Burnt Out

The 2019-2020 bushfires raged through many parts of Australia including the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. Calida Lyons had the car packed ready to leave her home in case of fire but was still unprepared when the fire approached her local community. Fortunately she was rescued by a neighbour whose house survived but Calida lost everthing.

When interviewed by an optunistic TV reporter about how she felt about losing her home, the new book she was writing and her cat, Calida did not hold back making it quite clear that everyone should be doing something about climate change. When her rant went viral Calida became a celebrity and her life suddenly changed. But was she really achieving what she set out to do or was she being manipulated by others with different agendas.

Eventually Calida must decide how she really wants to live her life and who her real friends are.

The Mystery of King John's Treasure

The story goes that in October 1216 King John's treasure disappeared in the fens in East Anglia near Lynn (now Kings Lynn). In The Mystery of King John's Treasure, Shirley Charters investigates the various stories surrounding this mystery as well as recounting the last few weeks of King John's life. 

The book also provides the history of significant events in King John's reign. Themes discussed include King John's conflict with the Church, the need to raise money to cover the costs of wars with France plus his brother's earlier involvement with Crusades and of course the on-going disagreements with his barons leading to civil war.  King John's relationship with the Knights Templar is also discussed. The Mystery of King John's Treasure presents an interesting account of the world of the Plantagenets in the early thirteenth century.

Again, Rachel

Again, Rachel is the sequel to Rachel's Holiday by Irish author, Marian Keyes. The author has written a number of other books about members of the Walsh family including, Watermelon, Angels, Anybody out there and The mystery of Mercy Close.

In Again, Rachel, Rachel Walsh works as a councillor at "The Cloisters" helping clients acknowledge their addiction issues and hopefully lead a meaningful life again. She is in a new relationship and her own life appears to be in a good place. Then she receives a phone call alerting her to the funeral of her former mother-in-law and she needs to decide whether or not she should attend. In the events that subsequently occur the reader learns of past challenges in Rachels's life including her marriage to Luke, the loss of their child, Rachel's lapse into addition and the break-up of the marriage. 

During the novel we meet a variety of Rachel's clients and how they cope, or do not cope, with their addiction issues. Parallel to this is Rachel's story as her life threatens to unravel as she not only recalls past tragic events but gradually realises that her original interpretation of past events may not be correct. 

The novel tackles serious issues including alcoholism and drug addiction as well as the loss of a baby. Some sections of the book may therfore be confronting if the reader has experienced similar issues, however Rachel has a support network of councillors, family and friends ready to give her support. 

Family relationships is another major theme of the novel and the interactions between members of the Walsh family usually provides a series of humorous situations, particularly the family meetings arranged by the mother to organise her 'surprise' birthday party.

Generally I enjoyed this journey into Rachel's world though at 577 pages, in my opinion, it was too long.

Adrift in Melbourne: Seven Walks With Robyn Annear

Some years ago when I worked at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria, we developed podcasts providing information about some of the historical sites in the region. Two of these podcasts are available on the RHSV website. Consequently I was interested to see this book of walks around the streets of Melbourne by Robyn Annear. 

Adrift in Melbourne,: seven walks with Robyn Annear showcases some of the hidden history to be found in Melbourne. Most of the actual sites outlined in the walks no longer exist but their history remains. Readers can 'explore' the walks from home with the asistance of an internet search to discover photographs and illustrations of places and people mentioned in the many entertaining stories provided by the author. Of course, readers can also spend some time investigating the sites as they walk the streets of the CBD of Melbourne. This book is a great addition to discoverning more about the history of Melbourne.

The Wind in the Willows

My grandson and I have just finished sharing the reading of this children's classic, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.  First published in 1908, the author wrote the story of the adventures of Mole, Rat, Toad and Badger for his son. Since then the book has been enjoyed by many generations of children (and adults) and has also regularly been performed as a play each summer, for the past 35 years, at Melbourne Botanic Gardens. There have been a number of adaptions of the book for the theatre, the first by A A Milne - the author of the Winnie the Pooh stories. The book has also been adapted as a film and a television series.

E H Shepherd illustrated the first editions of the books. He is also well known for his illustrations for A A Milne books, especially The House at Pooh Corner and Winnie-The-Pooh.

In 2008 Robert Ingpen did the illustrations for a new edition commemorating one hundred years of The Wind in the Willows.

Mole's previously quiet life changes when he meets Rat, a friendly water rat, who introduces Mole to his friends including Badger and Mr Toad. The conceited Mr Toad lives in a large house and has a tendency to become absorbed in the latest trend such as boats, caravans, then motor cars. Eventually Toad ends up in trouble with the law and even loses his home until his faithful friends step in and save him. 

My grandson and I both enjoyed reading about the adventures of Toad and his friends and also exploring the illustrations by Shepherd and Ingpen in the two editions of the book borrowed from the library.

When the book was written many changes were occurring in the social fabric of society in Britain and the actions of the Mole, Rat and Badger in this book quietly demonstate the importance of true friendship, understanding and kindness required for working together, helping friends and adapting to change.

Josephine's Garden

When Rose de Beauharnais is released from prison at the end of the French Revolution in 1794 she little suspects that she will one day be Empress of France and known as Josephine. In the novel Josephine's Garden, Sephanie Parkyn continues her exploration of French history from the end of the eighteenth century to early nineteenth century by interweaving the story of Josephine Bonaparte with that of Anne, wife of the botanist Felix Lahaie, and Marthe, wife of savant Jacques de Labillardiere. 

When Josephine marries the soldier, Napoleon Boneparte, she discovers a dilapidated house by a lake with the sad name of Malmaison and decides there and then that the house should be restored and that the gardens will be her project. The plan is to make them the best gardens in France and include examples of the variety of exotic plants brought back to France by French explorers. She needs assistance to fulfill her plan so enlists the skills of Felix Lahaie who had recently returned from a four year voyage to New Holland and nearby islands. 

There are a number of themes in this book. One is the rivalry between the botanists and Josephine to be able to propagate plants from the other side of the world in France. Another theme is the quest for political power and also the need for political stability. The French Revolution did not remove the the political tensions in the country which increase as Napoleon rises to power and sets out to expand French territory in Europe and also makes himself Emperor. A third theme looks at the lives of women who have difficulty becoming pregnant for a variety of reasons.

Stephanie Parkyn has created another novel bringing to life the lives of individuals trying to survive firstly during the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Wars. Her first novel was Into the World and the third novel is the recently published The Freedom of Birds.

Into the World

Into the World by Stephanie Parkyn is based on the life of a real person - Marie-Louise Victorie Giradin (1754-1794). On 28 September 1791 disguised as a ship's steward, Louis Giraden boarded the Researche, one of the two ships sent out by the French King to search for La Perouse's two ships that had disappeared when exploring territories in the Paccific Ocean near New Holland. 

For the next four years Marie-Louise strived to maintain her identity as a man during the expedition. She had untaken this voyage as there was no future for her as an unmarried mothers in France, particularly during the uncertain times of the French Revolution (1789-1799). Marie-Louise planned to use her earnings to support a new life with her son who she would reclaim on her return to France. However, at least one person aboard the ship knew her true identity.

 As well as the search for La Perouse, the ship carried botanists charged with collecting whatever items could be found to bring back to France. Cartographers were also aboard to chart the south coast of Australia while astronomers were to study the southern hemisphere skies. Tensions often arose between those on board as to whose interests should be persued. There were also tensions, on occasion, between those who supported the King and Republicans aboard the ship.

The novel is written from the perspective of Marie-Louise but we also learn of other real people who were on the ships, especially the thoughts of the French explorers. The book provides an insight into an often dangerous time in history as well as providing a possible picture of life aboard a sailing ship travelling into the unknown.

The author located limited reference to Louis Giradin in a number of private journals written by crew members and scientists, particularly the published journal of Jacques-Julien Labillardiere, which provided background information for the novel. 

Australian Dictionary of Biography - Marie-Louise Victoire Giradin

Louis Giradin - Museum of Western Australia

Marie Louise Victoire Giradin- The first European woman to visit Tasmania

Australian Dictionary of Biography - Jean Francoise de Galaup La Perouse