Jeanette’s Comments (group member since Nov 19, 2015)

Jeanette’s comments from the Aussie Readers group.

Hi I just found this conversation and would like to add some of my pet hates. The format of dates, I am irritated when a broadcaster refers to the date such February 23 and now my spell check says it is February's 23? Also type spacing, after a full stop it was always 2 spaces, not now on small devices. Also, why in Australia with small electronic devices do we have to change the system to English English, how absolutely patronising of Americans to have the default set in American English, which is American not English. I have just finished reading Eye Of The Sheep for which have yet to put up my review, I loved the book but it is very identifiable in it's language as Australian and I wonder if Americans in particularly would accept it. I had a pen (email) American friend who when reading my emails sat with the dictionary to decipher my Australian English? I never accommodated her by using her Americanism to appease her.
24 7 another annoying terminology.
Some Australian authors annoy me, the sea is not always sapphire blue, (sapphires come in many colours even pink) inland of Australia not always red dust, flat and many times, boring yes.

Hi Kathryn ....I just found my friend through the Loveday Project? I think an arm of Wordpress from which Christine Piper seems to have researched my friend Jim Sullivan's experiences. He took her to the Tatura Camp where he was a guard. Jim was the person who organised the reunion. He self published Beyond All Hate, Camberwell. It seems he only passed away in 2012 at 91. A photo of him in his loungeroom. His house was built on the Japanese style of an inner courtyard. So it seems Christine Piper has written her story based a little on Jim's story. Beyond All Hate probably only available from Canberra.
Jim was my insurance agent but became a friend as he had been in New Guinea in the war. I had lived in New Guinea re the commonality. Living in Qld many people I have met have had a New Guinea, Darwin experience but in Melbourne it was not an experience you would find from other Victorians.

Thanks Kathryn, when you read Rain Music, if you are a Queenslander you may know a bit more about the Singer referred to in the book. If you can shed any light I would appreciate it if you would share the info.

I will be intrigued re After Darkness for more reasons than it being my preferred type of read, a past Melbourne friend of mine was personally involved as a guard at one of the internment camps which may have actually been the one referred to in the book. Many years after the war he was visited in Melbourne by one of the Japanese prisoners and his family. He was given a great honour of thanks for all his kindness to the prisoners. I feel sure that a book was written about my friend but maybe in Japanese. I must research one day. My friend deceased now so that doorway closed. I should have made more of an effort at the time but probably at that time work, teenagers and mortgage!

Finished Rain Music by Di Morrissey, and now just looking at the grid not on my list...ha! anyway a light read to help fill in the time during all the rain we've had in Wide Bay. I was intrigued however to Google info about the Jazz Singer Di Morrissey hung her hat on for part of the plot Georgia Lee (Dulcie Rama Pitt). Anything written on this singer I would love to read.
So now I have started After Darkness, Christine Piper (water on cover, 6 down). I know I will love this read.
I will have to open laptop in due course as the tablet does not have all the same bits on Goodreads.

My birthday is 18 Feb but no longer counting. Turning 70 last year saw a trip down memory lane a return to Sydney Opera House and the best chamber music in the world the ACO. What a great performance. So wish Brisbane had an Opera House, concert halls great but for Opera and Chamber Music acoustics mean you have to really be up close. 2015 also trip to Doyles where I had many memories and Manly beach where I went every Sunday in summer. ..what a trip it must have seen then, train 40 minutes and ferry 30 minutes all for a swim. Now I walk 15 minutes for pour le mer de bleue.
This year a tad different off to QSO at QPAC, always good to hit the big smoke occasionally

I hope this is still about e-readers....I love them. I have paid up to $17 for title that I really really wanted to read.
As I live in a large rural town selections of out of the ordinary reads are limited to either via post which can now take.....well....how long??? or instant on an e-reader. Library books, well I am just over books with breakfast, lunch and dinner on the pages. I resorted to wearing cloth gloves....a bit of a Michael Jackson thing with germs.

I use the library's e-reader, Bolinda and Kobo via Angus & Robertson. If the e-book is not from their own contracts, I think this maybe why they can be more expensive. Australian titles are more expensive than from US or Britain.

When I retired, I sold hundreds of paper backs I had collected over the years. In the tropics, silverfish love paper. The ones I kept I have reread and will probably do so again.

Hard copies that I purchase now as soon as I have finished reading them I give them away.

Cheers Jeanette

3 Down, Female Main Character, review at my page.
Sheila: The Australian ingenue who bewitched British society
3 Down, Part of a Series, review at my page.
Kimberley Sun
3 Down, Male Author,
Beneath a Rising Sun
6 Down, Romance
The Winter Sea

Too late in the day for me to untwist my thinking. Will check it again over w/end.
Have a couple of books to list finished from another challenge but must wake up my computer. So spoilt with instant tablets

6 Down Romance
The Winter Sea by Di Morrissey


I enjoyed reading this book. From reviews I selected to put into the Romance category however, it is more than a pure Romance book. I am not at all familiar with love stories.

The book has an interesting background of a time in Australia when other than 1st language English speaking migrants made Australia home.

It is about relationships, lost love and rediscovered love. There is also a little mystery although for me it was pretty predictable. The author has brought together the 2 generations that form the nettle of this story.

4 stars

PS sorry for some reason the Comment window did not add the links section although I have spent an hour trying to navigate back to it.
Also how do you link a review put into to this section.
My apologies but I do not find this site easy to navigate. The grid is very small to read on a tablet which I mostly use.
Thanks Jeanette

Hi Brenda I must have had a brain f...rt. Yes it was The Winter Sea and I will check it against the chosen grid tomorrow. Thanks so much Jeanette

Hi
I have finished my first book of the challenge, Winter Sun by Di Morrissey.
Do I make a comment about the book, identify the matching classification or just indicate each book as I finish
Thanks
Jeanette

Sorry Brenda just realised forgot to add authors, can redo if required. I just relied on the link to do it
Cheers Jeanette

After Xmas recovery, before New Year celebrations and being hassled to upgrading to Windows 10 thought I'd get my list in:-
A Bright Vibrant Cover Heavenly Pleasures
Female Main Character - Sheila : the Australian beauty who bewitched British society
Author's Initials the Same as Yours:- Picnic at Hanging Rock
Part of Series:- Kimberley Sun
Male Author:- Beneath a Rising Sun
With Child on Cover:- The Eye of the Sheep

One You're Keen to Read:- The Great Fire
Romance:- The Winter Sea
Set In Your Favourite Aussie Place:- Flying Too High
Water On Cover:- After Darkness
Rated 4 Stars by a Friend:- Lillian's Story
Male Main Character:- The Golden Age

Cheers, Jeanette

Author: The Girl on the Train
New Release: Fall
Readers Choice: The Lieutenant

NEW.... FOR THE NEW YEAR

Author: The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins

New Release: Fall - Candice Fox

Reader's Choice: The Lieutenant - Kate Grenville

As a newie I'll start with Shelf Category. Will make a decision on categories shortly. For poor tired ole eyes that I have a bigger font would be great. However looking forward to the challenge.
A book purchased yesterday for Jan 1 just have to pick a line for it to fit into.
Cheers

Thank you, Merry Christmas to all and
Peace, Goodwill and Contentment.
Lots of holiday reading

Hi Everyone, I've just joined, looking forward to lots of recommendations to add to my "must read" list.

I live north of the Sunshine Coast where I have resided for 22 years, prior to that Melbourne, New Guinea and Sydney.

I would probably be called a fussy reader in that I get very bored with writers who have to tell you things like what the characters were eating at what time giving full descriptions of food (plse cookbooks only) and full descriptions of clothing. My mind roars with "please get on with the story"....I don't accept that it is to add to the intrigue, for me frustration. Poor English and poor paraghraphing makes me wonder about editing. Do they edit author's works anymore?

I am interested in books that have evolved from a history perspective particularly around the Arts, WW1 and WW2. I have visited many war graves overseas where I have been deeply moved at the terrible loss of many young lives. Also events from yesterday and today reading non English speaking writers. Sometimes English translations don't work as well as the native narrative however, something hard to avoid.

I have recently finished The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Richard Flanagan and The Glass Palance by Amitav Ghosh who also wrote Sea of Poppies (read sometime ago) part of the Trilogy River of Smoke and Flood of Fire (not read yet).

Being a French language student for many years I also like to read French novels, however, in many instances I don't read fluently and spend sometime translating. Good for "those little grey cells" re Ms Poroit!!!
Cheers

Jeanette wrote: "The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks. Silly me got carried away with the "celebrity" status of Geraldine and didn't read any reviews beforehand. About 30% through the book but at this stage I simpl..."

Brenda wrote: "Jeanette wrote: "The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks. Silly me got carried away with the "celebrity" status of Geraldine and didn't read any reviews beforehand. About 30% through the book but at t..."

Thanks for your comments but thus far it is very close to Biblical accounts. Having been drilled in the Bible as a child something imprinted in my brain. However, I do have an open mind and I am sure Geraldine will surprise me.
I'm new to Goodreads and hope to get lots of new and varied suggestions

The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks. Silly me got carried away with the "celebrity" status of Geraldine and didn't read any reviews beforehand. About 30% through the book but at this stage I simply could have reached for my Bible, opened up quickly at Samuel Chapter 27 and voila!!
I do hope that there is a twist further on in the book.