In the absence of any other decent novels I have begun to read Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet again. It was one of my all time favourites – the story of two wacky families who end up living together in a huge old house and making the most of the raw deal life has served them.
Its a brilliant read with some great characters and some very poignant moments.
I have such a bad memory that reading a book twice is actually no problem. I forget most of what has happened so its like I have a whole new book!
I tend to remember the feeling a book leaves me with rather than the detail, but this time I’m enjoying observing some of the detail in the story.
yes, he must be due a new release soon. I was hoping it would be a new holiday read. I have had great trouble finding a holiday novel this year so I’m taking “The God of small things” which I started years ago but never finished. Any other suggestions??
“Cloudstreet” is a fantastic novel – love it! Enjoy it Hamo (again).
Enjoy, though I can’t say I’ve gotten around to reading “Cloudstreet”. I must do so. As we discussed in Melbourne a couple of years back, Tim is a wonderful Australian writer. A great Ambassador for the country.
Happy New Year Hamo to you and yours. I hope that it is a fun and fruitful one.
Hi Andrew,
Cloudstreet is definitely worth re-reading and Tim Winton is certainly an exceptional writer. But I swear there’s more brilliant novels out there than you can cope with in a lifetime. Let me recommend, if you ever get the chance Ian McEwan’s Atonement, Paul Auster’s Moon Palace, Carson McCullers’ A Clock Without Hands, Lionel Shriver’s We Need To Talk About Kevin and John Updike’s Rabbit sequence as a handful of masterpieces which might appeal to you.
Regards, Nathan.
Incase any of the Tim Winton fans are interested, there will be a world premier of the stage presentation of ‘The Turning’ (the popular novel by Tim Winton) at Playhouse Theatre in Perth throughout February. You can find out more at perthfestival.com.au.
Best read 2007 – bar none – read heaps in 2007 because I said I would read at least 50 pages a day as a New Years thing was “Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold – my daughter read it as well and enjoyed it, but said, don’t get mum to read it, she won’t like it. (so mum didn’t get to read it!!!)
Just finished reading Prisoner of Tehran by Marina Nemat. An incredible story about a woman who lived in Iran in the early 80’s during the revolution of Ayatollah Khomeini. At the age of 16 she was arrested along with hundreds of other girls her age who were accused of being enemies of the revolution. She was imprisoned and forced to marry her prison guard. A good read.