to read and useful it is.
The prices and costs may not be up to date but these can be determined by surfing the net. Well worth the price and the effort.
Like I said, a must - read for anyone headed to Australia for over 3 weeks.

Bear in mind however that this version has not been updated for a few years.

I truly enjoyed reading this book as I was able to learn the most essential aspects of living and working in Australia. This book features great advice on how to prepare yourself for the big move "Down Under", and what to expect from this new country. It also gives you a reality check on life in Australia as a new immigrant with all the challenges one must face. I really enjoyed the detailed list of "Aussie Real Estate Jargon" as I will need to refer to it when I will be looking for an apartment in Sydney. There are so many useful and practical information and advice in this book such as tips on how to find a job. This book has given me the confidence to move to Sydney as I feel prepareed and armed with the right information needed to make a good start Down Under. I have also read others books on "Living and Working in Australia", and this book is the best so far as it has the highest quality of content compared to the other ones.

I truly enjoyed reading this book as I was able to learn the most essential aspects of living and working in Australia. This book features great advice on how to prepare yourself for the big move "Down Under", and what to expect from this new country. It also gives you a reality check on life in Australia as a new immigrant with all the challenges one must face. I really enjoyed the detailed list of "Aussie Real Estate Jargon" as I will need to refer to it when I will be looking for an apartment in Sydney. There are so many useful and practical information and advice in this book such as tips on how to find a job. This book has given me the confidence to move to Sydney as I feel prepareed and armed with the right information needed to make a good start Down Under. I have also read others books on "Living and Working in Australia", and this book is the best so far as it has the highest quality of content compared to the other ones.

This travel book on Samoa is full of information to help one maximize a trip to Somoa. It has some great descriptions of Samoan history and places of interest. I am worried though. I am worried that if ever go to Samoa I will not know how to properly act. The author of this travelogue time and time again warns the reader about Samoan cultural mores which should be followed. But I am afraid I will forget some of them and be a shameful traveler.

This book is PACKED with information! It is also a really great size (smallish) to tuck in my travel bag and take along to be sure not to miss anything on my first trip to Samoa. :o)

This book has everything you need to know when travelling to Samoa. Nothing is missed and you should be able to plan a long or short stay in Samoa. Everything is as described in the book and nothing is really out of date. The only problem is that some of the maps lack detail to be useful, however quality maps are available in Apia.

`This volume is a welcome addition to the study of architecture from archaeological perspective ... this body of data from the rural city of Armidale will provide useful comparative material for similar studies undertaken in other former British colonies, for example, in the United States and South Africa. '

Historical Archaeology, 35:2 (2001)

`Heather Burke has produced a very important, perhaps landmark study using archaeological evidence to interpret and understand the evolving boundaries of class and status in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. I recommend this book to all historical archaeologists interested in issues of class structure, ideology, material culture or reading building fabric.'

Australasian Historical Archaeology, 18 (2000)

`The study of capitalism challenges archaeologists and thus it is impressive when a scholar succesfully rises to this challenge. Meaning and Ideology in Historical Archaeology meets this challenge and should be read by any scholar interested in understanding capitalism.'

American Antiquity, 66:1 (2001)