Flock – a review for the coming author talk

Title: Flock

Author: Lyn Hughes

New South Wales : HarperCollins

Sarah P’s pick

This novel interweaves the stories of two generations- Francis Sprigge and Lilian Powys and their daughterAdelaide(Addie) and is set in the  ‘50’s, ‘60’s and ‘80’s; mostly around theBlue Mountainsarea.

Francis and Lilian meet at Central station, fall in love and eventually move to theBlue Mountains. Francis starts a successful career as a wallpaper designer. Lilian loves her husband and daughter but is unsettled. She has her own aspirations and is dealing with a troubled childhood.

Adelaideis the leader of a team of conservators restoring a historical mansion for a Bicentennial project. She returns to the area she grew up in. Also she is helping a writer composing a biography of her father so the past is very much in her mind. As she reveals the history of the house she thinks about her own history.

Come and meet the author and hear her talk about her book at Parramatta Library on Wednesday 6th August from 1 -2 pm.

Cuckoo – a review

Title: Cuckoo

Author: Julia Crouch 

Sarah P’s pick

Rose and Gareth live an idyllic life in the English countryside with their school aged daughter Anna and new baby Flossie.  Then Rose’s oldest friend Polly calls from Greece to say her husband has died and Rose invites Polly and her two sons to stay with them, against her husband’s wishes. Continue reading

IMPAC International 2011 Dublin Literary Award

2011 IMPAC International Dublin Literary Award goes to Colum McCann for his novel Let the great world spin. The book has beaten off competition from 161 other titles, nominated by 166 public libraries from 43 countries. Continue reading

The garden party – a review

Title: The Garden Party

Author: Sarah Challis

London : Headline Review, 2011

Sarah P’s pick

The book is the story of the Baxter family- Alice, David and their four children. Alice is approaching her 60th birthday and 40th wedding anniversary and decides, uncharacteristically, to hold a party to celebrate the occasions and have her family together. Continue reading