Australia Books

When my daughter was very young, I borrowed Tosca's Christmas from the local library. It became one of her favorite stories. For several years, we observed a tradition of checking the book out of the library prior to Christmas each year. Last fall, after she left for her freshman year at college, I ordered a hardback copy of the book from the internet and surprised her for Christmas. It was a joyous reunion!

Tosca's Christmas is full of Anne Mortimer's beautiful, lifelike illustrations of a very real-looking and acting pleasingly-plump tabby. It paints a somewhat realistic picture of Christmas from a cat's perspective -- all that unwelcome commotion, and not being allowed to actively participate when there is something fun to do (like wrapping oneself in giftwrap). The artwork alone makes buying the book worthwhile. Anne Mortimer's cats are always more realistic than any other illustrator's -- the cat's markings aren't symmetrical, and you know she knows this cat as well as you know your own.

This is one of my favorite books! Great story, very inspiring, writes beautifully. very thought provoking. will make you want to travel!

There are few adventurous people that by-pass the luxury of their deisel-pushers to experience the likes of what Robyn Davidson embarks on as the challenge of a lifetime. That is precisely what makes this book so phenomenal.

Granted, this adventure took place in 1980, but the age of the event changes nothing of the experience.

Roughly structured, and for her reasons only, she embarks on a 1,700 mile trek across the outback to the ocean from Alice Springs. Her transportation? Camels.

The most fascinating part of this trip is she must learn about these amazing creatures from scratch. She moves to Alice Springs and sets forth to find those that are willing to teach her the camel buisness. Some of these teachers are of worthy content and impart essential knowledge. Robyn, however appears to be a natural with these animals, and a relationship with them developes that draws the reader into the story and through every foot of the trip. Her chosen camels have strong personalities, and this delightful distraction imparts great humor and solice on her quest.

Special mention must be made to her best female friend, Diggity. This incredible dog was her lifeline and her mainstay through many trying days and nights. Diggity's personality was beautifully captured by Robyn's recollections, and will tweak the heart of any dog lover.

Robyn's ability to bring the aboriginal people and outback to life as she treks across it's vastness is truly astounding. After I finished her book, I immediately went back onto Amazon.com and bought every single book and reference she wrote or participated in. Her amazing zest and appreciation for the life in the outback of Australia was exhilarating. I urge you to read a truly moving, tear jerking, humorous, enlightling and generally captivating novel that bespeaks of the ultimate travel experience one can ever hope to conjure. Thank you, Robyn!

I bought this book based on the first reviewer's comments, hoping that I, too, could have some laughs and learning about the Red Planet! A guide to Mars just seemed so over-the-top, I had to explore it!

When I received the book and read this comment on the back cover, I knew I was in for something wonderfully unique: "Each year, more and more modern families are considering Mars for their summer holidays. The old inconveniences associated with travel and accommodation on the exciting and scenic Red Planet are fading fast. Anyone who enjoys a crisp and bracing climate, guaranteed year-round sunshine, and picturesque boulders far for the madding crowds should look at Mars again." I was hooked! hahahaha I wanted to go to Mars!

The book is divided into seven intriguing sections, which inform as well as entertain:

1) Travel (A clever description on how to pack for and get to Mars, where the round-trip journey is about 309 million miles! Also, there is a quiet talk about passports, Visas, and other entry issues. )

2) Practical A-Z (Here are some important travel tidbits regarding best times to go, climate, the Martian calendar and events, sky-gazing, food and drink, the Martian entertainment and night life, where to stay, calling home, religion, sports... You know, all your typical travel highlights!)

3) Mars in the Night Sky (A clever look at retrograde motion and Mars curious celestial personality)

4) Touring the Planet (An insider's detailed look at Aerography, the study of Mars' surface features and landforms: the Martian Poles, Mare Australe, Promethei Rupes, Big Joe, Cydonia & The Face, Tharsis, Olympus Mons, Valles Marineris, Syrtis Major, and others. Don't forget your moon trips and climbers' tips!)

5) A History of Mars (Explore the Martian Genesis; Mars in Earth mythology, history, science, and astrology; the Canal Craze; Mars in Sci-Fi and Fantasy--including a cool section called "War of the Worlds, Part II: All's Well that ends Welles." )

6) The Space Age begins (Read all about "Early Mars Tourism" efforts! LOL :) Enjoy early missions to Mars and their results. Tiny debate: does the face on Mars look like Ted Kennedy? Only readers can decide! This section also includes speculations on Martian Colonies for the future!)

7) Marsology (In here, find a fantastic listing of books and other media--fiction and non-fiction-- devoted to the Red Planet. Any Mars fan can benefit from this extensive guide to other resources, a grand checklist to explore.)

For a small book, there is a lot of info (and "dry" British humor) packed in the Cadogan Travellers' Guide to Mars. It is a refreshing read, and I believe it is well worth the price paid. The book is also an excellent resource for students who may have to study Mars science, history, and / or mythology. Makes a great primer for how to prepare for that BIG vacation of a lifetime!

Home-schooling parents and early college educators who wish to do unique, integrative studies mixing science, literature, mythology, humor, critical thinking, and creativity should take a look at what this book offers. People interested in colonizing and terra-forming Mars should read this book too! Celebrating imagination and innovation, this book offers its readers a fun journey that is both real in the context of its time and extraordinary.

As we learn more about Mars and as we continue to visit the planet with new technology, no doubt some of the facts / ideas in this book will begin to date themselves; however, that too will be quite funny--just as we now look at all those canal theories at the turn of the century and laugh! The best way to appreciate this book is to enjoy it for what it is...a clever travel parody that promotes further reading and discussion about the Red Planet and its many mysteries.

NOTE to those concerned: What you won't find in this book are the very recent Mars rover missions like Spirit and Opportunity or the upcoming Phoenix mission, slated for May 25, 2008. Readers who prefer a more serious, more in-depth "trip" / treatment to the Red Planet should investigate William K Hartmann's A Traveler's Guide to Mars or Planet Mars: Story of Another World (Springer Praxis Books / Popular Astronomy) by François Forget.

I brought this after reading Bill Bryson's comments in the New York Times and had a good guffaw. The authors, who usually write very irreverant guides about Europe, give Mars the same treatment-it not only makes science fun, but it makes you want to go to Mars on the next rocket out. Even my 11 year old has picked it up and used it for her science project at school. Pics are great too--altogether a fun little book!

firdaus kanga is a very dear friend who lives in my neighbourhood. his book is a reflection of his jovial self.

he is the wittiest guy i've ever met, and also, by the way, the most intelligent! this book is a must read.

Trying to grow is the story of a young man named Daryus Kotwal, who grew up in more ways than one, and did not allow his disabilitating disease to overcome him. Set in an endearing idiosyncratic Parsi family the story recreates his struggle with life. The vitality of the story comes from startlingly vivid characterizations. There is also this extraordinary fluency in the description of relationships and heartbreaks.

Autobiographical in nature, Trying to Grow brings a whole new and refreshing perspective to the world of human disability, eliminating any kind of "mush". There is a lot of honesty and energy in the way the story has been told. There is a vein of humor through out giving it a surprisingly upbeat tone. It is an exhilirating book which celebrates life more than anything else.

This irresistible book about trains shows, in photographs in lavish color, the evolution of railways from its beginnings to the present day. And at the end of the book there are the profiles of those great railroad engineers who helped lay the foundation of this transportation system (which is far from being a part of the past; in Europe, Japan, India and China it remains the most used form of transportation). Greatly reccomended for train buffs.

I have been waiting for DK to publish a train book for adults. Ultimate Train is done in classic DK style with lots of pictures and brief, but relevant, text. This book is long-awaited and sure to be a hit with any adult (or child!) train lover.

Nobody alive on earth today can adequately describe the magic that is the Waitakere Ranges -- a unique place on this planet, unrivaled in beauty anywhere at any price. Travel around the Ranges, either on foot or by automobile, and you will be enchanted, spellbound.

Because words are horribly inadequate tools to describe beauty, the Waitakere Ranges must be experienced to be believed. However, _Untamed Coast_ comes about as close as possible to doing this place justice.

A magical book, for a magical place.

This is a great book. I grew up in this area and spent many happy hours on these beaches. It truly is a great present to share with friends overseas and with family.

A VISION OF THE SACRED: My Personal Journey with Krishnamurti By Sunanda Patwardhan Ph.D.

Reviewed by Satish Telgar Ph.D.

J.Krishnamurti the peripatetic teacher who ever since his apostasy from the Theosophical Society in the 1930's traveled around the world and talked to thousands of people touched and transformed many lives. Mrs. Sunanda Patwardhan the author of this wonderful little book A Vision of the Sacred had the rare privilege of being his close friend and confidant, records in it in a frank and candid manner the number of conversations and anecdotes that she was privy to. As she says in the introduction to the book the reason to write it was an earnest wish to share with the reader the events, insights and conversations with Krishnamurti and how it helped her face her own conflicts and begin her inward pilgrimage. The book has yet another lofty purpose, which is to communicate the sense of the sacred she witnessed in the remarkable presence of Krishnamurti. She hopes as she says in the introduction that a reader in the next century, which is upon us now, should be able to get a glimpse of this sense of the sacred that radiated from Krishnamurti by reading the book.

Those of us who tend to think of metaphysical and religious truths as `distant' and `inaccessible' without undergoing rigorous practices of meditation will be surprised to discover that much of it has to do with observation of one's daily life with its attendant conflicts and problems. Time and again the reader is offered with anecdotes and suggestions which point out the need to be aware of what is happening to oneself as the key to unlock the unknown.

Mrs. Patwardhan refers to an incident where Krishnamurti admonishes her and refers to her vanity and the need to be aware of it. Through careful observation one can see the self as it is instead of resorting to speculation. Speculative thinking brings into play in its wake the deeply encrusted thought process and distorts our perception. Intellect is the main instrument of speculative thought. Krishnamurti urges us to transcend the intellect as he is quoted saying, " You have sharpened your intellect. It is capable of analysis, clear thinking. That's enough. Now turn to other direction, the unexplained part, an explosion of silence in the mind". Silence and solitude are an essential part of Krishnamurti's teaching. One is reminded here of what the Buddha said that despite the fact that he had taught for nearly forty years yet he was in silence.

Every now and then as one reads the book one gets a glimpse of Krishnamurti's probing mind. In one such revealing conversation, in response to a query from Krishnamurti, Mrs. Patwardhan refers to how in her own life through perception she was able to negate formation of things in her mind and accomplish this in a successive manner with other perceptions as well and thereby gaining insight into the ending of time. Krishnamurti points out that by going from one act of perception-negation to another it becomes a process and so it is still in the realm of time. He goes on to add through an exhortation, "....... Stop saying, ` I know, then the process ends'". To someone like me, who teaches philosophy, that statement resonates and reverberates with an ever-deeper meaning. In the Apology of Plato one of the great texts of philosophy in the western tradition, Socrates says that all he knows is that he does not know. Plato's dialogues may be seen as an attempt to understand this great utterance of Socrates.

There are many interesting anecdotes and passages in the book, which will hold the attention of the thoughtful reader. One such passage is Mrs. Patwardhan talking about her many miscarriages and her failure to attain motherhood. This leaves a great sense of void. Talking about it to Krishnamurti she says that she has accepted her inevitable fate of not being a mother and in a sense made peace with herself. Krishnamurti's response to this is very revealing. He raises many interesting questions all calculated to expose the deep lingering desire to have a child and the consequent frustration of not having one. He asks if she has observed very clearly her inner reactions when she sees photographs of lovely children, sees a mother being tender to her baby etc,. The moral of this story is clear; it is not a matter of acceptance or rejection but deep and careful observation. It is only through deep and careful observation that the hidden and buried content of our consciousness can be eviscerated to clear view.

The book is divided into convenient sections covering a wide array of topics ranging from Mrs. Patwardhan's first impressions of Krishnamurti and her own brahminical background to the subject of social change, tradition, education, living and dying, inner revolution, and theosophy. The language of the book is simple, direct, clear and straight from the heart. Some of us who are fortunate enough to have known Mrs. Patwardhan personally will immediately sense the gentleness and openness that was so characteristic of her personality as we read the book. The fact that Mrs. Patwardhan was a fine stenographer as well and kept scrupulous notes makes the quotations from Krishnamurti all the more authentic. The book is a great contribution not only to those who are discovering the teachings of Krishnamurti anew, but to others as well who have been familiar and who cannot afford to lose the ever renewing challenge of the vastness and depth of a great body of teachings that Krishnamurti has left behind for posterity.

One gets the impression from reading this Wonderfull book that Sunanda was a warm hearted, sincere and intelligent seeker of spiritual truth.

Since her first meeting with Krishnamurti in 1947 to her death in 1999 she did a lot of work for Krishnamurti and the Krishnamurti foundation in India. This book is a collection af meditation on the Spiritual Search and the influence of Krishnamurti and his Teaching on her. She says that she often got a sense of the Sacred around Krishnamurti and in situations like that it's so easy fo fall into the Guru trap and to stop thinking for oneself and just relying on the words and influence of others, But as Krishnamurti said to her " I can tell you that there is a lovely garden beyond the hill. I can hold your hand, But You have to walk and climb the hill."(p-11).

This book is inspiring and gives one a lot to think on, and her writing is Poetic and Clear.

Also recomended are the Krishnamurti Biograpy's by Pupul Jayakar and Mary Lutyens and some of Krishnamurti's books like his Notebook and Freedom from the Known.

Mark's autobiography of how he achieves his dreams allows the reader to experience his hard work and victories. He teaches us about how everything is born through a dream. To grow the seed into a definite stem requires visualization, determination, persisting through challenges, and taking control. Without these, Mark would never have become the hero he is today. It would be a remiss to any Canadians to not know about Mark Tewksbury's success. This book is a astonishing book that shows how an ordinary human being can bring upon his unique characteristics to become a hero. You learn that everyone is a hero within, as long as you can dream, that is. I would recommend this book to anyone out there who is still in search of a goal, or currently working on one. You may, in the end of the book too find your dream. Or, perhaps take Mark's success and strategies to encourage and motivate yourself to overcoming challenges.

Mark Tewkbury is not only an increadible athlete, but an excellent motivational speaker. He takes everything he know about life, lessons we all should learn, and puts them into this book, together with his autobiography, he tells the reader how HE learned those lessons. Also, you can real it for the wonderful and inspiring story

In this book The Wanderer. Two Main characters named Sophie and Cody travel across the ocean along with there family crew Mo, Dock, Stew, and Brian. Sophie lives in Ohio and moved from the coast sides of Virginia. The only water she has near by known is the Ohio River.
Sophie is an adopted child and is getting ready to set sail with the family crew to see there Bompie (Grandfather). While being on the ship they have to teach each other things like Sophie tells stories she remembers from when she was little being told by her Bompie. Cody being stupid juggled like a clown. This book was awesome. The book has everything in it. It is really descriptive. Anyone will enjoy it. I'm not the type of person who reads but this book caught my eye. In the story some pretty weird things happen while on the ocean. To find out you must read.
Reading this story helped me get into reading and become better at reading. If I could I would read it again and again. The book has several pages but short chapters. The Chapters are mainly by Sophie and Cody. In this Story Sophie and Cody's chapters are like journals of there trip for memories much rather to share with there family and friends. I enjoyed reading this book because it's not all girly girl and it's not more of a guy book but simply in the middle. The Story has a lot of great chapters and some are just okay. For the most part it is excellent. The Story is so realistic to things that others do and have done. My favorite character I would have to say is Sophie. Sophie has a unique person but proves she is just as good as a guy.
The Wanderer will make you Ponder. What is going on, where are they, who do they see, and are they going to get caught are some thing you might think of. This book is awesome!! Like I said you want to read a great book this is the book for you. Read the book.

THIS BOOK WAS ONE OF THE BEST EVER. IT HAD EVERYTHING I WOULD EXPECT IN A GOOD BOOK. THE CHARACTERS WERE REALISTIC. MY FAVORITE WAS CORY. THE BOOK HAD A GREAT PLOT, AND IT WILL MAKE YOU THINK. YOU COULD NOT JUST READ IT TO READ IT. YOU HAD TO PUT THE BOOK DOWN AFTER AWHILE AND PONDER OVER WHAT YOU JUST READ.

Meagan discovered her fiance in their bed with a bimbo six weeks before their marriage and dumped him . The next day, her boss told her that she was to replace the Managing Director's secretary at a very important 3-day business conference with a Japanese delegaton. She was seduced and as she was on the rebound , she did not mind this interlude but refused to continue seeing him afterwards. He discovered hinself in love with her and set out to win her. Passion sizzled between the two but the heroine refused to compromise -- it's either all or nothing. A very enjoyable read.

The story goes that the heroine has just dumped her fiance and is looking for that elusive "perfect" hero. The hero has had his eye on her for a while, and ends up proposing marriage to keep her. And this is where she has to make sure he will still be interested in her forever. Emma Darcy has made her heroine, as always, a strong woman who is not afraid of the hero just because he has power. She gets what she wants i.e. the hero, through a combination of humour, determination and making sure he won't stray, by giving him what they both want..... This book is well written, and the happy ending makes all their doubts and fears vanish with the "I do's". The book is a keeper.