Snow Petrel - to Antarctica in a 34 foot yacht

The journey that Snow Petrel, a 34 foot yacht made deep into the Southern Ocean, all the way to the mythical landmass of Antarctica one Summer makes for a textured, intriguing, exhilarating story. Yes, I admit I have a passion for all things nautical and I love the way how, so often in our everyday speech, we find ourselves out to sea; we set course, we change tack, we don't like the cut of someone's jib, we make things shipshape.
   'Snow Petrel' is riddled with nauticalia - but it also a well constructed travel narrative of an amazing adventure that has a good dollop of both history and geography. The author Jon Tucker, the  "cabin boy," and father of the skipper Ben and other crewmate Matt, narrates the story with a gentle and interested tone. He cuts from his version of a log, to a personal history of 40 years on the water - and a greater historical narrative of 95 years of Antarctic exploration.
   The trip across the Southern Ocean was immaculately researched and planned for - and the story takes us through some of these preparations through fields of ice, the Roaring Forties, Furious Fifties - to I don't even know what the winds that surge through the latitudes of the Sixties are called to the windiest place on earth, Commonwealth Bay, landmass Antactica, Mawson's hut - and all the way back to Southern Tasmania.
 "Just lucky I had two sons who were prepared to take their old man along," says Jon, author, father, sailor, as he recounts some of the story of the trip. These recollections include the most beautiful sights these men have ever seen, colours shining through fields of seemingly unnavigable ice. There are stories of being incarcerated by winds of 80-110 knots, held captive by sea-ice, tales of the introverted stage of an ocean passage when everything contracts, a world devoid of colour outside of white and grey - and empty of sound, outside of Penguin noises and the tones of the yacht. Jon tells of the onboard library as vital, the books as "sanity savers," and he tells of a knock down and the loss of the best bolognaise of the journey.  Listen to the full interview by clicking here. Seriously; please do, it's an amazing story - oh! and read the book too.

Snow Petrel
by Jon Tucker
40 Degrees South
9780980533262

Charlotte Wood discusses 'Animal People'

Animal People was one of my favourite reads last year - and also an introduction to the writing of Charlotte Wood. It is a mature and insightful book and it is beautifully written I spoke to Charlotte late last year about this book and Stephen, the returned protagonist from her earlier novel The Children. You can listen to the interview here.
The book opens oppresively with Stephen on a sweltering morning, Sydney high summer and a sense of forboding  is apparent from the first page. We learn that today is the day that Stephen is going to break up with his girlfriend, for reasons that seem to be beyond even his own comprehension.
  Stephen is a man who chooses to reject things, in some instances simply to be a contrarian says Charlotte. She admires this in people, those who "step away from the wheel of aspiration or status."  Stephen has no career ambitions, a risky state for contemporary man to inhabit.
  The story is condensed in to a single day in his life- and is laden with detail, it builds  in rich layers as the sticky, humid day progresses. The prism of the day forces the detail to be tightly wrought - indeed, it is observation, paying attention and a knack for getting detail right that Wood talks about here on her post on Damon Young's blog darkly wise, rudely great. She mentions how Iris Murdoch said "that paying attention is in itself a moral act," a notion which resonates for me; a gentle yet insistent chime.
  The animals - and the animal people of the title are a recurring motif. Charlotte discusses this in our interview -"a fear of animals is a fear of chaos, a fear of life."
Animal People
by Charlotte Wood
Allen and Unwin 2010

9781742376851
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The Tastey Recyclibrary

The Inaugural Recyclibary

The Recyclibrary launched on P(ark)ing Day last year in a parking space outside the wonderful Hobart bakery Jackman and McCross. There were shelves packed with books, a date stamped dialled up and ready to go, and Miss Wimple, the head library was accompanied by many of her assistants including Mr (Dr?) Dewey Decimal, Josie, the Aquarian Librarian and myself, Miss Paige Turner.
    You can find more information here and here and here.
   Since the inaugural Recyclibrary, there have been a number of incarnations including a pre Christmas Elizabeth Street Mall appearance where the shelves were stripped bare. Today, fully restocked with a new and innovative catalogue we will be arriving at the Taste of Tasmania at around 1pm to set up to lend and accept returns.

Watch this space as the afternoon progresses to hear (nearly) live vox pops from new and old Recyclibrarian patrons:

First up this afternoon I chatted with Laura who borrowed four books. You can listen to her chat a little bit more about her borrowing choices here

Next up I had a bit of a yarn with Calvin. he was a young chap and he was checking out a copy of the latest Percy Jackson book (by Rick Riordan). He was a very articulate young fellow and you will enjoy listening to him explain his reading choice here.


Next up were Katy and Frazer from the UK via Sydney. We chatted about E books and our desire in the future to lend Ebooks. Listen to the full conversation here

Top - Katy and Frazer from Sydney
Bottom - Young Calvin with the latest in the Percy Jackson series.

Rod Howard's 'A Forger's Tale' Podcast.

A Forger's Tale, the extraordinary story of Australia's first novelist
by Rod Howard
Arcade Publications


To begin with this book held a rather parochial appeal for me. "Again," I thought, "Van Diemen's Land (aka Tasmania) ahead of the zeitgeist, setting the tone, leading the nation. Again, this small, still chilly and isolated island spawns a first." And I settled in to read it with a grin on my self satisfied convict-heritaged face. The book does tell the story of Australia's first novel but it also tells of a strange man living in stranger times. My grin faded as my astonishment at the story unfolded.
    Henry Savery, now known as Australia's first novelist, was convicted for forgery in 1825 and, after a gruelling series of negotiations and a trial, was sentenced to transportation to the newly established penal colony of Van Diemen's Land. The son of a well to do family with sway, Henry was a charismatic entrepreneur and on sentencing, his tale becomes even more captivating.
    Henry attempted to abscond with his wife and child to America, and when faced with impending re-capture he jumped overboard and tried to do away with himself by smashing his head on the hull of the boat - tragic and tragi-comic events like this are spliced through the tale. The tribulations normally expected on passage to Van Diemen's Land were assuaged, his landfall and subsequent employment (as indentured labour) were, to begin with, comfortable. He wrote an anonymous column (as 'The Hermit of Van Diemen's Land') which included assiduous and cutting summations of what was going on under Governor Arthur's increasingly neurotic rule. He fell into and out of favour with various power brokers - and he sent for his wife and child to whom he could be assigned as convict labour. They arrived, she broke his heart - and he attempted to take his own life again.
    Quintus Servinton was published in 1830 and from all accounts is a stodgy and tedious, semi-autobiographical novel, which varied most signifigantly from his life in its happy ending. It preceeded Woman's Love by another Van Diemonian, Mary Grimstone by 2 years and For the Term of His Natural Life, generally presumed to be the first Australian novel, by 44 years. For more academic detail about both Savery and Grimstone here is a PDF of E. Morris Miller's 1958 paper 'Australia's First Two Novels; origins and background'.
    A Forger's Tale was launched in Tasmania last week by the irrepressible Lindsay Tuffin, editor of Tasmanian Times. Here is his introduction speech - where he articulates the paradox and intrigue surrounding Savery's life and times.
    And here is a most enjoyable interview I did with the author Rod Howard, who came to know Henry and his nuanced existence intimately - and has written about him most beautifully. Listen to the podcast here.

Housewife Superstar - podcast

Would you prefer rabbit stuffed muttonbird or pickled tripe?
Actually you don't need to choose because the recipes for both of these delicacies are found inside Housewife Superstar; The Very Best of Marjorie Bligh (Text, 2011).
Marjorie, for those of you who don't know, may very well be the inspiration for Barry Humphries' Dame Edna - and that is only one of the mysteries that award winning novelist Danielle Wood sets out to unfurl in this intricately researched biography of Australia's (2nd) best known (and possibly most competitive) housewife.
Listen to the podcast of my chat with Danielle about Marjorie, about the irony (or not) of Nigella Lawson - as well as some of the best 'household hints' Marjorie has to offer HERE

Guest Review; Andrew Harper discusses The Bogan Delusion'

The Bogan Delusion by David Nichols was published earlier this year by small Australian publisher, Affirm Press. Andrew Harper, artist, writer and raconteur, read it, loved it and you can listen to the whole review here. One of my favourite parts of this review is when Andrew tells of his first ever encounter with the author David Nichols. It was many years ago at a very early Dirty Three gig, supported by The Cannanes, Nichols' band. Then, as he is now, Andrew was a skilled heckler. Andrew didn't realise he had made an impression on the band until he came across a mention of himself in a zine, described  as "the worst and most annoying hecklers he (Nichols) had ever encountered," a description that Andrew recounts with relish. The Bogan Delusion, Andrew says, is about the concept that the bogan doesn't exist except in the minds of the inner city elite - an 'other' created to affirm a sense of inner city self. "it is othering, it is hating and fearing without even understanding," he says.

Andrew can be found on Twitter here, blogging here

#heartfelt 1

#heartfelt is a project about human and cyber connection and connectivity. 

The written word buoys connection.

 Through the various mechanisms that cyberspace offers, I encourage you to tell me your favourite book and your postal address and, whether I know the book or not, I will send you a postcard.

The message on your card wll be considered and heartfelt response to you and your favourite book. I want to connect with you for a moment and I want this to arise from an exchange in cyberspace. 

 The light blue magic of an aerogramme seemed to contain so much news when I was little. Recently I sat down to write a thank you aerogramme to my little sister for the pegs she gave me for my birthday but I felt as if I couldn't get the flow happening; that the 'news' was elusive. It was only when I had reached the almost secret backwards flap that twice tucks inside to the aerogramme like a hidden window, that the flow started, and I felt as if what I was writing would connect with my little sister. A strange connection when the message simply traveled onto paper from my pen, but nevertheless a connection in the making.
    I love connection and I love flow; soaring around that crazy unknowable formula that people have between them. The challenges of trying to connect with people even within a microsecond exchange; eye contact with the bus driver in the morning, a moment of intense conversation with a customer, through to the verbally corny smile at a stranger on the street. I don't foist the connection - it can only be made if both sides are functioning - and I'm definately not a 24/7/365 functioning connector.  Bad connections occur often; a misinterpreted tone, irreverence seen as frippery, assumptions, loss of heart and mind in an exchange.
   Then there's the vortex of cyberspace, the anonymity, the fractious comments, dissipated notions and the fact that 'overshare' has morphed to normal. In that vortex, though, there are amazing connections and ideas; communities and vibrant spaces of connection. And I love it. The true knowledge, the elders, the teaching and the learning, There are so many opportunities to connect.

    I finished the aerogramme to aforementioned little sister, feeling somewhat disheartened that it wouldn't be a smooth read, that, most probably, there would be nothing to make her heart hum, let alone sing. Which got me thinking; it's not volubility or verbosity that creates connection, it is clarity and truth and honesty. 

I pondered the tweet-sized connections I make every day and a thought occured to me. I reached for my (ever present) phone and tweeted 'tell me your favourite book and your address and I'll send you a postcard with a #heartfelt message.'  That was about a month ago and I have posted around 30 postcards to date, received one back, met new people and my heart and mind are whirring in an inspired way. Every card I write has me thinking and feeling in a different way.

    That's how this #heartfelt project started.

Stay tuned to hear more about these connections - and leave a comment, tweet me, email me or FB me what your favourite book is and I will send you a #heartfelt card. If I've already sent you a card I may blog about your book, your card and the connection that you made with me. 

Thank you.

Special blog post for the Fullers Bookshop Reading Groups

*explanation for this strange blog entry
        I facilitate the Reading Groups in my workplace, Fullers Bookshop. In June we are reading 'Past the Shallows' by first time novelist, Favel Parrett. I often provide some 'reading around' material to the groups and, as a broadcaster, I feel that 'listening around' is just as effective. The material below is primarily for that purpose, though Favel is such an articulate and warm person and her book, while very much up for discussion at the Reading Groups, contains a robust exploration of human emotions I would encourage every single one of you to have a listen.
 
Dear Reading Group,

      here are two podcasts of Favel Parrett talking about her work 'Past the Shallows'
The first is a rough and ready version of an interview I did with her. An edited version of this will go to air on Edge Radio on Tuesday, June 21st at 6pm.

     Interview with Favel Parrett for Edge Radio

    The second is the talk she gave to a packed cafe at Fullers Bookshop on April 28th. You can hear everything she says though the questions that the audience ask are not audible.

    Talk at Fullers Bookshop, April 28

  When you click the links you have the choice of listening immediately or downloading for some delayed auditory gratification.

with love,
Paige and Rachel

PS - If you would like more information on the reading groups, click here