September book. Emergency Sex and other Desperate Measures: True Stories from a War Zone by Kenneth Cain, Heidi Postlewait and Andrew Thomson. Location TBA

August book is Marianne Wiggins at Moy's house, party meeting at Strauss house 2pm to car-pool.

The White Earth by Andrew McGahan. Great book discussion at Stellas - Stella, Ros, Clare, Sue Wood and Jane Roberts were present. Roie, home from Ireland, had made us and upside down pear cake - BEAUTIFUL, with Stell's lovely blood orange cake as well. Better than a blog. Concerns from some who have doubts about the blog, in case it replaces face-t0-face meetings - maybe people wouldn't make the effort? It didn't occur to me that it could replace face-to-face - and I still don't think so, I think it would just enhance it - but let's review how we are going after a few months.

Most people liked the book - somewhat. Comments ranging from 'liked it a lot' (Ros) to 'a bit thin' (Jane) - because so much through the boy's viewpoint. Concerns about the boy's age at 9 yo- was he too young to have this level of insight? Began well where the young John McIvor's story was juxtaposed with adult perspectives - up to the Dudley rape scene. After this we tended not to get such layered perspectives. Some concern re dialogue - a bit lifeless compared with Last Drinks, another McGahan novel Sue has read, where language was lively & true.

Gothic elements throughout - the extreme characters, the supernatural visions, the grotesque, the illness (metaphoric, boy/ house rotting within from neglect). House had echo of Rebecca. Burning people - how many? Father, Oliver, John McIvor, Mother, Aboriginal people who returned, figures in dreams of John and William.

White family named symbolically - white's ownership of land, replacement of blacks - themes of ownership and relationship to land quite strongly written. Everyone argeed the One Nation type rally rang very true. Set the scene for Ruth's sophisticated work with Mabo - making her a lawyer good. She is the 'good' white person, who nevertheless has the sense not to gift the land to the 'traditional owners' - more complicated that that.

I haven't got the novel or our blue book where Ros has recorded out notes, so this is just my version - Ros add or amend, please.

I am most impressed with this blog. It will enable me to keep in touch even if my attendance is erratic. I heard some of the Andrew Gann book on the radio, which is just as well as Praise was one of my least favourite reads - too much grot, but not as bad as The River Ophelia however.

Greetings from the West! I read The white earth at Xmas time and actually visited the Darling Downs at the time - serendipitious. I thought the opening was very powerful, with the death of the father and the isolation of the boy - and the countryside!. The sense of place - more of "country" - is well drawn throughout the book (though it seemed a bit hilly for the darling downs). The other powerful theme is the huge liability of being heir to a "dynasty" and the expectations of all the participants. The concept of ownership of the land is also interesting.
Don't you think he's moved on a bit from Praise? His world is still pretty bleak and dark but I guess the characters have more depth - though not necessarily more maturity.
I'll be interested to hear what everyone else thinks.

Blogger Ros - What's the movie on Monday?
Blogger Carmel, Thanks for the Sudoko solver, ours was a tough one today and this has cheered me up considerably,

Group photo from Jane's place.