5 comments about Rabbit-Proof Fence.

1. I first saw the Miramax movie starring Kenneth Branagh, which was based upon this book. I was intrigued enough by the film to read this book. I was not disappointed. This book is certainly a testament to the human spirit. It also reveals the harsh, paternalistic and racist policies that the Australian government imposed upon its Aboriginal population.
   
   In 1931, the Australian government issued an edict that mandated that all Aboriginal and part Aboriginal children were to be forcibly removed from their homes and taken to special settlements where they were to be assimilated. There, while living in inhumane and degrading conditions, they would be taught to be culturally white, would be mandated to speak English only, and would be trained to be domestic help or laborers in white households.
   
   The author tells the reader the story of three young girls, Mollie, Gracie, and Daisy, who had Aboriginal mothers and White fathers. Ranging in age from nine to fifteen years old, the three girls were forcibly removed from their loving families and taken to a special settlement. The girls rebelled against this system, and, homesick, escaped from such a settlement. They left with iterally just the clothes on their back. Their only guide home would be a rabbit-proof fence that stretched for over a thousand miles across Australia.
   
   The girls Aboriginal heritage and survival skills would come in handy throughout their nearly nine week long trek across Australia, as they were forced to subsist on the land and the occasional kindness from strangers. They had to endure thirst, hunger, and danger, while avoiding being caught along the way by professional trackers, police on the lookout for them, and white settlers that were unsympathetic to their situation.
   
   This story is a most personal one for the author, as one of the girls, Molly, is the author's mother. Told in a straightforward, factual manner, it is an incredible story that is an indictment of the Australian government's racist policies against its Aboriginal people and its imperialistic self-proclaimed superiority over them.



2. The company who sent me "Rabbit Proof Fence" was thorough and quick within my quidelines. The price was
   reasonable and the book all it promised to be.



3. this is a great book. should be read by everybody. it's a nice reminder that we have lots of work to do.
   
   True story and it has been around for a while even made into a movie
   Read the book



4. I saw the movie and was fascinated with the story line. I wanted to read the book to get a greater understanding of the hardships endured by the three- (3) aboriginal girls. Great reading.



5. I read this book after a trip to Australia and after seeing the movie. Don't know what to say about it other then it left me speechless. Is there a country anywhere in the world that hasn't treated it's indigenous people horribly at some point? Rabbit Proof Fence is a pretty amazing story of human spirit. I would suggest reading the book first then seeing the movie.

5 comments about Unreliable Memoirs.

1. As a person unfamiliar with Australian geography and even less familiar with Australian cultural references, I merely liked this book. Clive James does a fantastic job in setting up many of the anecdotes he relates in the various chapters here. However, as an American who is merely semi-well traveled, I did not get many of the inside jokes. It is easy to see how funny this book could be if you really were tracking with the culture he grew up in.
   
   This, however, is more of the reader's problem rather than the writer's. The tales related range from sadly familiar (dead father, incredibly caring mother, indifferent son) to some of the truly funniest writing imaginable (trying to tackle a world class rugby player; a chapter entitled The Sound of Mucus). James is really great. There are stories in here that everyone can relate to and it is all told in a way that is sharp in sensational details and vague on everything in between. If I could dump my memories into a book, this is probably what it would be like; only less funny and more stupidly written.
   
   Broaden your horizons and read the book. It is a short read and will have you looking something up in Wikipedia at least once every few minutes.



2. I was told that as a mother of a young boy I needed to read this book. I anxiously awaited for it to arrive in the mail a few weeks ago but have yet to finish it. I lost interest. I thought it was hard to get through with all of the Australian slang. It did make me smile the couple of times I could understand it. Who knows, maybe I will finish it when I run out of other things to read!



3. I bought this book because it was well reviewed by many credible reviewers and was said to be "laugh out loud" funny. Perhaps I should have been suspicious when such a tiresome cliche was used. This is a fairly typical story of a young boy in a time when children could run loose and endanger their own and others' lives. This one happens in Australia and follows the author through our equivalent of grade school to college, living with his widowed mother. Most of the very young years are tales about how he and his friends did incredibly stupid things while the adults were either very dense or just assumed that dangerous play was the best way to weed out the keepers. Happily, this book was written before we publically pilloried authors for "improving" the story. Nonetheless, I really found the whole thing quite boring and began to hope he would kill himself. As he went off to school, I found it funnier, but only made it up to a smirk, not even a chuckle. However, I did finish the book.
   I think that this book would have been enjoyed more by someone who had been less cautious as a child and wasn't a mother now. Forgive me, I know this is genderist, but I could see many men recognizing themselves in this book and maybe they are the people who were laughing. It wasn't me.



4. I just finished reading Unreliable Memoirs. I can't say exactly why I kept at it past halfway. I found it fairly unfunny, sex-obsessed ( just how much do we really need to know?), unkind, and obscure. Okay, I don't have the incredible literary background and knowledge to understand all the abstruse references, and I did not grow up in Australia, and I was never a 13-year-old boy, so that leaves out all the touch points. Just saying he's spoiled and thoughtless doesn't magically make it all right. I would not care to meet Mr. James, if this book is any indication of who he really is.



5. Mildly funny ,but in a painful way also sad.Can't really recommend, keep in car in case of traffic jam or unforssen doctor's visit?

5 comments about Searching for Schindler: A memoir.

1. Enjoyable book about the meeting between the author and the former Jewish
   prisoner who settled in the US and was determined to have his experiences
   about being saved by Schlinder published.



2. This is a most frustrating book. Keneally starts off in top gear, explaining how he first learned about Schindler from a luggage salesman (who was also a Holocaust survivor) in a California store. The description of the first meeting is very well done and the author clearly put in a lot of effort to show how he was gradually pushed into the idea of writing about the list. My suspicions that Keneally's heart wasn't fully in this book came early on when I wondered why he was detailing virtually every meeting he held with those people who had been helped by Schindler. He could have cut some of the less interesting encounters and kept the heart of the book. Things only deteriorate from this point as the author descends into a "Look at me, look what I did, aren't I smart?" mode. We learn far too much about his lecturing commitments and how he flew from A to B to C and then back to B and how, when a film was going to be made, the studio flew him first class across the Pacific. For me the lowest point was actually a picture caption which explains how Keneally and wife were getting into a stretch limo arranged by Universal Studios. I don't care about the limo and couldn't care less who provided it, but Keneally wants us to know. He's also partial to explaining which star actor and director he met at which occasion and what they said to each other. The end of the book drops off badly and it strikes me that at this stage, the author couldn't wait to hand it over to the publisher. Overall, this work was a major disappointment.



3. everybody who loved "Schindler List" the movie, should read this fascinating account by the author of the book that preceded it, full of fascinating background information about the real people behind the story.



4. Generating interest in Schindler was no walk in the park. This book follows Mr. Keneally's path to writing "Schindler's list" and how it finally made it's way to the big screen. Little glimpses into the ways of the publishing world and movie rights also help to enhance our understanding of this process. The Polish "heel clicking soldier" Leopold Page is both the introducer, catalyst, and heart behind this huge undertaking and after reading this book I was newly amazed at what the determination, and persistence of just one man can accomplish.
   I've also read "Schindler's List" (also by Mr. Keneally) " The Road to Rescue..." by Mietek Pemper in that order prior to reading this book, something I would highly recommend. While "Schindler's List" broadly tells the story, "The Road to Rescue..." gives us a more detailed picture from the eyes of Mietek Pemper, the young secretary with the photographic memory. At last, this book brings us to the present day where we see how close we all were to missing this fascinating story altogether!



5. I was really looking forward to this book based on a review in this newspaper. Started out gangbusters! It lost its focus after awhile and maps to show the various locations visited would have been very helpful. Still glad I read it as an adjunct to the book and the movie.

5 comments about Trackers: The Untold Story of the Australian Dogs of War.

1. Peter Haran has the knack of writing in an warm way that engages the reader, easily drawing them into his story. I hadn't know anything about the Australian dogs in Vietnam before I picked up this book and the honest story of a man and his madcap companion is brilliant.



2. I first read this book a few weeks before I joined the Australian Defence Force as a dog handler. I found that I couldn't put it down once I started. The story is a firsthand account of what it was like for Aussie trackers and their dogs during the Vietnam war. The bond a dog and handler share is one of the strongest. The book unearthed many emotions and cemented my decision to take up this wonderful career. I have read it many times since, and loaned my copy to many others, every time the same feelings as the first time I read it - happiness, sadness, anger, frustration, excitement, the list goes on ... only now I can imagine how I would feel if my dog and I were in Vietnam during the war. READ IT!



3. What a fantastic book! I had no idea dogs played a role like this in the war. Whether your interested in war, working dogs or just want to read a great story i would recommend this book. Pete describes perfectly the innocent nature of a dog even in these extreme circumstances. I can't say enough good things about Tracker's so just pick it up and enjoy.....



4. wonderfully written book of the australian involvement of tracker dog teams in vietnam...thousands of allied lives were saved through the relationship built by the tracker dogs and handlers, together with the scout, sentry, mine, tunnel, booby trap, and other military working dog teams...over 4,000 dogs and in excess of 10,000 handlers kept our troops safe....the lives of our allied military forces depended on the trust built between handler and dog....



5. I love books written by people who have been in the working dog field with dogs such as Service Dogs of the Police,Military working roles. I personally find books written on the obedience trailling and Schuzhund competitions basically repetitive and in the main, boring.

   Service work and associated training to me, is the real world of dog training, I enjoy competition and encourage people to compete.But I get tired of the never ending waffle of the best way to train involving food, toys, clickers, working in drives etc.

   This book is excellent taking one into the real world of extreme dangers of the Vietnam war. Well written, reviting, and refreshing after the waffle of other dog books.Well done Peter. ...

1 comments about A Boy's War (An Omf Book).

1. "A Boy's War" tells of a six-year old Australian boy, son of a missionary, who went off to Chefoo boarding school in China in 1939 and didn't see his parents again until 1945. World War II intervened and he was interned by the Japanese in Weihsien camp in Shandong province, China.
   
   This is a brief book of 170 pages, but Michell covers a lot of ground. He tells about his life at the boarding school as the clouds of war gather and Japan conquers more and more of China. Then, he endures two years of internment with more than one thousand other foreigners at Weihsein. The internees were rescued dramatically by American partroopers at the end of the war and young David undertakes an epic journey back to Australia by ship where he is reunited with his family. The author concludes by telling us about his 1985 return visit to Weihsein.
   
   This is a missionary's story and the author affirms his faith, although not in a way that will offend the non-religious. The boy was fortunate in having many surrogate parents during his years of isolation, of whom one of the most important was Eric Liddell, the Olympic runner (recall "Chariots of Fire?") who lived and died at Weihsein. John Birch -- who inspired the radical political organization, the John Birch Society -- is a minor character in the book as he too was a "mish kid" in pre-Communist China.
   
   Weihsien camp in China has generated a great deal of literature. Rarely have so many talented people resided together in such close quarters. "Shantung Compound" is a sociology classic by Langdon Gilkey and "The Call" by John Hersey is one of my favorite novels. "A Boy's War" is a brief introduction to missionary life in China and the experiences of foreigners trapped by war.
   
   Smallchief

3 comments about Skidboot: The Amazing Dog.

1. Simply written and can be enjoyed by adults as well as older kids who love dogs!



2. WONDERFUL book about a WONDERFUL DOG !!! Such fun reading this book, he was the best puppy dog Ever!! Great story of a unique connection between
   David and Skidboot. He is greatly missed!!!



3. Skidboot started out like a little rascal, but ended up a diamond in the rough. It is a sweet story. I enjoyed reading it.

2 comments about Dear Mem Fox, I Have Read All Your Books Even the Pathetic Ones: And Other Incidents in the Life of a Children's Book Author.

1. I enjoyed this quick read. Mem is such a clear and concise writer. It provides a entertaining overview of Mem's life experiences. Contrary to the other review on Amazon this book BARELY covers the process of getting a children's book published. I would estimate that 5 pages MAX of the over 200 pages is devoted to this so don't buy this book for this reason. Otherwise a worthwhile read if you wanted to know more about what goes on behind the scenes of writing a children's book.



2. Having never read a Mem Fox book, it was the title of this book that caught my eye. For anyone who has fancied writing children's books, this is a must-read. It covers the writing and editing processes and provides insight into obtaining publishers and illustrators. Great book, as are all of Ms. Fox's books.

5 comments about The Last Explorer: Hubert Wilkins, Hero of the Great Age of Polar Exploration.

1. 
   It is almost impossible to believe, after reading this book, that a man such as Hubert Wilkins could be so unrecognized in world history. It is a name you rarely hear mentioned. Yet, his accomplishments as an explorer and world traveler are unsurpassed. If you are one who enjoys reading about the exploits of Amundsen, Shackleton, Nansen and other great explorers, you'll love this account.
   Wilkins was driven by an insatiable desire to experience the vastness of the world first hand. From a humble beginning in Australia he became a photographer, pilot, sailor, explorer, climatologist and a host of other endeavors. He spanned the Arctic, Antarctica, Australia, Russia and virtually the entire world. A humble man, he never sought fame or fortune, but looked at his adventures as personal fulfillment. His travels often brought him to the point of death and he amazed all who knew him with his incredible determination and strength to continue.
   The author does a fine job of detailing Wilkins journey from the earliest of times to his final passing.
   If you love adventure and world travel, this story is well worth your time.



2. Having heard very little of Hubert Wilkins prior to reading this book, I wasn't sure how interesting I would find it. I was completely captivated from start to finish of the fascinating life and adventures of the incredible explorer. The author's descriptions of each adventure allowed me to picture the events unfolding almost as vividly as Wilkins first hand accounts. This book has won a spot in my top 5 biographies that I have read.



3. Best book I've read in a long while. A rollicking, fine adventure story made all the more amazing in that it is the true life story of one of Australia's forgotten heroes. A "must" read!



4. Hi. Anyone who has read any of my other reviews (two were slipped in by my daughter when she was a pre-teen - unbeknownst to me) knows that I have read the Urantia Book. Cover to cover. If you are at all curious about that tome, and find the very premise of it a barrier that you simply can't overcome, I suggest starting with this biography about Sir Hubert Wilkins. Why? Because he was there - he knew the principal players who were responsible for bringing the Papers to fruition (and that's what they were at first - "papers" - the kind of thing that a professor may have on the drawing board for years before publication). Moreover, Wilkins evidently witnessed some of the paranormal events and wrote very matter of factly about it. For that particular insight you have to dig out one of the other two biographies of him or find my article about him online wherein I quote from a letter Wilkins left for his secretary. You can find that on the Square Circles website where they catalog the Spiritual Fellowship Journal. I believe my article about Sir Hubert is in the Spring 2004 edition. This book of course goes far beyond my article reguarding Wilkins life - but not far enough reguarding Wilkin's involvement with the Urantia movement in the 1940's and 50's. For a full and very clear picture of that please read the Sherman Diaries - again available through Square Circles Publishing and Amazon. These diaries contain many, many letters to and from Wilkins. This guy was there folks. If you want to call the Urantia Book all manner of silly names then knock yourself out. But - when you awaken, try writing a paper on the nature of reality or the meaning of Jesus' death on the cross. Then, compare your offering with this amazing book. After all these years of on-again off-again reading I have come to this (personally undeniable) conclusion: If the Urantia Book is what it says it is then that is incredible. And/or - if the Urantia Book is of human origin then that too is incredible. Either way you cut it, it's the best I've found on these far reaching matters. Now, to Wilkins it seems to have been simply another adventure, another journey except he went inward this time - not out into the wilderness. This was a serious man - one of the last of his kind. He led an amazing life, and to acknowledge it the United States Navy sent his ashes to the North Pole abroad the USS Nautilus - the first nuclear powered submarine. So, after you aquaint yourself with the life of Sir Hubert (knighted for his many and myriad accomplishments) ask yourself - why would he participate in the Urantia movement? There was no pecuniary gain. It was time consumming. He would pick up and go to the ends of the earth on a regular basis. Would he sit around the musty reading room at 533 (I've been there) because he had nothing better to do? Hardly. Read this book about him - this is clearly the best of the three. This man could literally have stepped out of an Indiana Jones movie or been a character in Casablanca. Truely unforgettable...................



5. Simon Nasht's book is like an icebreaker charting a course through the Antarctic and revealing one of its greatest explorers. It is hard to believe that one person so "aggressively modest" could have done so much with so little. Up until now, few had remembered him. What a pity. Thanks for bringing him back to life. Now, when is the movie coming out?

5 comments about Crystal Woman: The Sisters of the Dreamtime.

1. An enthralling read a must for those who Lynn Andrews fans, and for all who are following a feminist spiritual path.



2. As a work of fiction, this book may have some merit. But, please be informed that this book IS fiction and not fact. It is currently being protested by the aboriginal community of Australia as a fabrication and outrageous exploitation of their culture. Please see their website on this matter at www.dumbartung.org.au/report2.html



3. I have most if not all of lynn's books and they are the most informative and interesting books I have ever had the Honor of reading. There is one book I do not have. That Is Crystal Woman. I work with crystals in my daily life I feel this book will help me on this journey of crystals and as always Lynn's books are always my favorite to read. Thank you, Michele



4. I have read most of Lynn Andrews books (I started with Medicine Woman) and even though her first experiences and journeys were quite fascinating, this particular narration explains much more about female spirituality and what a woman can give to herself and those around her. Through Andrews different experiences in the Australian aboriginal landscape (they are many), we see that once you start on your spiritual quest, you receive/acquire more and more gifts that are directly related to your spiritual courage. "Crystal Woman" truly moved me - and I've been into New Age studies since for the past twenty years!



5. When i first picked up this book it was by accident, but the title intrigued me so I checked it out. Boy I was in for a surprise! As I read this book I was amazed at how much power that a female possesses inside of herself. I was so into this book I read it in 2 days. After this first book I was hooked on all the rest of her books. The thing that got me the most was that these books were based on her real life experiences. From then on I have been trying to find my spirituality, this and the other books has inspired me

4 comments about Sock It to 'Em, Baby: Forward Air Controller in Vietnam.

1. Its a pretty good book about an Aussie FAC Pilot in Nam. He talks a lot about the struggles and politics of his dealing with the Aus government keeping him from getting the American awards that he earned and deserved.



2. Having been a FAC myself I can appreciate this pilots acts of valor and his representation of how Fac's felt such a great loyalty to those they were helping on the ground. Even if it meant going into the jaws of death. I was disappointed to learn that the Australian government prohibited their pilots from being properly recognized for their acts of heroism.



3. Certainly, this book is a grand read, a real page turner from beginning to the end. I can tell you first hand that Garry Cooper, not only was correct about the technical aspect which kept me interested, but was able to also add color for the non-flying public as well. I was not aware of the position of the Aussie government with regard to the accolades of the American combat awards, which steams me. I hardly ever read books a second time. However, this one might just generate the urge for me to revisit it in the future, it was that interesting.
   As a writer myself, I am very impressed with Cooper's presentation and its continuity which kept me on the edge of my seat. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a grand read. This book is a great representation of the real story, and what it was like as a Forward Air Controller in Vietnam.
   JR Hafer, author, pilot, veteran and a proud American.



4. Excellent! An unvarnished account of precisely what it was like to be a forward air controller in Vietnam. The author pays tribute to, and included a photo of, (the late retired) Lt Col Richard F. Nelson in the book. Richard replaced him and endeavored, unsuccessfully (because Cooper is Australian), to have him receive the American commendations due him. Cooper sent my sister Ruby an autographed copy of the book. Of particular interest is the fact that Richard, a former fighter jet pilot and Air Force military attaché in Tunisia for three years, served in Vietnam (and all over the world, including sitting in Florida in a bomb-equipped jet during the Cuban missile crisis) and was a decorated forward air controller himself -- although he opposed the Vietnam war. He supported the first Iraq war because Hussein was a bully who had invaded Kuwait and had to be stopped. He absolutely opposed the second, which was based on lies and greed, and DETESTED Bush, who didn't even serve long enough to "repay" his jet training. Richard went to Law School in Arkansas, had Bill Clinton for one class, and once said that Clinton was braver than he for his opposition to Vietnam. I asked him once why those in "the military" did not speak out more, and he replied that: "We all thought we were the only ones." He supported Wesley Clark for president, but, then and now, would have supported any Democrat or ANYONE else who opposed the war. Richard also felt strongly that the vets who served NEVER got their due. For the record, I am proud to say that Richard F. Nelson is my brother-in-law. Ricky Lacina (Ms)