Some Winners!
Fantasy Novel Young Adult Novel
The Dreamer’s Pool Cracks in the kingdom
Juliet Marillier Jaclyn Moriarty
Children Fiction Horror
Shadow sister: Dragon Keeper Razorhurst
Carole Wilkinson Justine Larbalestier
To find out more about these awards click here.
When talking about reading diversity, the International IMPAC Dublin Award truly reflects the fiction works from world literature for the past 20 years. Nominated by public libraries around the world, the IMPAC Award is presented annually for a fiction work written in English or translated into English. The Award is an initiative of Dublin City Council the municipal government of Dublin which now retains full ownership of the award. The Award aims to promote excellence in world literature.
The Children’s Book Council of Australia has announced its 2015 Book of the Year shortlist for children and young adults.
This year The CBCA celebrates its 70th anniversary and it certainly has made its mark in the children’s literary landscape in Australia.
Please follow this link to see the full list of titles. Parramatta City Library welcomes you to reserve those titles and also invite you and your kids to participate our library’s reading activities.
The Hugo awards have presented the world best science fiction titles and this year’s finalists have been announced recently. Worldcon, World Science Fiction Convention, will decide the winners for each category. You can go to the following link to find the all finalists for each category.
http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2015-hugo-awards/
(Please note : “Hugo Award” and The Hugo Award Logo are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.)
Jack of Diamonds – Bryce Courtenay
Abstract
Born and raised in a poor, working-class family in Toronto, Jack Spayd is the son of an unhappy marriage. But when he is given a harmonica as a young boy, he discovers a talent for music that will change his life forever. After being taken under the wing of ‘Miss Frostbite’, the owner of a local jazz club, Jack becomes a gifted musician, playing piano and harmonica. After the death of his mother, he travels to Las Vegas and finds work in the clubs there, but is increasingly drawn to gambling. He earns a reputation as a good player, which brings him to the attention of the mafia. Jack wants to join the professional circuit, and to do that he needs serious money behind him.
Group Comments
Book could have been condensed. The book started of very interesting and you didn’t want to put it down.
Some thought provoking sentences, a bit too much violence. Much laughter re the parrot – called ‘Jack of Diamonds’. All were happy he wasn’t killed.
Large volume – was difficult to hold, but typical Bryce Courtenay; would make a great television drama.
Some American slang language was difficult. Very graphic sexual descriptions.
Jack is somewhat a coming of age story!
Overall everyone read it but there have been better ones.
Read by
The Last Thursday Book Group