Books

Newcastle Herald

Saturday February 2, 2008

EDITED BY ELVIRA SPROGIS

Love and other catastrophes

DEDICATION

Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin

Simon&Schuster, 279pp, $29.95

This comes from the best-selling authors of The Nanny Diaries and is the same genre.

Kate Hollis is a woman on the threshold of her 30th birthday who acts like a 17-year-old when it comes to past loves.

Her best friend calls her back to her home town when Kate's long-lost teenage love of her life comes back to town only now he's a rich and famous rock star with all the baggage that comes with it. And he has a mother who is off the rails.

Imagine that it's two days before Christmas and finally you have the chance to tell your childhood sweetheart what you think of him for walking out of your life and never looking back. After all, every song he has written has been about you. And, well, graphic details of 17-year-old oral sex isn't really what you want to hear as you walk around the supermarket with your trolley load of washing powder and loo paper.

Is he still incredibly attractive? Will your relationship work out? Were your (very bored and staid and apparently predictable) parents right after all (and gee, you are living with them again, so).

What does happen when you get a group of high school kids together 20-odd years later and revisit the scenes of their wild parties? You might even have to run off with the love of your life and risk it all again to find out.

It's worth reading, but don't expect too many surprises.

Ann-Maree Lourey

A HISTORY OF THE BEANBAG: And other stories

Susan Midalia

University of WA Press

$24.95

This slim volume of short stories is published as part of the New Writers series.

Susan Midalia has a sharp eye for her fellow Australians and their, on the whole, rather banal lives.

The writing is generally crisp and clear, though towards the end of the book a certain artificiality creeps in with rather heavy treatment of themes such as the difficulties of early motherhood. Furthermore, the author does seem to have a rather stereotyped perception of older Australians.

Some stories, like Legless, are quite moving, but on the whole the lives of her people are pretty depressing.

Unfortunately, banal lives tend to produce banal stories. Bring on the Pirates!

David Christie

THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER

Molly Jackson

Random House, 442pp, $32.95

A small coastal fishing village in Scotland provides a great setting for this tale of love, betrayal and tragedy, told through proud and passionate Scottish voices.

The story starts in present-day England with middle-aged Robbie Fraser. After his mother dies, a stranger summons Robbie to the village to help his estranged father, who may be in serious trouble. The story focuses primarily on the older man and those who shaped his life. The narrative switches between past and present to reveal select parts of the story at key moments, so essentially the reader has an idea of what's to come but doesn't know exactly how the story will unfold.

In all the right places the book is enticing, exciting, moving and sometimes just plain sad.

Jacqui Jones

THE CURSE ON THE CHOSEN

Ian Irvine

Penguin, $32.95

Embark on a mystical adventure to the Tower of Noom and The Nightland where Maelys, Colm, Nish and Xervish Flydd try to find the antithesis and overthrow the evil God Emperor Jal-Nish.

Help them find The Numinator, the only one who knew if antithesis exists, before it is too late to save the world from the wicked clutches of evil.

This is a suspenseful story of good versus evil.

It is a great book for those who love fantasy, adventure, secrets, twists and deception.

So turn on your lamp, sneak under the sheets and magically create your own portal to a world where anything can happen.

Joseph Popov (age 11)

TRUE GREEN @ WORK: 100 ways you can make the environment your business

Kim McKay and

Jenny Bonnin

ABC Books, $22.95

Buy this for your boss, but read it yourself first.

Its compact coffee-table design makes it perfect for dipping into between tasks at work.

Covering the workplace from pens, pencils and coffee up to office culture, buildings and business practices, True Green @ Work shows how everyone can improve sustainability at work, with or without support from management.

Written by the team behind Clean Up Australia, this book is essential reading for all Aussie offices that want to save the environment or just save a bit of money.

Louise Fraser

BESTSELLERS

FICTION

7th Heaven

James Patterson

$21.95

Atonement (film tie-in)

Ian McEwan

$24.95

Jane Austen Book Club (film tie-in)

Karen Joy Fowler

$24.95

Thousand Splendid Suns

Khaled Hosseini

$22.95

Kite Runner (film tie-in)

Khaled Hosseini

$23.95

NON FICTION

Deceptively Delicious

Jessica Seinfeld

$29.95

Jamie at Home

Jamie Oliver

$39.95

Maggie's Harvest

Maggie Beer

$84.95

Eat Pray Love

Elizabeth Gilbert

$24.95

Girl Stuff

Kaz Cooke

$29.95

List courtesy

of Borders

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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