Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
‘This book is one of those few that really touch your hidden places. Tim Winton weaves a both heart-rending and -warming story into the folds of a truly authentic expression of life in Australia in the post-war years. I place this novel in my all-time top ten.’ ~ Eve
The Joy Of Sex by Alex Comfort ‘101 different ways to have sex with a bloke with a beard.’ ~ Mandy
Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb (four-book series)
‘Not mere books but portals into another world. Adventure, love, lust, greed, treachery, murder, a mythical city, sentient ships and dragons. Thrilling escapism with beautifully flawed heroes.’ ~ Mel
Dante’s Divine Comedy translated by Clive James
‘Using quatrains instead of Dante’s terza rima, James makes the verse as easy to read as the original must be for Italian speakers. It was good to discover that the Purgatorio and Paradiso cantos are at least as interesting as the Inferno ones, and this is a fine translation – although not quite as fine as James claims in his introduction.’ ~ David
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell ‘An improbable title for an unusual book. At one level this is a historical thriller, and it develops into a real page-turner at that. But its real fascination is in its detail. It is set largely in Dejima, the island off Nagasaki decreed by the closed kingdom of Japan as the gateway for trade with Europe, opening up at the end of the 18th century. The cross-cultural interaction between Japanese and Dutch is beautifully realised in memorable characters and brilliant writing. A long and complex book but well worth the effort.’ ~ Mungo
The Casual Vacancy by
JK Rowling
‘Emotive and enthralling. With a large cast of deeply flawed characters, each given equal attention, this tightly woven tale of intrigue twists and winds to its excruciating climax. Rowling’s first foray into adult literature bodes well for the future.’ ~ Ziggi
