Things you don’t see when traveling by car

This memorial stone is in the main street of Bairnsdale, I guess on what you would call the median strip, although the strip is very wide and has beautiful garden beds all along the main street. There are several memorials at different spots along the main street. I viewed it from close range as I…

Well that has changed my previous perceptions.

Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe has certainly changed my view of the history of Australian Aboriginal people. This book ought to be made compulsory reading for every Australian. There is a Ted talk by Bruce Pascoe that covers some of the ground covered in the book (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqgrS…) but the book goes into much more detail….

Another February read

This is a Miles Franklin WInner to add to my 2019 Reading Challenge.  It certainly lives up to the status of winner and depicts Australia in beautiful language. From the book cover: “His father dead by fire and his mother plagued by demons of her own, William is cast upon the charity of his unknown…

A renewal of an acquaintance

We visited Canberra last weekend as a surprise for our younger daughter’s birthday.  While we were there we had a family day out at one of the historical properties in the Australian Capital Territory. There are not many historical properties as the ACT has a very short history in the scheme of things as Canberra…

My April reads

I have been busily reading this month so here are the books I have read. Coffin Road was another Hebridean thriller by Peter May.  I will need to look out for more of his books.  I picked this one up at the secondhand book sale.  Very atmospheric writing. Promise by Sarah Armstrong, for some reason…

Australian history with a bit of crime and romance

I am really enjoying the Sulari Gentill books of the Rowland Sinclair series. I have just finished Gentlemen Formerly Dressed and enjoyed it just as much as the previous book I reviewed.  The story moves along at a rollicking pace and I stop now and again to check on some particular aspect of Australian history…