Australia Books

i loved the book! it was a great book. i liked how they brought dane in tol his world. it was soo cool to see him from baby hood to adult hood. and they accepted his behavoirs. thanks june for a good book.

When Dane Waites was born in 1974, tolerance towards autism was just starting to move out of the shadows and into the light. His behavior was autistic from infancy; he smiled at trees and at the shadows they made on his walls. Largely nonverbal, he reached some milestones at a later rate, e.g. mastering toileting at age 7.

The boy also celebrated his first Christmas at age 7. The Waites, wanting him to enjoy Christmas as his peers did, taught him about Santa. Junee Waites even said that once introduced, she feared Santa would be with them forever. By the time Dane reached his teens, he accepted the explanation that Santa only comes to younger children. Dane's poignant comment, "I'm too old for Santa, right" makes one feel a tad sad for him. One cannot help but wonder if Dane still believed. I think another approach would be to tell him, "Dane, Santa is fun pretend and a game many people play with their children as a Christmas tradition" or whatever verbiage got through to him. The remote possibility that Santa might remain an enduring belief far past that of his peers was unfortunate and in which case, it seems the honest approach would be better. Fortunately for all, Dane learned to open gifts without fear of the unknown and participate in holiday activities.

Dane was enrolled in a mainstream kindergarten and it was there he met his lifetime friend, Jenny. She accepted Dane unconditionally; she said that she knew he could talk and when she asked him her name, he said, "Jenny." She was his defender and protector; a photograph of the pair at Dane's 5th birthday party shows Jenny at his side, ready to go to bat for him at any time. I just loved that part.

Jaeger, the German short-haired pointer was another faithful protector Dane enjoyed. The beautiful dog (1983-1992) was an important part of Dane's life and rarely left his side. Her untimely death might make you cry, but you will certainly be cheered by the strides Dane made.

Dane's immediate community accepted him as well. There was a large Italian community in his town and he learned to make many Italian dishes; Junee took conversational Italian and out of this, many friendships were made. Dane was quickly and readily absorbed and accepted by his friendly neighbors; from these friendships came lasting bonds and an abiding respect for Italian food, language and culture.

Dane's world expanded tremendously; the Waites took Dane on trips and moved twice during their son's boyhood. Dane was happiest when outside and enjoying nature. Luckily a farm family with 3 children had him work with them on their farm and Dane thrived in that environment. He also got to travel to the Fiji Islands and appreciated Fijian culture. I like the way he took an open interest in other people.

Junee Waites is wonderfully candid about life with Dane and working within his challenges. She is a person I truly admire and her unflagging faith in her son along with the kind nuns and priest who also taught him and helped him understand and appreciate his faith truly warms the heart. I loved the part when Dane received his First Communion at age 10 and the priest who wrote a lovely account of this in a book. Dane's spiritual development is nicely chronicled as well; an especially moving account of this was when Dane told a man in a wheelchair he would pray for him. Dane also insisted on bringing apples to feed homeless people in a neighborhood park.

The Waites' odessy with autism came full circle when they encountered Jenny, Dane's boyhood friend in a restuarant. By then the manager of the place, Jenny told them how she understood about Dane and knew how to reach him as only a compassionate peer could. That was my favorite part along with Dane's First Communion.

Dane's travel and spiritual development no doubt helped him become a rather well rounded young man. He also demonstrated physical prowess in early adulthood when he took up running; marathon biking and weight lifting. Although still autistic, Dane continues to remain an active, thriving member of his society and has held down jobs since the age of 14.

Junee Waites provides readers with rich descriptions of the parts of Australia where she and her family lived; readers are treated to the places that they visited as travelers. To make a good thing even better, a list of resources as well as descriptions of resources available in Australia are provided. This is truly an outstanding book. It makes me think of the hymn, "On Eagle's Wings" and the song "You Are the Light of the World," as Dane emerged from shadows into the light of conversing and providing explanations of his experience with autism.

I read this book from cover to cover and then I read it all over again. I am a mother of a child with special needs (including autistic traits)and know of many others with young ASD children. This is a book I could recommend to them, for the insight it offers into both autism and a parent's journey. I learned so much, began to see life through the eyes of the ASD child and to understand why he acted as he did, and related it to much of what my friends' children did, or my own. The mother's love shone throughout the book yet she was very honest about how she felt and how hard that journey was at times. Always though, it was a book of hope and of love and remained positive throughout.

Like the previous reviewer, I too would like to write to the author to say how enormously helpful this book is. It should become an ASD classic, to inform and inspire parents, professionals, the general public - and those with ASD themselves.

Thank you so much for this book. Junee is inspiring and warm, her love for her son and respect for his rights is uplifting for any parents dealing with the ups and downs of raising a child with autism. I am a single mother of two autistic children and while reading this book I was touched beyond words, I hope one day to inspire other parents as Junee has for me and many more parents around the world. Is there any way of emailing her or atleast a way for me to say thank you to her and let her know how much she has touched my family?

This man can write! Riviting plots and good writing makes Disher a real find. I have read all his books published in the U.S. and can't wait for the next one.

I'm always looking for something new to attract my eye in the crime genre and I've been attracted to the publisher of the "Soho Crime" books. These stories take place in foregin locales and Mr. Disher's Detective Hal Challis stories take place in Austrailia. I've now read the first three in the series and each one is better than the last. Hal Challis plays the world weary police detective that has survived an assisination attempt by his wife who wanted him dead so she could be with another man only to have her heap guilt on him as she constanly calls him from prision to beg his forgiveness. Challis works with an assortment of well fleshed out characters from his female partner struggling with her attraction to Challis and a broken marriage to another cop; a bright, young upwardly mobile woman constable who spends her off time surfing and is stuck with a neanderthal, overzealous copper as a partner; and the ever insufferable Chief who stands in the way of Challis pursuing a killer that just might be his son-in-law.

Terrific prose, a well-conceived plot with a smashing and very believable climax and fleshed out characters make this a series worth checking out. Start with the first in the series to get the background but make your way to this book. It's off the beaten path but well worth the journey. The 4th book is out in hardcover and I've already ordered it.

Australian author Disher opens his latest Hal Challis procedural with a murder victim driving nervously to the scene of her execution, her 7-year-old daughter by her side, triumph on her mind. Point of view switches to the hit man and his dismayed slacker driver as the gruesome scene unfolds, culminating in the escape of the little girl into the woods.

Tense pandemonium breaks out in Challis' Mornington Peninsula homicide squad. The dead woman is the daughter-in-law of loathed Police Superintendent McQuarrie, who seems immediately intent on deflecting the investigation and shielding his son from police attention.

But the child is a surprisingly calm and observant witness and when the murder team discovers that the victim had secretly taken pictures at the sex parties her husband dragged her to and sent them to prominent participants (including her husband), murder for hire looks increasingly likely. And the husband, as cold and dislikable as his wife - she was a psychologist with a confrontational approach - is looking better and better as a suspect.

Fans will be pleased to find Challis' team intact. Hal himself is no longer seeing the local newspaper editor Tessa Kane, but has turned a guilty eye on his sergeant, Ellen Destry, unhappily married to a bitter traffic constable. Destry returns the regard, though both hold back.

Young Pam Murphy is still partnered with rude, misogynistic John Tankard, whose psychological counseling, mandated after last year's shooting, seems to have scrambled his brain. They're on a traffic assignment - driving around in an unmarked sports car rewarding courteous drivers - and provide as much comic relief as they do accidental aid, red herrings and missed chances. Scobie Sutton still chatters ceaselessly about his amazing little daughter and plugs away at his job wishing he had more of Challis' intuitive spark.

Before it's all over, more will lie dead on Australia's Peninsula coast and the lives of several of the continuing characters will have taken major turns. Disher delivers another fine story in an atmospheric, realistic, character-driven series.

-- Portsmouth Herald

Australian Garry Disher spins his first US release in "Snapshot", a slick little noir jewel from down under reminiscent of Ian Rankin and his Scottish detective John Rebus.

Off to a fast and sordid start, yuppie psychologist Janine McQuarrie succumbs to her husband's pressure and joins the swinger set, joining Melbourne's sex party crowd. Taking time out from the panting and rutting, she takes some clandestine cell phone snapshots of her groping buddies. Shortly after, she is gunned down on a deserted Mornington Peninsula suburb in front of her seven-year-old daughter in an apparent contract kill. Turns out her oversexed husband is also son of the local metropolitan police commissioner, adding a heavy dose of office politics to the baffling murder mystery that Inspector Hal Challis is trying to unwind while the senior McQuarrie does his best to thwart Challis' efforts and keep his son's reputation clean.

Disher's story moves briskly, chock full of cops chasing crooks through dead ends and plot twists while leaving enough time for them to fantasize and occasionally act out their own sexual trysts. You may want to hang out an extra couple of nights at your local Outback to get familiar with the Aussie lingo, unless "chuffing the weed", "sea fret", or "pittosporum" roll naturally off your tongue. And then there's a less-than-subtle dose of left-leaning politics injected unnecessarily into a story that doesn't need embellishment.

In the final analysis, though, "Snapshot" is a unique peek under the covers of southern Australian culture - a steady mystery and solid police procedural well worth the time.

This book has really changed my life. Thanks for the helpful tips, Johnne says I'm much better after having read your book!

I am very happy to say that I have had Dean Hill as my snowboard instructor in Aspen, CO for the past 2 seasons and he is the best! Just got the book and it is very easy to follow and makes sense. Dean really has a great passion for the sport and it shows in his book and in person on the mountain.

Great job Deano! I really enjoyed reading through it and as would be expected from you it's increadible.

Good one!

It is obvious that this book is written by someone who is passionate and has made snowboarding a huge part of their life.

The content is clear, technical and written with a full understanding of all facets of snowboarding.

The writter has a unique talent for relaying technical knowledge to others in a way that is easy to understand and that will expand your mind.

I am a new science teacher. I have found this book to be a necessity in my classroom. In talking with veteran teachers, they also see this book as vital to any biology teacher. It is easy to use and provides many innovative ideas.

This is one of three essential source books that includes A Sourcebook for Elementary Science and Geology and Earth Sciences Sourcebook (out of print). Professionals in business, science, engineering, agriculture and K-12 & university education keep these sourcebooks close at hand. These are the "how to" methods of science. You are cost-effective by efficient use of equipment, glassware, reagents and specimens. I regularly give the Sourcebook for the Biological Sciences as a gift to those I work with.

After majoring in biology decades ago, there are only two books that I did not sell. This is one of them. It is truly a "keeper". As a science teacher, I continue to find it useful every year.

The wealth of information encompasses such diverse topics as the solving of biological problems using the chi-square, the making of stock solutions (for example, Lugol's solution), examinations of onion cells, the testing for Vitamin C content, field classification of conifers, and the culturing of live animals in the lab or classroom. The latter include earthworms, daphnia, hydra, Drosophila, and brine shrimp.

A great resource for science methods and information.

I loved the entire Well of Echoes series. I picked up Geomancer while on vacation in Canada a few years back, and loved it so much that I ordered the rest of the series (Tetrarch, which wasn't available in the US at that time, then Alchymist and Chimaera) from Amazon UK. Ian Irvine writes fantasy that doesn't fit the traditional fantasy mold. No junior heroes with undiscovered powers, no evil bad guys, elves, dwarves, magical swords, or anything else that you've already seen a hundred times before. I'd highly recommend it if you're looking for something new and different and wonderful.

the well of echoes quartet is the best book series i've ever read, i've nearly finished the chimaera and im sad that the story is ending but it is good that nish's tale continues.
From the moment i started i got sucked in and felt like i had become part of the story

Best books in the world
congratulations Ian Irvine

This is a great book, the first book was good but this is even better. I'm just starting to read the third book. This book has everything you ask for in a book. It's just fanastic!

Tetrarch is the second book of 'The Well of Echoes' tetralogy. Sanethar is inhabited by old humans as well as creatures out of the void when the Forbidding was broken centuries ago. The old humans, unwilling to share their world with another species are at war with the 'monstruous' lyrinx (intellegent creatures who have mastered the art of flying using the Secret Art). This book focuses on the main character, Tiaan, a young woman who posesses extraordinary skills in the art of Geomancy. Being the holder of the highly sought after Ampliment (a priceless crystal used in the making of Clankers, as well as for Geomantic purposes), making her the main target of her pursuers - human and lyrinx alike. This book continues with Tiaan's remarkable journey, as well as the tough choices she is forced to make.

What I think...
I have always been a fan of Irvine's books, mainly because he is a fantastic Sci-Fi author. Looking back on the previous books he has written, I believe that Irvine has greatly improved on his style of writing and what he puts in his books. Although I cannot deny that the first book of his tetralogy 'The View of the Mirror'(A Shadow on the Glass) didn't quite make a lot of sense, I have to congratulate Irvine on his fantastic story weaving in Tetrarch. Once you start reading, it's almost impossible to put the book down. I even carried this book to all my classes so that I could sneak in a bit of reading whenever possible!

This is a great book that deals with coming to terms with family rules and boundaries. It also has images about going to the hospital and getting stitches. A fun read.

This book has been the favourite in our house for a long time.It has been read so many times, it is known by heart. A great book to share with the 3-8 year olds.

In my view, this book is about power and sorting out boundaries.Being a little kid sometimes makes you feel powerless: everyone is bigger and can do more things than you. Imagining yourself , or an ally , to be equally or more powerful is part of growing up. It is also fun to imagine a world where there are no limitations e.g. you can eat cake all the time. And instead of being scared by noises at night on the roof, it is much more comforting to imagine that it is your big powerful friend, the Hippo. That's why kids love this series of books about the cake-eating hippo.

Simplicity with layers underneath is the essence of a picture book and this book has both. I don't want to read War and Peace with our kids. I want to share a story which seems simple on the surface, is heaps of fun, but which gives you something to talk about with your kids. Our children both LOVED Hippo on the Roof and they came back again and again to the concept of the kid's alter ego having all the freedom she craved. They even picked up on the fact that the cake and other things she wanted were not always that good for her. (I swear I didn't coach them...) Lots of kids have imaginary friends, not many of them have hippos on their roof. I bet they wished they did.

Thrump-O-Moto is a wonderful book! I have been reading it since I was old enough to read, yearly at least. An epic storyline, delightful art, and heart warming message. It proves that miracles can happen, but they are never very easy. As a child, it was a children's book about adult things like life, death, and heroism, which is why I love it. Its a pity there aren't more books like this jewel.

This is a beautifully illiustrated and written book for both children and adults. It is touching and inspiring. It brings home the important lesson of never giving up and helping to fight the good fight against an illiness or other evil.
Takes place in Australia and Japan and a fantasy land.
Charming and lovable characters.
Enchanting and inspiring.

I bought this book for my children for Christmas in 1988. It was so beautiful in word and pictures that I bought a second book so that each of the children could have their own book. It's story of the wizard "Thrump O Moto and how he saves Patricia from the evil "Nurk-u the Bad is so delightful. I always wanted to find the address of Steven Spielberg as I felt it would have been a wonderful movie only Spielberg could have writted for the screen.

Clavell's Thrump-O-Moto is nothing short of a literary masterpiece. This fantasy begins with a lazy rural afternoon and leaps across continents and through time warps with a most informal and personal accessibility. The possibilities of friendship, the comparison of cultures, and the thrill of adventure all contribute to create a most fantastic story. The illustrations supplement the flowing text like frosting on an already luscious cake. Clavell's marriage of detail and whimsy make for characters and places with an endearing, enduring reality all their own. Ideal for preschool and young elementary children, Thrump-O-Moto may require a few laptimes for tots with short attention spans; but don't be surprised if when you finally reach the end, you are asked to begin the adventure all over again!

What a fantastic book! I had no idea dogs played a role like this in the war. Whether your interested in war, working dogs or just want to read a great story i would recommend this book. Pete describes perfectly the innocent nature of a dog even in these extreme circumstances. I can't say enough good things about Tracker's so just pick it up and enjoy.....

wonderfully written book of the australian involvement of tracker dog teams in vietnam...thousands of allied lives were saved through the relationship built by the tracker dogs and handlers, together with the scout, sentry, mine, tunnel, booby trap, and other military working dog teams...over 4,000 dogs and in excess of 10,000 handlers kept our troops safe....the lives of our allied military forces depended on the trust built between handler and dog....

I love books written by people who have been in the working dog field with dogs such as Service Dogs of the Police,Military working roles. I personally find books written on the obedience trailling and Schuzhund competitions basically repetitive and in the main, boring.

Service work and associated training to me, is the real world of dog training, I enjoy competition and encourage people to compete.But I get tired of the never ending waffle of the best way to train involving food, toys, clickers, working in drives etc.

This book is excellent taking one into the real world of extreme dangers of the Vietnam war. Well written, reviting, and refreshing after the waffle of other dog books.Well done Peter. ...

I have read numerous books about war dogs. This is by far my favorite. I was totally engrossed from beginning to end. The book will make you laugh and a few pages later make you cry. Mr. Haran's accounts of his experiences in training tracker dogs for Vietnam, and doing two tours as a dog handler in the "J" (jungle), really bring home the effectiveness of man-dog teams and illustrate the deep bonds that develop between the two forged under fire. I can't say enough good things about this book. If you are a dog lover, or if you're interested in war dogs at all, you should read this book. You won't be disappointed.

This book documents the sexual perversion, physical abuse, and gratuitous cruelty inflicted on defenseless boys as young as seven years old by Irish Christian Brothers in the Mount Cashel orphanage for homeless boys in St. John's, Newfoundland during the 1970s-80s. It is also the story of a massive cover-up perpetrated over a period of some fifteen years which involved high ranking justice department officials as well as the chief of police.

It is a tragic story, which doesn't have quite the ending which I would have liked. Why, for example, were no public officials ever punished or, at least, dishonored for their corruption? And, where was the well deserved lynch mob which might have at least frightened the perverts and abusers when their long delayed time for justice finally arrived? And, why didn't the punishment for the `brothers,' once convicted, fit their crimes as did that of the priest in Louisiana who was sentenced to twenty years at hard labor without the possibility of parole? And why, for God's sake, did they only investigate what happened in 1975 and, even then, only allow the testimony of the eight boys questioned in that year? Surely, there were lots of other boys being sexually abused and tormented long before and long after that year. And, just as surely, there were other `Christian brothers,' yet unnamed, who also deserve punishment. And, finally, why didn't they reinstate the well intentioned cop who got drunk and tried to break the story ten years earlier?

This is a hard read, partly because of its subject matter but mostly because it is so meticulously documented. This, at times, makes for tedious reading. But, if you want to learn just how deviant and cruel even a respected man can be, and just how devious and corrupt public officials can become, then this is the book for you. But don't expect to see the justice you might have hoped for, for in this case justice was denied - at least denied the children.

The author did a lot of work in writing this book. His research was accurate but his findings were often off the mark because he just didn't understand some of the nuances. He painstakingly went over all the data, included accurate quotes, and came to mostly accurate conclusions. Unfortunately, some of his conclusions missed the mark. A good effort. He should be congratulated for his effort if not for his conclusions.

i lived through a similar orphanage childhood in artane school dublin city ireland,1949-58.owned ,run by the same religious order,the irish christian brothers.cruel wicked evil beyond my own ability to put into english language.i wish mr harris would make a docu-drama narrative about artane industrial school thank god for courageous journalists and publishers.

Having grown up in newfoundland and being present there while the Mount Cashel scandal came to light and underwent inquiry, I can assure the other reviewers that this book is indeed truthful. The circumstances the book describes are so incredibly shocking that I can readily understand why readers would have skepticism regarding its basis in reality. That just makes the story so much more worth reading.

Waiting for Daylight is a wonderful coffee table book that highlights the joys of ranching which only someone with a broad background in the saddle could write. Janell Kleberg also has a great artistic touch seen in the many photographs that are sprinkled throughout the book.
Having been raised on the King Ranch do Brasil, Kleberg's book brought back many memories. She has done a wonderful job of capturing the many locales of King Ranch operations outside of the USA.

Waiting For Daylight: King Ranch: Images From The Past is a marvelous showcase of full-color photographs taken by Janell Kleberg from horseback while working cattle in South Texas, Brazil, Argentina, and Australia. Descriptive captions add insight to the moving images of ranch and animal herding life. Providing the reader with a unique suspension of the ever-present flow of time, the beautiful scenery, the hard-working horses, and superbly documented images of everyday life create and unforgettable window into the lives of dedicated men and women employed in the hard but rewarding work of ranching.

This is a great book documenting the life of people in a harsh environment. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in not only spectacular photos but unbelievable descriptions of the photos.

The authors name is Janell Kleberg, not Janell King.
Janell captures the people of ranching. The images are taken while she worked side by side with the men and women of King Ranch. Photos were taken as she worked horseback on the various operations including Brazil,Texas,Argentina,Australia and Venezuela.The images are of a time past 1970-1990. Tio Kleberg