Tag Archives: reading

Discussion notes from Literacy Reading Group July 2012

Posted on by

National Year of Reading Theme for July is Discover, we discussed two articles relating to discover. 

Article 1: Legacy of a lifetime- Megan Johnston in The Sydney Morning Herald Spectrum April 14-15 p 19

 http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/legacy-of-a-lifetime-20120412-1wssv.html

 Members took part in an interesting discussion about “Can objects represent a person’s life?” Some thought it impossible for objects to represent a person’s life as life is so diverse, with many aspects, while objects only give insight into a small part of their life. Others felt that objects left behind can give an impression of what their life was like.The group also spoke about personal special heirlooms passed on from generation to generation that are mementos of the person they belonged to.

 Article 2: Safari Park is elephant Eden- Kris Madden

Traveltalk, March 2012 p40 

Group found this article very enjoyable with lots to discover about an exotic place. Most agreed they would love to travel to Safari Park for an interesting, fun holiday, image riding on and swimming with elephants. We discussed the use and meaning of many words and phrases from both articles, for example – tacitly, acquisitive, detritus, bevelled, patina, meandering and how travelling by elephant “sure beats waiting for a Sydney taxi”.

 

2012 Kibble and Dobbie winners announced

Posted on by

The winners of this year’s Kibble and Dobbie Literacy Awards have been announced.

The winner of the Nita B Kibble Literacy Award which recognises the work of an established Australian female writer is Five bells by Gail Jones.

On a radiant day in Sydney, four adults converge on Circular Quay, site of the iconic Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Crowds of tourists mix with the locals, enjoying the glorious surroundings and the play of light on water. But each of the four carries a complicated history from elsewhere; each is haunted by past intimacies. (Summary from NoveList Plus)

 

The winner of the Dobbie Encouragement Award which recognises the work of a first published Australian female writer is Past the shallows by Favel Parrett.

Abstract: Harry and Miles live with their father, an abalone fisherman, on the south-east coast of Tasmania. With their mum dead, they are left to look after themselves. When Miles isn’t helping out on the boat they explore the coast and Miles and his older brother, Joe, loves to surf. Harry is afraid of the water.

 

 

Prime Minister’s Literacy Awards 2012 winner announced

Posted on by

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Arts Minister Simon Crean today announced the winners of the 2012 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards-

Australian writers who write books about Australia.

Fiction winner –Foal’s Bread by Gillian Mears

Poetry winner –Interferon Psalms by Luke Davies

Non-fiction winner –An Eye for Eternity: The Life of ManningClark by Mark McKenna

 Prize forAustralian History –The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aboriginies Made Australia by Bill Gammage

 Young Adult fiction winner – When We Were Two by Robert Newton

Children’s fiction winner –Goodnight, Mice!, written by Frances Watts and illustrated by Judy Watson  

 

 

Second Tuesday Evening Book Club- Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada

Posted on by

This week the Second Tuesday Evening Book Club met to discuss Hans Fallada’s novel Alone in Berlin, also published under the title of  Every man dies alone. This novel is set in Berlin 1940. Otto, an ordinary German living in a shabby apartment block, tries to stay out of trouble under Nazi rule. But when he discovers his only son has been killed fighting at the front he’s shocked onto an extraordinary act of resistance, and starts to drop anonymous postcards attacking Hitler across the city. If caught, he will be executed. Excerpt from BACK COVER.

Continue reading →