The Light Between Oceans

[Lily]

Am looking forward to our discussion of this book. Please post here any comments that you would like to make prior to our meeting, including resources and links that you think might be useful to the rest of us.

[Lily]

http://vk2ce.com/lighthouses/ - This site regarding Australian lighthouses hasn't been particularly helpful to me yet, but has enough links that I will mark it here in hopes that it becomes more useful.

Review here by retired (2001) British Columbia lighthouse keeper (32 years on the lights): http://lighthousememories.ca/tag/janu...

[Lily]

http://www.vagabondish.com/photo-firs...



This may be the Bryon Bay lighthouse where Tom was stationed in New South Wales before he took on (fictional?) Janus Rock. (p. 16)

[Lily]

The location of Bryon Bay:



For more on Bryon Bay: http://www.australia.com/explore/icon...

It's on the east coast of Australia, far, far from "Janus Rock."

[Lily]

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/im...



Here is another lighthouse where Tom served, Maatsuyker near Tasmania, Australia's southernmost lighthouse.

See here for more on this location: http://www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/t...

Some lovely photos here, including some views of rocks like those Stedman uses to describe the shark's teeth off Janus Rock.



I believe this is that lighthouse from above. The link to the maps on this page should give a sense of the location of Tasmania. (Choose "Destinations" and zoom out on the map to show the island's location south of Melbourne on the mainland.)
http://www.discovertasmania.com/about...

[Lily]

Here is a site on the lighthouses of Western Australia. I have yet to speculate/determine which might have been inspiration for our novel:

http://www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/W...

Select the map to see the locations of the various lighthouses presented.

[Lily]

"Far from finding his marbles, Trimble Docherty had lost the few he still had, and had thrown himself over the vast granite cliff-face at Albany known as the Gap, apparently convinced he was jumping onto a boat skippered by his beloved wife."

Stedman, ML (2012-07-31). The Light Between Oceans (p. 47). Simon & Schuster, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

Might this spot be that "Gap"?

To answer my own question, from another site, its not: "One of the most scenic coastal landscapes for whale spotting or just taking in the fresh sea air is Torndirrup National Park. Here, the Southern Ocean has sculpted the granite coastline into striking formations known as The Gap and Natural Bridge."

http://www.westernaustralia.com/en/Pa...

Using the Google map on the page above and zooming out, you can make some guesses about where Janus Rock and Partageuse might have their fictional locations.

Another clue on locating our fictional town: Point Partageuse (apparently located near the real town of Augusta and the mainland lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin)... Be warned that the review here may have some spoilers: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/enter...



http://www.photographycraft.com/gap-a...

Natural Bridge, Torndirrup National Park, Albany, South Western Australia.

For some views of The Gap, including three short videos (the first is longest, just over a minute): http://www.rainbowcoast.com.au/areas/...

For some stunning images from Australia (and around the world), most not directly relevant to our story: http://lloydi.com/travel-writing/roun...

[Lily]

This post is about Albany, the city relative to which several statements are made in the novel:

"The community of Partageuse had drifted together like so much dust in a breeze, settling in this spot where two oceans met, because there was fresh water and a natural harbor and good soil. Its port was no rival to Albany, but convenient for locals shipping timber or sandalwood or beef."

Stedman, ML (2012-07-31). The Light Between Oceans (p. 22). Simon & Schuster, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

http://www.albany-baycityviews.com.au... -- this site, with its photo gallery, brings us closer to the site of our novel, although Albany was still the distant town.

“Don’t believe a word of it. He drove all the way to Albany to fetch him. Took him the whole day yesterday.”

Stedman, ML (2012-07-31). The Light Between Oceans (p. 92). Simon & Schuster, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

"Albany Port was the first Port in Western Australia, being the site of the first European settlement in WA in 1826. For many years it was the only port for the state and its growing population."

http://www.albanyport.com.au/

[Lily]

Okay, if one accepts the significance of the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse, at the juncture of the Indian and Southern Oceans, despite being on the mainland rather than an island, as inspiration for the site of our story, these links may be of interest:

http://www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/W...

http://members.upnaway.com/~obees/lig...

Finally, here is a pretty good site on Augusta:
http://www.australiassouthwest.com/Ex...

Again, by zooming out on the map, you can get a sense of where it lays relative to Albany or even Perth.

[Lily]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world...

Not directly related to our story, except being dramatic current news from Downunder (Tasmania, to be specific).

Here's another: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world...

[Lily]

Hopetoun is an actual place. Try here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopetoun...

Good map for a sense of its location.

A few pictures at these links:
http://fishwrecked.com/files/u25/Hope...

http://fishwrecked.com/forum/western-...

http://www.theodora.com/wfb/photos/au...

http://www.holidayz.com.au/tourist-in...

(Reminds me of Texas.)

[Lily]

The following is from one of our "relocated" former members:

"One of my groups just read this for Friday's meeting. We loved it. I actually cried in part of it.

"A couple of comments for you.

"Several of us actually read sentences aloud that we just loved, not for their content to the story but just for the beautiful writing. You can almost just do this randomly. I think I could have read the book in 6 hours if I hadn't just kept rereading the great sentences.

"We all liked the ending but really thought she just tied it all up too neatly in the last few pages. It was like she just said and everything worked out ok and they all got over the major suffering and all turned out to do the 'right moral' thing. A bit too easy.

"Hope you folks liked it too and have a good discussion."

[Janet]

Thanks for creating the group. I loved this book. It raised a lot of moral issues and kept my interest in the characters throughout. I even liked the ending!! What a good read! I'm going to try and borrow the next two books from the Capetown Library. They have inter library loan and it seems to work. Am currently reading the biography of Katherine Graham, very interesting. Taking a trip to Robben Island today with another ex-pat. Miss the Book Club!!!

[Lily]

Janet wrote: "Miss the Book Club!!!..."

We miss YOU! Thanks for continuing to be a part of us!

Am currently reading the biography of Katherine Graham, very interesting.

Were you a member when we read her autobiography, Personal History, in February, 2002? That was a read I really liked and it would be interesting to compare the biography. (I presume this is the one you are reading? --

Katharine Graham: The Leadership Journey of an American Icon by Robin Gerber