Tag Archives: books

The book thief – a review

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Title: The Book Thief

 Author:  Markus Zusak

Publisher: Pan McMillan, Australia, 2005

Staff Pick: Thanh

Read from the blurb of the book: “It is 1939.  Nazi Germany.  The country is holding its breath.  Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.”

Ah well, I said to myself, another Jewish story, in the line of The Schindler’s List, The Pianist etc…  Which reminds me of my good German friend Manfred.  He’s a gentleman, in the usual sense we understand, and in the literal meaning of a gentle, soft speaking, and decent soul.  Once, he said to me:  “Yes, during that time, Germany under Hitler did unspeakable evil, but the country never lacks of decent people, and ever since we try our damnedest that nothing of the sort ever happens again.  Why even now, a book, a movie crop up to point a finger at us again and again?” Continue reading →

Miles Franklin Award Winner

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The Sri Lanka born author Michelle de Kretser has won this year’s Miles Franklin Literary Award. Her book ‘Questions of travel’ has been decided from all female writers’ shortlist for its “witty and poignant observations” in the vivid language to deal with many issues that Australian society concerned, such as home and away, travel and tourism, refugees and migrants. Continue reading →

2013 ABIA Awards

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2013 Australian Book Industry Awards have announced its winners. Sometimes I do feel the awards from the industry might be biased on best sellers list rather than literary values. However when you look the list of winners there are some good reads there. Surely you’d appreciate and enjoy reading them.

Parramatta City Library has all the titles for loan and title’s like The light between oceans has  been discussed by one of our reading groups The 1st Wed Reading Group and the group’s comments are on the blog. Continue reading →

Read Watch Play June 2013 – Faraway

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Join Parramatta Library as we participate in the Read Watch Play reading theme for June

FARAWAY

What do you think of when you read far far away?

Does it take you back to reading fairy stories or does it make you think of other stories/histories which take place far far away?

Does it make you think of travel to places #faraway?

Or of science fiction, space travel and exploration?

Or is it of fantasy with creatures and ideas from #faraway?

What places seem #faraway to you? They may be countries or worlds away, or only a few blocks, suburbs or towns away? Continue reading →

1st Wednesday Book Group – Band-aid for a broken leg

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At Mays meeting the 1st Wednesday group discussed:

Band-aid for a broken leg: being a doctor without borders by Damien Brown.

Damien Brown is a twenty-nine-year-old Australian doctor, inexperienced but motivated by a strong desire to help, when he arrives in Angola – an impoverished, war-torn country in south west Africa – for a six-month posting with Medecins Sans Frontieres. It’s his first stint with the organisation, and he thinks he is ready.

Groups comments: Continue reading →