Australia Books

This is a Volume I of a two-volume set.

I saw this two-volume book first time in Apia, the capitol city of Samoa. It was the hard copy edition presented in a show case of the Rainforest Restaurant, whose owners were two historians working passionately on a creation of a small museum of Samoan Art and culture of Samoa. I was astonished about the amount of details in this book. The more astonished I was, as I saw how many well situated Samoans were visiting the Swiss/German couple to consult this book regarding their genealogy and heritage! This source might just as well prove predecessors in old Samoan ruling nobility or even... a divine origin!

For a contemporary reader Krämer's book might be a difficult lecture though. Krämer brings together facts and legends. Parts of the text are written in Samoan, and sometimes I could not find out any specific rule for the switching between the German and Samoan languages. Fortunately, mostly one page is in Samoan, and the opposite page is in English, like a Roseta Stone of a kind! The translator of the book, Dr. Verhaaren, remarks in his foreword that Krämer was somewhat inconsistent in his spelling of Samoan words.

In my opinion Krämer created a great documentary, but he was not a good writer. The great amount of details, which Krämer by himself often calls just a hearsay, have probably a great value for scholars or lovers of Polynesian mystique, but they might only confuse casual reader. Nevertheless he seems to be very careful about differentiation between facts and rumors.

One of the interesting aspects of this book are the details about the travels, marriages and wars between Samoans, Tongans and even the Melanesian Fijians. Many contemporary families on Samoa know through these reports that their heritage reaches hundreds of miles apart from Samoa. Samoans were splendid navigators and they undertook numerous long distance voyages. There was a good reason that Samoa earned the name "Navigator Islands" after being discovered by Europeans. Unfortunately, the contemporary Islanders lost solely their ability to navigate on the open Ocean over such distances.

The book contains a large number of beautiful photographs of Samoan people, and of the entire Samoa from the colonial period, in which Great Britain, USA and Germany were still quite friendly nations "negotiating" their spheres of influence in the Pacific. As you might know, Samoa is still a divided country and the American sponsored government in Pago Pago tries to deepen the differences between the Samoans on the neighboring Islands. They feel very cozy in their present arrangement, and so they try to prevent a reunification. It is fascinating to see in this book the Samoa as it once was, a one entity.

This book is a fascinating "must have" collectible for scholars, passionate off road travelers, and everyone else looking for island nostalgia. The publisher, Hawaii Press, made a great effort to provide splendid quality of typesetting and print.

My only regret is that we wait for so many years for a matching release of the Volume II!

The price is right. Get this book!

This is a comprehensive and interesting exposition on the history of Samoa.

It is a privilege that it is now available in English so that the information can be more widely read.

The British Special Air Service is one of the most highly trained military forces in the world, but they shroud their training, team selection and operations in complete mystery.

The book mentions a lot of acts of terrorism incidents in the 20th Century, from plane hijackings, bombings, embassy takeovers to the massacre of the Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympic Games in 1972. The book also shows one of the favoured weapons of the SAS, the MP5 submachine gun.

I really enjoy military handbooks, because I believe conflict can change the world. Look at the Vietnam War: the conflict made the country better than it was after the Second World War. Vietnam now has good food, beautiful countryside that is safe to travel and many enjoyable activities like cross-country tours.

Check out the website: vietnamtourism.com

Robert Franck

This book is the best book I have ever read on special operations and includes a indepth analysis of the selection, training, weapons, lands, water and air roles, counter terrorism, hearts and minds and operational tactcis. This book is about the SAS but has a overall review of the world's elite. It's excellent

Sydney Morning Herald: Headline: "Black deaths, black lives" "... unless there's something I don't know about, Philip McLaren's excellent Scream Black Murder is still only the second crime fiction novel by an Aboriginal writer." "Some of the incidents had me thinking, 'this couldn't possibly happen in Australia', then when I thought about it a bit more, I realised how naive I was being. "... Scream Black Murder is a superb novel that's both tough and tender. In it we're presented with a straight-from-the-shoulder novel of criminality that's as evocative and powerful as Walter Mosley's series about the black ghettos of Los Angeles. High praise but McLaren deserves it."

The best books are the ones that after you read, you realize you've learned a great many things you didn't know before. Such is the case with Scream Black Murder, by Aboriginal writer Philip McLaren.

To begin with, this is a suspensful, white-knuckled thriller. The author does an amazing job getting in the head of a deranged killer who targets aboriginal women in and around Sydney, Australia. Assigned to crack the case is Gary and Lisa, the first aboriginal detectives in the history of the force. Not only must they compete in a thrilling game of cat and mouse with the killer, but they must also perform under a prejudiced police department, many of which would like to see them fail.

Apart from a superb story, McLaren also succeeds in illuminating the social and racial issues of Australia--a history of a people oppressed that isn't included in most high school textbooks. It is a relevent, realistic story that will give you a glimpse of a culture suffering from many of the same prejudices as our own.

I highly recommend this book; and I am looking forward to "investigating" the other WorldKrime books put out by the publisher, all of which apparently offer similiar multi-culured views of different countries.

I loved this book. It has a dream-like feel. I grew to like F.J. The last few pages holds a surprise. Read "The Grisly Wife" for a (brief) mention of F.J.

I loved this book. It has a dream-like feel. I grew to like F.J. The last few pages holds a surprise. Read "The Grisly Wife" for a (brief) mention of F.J.

In my first visit to Sydney I covered more ground and learned more about the city than my Sydney-veteran companion had seen in numerous trips. The maps and directions were accurate, and the tidbits were a great combination of history and quirky facts and folklore.

Sydney is a beautiful city and this books gets visitors out of the usual tourist spots. Many of these sites truly are hidden...I found myself searching a graveyard for a unique tomb, walking down a lizard-populated path of rainforest reserve hidden in the middle of a residential area, investigating the mystery of a missing heiress, and scheduling a shiatsu massage (the author was right...getting scrubbed, stepped on, and kneaded was an ideal finale to a day of touring).

For all those who think they know Sydney- be prepared to be amazed!! Interesting facts and local tales enable the reader to rediscover popular tourist areas such as Bondi and Kings Cross. Detailed maps and directions will see you discovering new and beautiful areas known only to locals. For those who love Sydney and those wishing to discover it, this book has something for everyone. Extremely easy to read and immensely enjoyable, see your city with new eyes!!

I was not expecting to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did. It surprised me at first to discover that the story was written in a poetic form, but this simply enhanced the entire experience. I was truely touched by the simple pure relationships formed between the characters. Herrick doesn't weigh down the plot with too many detailed descriptions. The characters and events of the story speak for themselves. Each 'scene' stands on its own as a glimpse into the lives of the three characters. This book is highly reccomended to any readers who are prepared to sit back and enjoy a heart warming, thoughtful book.

In a counterpoint to THE LORD OF THE FLIES, and other grim tales where a lack of structure or authority leads to chaos and harshness and evil intent, Australian author Steven Herrick has created a world in which a young man striving for autonomy is able to attain an idyllic existence away from the rule makers and the rule breakers.

When sixteen-year-old Billy Luckett packs a few things (including the old man's booze and cigarettes) into his schoolbag, says good-bye to his dog, and walks out of the house, he doesn't know where he will end up. But Billy's certain that anything will beat living with his abusive father.

"Please don't tell what train I'm on
And they won't know what route I've gone"
--Elizabeth Cotton, "Freight Train"

Hopping a westbound freight train in a teeming rain, Billy immediately crosses paths with the first of a series of characters who will each enrich and transform his life with their kindness, and who will each in turn take something away themselves for having been able to see through Billy's exterior.

"Men...........Billy

There are men like Ernie,
the train driver, in this world.
Men who don't boss you around
and don't ask prying questions
and don't get bitter
at anyone different from them.
Men who share a drink and food
and a warm cabin
when they don't have to.
Men who know the value of things
like an old boat
built for long weekends on a lake.
Men who see something happening
and know if it's right
or wrong
and aren't afraid to make that call.
There are men like Ernie
and
there are other men,
men like my dad."

"When we came to the station all the trains were rusty
The doors were open and the windows broken in
There was grass in all the cracks and the air hung musty
The travel posters were flapping in the wind"
--Al Stewart, "Apple Cider Re Constitution

Billy reaches the end of the run at an old railroad town named Bendarat, and takes refuge in a lovely old abandoned train car. When he purchases a lemonade at the McDonald's in town, and proceeds to gather himself a fine meal from what fellow diners leave behind, he meets Caitlin, a well-off teenage schoolgirl who is working for The Clown as a way to gain her own measure of independence, in her case, from doting parents.

"Caitlin and mopping...Caitlin

When I first saw what he did
I wanted to go up
and say,
'Put that food back.'
But how stupid is that?
It was going in the rubbish
until he claimed it.
So I watched him.
He was very calm.
He didn't look worried
about being caught
or ashamed of stealing scraps.
He looked relaxed,
as though he knew he had to eat
and this was the easiest way.
I had work to do,
mopping the floor,
which I hate,
so I mopped slowly
and watched.
He read the paper
until the family left,
then helped himself to dessert,
and as he walked back to his table,
holding the apple pie,
he looked up and saw me
watching him.
He stood over his table
waiting for me to do something.
He stood there
almost daring me to get the Manager,
who I hate
almost as much as I hate mopping.
So I smiled at him.
I smiled and said,
'I hate mopping.'
He sat in his chair
and smiled back
and I felt good
that I hadn't called the Manager.
I kept mopping.
He finished his dessert,
came over to me,
looked at my badge,
looked straight at me,
and said, 'Goodnight, Caitlin,'
and he walked out,
slow and steady,
and so calm, so calm."

The story's third principal voice and pivotal character is Old Bill, an alcohol-dependent hobo with long grey hair and beard who inhabits a nearby train carriage along the string he facetiously refers to as 'The Bendarat Hilton.'

"Sorry..........Old Bill

I feel sorry
for swearing at the kid,
abusing him for bringing me breakfast,
Breakfast! Of all things.
A good kid,
living like a bum
and I knew he'd need money,
even bums need money to live.
So this morning, early,
far too bloody early for me,
I knock on his door
to return the bowl and spoon
and he opens it slowly,
invites me in,
and I tell him
about the Cannery and work.
How every Monday during the season
they offer work,
and if he needs money
that's the place to go,
and he says,
'Sure, great. Let's go.'
And because I'm still sorry
about swearing at him
I find myself
walking to the Cannery
with the kid
looking for work,
work I don't need,
or want.
Walking with the kid
early Monday morning."

"Every happy ending needs to have a start."
--The Moody Blues "You Can Never Go Home"

As we're uncovering the tales of how they got to those bad spaces in which we first meet them, Billy and Old Bill are moving inexorably forward and upward as a result of their relationship with each other. Caitlin is a genuinely likable girl whose difficulties--while not in the same league with those of Billy and Old Bill--will ring true to teen readers who desire, like she does, to be accepted for who they really are. I have great affection for THE SIMPLE GIFT's fairy tale-like sensibilities and for the story's message (that harkens back to the Sixties) about avoiding the rule breakers and rule makers and, instead, paying attention to treating people kindly. A quick and enjoyable easy-reading verse novel imported from Australia and published in paperback, THE SIMPLE GIFT is a Great Escape Package I can highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book, because it was humourous, a bit silly and it rhymed. i would recomend this book to anyone who liked to have a good laugh. i can't wait to read the next book:
Sister Madge's Book Of Nuns: Part Two.
i liked this book so much that i wrote my very own powm about a nun,
if you read on you will be reading my poem:

This is a story of Sister Mary, who one day found a tiny fairy.
she said to the fairy
"How do you do?"
"What makes me think that i know you?"
the fairy looked with such dismay, that Sister Mary ran away.
that was strange the fairy thought, it must be this new dress i brought.
"The shopkeeper said it would be alright,"
"But i think i gave Sister Mary a terrible fright?
i wonder what is so bad,
i actually think that Sister Mary is mad.

But what the fairy did not know, was that her dress let her underwear show!

THE END

This is a short collection of stories in verse about very colorful and fanciful Nuns and thier antics and idiosyncracies.

Most of my friends have enjoyed it a great deal and want to have a copy.

Great book with good quality pictures, demostrates their best works during those good years, way better than the other new books on the market. I don't regret to pay the price for it!

A great collection of SOM's projects. Each page is painstakingly arranged graphically. A must buy for any architectural professional who loves great photographs of built work. The amazing talent that has passed through SOM is apparent.

This book tracks the life of the Leverson family on three levels: the emotional, mental, and physical. As they carry on their everyday lives, the reader is drawn into the depth of their existence on all these levels through the creative, serious, humorous, and satirical writing style of the author. The reader is mesmerized by the numerous stories about the lives of this family during the integration, disintegration and resolution of various life problems that separate each member from the other. Eventually the family reunites due to a serious crisis which threatens one vulnerable family member, Keith.

The reader is introduced to the lonely existence of Keith as he engages in attention-getting behaviors, such as petty theft, trying to force his dad to express strong emotions toward Keith -any emotional involvement would gratify Keith. Bernard is a mild-mannered easy going gentleman who teaches music to various levels of students. He tests the students proficiency to determine their skills, aptitude and abilities for more serious piano study. One of the most highly captivating stories within the book involved Bernard as he tested a pretty precocious female teenage student who used her awkening s#xual energy to her advantage. Amazingly, she was a highly talented pianist and Bernard was drawn to her energy but he kept it well within the bounds of a proper "student and teacher" relationship. However, his special attention to Eva did not go unnoticed by one of the nuns who taught Eva at the Catholic boarding school she attended. As it turned out, the nun, Sister Matthew, also studied the piano and was taking examinations with Bernard to gain her qualifications and proper credentials to teach piano ... Sister Matthew became jealous over a small incident that she noticed had passed between Bernard and Eva. Bernard was caught unprepared for the aftermath of this petty jealousy (of which he was unaware). He became the victim of an unfounded accusation, via an anonymous letter which alleged inappropriate behavior ... Meanwhile Iris was carrying on an affair with the male partner of a couple who was in their circle of friends. Through different means, Bernard learned of the affair ... and so did Keith their son. To Keith's consternation, Bernard did not show any emotion and let the situation continue ...

Keith was testing his limits as a rebellious teenager. He grew up into young adulthood without any strong interests in life or a clear path or goal. He tried college, he worked at many jobs and ended up as a drifter and finally a surfer on the beach. The family had not heard from him for quite a while and Bernard and Iris accused each other of failing to raise him properly ... A phone call aroused both Bernard and Iris from bed. It made them finally realize what is most important to a family. Thea Astely possesses a very unique writing gift, the ability to weave complex emotions and deeply moving life experiences of many different characters into a seamless whole. As an author from Australia she uses her special knowledge and experience of her homeland to best advantage - introducing new readers to its diverse culture and untamed natural beauty.
Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Though these words are spoken by a priest, they could have been spoken by any of the bored and guilt-ridden characters of this novel, all of whom are at loose ends, uncertain whether their lives have any meaning at all to anyone. Bernard Leverson, a music examiner, is bored with his wife, telling her, "After twenty years of marriage, you feel as if you're the same sex." She, in turn, is having a tepid affair with a neighbor, engaging in "the humdrum routine of deceiving their partners, not out of love but boredom." The Leversons' fourteen-year-old son, craving genuine feeling and communication, instead sees indifference and seeks excitement in shop-lifting and misbehavior. Nuns in the local convent and priests at the local church perform the routine requirements of their vocations, sometimes without genuine feelings of commitment. Other characters atone for "sins" committed long in the past, wasting their present lives in the fruitless search for personal absolution.

Winner of the 1965 Miles Franklin Award for Best Australian Novel of the Year, The Slow Natives is Thea Astley at her most thoughtful and complex. In compressed language and sparkling dialogue, she explores the meaning of love in all its permutations, along with the "sin" and "guilt" so often associated with it. Unique and witty descriptions abound: A monsignor's soul, "doily-neat, had scalloped edges of predictable pattern"; two men lunching at an inn notice the dining room "filled up with crustaceans--varnished hard-jawed mums and small-bit farmers coated with the same malty staleness"; and one woman, annoyed at another, snaps, "You know what they used to call [you] at school? Alma Martyr!"

As her characters interact and overlap, affecting each other's lives, though not necessarily inspiring their love, Astley evokes genuine feeling for them, allowing her readers to empathize with them. The humor for which she is so often lauded is subordinated here--she does not poke fun at these sad, often earnest, and very "normal" people. Revelations do come to them, often at a great price, and few readers will fail to be moved by the climactic ending. Mary Whipple

I was reading this book on a visit to NZ, flying from Los Angeles to Auckland. This put Smithy's epic adventures in a new light...as a commercial pilot myself, I could start (just start)to appreciate the problems they encountered, let alone the fear they must have felt... An excellent book, well researched, and as the review states, "not a dull page in the book". Well done Ian.

While i confess to not having read any other books on Sir Charles, I have an appreciation of sorts through the many Smithy stories i had grown up with. My father had worked at Brisbane airport where the Southern Cross stands today and as a boy i recall him telling me Smithy stories as we walked around the old plane. Naturally, 70 odd years after the epic flight, traffic streams past and no one gives it a second glance (although oddly this amazing historical icon is almost hidden from view). I wonder how many young Australians today know who this man is and what he contributed to world aviation.

This book offered a smorgasboard of adventure and excitement and really does put into perspective the amazing feats this man accomplished. It also shows to us a character that was flawed in many ways. Smithy is portrayed as being reckless, selfish and irresponsible and yet also often displayed amazing courage, determination and humour. The book seems factually thorough while continues to flow nicely and is really an entertaining read.

This book would provide an ideal starting point for a film, that could further document and publicise, not only Smithy but all those other early aviation pioneers. Just so many amazing flights amidst so much danger and often so much fun.

A great story of a legend from a time when you really had to do something to earn that epithet.