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The declaration by Gemma Malley: The idea was kinda cool – we have drugs that can make you live forever, so the birth of children is closely monitored, and non-sanctioned children are ‘Surplus’ and raised as slaves. It was let down by non-involving writing and a flat main character. The most interesting and motivated character was actually the primary baddie.
The SAS and Elite Forces Survival Guide: Bought from the booksellers when they came around to work. A brief overview of a huge range of disasters and how to cope, plus a workout routine and first aid. Useful, but it strikes me a little cynically as a book for wannabes (rather than people who actually do). *cough*like myself*cough* :P.
The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie: I picked this up based on Neil Gaiman’s endorsement on the cover: “I have no doubt that in a year or two it’ll be winning awards and being banned.” It so will. It’s already on the WAYRBA list (WA award, kids nominate books and then vote on them). I read the first X number of pages at work, and grinned, snickered and then had to put it down before I burst into tears. I have a quibble or two, but that doesn’t stop me from whole-heartedly recommending it. Totally read it if you see a copy.
Those tracks on my face by Barbara Holborow and a few memoir writers: I loved Barbara Holborow since I read her columns in That’s Life magazine. This book was published before that, in 1994, and while it’s a slightly contrived memoir, it totally reinforces my love for her.
Life as we knew it by Susan Pfeffer: Frankly, I was looking for a book that I could knock off before the end of the month. It was either this or ‘The road’. This was an odd sort of book... there’s nothing that I could point to that would make me say ‘omg, that bit was amazing!’ or ‘the writing was brilliant!’ because it was pretty mundane, although an authentic teen-diary-style voice. But I totally picked it up while I was standing in the living room, thought: “I’ll just read another page or so” and stood there for 20 minutes, reading. Then kept trying to sneak pages at my desk, and devoured it at lunch. The compulsion to find out what happened in the end was intense, and, finally, satisfying.
The SAS and Elite Forces Survival Guide: Bought from the booksellers when they came around to work. A brief overview of a huge range of disasters and how to cope, plus a workout routine and first aid. Useful, but it strikes me a little cynically as a book for wannabes (rather than people who actually do). *cough*like myself*cough* :P.
The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie: I picked this up based on Neil Gaiman’s endorsement on the cover: “I have no doubt that in a year or two it’ll be winning awards and being banned.” It so will. It’s already on the WAYRBA list (WA award, kids nominate books and then vote on them). I read the first X number of pages at work, and grinned, snickered and then had to put it down before I burst into tears. I have a quibble or two, but that doesn’t stop me from whole-heartedly recommending it. Totally read it if you see a copy.
Those tracks on my face by Barbara Holborow and a few memoir writers: I loved Barbara Holborow since I read her columns in That’s Life magazine. This book was published before that, in 1994, and while it’s a slightly contrived memoir, it totally reinforces my love for her.
Life as we knew it by Susan Pfeffer: Frankly, I was looking for a book that I could knock off before the end of the month. It was either this or ‘The road’. This was an odd sort of book... there’s nothing that I could point to that would make me say ‘omg, that bit was amazing!’ or ‘the writing was brilliant!’ because it was pretty mundane, although an authentic teen-diary-style voice. But I totally picked it up while I was standing in the living room, thought: “I’ll just read another page or so” and stood there for 20 minutes, reading. Then kept trying to sneak pages at my desk, and devoured it at lunch. The compulsion to find out what happened in the end was intense, and, finally, satisfying.
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