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Sally Murphy, Australian author

February Reads

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At the end of January I was surprised at my low tally of books read. My February tally is even lower – only three books finished – but I’m less surprised, because in February I did a lot of other things:

  • swam around the Busselton Jetty
  • planned and prepared for the start of a new university suggestion, among growing Covid numbers in our state
  • snorkelled
  • rearranged my whole house, with the arrival of new carpet meaning most of our possessions had to packed up, moved and then moved back and unpacked
  • wrote a tiny bit.

And that’s just the main things. Anyway, in spite of all that busyness, I did mange to complete three books, as well as start another three, which I am sure I’ll finish soon.

Here’s what I finished:

Books for Children

  1. Two Weeks With the Queen, by Morris Gleitzman (Pan Macmillan, 1989). I first read this not long after it came out,  and was curious how well it would stack up more than thirty years later.  it still moved me to tears. Funny but also very deeply moving, dealing with childhood cancer, AIDS and more.
  2. Where the World Ends, by Geraldine McCaughrean (Usborne, 2017). I picked this one up because I have been doing a little research of an event set in St Kilda, Australia. I quickly realised the St Kilda in this story is in Scotland, but was intrigued anyway. Based on a true story, a group of boys set ashore for a summer of sea birding is marooned when no one comes to collect them. Beautifully wrought, I am so glad I did find this one.

Books for Adults

  1. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by V. E. Schwab (Titan, 2020).  This was recommended on Audible, and I wasn’t sure, but really enjoyed it. Addie is 300 years old – having given her soul for the promise of time to live. The only catch is, she can’t own anything and no one remembers her once she is out of their sight. When she meets the one man who seems to be able to remember her, it seems too good to be true.

 

 

 

 

So, that brings my year to date total to ten. A slowish start to the year reading-wise, but there’s still plenty of reading time left in the year.

 

What have you been reading?

January Reading

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It feels like 2022 has only just begun, and yet here we are one month down already. At the end of 2021, when I posted my monthly reads, I wasn’t sure if I would keep posting each month, but I’ve decided to keep listing them. I have been experimenting with an app called Storygraph which also allows me to track my reads, but for now I quite like listing them a little old-school.

In 2021 I read 153 books, and I am hoping to match that this year. Keeping a monthly tally should also help me to keep to that – it motivates me on the days when I find myself a little distracted from reading.

Anyway, in spite of that aim, I find that I am reaching the end of January with a pretty low tally of only seven books for the month, even though there are some wonderful reads.. Here’s what I read:

Books for Children

(all three of these books came as review copies from Walker Books Australia)

 1. Michael Rosen’s Sticky McStickstick, by Michael Rosen & Tony Ross (Walker Book, 2022). I love all of Michael Rosen’s books, but this was extra special, as it does something very difficult – dealing with the impact of Covid-19 – with aplomb. This is Rosen’s personal account of how he learnt to walk again after being critically ill with Covid 19. It is gentle, honest and very child-friendly.

2. A Good Place, by Lucy Cousins (Walker Books, 2022). Look at this cover! Why wouldn’t I fall in love with this picture book? It’s happy and bright and has a gentle environmental message too. Can’t wait to share this one with my grandchildren, the Murphlings.

3. Pearly and Pig and the Great Hairy Beast, by Sue Whiting (Walker Books 2022). Wow! I have to confess that Sue is a good friend of mine, and so I am always excited to read her books, but putting that aside, this books is excellent. Adventure, a little humour, and a character whose best friend is a pig. What’s not to love? And I am pleased to see that Pearly and Pig will be back for more adventures.

Fiction for Adults

  1. Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens. I am glad I finally read htis, having seen it mentioned in so many places since it was released. I finally downloaded it on audio and listened to it fairly quickly. I know an audio book has me hooked when I start listening to it in the house instead of just saving it for the car. Beautiful, sad and mysterious in equal measure.

2. Hamnet, by Maggie O’Farrell (Headline, 2020). Another one I am super glad I read. The story of Hamnet, William Shakespeare’s son, but also of Shakespeare and his relationship with his wife (Agnes) and family. I really felt drawn to Agnes – very well wrought.

3. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle. Continuing my  read of Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection, read by Stephen Fry on audio, I got through another book this month. Nothing nicer than driving along listening to Stephen Fry, who is a wonderful narrator, and really enjoying the writing too.

 

Nonfiction

  1. Atlas of the Heart, by Brene Brown (Penguin Random House,2021). I was really excited to read this, having read all of Brown’s earlier books, and adored them. She explores emotions in ways that are accessible and ‘real’, and this new offering is, although a little different than her others, extraordinary. I read it cover to cover but plan to reread and dip in to further digest. And I am going to try to find time this year to reread her backlist.

 

 

So, only seven books this month, but I loved them all. And, only 146 to go to match last year’s tally. I’m up for that!

 

What have you been reading?

What I Read in December

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It’s the last day of the month, so time to look at what I read in December. And, of course, since it’s also the last day of the year, to look back over the whole year.

First, I managed 10 books in the busyness of December.

Books for Children

  1. Backyard Beasties, by Helen Milroy (Fremantle Press, 2022). I received this as a review copy from the publisher, and was delighted when I opened the package, having loved the first two Backyard book, Backyard Birds and Backyard Bugs. Like the others, the simple rhyming text is a pleasure to read aloud and the illustrations are rich. A mixture of native and domestic beasts are found – including a dog, a gecko and a possum.
  2. Lion is That You? by Moira Court (Fremantle Press, 2022). And another review copy, again looking for animals. In this case, the reader is taken on a hunt to see if there are really lions in the Australian bush, a nod to various legends that escaped big cats have survived in the bush. Instead, there are range of Australian animals to spot – a kangaroo, a quenda, a dugite and more. I’m looking forward to sharing this one with my grandies, who do love animal books, and rhyme.
  3. The Song of Lewis Carmichael, by Sofie Laguna, illustrated by Marc McBride (Allen & Uniwn, 2021). A lovely adventure story. Matthew is timid and his parents worry about him. A lot.  But in a magical adventure lead by a crow named Lewis Carmichael, Matthew journeys to the North Pole, learning a lot about his own strength along the way.
  4. A Glasshouse of Stars, by Shirley Marr (Puffin Books, 2021). This is a simply beautiful book, in spite of – or perhaps because of – dealing with some difficult events. Meixing is a young girl dealing with tragedy, change and displacement, living in a New House in the New Land, and a combination of inexplicable magic and her own courage help her to navigate a way.
  5.  The Chime Seekers, by Ross Montgomery (Walker Books, 2021). Yanni is really unimpressed with his baby sister, and the way her presence has changed his life. But when an evil faerie steals her on Halloween, he realises how important she is – and only he and his cousin Amy can save her.

Books for Adults

  1. The Sign of Four, by Arthur Conan Doyle (Audible). The second book featuring Sherlock Holmes and continuing my listening to the collection, read by the inimitable Stephen Fry.
  2. Cold Coast, by Robyn Mundy (Ultimo Press, 2021). I love Robyn Mundy’s writing and she has made stories set amongst the wildest, coldest parts of the world a specialty – reflective of her love of these places. this one is set in Norway, in remote Svalbard and a fictionalised account of Wanny Woldstad, who in 1932 wintered as a trapper. The beauty of the natural world, the perils of humans living there, and the realities of trapping and hunting are woven together in this exquisite novel.
  3. Only Birds Above, by Portland Jones (Fremantle Press, 2022). This one is a review copy, so not out until; 2022. Historical fiction, one of my favourite genres, and exploring the generational impact of war, set in both WW1 and WW2, with a father fighting for the 10th Light Horse and a son a prisoner of war in Sumatra. Not a happy story, but well drawn.
  4. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle (Audible). The third book in the definite collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. I look forward to working my way through the remainder in 2022.

Poetry

  1. Vociferate, by Emily Sun (Fremantle Press, 2021). This took me a little while to get through because, like the best poetry collections, it needed to be savoured, so I dipped into it over several weeks. Lots to ponder and  consider, with its exploration of belonging and identity.

 

 

 

 

So, these ten bring me to a total for 2021 of 153, including my many loves – picture books, children’s books, poetry, fiction, nonfiction.

 

I have seen lots of friends posting their favourite reads for the year on their blogs or on social media, but can’t bring myself to do this, because I know I will miss something. Every book I finish offers something special.  But one thing I really enjoyed this year was rediscovering some of my old childhood favourites and also working through some of the eclectic offerings that my to-read pile, which dates back years, has afforded.

 

For 2022, I am not yet decided if I will keep posting this monthly list. I like that it keeps track of my reading, and offers a chance to share my thoughts. But there are other ways of doing this, and today I have downloaded an app called Story Graph, which I will experiment with in January before deciding whether to do that instead of blogging, or to do both, or to just keep up with the monthly blog.

 

In the meantime, Happy Yew Year to you. I hope 2021 has offered you some reading joy, and that 2022 offers even more.

What I Read in November

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Another month has ended, which means another round up of what I have been reading. Also another month where my total was 12 books.  This brings me to 143, only 7 shy of my target of 150. I think I can do it! Here’s what I read in November:

Books for Children
  1. Well, Really, Mr Twiddle! by Enid Blyton (Dean & Son, 1968). This was a childhood favourite and I still own the copy I think I got for a birthday. There is always a risk revisiting a childhood favourite, but even though it is dated, I still found plenty to smile about.
  2.  Maybe… by Chris Haughton (Walker Books, 2021). This picture book came from the publisher as a review copy. Who doesn’t love a monkey story? In this one the young monkeys are told not to go near the mango tree because there are tigers around – but can’t help wondering if maybe they could just take a look.  Lots of fun and a bit of a lesson (maybe).
  3. Stellarphant, by James Foley (Fremantle Press, 2021). Another review copy. I adore the work of James Foley, and this one didn’t disappoint. The story of Stella, an elephant who wants to be an astronaut but keeps being told she can’t – even when she meets the requirements – is funny but also uplifting. The messages here about working towards goals, overcoming prejudice and acceptance are wonderfully couched.
  4. Rainfish, by Andrew Paterson (Text, 2021).  This one won the Text prize, and I can see why. It’s beautiful, sad, even humorous, all rolled into one. The story of Aaron, who finds himself an accomplice to a crime and spends his summer living in dread of being caught, but not knowing how to put things to right.
  5. The Reluctant Dragon, by Kenneth Graeme (Audible). By the author of Wind in the Willows, I hadn’t read this one before, but downloaded it from Audible and listened while doing some house work – which made the work bearable. When I was at school we learnt a song called The Reluctant Dragon, which I can still sing by heart – and I presume the song was inspired by the book. Either way, I am now singing the song anew.
  6. Saving Celeste, by Timothee de Fombelle, translated by Sarah Ardizzone (Walker Books 2021). This came as a review copy from Walker Books and is a touching fable about two children fighting for a better world in a dystopian near future. A story of hope.
  7. Huda and Me, by H. Hayek (Allen & Unwin,2021)Told through the eyes of twelve year old Akeal, as he accompanies his little sister Huda on a bold mission to reach their parents on the other side of the world. Their parents have had to travel to Beirut to be with family, leaving Akeal and his six siblings with an evil babysitter. It is Huda who finds a way to travel across the world and let their parents know what is happening.  I enjoyed this – funny, heart warming and intriguing.

 

Books for Adults
  1. The Book of Form and Emptiness, by Ruth Ozeki (Text Publishing, 2021). I picked this one up on the basis of both the title and the duck on the cover. They drew me in and, even though I knew it was fiction, I was surprised by just how odd this book i, with the book itself being one of the narrators, alongside the main character, Benny who, in his early teens is struggling with the death of his father. Hard to sum up in a few lines, but although it took me a while, I did enjoy this, compelled to keep reading, as Benny and his mother struggle through some terrible times.
  2. The Riviera House, by Natasha Lester (Hachette, 2021). It had been a while since I read any of Lester’s work, and it was a pleasure to reengage. Set in Paris in WW2, as well as on the Riviera in modern times, this is an absorbing tale, well woven.
  3. The Turn of Midnight, by Minette Walters. (Allen & Unwin, 2018). I picked this up not knowing it was a sequel, and would have preferred to read the prequel (The Last Hours) first, but still enjoyed this. Set in 1349 as the Black Death devastates communities across England, with a strong, wise woman guiding her community assisted by an educated serf. Lots of action and intrigue.
  4. Showtime! by Judy Nunn (Random House, 2021). I really enjoyed this saga, set in the golden age of Australian showbusiness – the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and following the lives of two showbusiness families.
  5. A Study in Scarlet, by Arthur Conan Doyle (Audible edition). I downloaded the collection of Sherlock Holmes books read by Stephen Fry several months ago, but have only just got around to listening. I don’t know why I waited – anything read by Stephen Fry is a treat. I’ll be listening to the rest for sure.

Off to get reading, to ensure I reach that 150 by the end of the year. What have you been reading?

What I Read in October

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How did it get to be November already? Another month  has just whizzed past, which means it’s time to look at what I read in October.  Here goes:

Books for Younger Readers

  1. My Brother Ben, by Peter Carnavas (UQP, 2021). I love Peter’s writing, and only recently read his first novel, so was pleased to spot the new one in my local bookshop.  True to form, this is gentle and lovely, focussed on the bonds between brothers, especially in the face of challenges.
  2. Wandi, by Favel Parrett (Lothian, 2021). I love animal stories, and what’s cuter than a baby dingo?  Wandi is a rare alpine dingo, but when an eagle snatches him from his mountain home, a frightening adventure begins. Based on a true story, but told from the perspective of the dingo.
  3. Listen to the Moon, by Michael Morpurgo (Harper Collins, 2015). I listened to this on audio, and it was a good one for that, with different readers for the viewpoints of Alfie,  and Merry. Set in World War One, on the Scillie Islands, this is the story of a fishing family who find a girl alone on an uninhabited island and nurse her back to health, as well as the story of that girl, who they call Lucy, and how she came to be there.
  4. The Family from One End Street, by Eve Garnett (Heinemann, 1952). This book, first published in 1937, was a favourite in my childhood and, now that I realise just how old it is, I wonder if perhaps my mum read it as a child, too. I am fairly sure that, like most o my childhood favourites, it was Mum who bought it for me.  I hadn’t read it for a very long time, but wasn’t disappointed.
  5. The Small Miracle, by Paul Gallico (Michael Joseph, 1951). I have had this little book for quite a while, and no idea how I came to own it – I suspect an op shop find.  The story of an orphaned boy, his donkey, and his belief in St Francis of Assisi.

Books for Young Adults

  1. We Are Inevitable, by Gayle Forman (Simon & Schuster, 2021). If I pick up any book set in a bookshop I just have to read it. This one is set in a failing bookshop, run by Aaron and his father who are struggling to keep themselves functioning following a terrible loss. I enjoyed the mix of humour, action and healing.
  2. Beautiful Broken Things, by Sara Barnard (Macmillan, 2016).  A story about friendship, and of living with the impact of trauma.  Not a happily ever after story, but that’s what makes it believable, and there is plenty of hope.

Books for Adults

  1. A Fairy Tale, by Jonas T. Bengtsson (Scribe, 2014). Hard to describe this one, which was a library discard which I picked up in a op shop. Set in Copenhagen in the  1980s, it is the story of a father and son who live an unorthodox life, moving from place to place with the father seemingly trying to escape his past. Told through the eyes of the boy – first as a child and later as a young man, this is a really intriguing story about fathers, sons and their bods.
  2.  Everyone in this  Room Will Some Day be Dead, by Emily Austin (Atlantic Books, 2021).  I seem to have read book after book this book around death and dying – murder mysteries, grief etc. Which is odd because I was looking for lighter reads. This one was a favourite. Gilda is a little obsessed with death and illness, but does not expect this to lead her on an amateur quest to solve an apparent murder. But not did she, as a gay atheist, expect to be hired as the receptionist at a local Catholic church.  By turns sad, funny and intriguing.
  3.  Booked for Murder, by V .L. McDermid (Harper Collins, 1996). Another op shop purchase – this one a murder mystery. I bought it on the strength of the premise – an author who is murdered by the same device she has written in her as-yet forthcoming book. Quite a few twists, and I liked the protagonist.
  4. Last Night, by Mhairi McFarlane (Harper Collins, 2021) And yes, another book that was not as light as I thought it would be – there’s grief, family secrets and more being dealt with, but there also light, feel good moments. I hadn’t read anything by McFarlane before, but will be looking out for more.
  5. At Home With the Templetons, by Monica McInerney (Penguin, 2010).  Another op shop purchase. Set between London and Australia, following a dysfunctional family who seemingly inherit a heritage home in Australia and set it up as a tourist attraction. Part family saga, part romance. Not heavy going, and thus just what I needed.

 

12 books, bringing my total for 2021 (to date) to 131. I am still hoping to get to 150 by the end of the year – 19 to go.

 

What have you been reading?

What I Read in September

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Another month over and another round up of what I’ve been reading. Eleven books this month – which isn’t bad in yet another hectic month.  Also another month of quite eclectic reading – ranging from a childhood favourite to really serious nonfiction, which made me cry as I got face to face with some of Australia’s terrible history. But these are books that need to be read, and I will be reading more such offerings.  In the meantime, here’s the list:

Books for Children (and Grown ups too!)

  1. Pax: Journey Home, by Sara Pennypacker (Harper Collins, 2021). I was so pleased to see this book on the shelves. I read it’s predecessor, Pax, when I was in Vietnam a few years ago – buying it because of its amazing cover (by illustrator Jon Klassen). It’s a book that stayed with me, so to find a sequel at long last  was exciting – and I wasn’t disappointed. During the war Peter had to release his pet fox, Pax, back into the wild and each struggled to adapt. Now, with the war over, Peter struggles with his new life and his guilt over letting Pax down. When they are reunited, it turns out they both can help each other.
  2. Nice Girls Don’t Play Footy, by Kathy Helidoniotis  (Scholastic, 2019). This one had been in my to read pile for quite some time, and the week of the AFL  grand final seemed a good  time to pick it up. A story of a girl learning to love footy – and trying to find a way to play it against the wishes of her family and friends.
  3. No Flying in the House, by Betty Brock (Scholastic, 1970). I adored this book when I was a child,. Funnily, I didn’t remember the story very well – only that there was a tiny talking dog, and a girl who discovers she can fly. But in spite of not remembering the specifics, the memory of wanting to hug the book, and loving it, and talking about with my sister, who loved it too, have made me hold onto the copy I picked up second hand when my own children were young. And, finally, I picked it up and reread it. And I loved it again, which was a relief.

Books for Young Adults

  1. The Boy From the Mish, by Gary Lonesborough (Allen & Unwin, 2021). A coming out and coming of age story.  Jackson lives on the ‘mish’ a community outside a rural coastal town. When his Aunty brings another boy to visit for the summer holidays, Jackson confronts the knowledge that he is gay, and realises that fighting and hiding who he really is, is not a way forward. A tender, genuine read.
  2. A Weekend With Oscar, by Robyn Bavati (Walker Books, 2021).  life’s already tough for Jamie, with the death of his dad earlier in the year, but when his mother doesn’t return from a week away and he is left trying to care for his younger brother Oscar, who has Down syndrome, it gets increasingly difficult – especially as asking for help will risk them being separated.
  3. When Rain Turns to Snow, by Jane Godwin (Lothian, 2020). I read this when it came out last year, and then picked it up this month  to recommend it to my uni students, and ended up rereading it over two nights. Lots of issues being explored here – family, adoption, online trolling and more – packaged in a story that makes it all palatable, so it isn’t issue-heavy.

Books for Adults

  1.  The Salt Madonna, by Catherine Noske (Picador, 2020). I purchased this at the Western Australia’s Premier’s Book Awards ceremony late last month.  It was one of the shortlisted books which I hadn’t read, and the cover called to me. The story of a teacher  returning to her island home to look after her dying mother, and confront her own past, as well as the struggling island community’s willingness to see miracles  where perhaps there are none. I do like Australian gothic, and this was done well.
  2. The Last Goodbye, Fiona Lucas (Harper Collins, 2021). I’m always interested in how other authors deal with topics of grief and loss, which is why I picked this one up. Anna is grieving her husband, killed in an accident, and rings his mobile number hoping to listen to his voice message. But someone answers – and soon she has a long distance friendship with Brody, who has a grief of his own.  Part romance, part story of acceptance with a satisfying resolution.

Poetry

  1. Animals With Human Voices, by Damen O’Brien (Recent Work Press, 2021). I bought this on the strength of its divine cover, which  is stunning, isn’t it? The poetry inside didn’t disappoint either. Poems about animals, but more about people, and the climate change, and truth, and all kinds of things really.

 

Non-Fiction

  1. Jandamarra and the Bunubu Resistance, by Banjo Woorunmurra & Howard Pedersen (Magabala Books, 1996).  I visited the West Kimberley this month, flying in and out of Broome, and, at the airport, looked for a book from Magabala Books, the local publisher. This one jumped out as me as I knew a little of Jandamarra’s story, but not enough. Not an easy book to read, and to be reminded of the terrible things colonialists did  in our northwest – and elsewhere – in the name of progress. It made me angry and sad and a little bit helpless – but the book was well written and well researched and I had no trouble believing that these things happened. It’s confronting to know I live on lands stolen and with a such a terrible history of slavery and genocide, which many Australians still have trouble accepting. So I didn’t find this easy but I did find it necessary, because it is important to know and to question so that hopefully we can somehow make our country better.
  2. The Hidden Life of Trees, by Peter Wohlleben (Bollinda, 2016). Having read this, I  will never look at trees in quite the same way. In spite of being (understandably, given that the author is German) focussed on European trees, I found this look at how trees communicate, make decisions and more fascinating. Listening on audio had an extra benefit – the reading (by Mike Grady) was lovely – almost like being read a soothing bedside story.

This brings my total for 2021 to 119. I wonder if I can crack the 150 by the end of the year?  Best get reading. What have you been reading?

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