Man Book Prize 2015

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9781780745879The Man Booker Prize promotes the finest writing traditions in fiction by rewarding the very best book of the year. The prize is the world’s most important literary award and has the power to transform the fortunes of authors and publishers. In 2015, The Man Booker Prize for Fiction Committee was chaired by Michael Wood with the other judges: Ellah Allfrey, John Burnside, Sam Leith and Frances Osborne.

The winner for 2015 is A brief history of seven killings by Marlon James. Reserve your copy of the winner and the shortlist now. The shortlist included 5 other tiles:

The Fisherman by Chigozie Obioma
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Satin Island by Tom McCarthy
A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota

Orange is the new black

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orange-is-the-new-blackOrange is the new black by Piper Kerman

 

Abstract

With her career, live-in boyfriend and loving family, Piper Kerman barely resembles the rebllious young woman who got mixed up with drug runners and delivered a suitcase of drug money to Europe over a decade ago. But when she least expexts it, her reckless past catches up with her; convicted and sentenced to fifteen months at an infamous women’s prison in Connecticut, Piper becomes inmate #1187-424. From her first strip search to her final release, she learns to navigate this trange world with its arbitrary rules and codes, its unpredictable, even dangerous relationships. She meets women from all walks of life, who surprise her with tokens of generosity, hard truths and simple acts of acceptance. Now a major original televison series, Piper’s story is a fascinating, heartbreaking and often hilarious insight into life on the inside.

 

Comments

The United States has the highest number of people in prison in the whole world.

The author of the book was incarcerated for 15 months in a US prison after pleading guilty to drug0-related crime.

One reader was really surprised at how much she enjoyed the book. The insights into the US prison system were very interesting.

The book reviews were not good, but the book group found it a good read.

The writing is not in a classic style but it was easy to read and the group is glad to have read it.

 

Read by – The Second Tuesday Evening Book Group

 

Spirits of the Ghan

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Spirits of the Ghan by Judy Nunn

 

Book Extract

It is 2001 and as the world charges into the new Millennium, a century-old dream is about to be realised in the Red Centre of Australia: the completion of the mighty Ghan railway, a long-lived vision to create the ‘backbone of the continent’, a line that will finally link Adelaide with the Top End.

 

Comments

Well I just finished Spirits of the Ghan by Judy Nunn; due out the end of October 2015. I was lucky enough received access to a pre-publication ebook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

And I absolutely love it! Spirits of the Ghan is the first book I have read by Judy and it definitely won’t be my last.

I know it sounds cliché but from the very first page I was hooked. I wanted to keep reading and that didn’t change throughout the whole book.

Spirits of the Ghan has everything a great read needs; an intriguing storyline, interesting characters, history, culture, friendship, family, heartbreak and a little romance.

I loved the fact that throughout the book it was told from the points of view of different characters. This allowed me to get to know and love each character and become engrossed in their story.

I was enjoying the book so much and was worried the end half of the book would let me down; but it didn’t. I thoroughly enjoyed the story right to the very end and couldn’t have asked for a better way for the book to be wrapped up.

Two days after I finished the book I find myself still thinking about it.

 

Rating – 5/5

 

Ready by – Jody

 

 

We are all completely beside ourselves

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9781846689666We are all completely beside ourselves – Karen Joy Fowler

Summary
Rosemary’s young, just at college, and she’s decided not to tell anyone a thing about her family. So we’re not going to tell you too much either: you’ll have to find out for yourselves what it is that makes her unhappy family unlike any other. **Shortlisted for the Man Booker Award 2014**

Comments
Rose used to have a sister named Fern – now she doesn’t and nothing has ever been the same. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves is Rosemary’s story about her complex and unique family unit and the impact that the loss of her family members has had on her. Rose doesn’t tell us everything about her family straight away (and we won’t give it away either), but her slow reveal of details makes her story all the more compelling and believable.
Our Book Club had polarized views on this novel. Some readers were unable to maintain their interest in Rose and her relationships once the details became clearer. Other readers found it an interesting and entertaining exploration into a complex and unique family dynamic  and how its members deal with grief, loss and the struggle to move on in some way. The novel also raises how displaced Rose is, both within her fractured family and socially elsewhere in her life. The ending was realistic, tear jerking and powerful for the readers who loved the book.
This novel is for readers looking for something a little different and who are willing to be challenged about their ideas about family. If you know what it’s like to not be able to move on or let go, or to struggle to find a place to fit in, then we recommend this one for you.

Rating – 7/10

Read by – Cultcha Club Book Club