Status Updates From Light and Shadow: Memoirs o...

Brilliant—loving it so far.

Abandoned! The book is very interesting, but I got bogged down with the political details that Mark Colvin's father was immersed in. I found Mark Colvin's story a lot more interesting, because it was a little lighter in content. Good book for those interested in the intelligence gathering, and political manoeuvring that went on during and after WWII, and the Vietnam war.

What of his father’s new wife and young family having to live in Outer Mongolia for nearly four years? I’d like to hear her account of the experience. I know it’s a memoir of a “spy’s son”, but it’s still sad to see the lack of voice the key women in his life had at the time.

This is a must read!

Loving it. Of particular interest to literacy types there is a lovely passage at the beginning of chapter 10 that describes Colvin's learning to read and the pleasure it brought to his childhood (and later life).

Loving it. Of particular interest to literacy types there is a lovely passage at the beginning of chapter 10 that describes Colvin's learning to read and the pleasure it brought to his childhood (and later life).

Reading on my phone because my eBook is flat. #anythingbutfootball

On page 161 is this observation regarding religious and political fanatics smashing faces on statues yet leaving bodies (mostly) untouched, and re the potentially 70 million people miraculously dying under Mao's Great Leap Backward:

'Before you commit mass murder, you first have to turn the people into a mass, and you can only do that by taking away their humanity, their individuality, their face.'

On page 161 is this observation regarding religious and political fanatics smashing faces on statues yet leaving bodies (mostly) untouched, and re the 70 million people murdered under Mao's Great Leap Backward:

'Before you commit mass murder, you first have to turn the people into a mass, and you can only do that by taking away their humanity, their individuality, their face.'

On page 161 is this observation (regarding religious and political fanatics smashing faces on statues yet leaving bodies (mostly) untouched, and re the 70 million people murdered under Mao's Great Leap Backward:

'Before you commit mass murder, you first have to turn the people into a mass, and you can only do that by taking away their humanity, their individuality, their face.'

Just went to check where my progress with this is. Surprise: at exactly 33% or 1/3rd. My bookmark is on the end of page 96 which just so happens to be the 33% mark of 293 pages of story, also including acknowledgements, but not including the index because who actually reads the index. I like when numbers coincidentally end harmoniously.

Also my edition is paperback with 304 pages total, and is not listed on GR.

But he had to go back to the library so I'll return to Mark at a later stage. Had got to Tony Joyce dying it it brought back those dark days for us ABC viewers.

He's now visiting his father in Ulan Batar (or Ulaan Baatar), what we used to call Outer Mongolia. Visiting in gers (yurts) and forced to diplomatically eat and drink some horrendous delicacies! Erk!

Loving it so far. He starts with his terrifying time in Iran during the "hostage crisis" and the dreadful debacle of the US rescue mission. Scary stuff!

I finished this a little while ago but have been tossing up how to rate it. It's a relatively easy read and very much focussed on Mark Colvin's career as a journalist. His father's role as a spy is more of a literary device than integral to the story, but does serve to illuminate some episodes in history. Interesting and well-written but not startling. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing!

really enjoying this veteran ABC journo's memoir