The River: a journey through the Murray - Darling Basin

In March I read a copy of Chris Hammer's non-fiction book, The Coast, where he wrote about locations on the eastern coast of Australia. In The River: a journey through the Murray - Darling Basin Chris Hammer records journeys he made in the summer of 2008-2009 to parts of the Australia's important river system. 

As well as the two main rivers there are many tributaries and river basins that cover a wide area of eastern Australia including southern Queensland, much of New South Wales, northern Victoria and part of South Australia. The importance of the rivers, and water in general, to people living in and working the land in those areas is one of the themes discussed, especially with the controversy about the implementation of irrigation systems in some regions.

As the author's discovery tours took place towards the end of a long drought that affected much of Australia resulting in the implementation of severe water restrictions, the important topics of water supply and water management feature throughout the book. During Chris Hammer's travels we also learn about the history of the regions he visits and how many of the regions have had to adapt or are changing. He interviewed a variety of local residents, each with a view of what was wrong with the rivers and water supply making it obvious that one solution will not please everyone.

As with The Coast, many of the regions visited are places I have visited and also where family members have lived on properties in the past. However this is a book that any Australian should read for an overview of an important part of our country and the country's river systems as a whole. The fragility of water supply in much of Australia, environmental issues and climate change are topics discussed as well as an overview of the history of local areas visited.

Additional information: 

Millennium Drought (River Murray 2002-2010) -  Dept for Environment and Water

The Drought That Changed Us - ABC 

Other People's Words

In 2001, Other People's Words:the life and times of an accidental publisher by Hiliary McPhee was published. Twenty-five years later the story of the author's experiences in the world of publishing has been republished with some additional material.

After working in publishing for a number of years, in 1975 Hiliary McPhee and Dianna Gribble decided to form their own publishing company, McPhee and Gribble. Other People's Words tells of the experiences and challenges faced by the two women as they tried to make their way in the male dominated world of publishing. Another major problem was trying to break into overseas markets which, especially in Britain, were not interested in Australian authors and books.

The first project was publishing a series of non-fiction books for children. Gradually they were able to attract authors of adult fiction and non-fiction to publish their books. Hiliary McPhee spent much of her time convincing overseas publishers to work with them promoting Australian publications and authors overseas.

Other People's Words describes the work involved in editing a book and gaining the confidence of some authors especially when changes needed to be made. McPhee and Gribble had partnerships with other publishes until 1989 when they decided to try working on their own. However the timing was not good due to the economic downturn resulting in the business being sold to Penguin Books. For two years the McPhee Gribble logo still appeared on the books with the Penguin logo. 

The new chapter at the back of the book warns of the changes AI is making to the publishing industry.

The Coast

A major feature of Australia is its dramatic coastline which, being an island continent, is extensive. In The Coast by Chris Hammer, originally published in 2012 and republished in 2026, the author explores some of the areas of the majestic eastern Australian coast which stretches more than 3,500 kilometres.

Chapters in the book focus on the Barrier Reef and its environmental issues, the islands in the Torres Strait, living on the 'cyclone coast' of Queensland, the Gold Coast, beaches on the coast north of Sydney, Bermagui and Bass Strait. When visiting Heron Island the staff of the scientific centre on the island had to evacuate as Cyclone Yasi was approaching. Later in the book we learn of the effects of Yasi and other cyclones on the Queensland coast.

Many of the locations described in the book were places that we had visited including Horn Island and Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, Cairns when we holidayed at Port Douglas and Mission Beach near Dunk Island where we enjoyed a holiday before Cyclone Yasi devastated the island. The effect of the environment, especially climate change, are topics discussed throughout the book. Surfers Paradise is a very different built-up, commercial area on the coast.

Chris Hammer explored various parts of the coast at different times. Sometimes this journey provided the opportunity to explore areas associated with his family in the past, especially on the NSW coast. The chapter on Bermagui included reflections on family holidays in the area which can lead readers to reflect on their own family beach holiday experiences. Further south he encounters the Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania which leads to exploring parts of northern Tasmania before concluding with a visit to Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles in Victoria.

I found this an interesting book to read as the author described a significant part of the Australian environment and how we need to appreciate it and protect it. By telling of his own experiences with holidays on the coast he encourages readers to remember coastal areas significant to them and their family story.

Code of Silence: How Australian women helped win the war

A number of books have been written about the importance of codebreaking to win the Second World War. In Code of Silence Diana Thorp has written an informative account of the importance of Australian women during World War II who carried out top secret work for the military in the efforts to defeat the Japanese advance towards our country.

The book is based on interviews and written accounts by women who secretly worked in many locations throughout the country. The women were involved in collecting and deciphering messages intercepted from the enemy and passing them on to authorities. Some worked in intelligence, others worked in logistics or various supporting roles. They were all aware of the importance of secrecy and were careful to never discuss their work, including with family.

The book also provides background information about the effect of war on Australia as well as on the lives of some of the women when the war ended. This book is an important contribution to understanding the history of Australia during the Second World War as well as the role of women in the twentieth century. Detailed bibliography and notes are at the back of the book. 

The author ends her book with the following:

The small number of women in this book represent the thousands who voluntarily transformed their lives to take on unprecedented roles in the fight for their country. Their contributions were extraordinary, yet most remain unknown. This book is an attempt to reclaim, and to remember, these women's place in our history. 

It's a Scorcher!

'It's a scorcher!' is a phrase often heard on a hot day in Australia and it certainly applied yesterday when the temperature reached 42 degrees. In contrast, today the temperature has returned to the mid-twenties. In his latest book William McInnes has compiled a selection of memories as to what makes an Australian summer. 

It's a Scorcher! tales of the Australian summer consists of meandering humorous observations on a broad range of topics illustrating how William McInnes and his family celebrated summer over the years. Many of the anecdotes refer to growing up in the second half of the twentieth century. 

Ten chapters are devoted to general observations about summer plus cricket (playing cricket as well as the Boxing Day Test, the Australian Open, Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, watching television, biscuit tins reused each year, walking barefoot and then buying thongs, going to the beach, variety of swimwear and the many festivals held during summer in Australia. References to television and radio programs from the past may bring back memories of times gone by. 

Reading It's a Scorcher! will encourage readers to remember how their families enjoyed summers in Australia in the past as well as in the present.

Pix: the magazine that told Australia's story

In the 1950s and 1960s I can remember my father sometimes bringing home copies of the magazine Pix. I often enjoyed flipping through the pages to look at the wide variety of photographs. I therefore borrowed a copy of this book from the library as soon as the book was published.

Pix: the magazine that told Australia's story is a large book containing full scale photographs as they would have appeared in the magazine. The State Library of New South Wales has digitised many of the images (available on Trove) and recently held an exhibition showing a selection of the photos that portray everyday Australia in the past.

The first edition of Pix was  published in January 1938 and publication of the magazine continued until 1972. The book contains short essays on the publication of the magazine and making the exhibition but it is the images themselves that are the main feature of the book. Exploring the large sample of black and white images in this book is a great way of exploring life in part of the twentieth century.

The Correspondent

The Correspondent by Australian journalist, Peter Greste, was originally published in 2017 with the title, The First Casualty. This revised edition was published to coincide with the film, The Correspondent, released in 2024. 

On 28 December 2013, Peter Greste and other journalists were arrested in Egypt on charges of being terrorists. He was finally freed from prison on 1 February 2015. Despite there being no evidence that the journalists had any connections to terrorist organisations and were just reporting on the political situation in Egypt, Greste spent 400 days in Egyptian prisons before he was allowed to return to Australia.

The book provides a graphic account of the challenges faced by journalists working in overseas countries, especially where there is political unrest. In alternate chapters the author describes his experiences of working in Afghanistan and the challenges journalists face in countries including Somalia and Syria. 

There is also a chapter on the deterioration of the the concept of Freedom of the Press in the USA. No doubt this chapter would be expanded if rewritten today considering the actions of the current American president in regard to the media. Another chapter examines changes that the author had noticed regarding the press in Australia.

As well as describing challenges facing journalists in reporting news events, especially overseas, The Correspondent provides a commentary on changes affecting how we think and live our lives in the twenty-first century.  

The Correspondent was the book selected for the Dervla McTiernan Book club that isn't a book club book for August 2025.

Unsettled: a journey through time and space

Included in the books written by Australian author Kate Grenville are a number of historical fiction novels where sometimes the main characters are members of her family. Her family history in Australia goes back to convict times so many generations of her family have lived in this country. In Unsettled: a journey through time and place, Kate Grenville analyses her family story by exploring the areas where family members once lived and examining their possible relationships with the land that was their home and with the indigenous people who originally lived in the bush but is now an area of largely non-indigenous settlement.

On this road trip of discovery the author travels through parts of New South Wales where members of her family lived. She discovers that some had had encounters with indigenous Australians though for most there is no proof. However, stories of events were often covered up. Kate Grenville contemplates what it must have been like for the indigenous people to have to change their way of life when Europeans arrived in their country. She also reflects on the challenges faced by people like her ancestors attempting to make a new life in a strange land.

There is no easy solution to rectifying events of the past. At the end of the book she visits the memorial at Myall Creek where a terrible massacre of indigenous people occurred in 1838. In 2000, a plaque was unveiled at the site of the massacre. The plaque read:

In memory of the Wirrayaraay people who were murdered on the slopes of this ridge in an unprovoked but premeditated act in the late afternoon of 10 June 1838. Erected on 10 June 2000 by a group of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians in an act of reconciliation, and in acknowledgment of the truth of our shared history. We Remember them (Ngiyani winangay ganunga).

 Kate Grenville left the site with the belief that although we cannot undo what has been done, hopefully indigenous and non-indigenous people can work together in a spirit of reconciliation to create a better future for all. This is a book that all Australians should read and contemplate.

National Heritage Places - Myall Creek Massacre 

Vaccine Nation: science, reason and the threat to 200 years of progress

Vaccine Nation by Raina MacIntyre investigates the progress in the provision of vaccinations for a variety diseases since a vaccine was initially used to prevent smallpox in the 1880s. During the 1950s vaccines were first used to prevent polio in Australia. Since then many diseases including measles, mumps, chicken pox, rubella, whooping cough, tetanus, tuberculosis and diphtheria have been controlled via vaccination. Research into influenza prevention began after the Spanish Flu pandemic between 1918 and 1920. Vaccinations are also available to limit pneumonia and more recently COVID-19 and its varieties. 

Although Australians have generally accepted the need for vaccination, especially for childhood diseases, since our recent experience with COVID-19 there has been a growing increase in the anti-vax movement, not just against COVID-19 but against vaccinations in general. The use of social media has been responsible for the spread much of the anti-vax information.

In May each year my husband and I have the annual flu injection plus the latest injection against recent COVID-19 variations. I have just had the first in the series of the new Shingles vaccine - having had the disease three times I am happy to try something that may prevent me getting the disease again or at least limit its effects. I am having the second injection later this year. Meanwhile my husband and I will have the update to the pneumonia injection that we had many years ago. Family history research has shown that we each had a grandfather who died from pneumonia, before the availability of penicillin to treat the disease and vaccine availability.

Australians queued up for the initial injections to control COVID-19, particularly in order for the country to go back to normal. The initial injections were compulsory, especially as so many had died or remained ill. It was imperative to at least slow the spread of the disease. Professor MacIntyre discusses present government policies restricting free vaccination to young people and older citizens. However local pharmacies can give some injections to other sectors of the population. She also discusses new research that may assist in the treatment of some cancers or even heart disease in the future.

Meanwhile progress in preventing and treating illness via vaccination will only work if Australians work together to create an environment where it is accepted that vaccination against disease not only helps individuals but the community as a whole. Vaccination Nation is an interesting and informative study of the acceptance of vaccination against disease as part of our general health.  

Inconvenient Women: Australian radical writers 1900-1970

Inconvenient Women by Jacqueline Kent is largely a study of radical political groups in Australia in the first part of the twentieth century. This was the time of the rise of fascism in Europe as well the development of communism, particularly in Russia. Jacqueline Kent looks at the involvement of Australian writers, particularly female writers, in these movements and the effect that the political groups had on Australian life as well as literature.

 Some of the authors discussed in the book include Katharine Susannah Prichard, Eleanor Dark, Jean Devanny, Faith Bandler, Kath Walker, Nettie Palmer, Mary Gilmour, Marjorie Barnard, Christina Stead, P L Travers, Ruth Park, Flora Eldershaw, Miles Franklin, Thea Astley, Dymphna Cussack and Dorothy Hewitt to name a few. The book looks at major issues of the time that became incorporated into their  writing. It also looks at censorship of books that was prominent at the time plus the role of book awards, especially at a time when women were struggling to have their voice heard. 

Sister Viv

Most Australians will have heard of Sister Vivian Bullwinkle and the massacre of Australian nurses by a group of Japanese soldiers during the Second World War. In Sister Viv Grantlee Kieza provides a detailed, readable story about the sixty-five nurses who escaped from Singapore as the Japanese took the island only to have their ship bombed and sunk and then having to struggle to reach land and then be captured by Japanese soldiers.

Many of the nurses plus others who had been on the ship did not make it to the shore but one group of twenty-two nurses, including Viv, made it to Radji Beach on Banka Island near Sumatra. The nurses were separated from the other survivors, forced back into the water and shot. Viv was the only nurse in this group to survive. She was then a prisoner of war for more than three years.

Grantlee Kieza provides a detailed account of the mistreatment of nurses by the Japanese in the prisoner of war camps. At the first camp Viv was reunited with other nurses who had escaped Singapore and they remained as a group as they were moved from one location to another. In the various prison camps the prisoners lived in squalor and had little food. Disease was rife and many of the nurses died. Still those remaining worked as a team assisting each other and trying not to give up hope until eventually peace was declared and they could return home. 

After the war Viv continued to work as a nurse holding senior positions in major hospitals. She never forgot her colleagues who had died during the war and made sure that their story was told. There is now a statue of Viv at the Australian War Memorial and a memorial at Radji Beach in remembrance of the massacre and the twenty-one Australian nurses who were murdered at the site. 

Dead Man Walking: the murky world of Michael McGurk and Ron Medich

5 September 2009 businessman, Michael McGurk was shot as he arrived home after collecting a take-away meal for the family. His young son was with him. People in Sydney were well aware of the corruption associated with McGurk and his associates but the execution took people by surprise.

Kate McClymont, an investigative journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald, with the assistance of Vanda Carson, has compiled a detailed account of the lives of McGurk and Medich, the man accused of ordering the hit on his former business partner. Medich was finally jailed in 2018 for ordering the hit plus other crimes attributed to him.

 In Dead Man Walking, the journalist has compiled a comprehensive account of the business and criminal activities of McGurk and Medich and their numerous associates. This is a story of extremely dodgy business deals, intimidation, arson, fire bombings of properties and many failed businesses, plus drugs and brothels. The activities were not always purely confined to Australia. McGurk and his associates also involved a number of politicians in their activities.

 Dead Man Walking would appeal to those who regularly read true crime novels as the book investigates an unfortunate period in recent Australian history. Readers of crime fiction would, at times, consider that they were reading another crime novel!

This book was one of three books selected as a possible title for discussion by the Monash Alumni Book Club in August-September 2025.

Murder of Michael McGurk - Wikipedia

Ron Medich found guilty - ABC

Reading Magic

Reading Magic: how your child can learn to read before school - and other read aloud miracles by Australian children's author, Mem Fox, outlines the importance of reading to your children from a very young age and how this can help your child enjoy reading. The copy of the book that I read was published in 2005 and added two additional chapters to the first edition.

As the author discusses the advantages of reading aloud to children she provides lots of examples of how many parents doing this have found it successful. Mem Fox stresses that both parents should be involved with reading to children, not just Mum. She provides lots of practical advice on how to make reading an entertaining experience for all the family.

Young children often like listening to and 'reading' one book over and over again. Keeping a collection of children's favourite books in the house encourages most children to pick up their favourite book to 'read' or ask an adult to read to them. 

Introducing reading to children from an early age means that by the time they start school they are used to books and other printed material, they are familiar and confident with language and have begun to develop good general knowledge. 

Mem Fox also stresses the important of singing to children and teaching them rhymes as a means of helping them gain confidence in acquiring language skills. Rereading books is a major way that many children learn to read before going to school. Mem Fox also includes chapters on various teaching processes used to teach children to read.

A Matter of Taste

A Matter of Taste: the Australian Women's Weekly and its Influence on Australian Food Culture by Lauren Samuelsson will take the reader on an adventure into the world of family cooking and how it changed during the first fifty years of the publication of The Australian Women's Weekly.

As a child I can remember being sent to the local newsagent each week to collect a copy of The Australian Women's Weekly for my mother. This magazine became an institution in Australian households. It was first published in 1933 and, although it is now published monthly, is still a popular Australian women's magazine.

Although the magazine was a general publication for women, it is the food section that was not only particularly popular but provides an aspect of history of this country through changes in the preparation and taste of food. As well as articles with recipes in each issue of the magazine, many cookery books under the Australian Women's Weekly banner were published.

The Australian Women's Weekly Cookbook and The New The Australian Women's Weekly Cookbook were both books I regularly referred to in the past and still treasure with my cookery books. Also on the shelves is The Australian Women's Weekly 100 Delicious Biscuits and Slices from which my sons used to choose recipes. I still refer to The Australian Women's Weekly The Complete Book of Cake Decorating and the most popular book of all was The Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book. I can still remember spending hours making the train on the cover of that book for one birthday.

The book has six main chapters - Triple Tested discussing the types of recipes published, some submitted by the readers and others by the cookery editors; An Exhaustible Appetite discussing how meat has been used in recipes during scarcity as in the 1930s Depression and the Second World War as well as in times of plenty; Let Them Eat Cake showing changes in the culture of baking cakes; Crash! discussing various trends in recipes for slimming and dieting as published in the magazine; Dinner Parties and Barbecues discussing the role of men in cooking and types of home entertaining; 'It Was Taken Up With Cries of Delight' discusses the arrival of foreign foods in family cooking.

 A Matter of Taste contributes to the social history of Australia as well as recreating many memories for readers.

The Land Before Avocado

When reading the Letters to The Age there are frequent comments as to how much better life was in the past compared with today. This is especially the case when there is discussion about interest rates and home loans. Baby Boomers had a much easier life than young people today! is the belief of many younger people. 

In The Land Before Avocado, Australian author, journalist and radio host, Richard Glover, sets out to investigate what life was really like for Australians living in the late 1960s and 1970s and concludes that generally Australians have much better living conditions and opportunities today compared with the past.

Richard Glover has researched what life was really like at the time by studying official statistics, advertisements and articles in The Australian Women's Weekly and asking his radio listeners to comment on some of his ideas for the book.

The ability to be able to purchase a home of their own, and to furnish it, was not as easy as may people today seem to think. Money was short after the war and, especially with generally one wage, there was not much money left after paying the mortgage. Household items such as refrigerators, washing machines or television sets, were often purchased by the use of lay-by, hire purchase or even rented.

The author discusses what it was like growing up and attending school during this period - especially the discipline metered out to children as punishment. People looking back over time remember how children were generally left to their own devices after school which may have been fun but often carried an element of danger, especially when children played on some of the now considered dangerous play equipment in parks at that time.

Food at the time is discussed - very different nutritionally from what is available today. At one stage Richard and his wife prepare a typical meal that would be provided for guests at a dinner party in the 1970s. The guests were generally not impressed. Clothes and fashion is another topic discussed.

In the 1960s / 1970s Australia was predominately a nation of mainly white European immigrants. Discrimination against Aborigines and people from Asian countries was the norm.

Many  of the laws appear archaic in modern society now. There were laws against homosexuality. Women required a male guarantor to have a bank loan. At the beginning of this time period women working in the public service had to resign when they married. 

Legislation regarding seat belts in cars and child restraints for children were gradually implemented in the 1970s. There were no laws against drink driving and men, on car trips frequently went into the pub for a drink. Any family with them waited in the car or the ladies' lounge. The Australian road toll was extremely high and increasing each year. 

Smoking was allowed everywhere and was generally encouraged. There were even lollies, FAGS, for children to pretend to smoke.

People sunbathed without sunscreen. In many areas it was difficult to get a telephone line installed at home. Dining outdoors in the street was not allowed. What is considered 'real coffee' today was unobtainable.

Richard Glover admits that the music in the 1960s and 1970s was good, however he was not impressed with audio cassettes which were easily damaged and record that did not work when scratched. Television was a relatively new medium but initially there were only three channels and programs were limited. The quality of the picture varied according to antennas available. Censorship was also rife limiting the books that could be freely read.

Today people complain about the growing amount of corruption in modern society. In 2018 when this book was published, the author argued that this was a much greater problem in the 1960s and 1970s. Robbery, murder, and car theft was common along with corporate and political corruption.

However there is one plus, according to Richard Glover. We can now expect to live twelve years longer than in the 1960s and 1970s! Another plus is that avocado is now a recognised ingredient on Australian restaurant menus as well as in family homes.

This book was one of three books selected as a possible title for the Monash Alumni Book Club in May-June 2025 and July to October 2026.

Three Wild Dogs and the Truth

When the Zusak family decided to adopt a dog from the local pound they did not know the change this animal would make to their lives. The dog was Reuben, a mixture of many breeds though they were told his ancestry was possibly a Great Dane / Labrador cross. He was a few months old when they brought him home and what was certain was that he would be a big dog. 

As Markus and his wife had a three year old daughter it was essential that Reuben should be a family dog and fortunately he was. Reuben and Kitty became the best of friends. However there were other occupants in the house - two cats named Bijoux and Brutus. Bijoux was in charge. Eventually the animals came to accept each other but there were still challenges, especially when Markus took his dog for a walk.

Then a second dog named Archer arrived. There was a lot of love in the house between dogs and humans but there was also chaos, especially when the dogs went for a walk. There were also expensive vet bills. But the dogs became an important part of the family life which had expanded to include a son. 

When the two dogs died within a short time of each other it was decided to wait six months before considering another dog in the family until they saw a photo of Frosty, another street dog from the pound, and the challenging and chaotic life of looking after and loving a large and sometimes unruly dog began again.

In Three Wild Dogs and the Truth Markus Zusak provides an often humorous account of the highs and lows of living with strong-willed pets. There are a number of photos of the three dogs, usually looking innocent despite the disruption they may have caused. While Reuben and Archer were entertaining the family Markus was often away on publicity tours for The Book Thief and writing Bridge of Clay so we also learn a little of the life of an author.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book which I read in one sitting.

Australia in 100 Words

Amanda Laugesen in Australia in 100 Words uses a selection of words and terms that help tell the story of Australia and its language. Choosing one hundred words would not have been an easy task but the author provides us with a broad selection of words and terms, including words from Indigenous languages, that are part of the Australian culture and conversation, past and present.

Several pages describe each of the words or terms selected describing the contexts in which the words over time have been used and other similar words. Together the words and terms demonstrate how language in this country has evolved. A good book to dip into.

The Battle of the Generals

Australian author, Roland Perry, has written a readable account of the battle of egos between MacArthur and Blamey during the second World War in his latest book, The battle of the generals: MacArthur, Blamey and the defence of Australia in World War II.

The Americans, led by General Douglas MacArthur, arrived in Australia in 1942 after the Japanese army captured the Philippines. MacArthur was determined to return to the Philippines as soon as possible to retake the islands but the attempted invasion of Papua New Guinea by the Japanese slowed down his plans. 

General Blamey was in charge of the Australian forces but MacArthur ensured that he was in charge of military proceedings even though the Australian soldiers were far more experienced than their American counterparts as they had experience fighting overseas before returning to Australia to defend their country.

The Australian forces did most of the fighting in Papua New Guinea although some American units were involved towards the end of the campaign. MacArthur's publicity campaign, however, made it look as if he was responsible for allied victories. When the campaign to retake the Philippines began, MacArthur was determined that Australian troops should not be involved as they might be shown to be superior to American forces. There was also tension between the American navy and other military forces.

When the Japanese began attacking the Australian coastline the Australian government tried to obtain additional aeroplanes and ships from the UK and the USA but MacArthur indicated to the Americans that Australia was well supplied. This did not improve the relationship between Blamey and MacArthur. Winston Churchill had made it clear that his emphasis was on Europe though some equipment was sent towards the end of the war.

Both the generals had character flaws that impeded relationships with troops and other military and political leaders from time to time. However, reading this book, I felt more sympathetic towards General Blamey who had extensive previous military experience in both the First and Second World Wars compared with his American counterpart who had his eyes set on political aspirations once the war was over.

Madame Brussels: the life and times of Melbourne's most notorious woman

Much has been written about life in parts of Melbourne towards the end of the 19th century. One section in Lonsdale Street, near Parliament House, was well known for its brothels. Madame Brussels' establishments were the best known and were often visited by politicians, landowners and some senior police.

In Madame Brussels: the life and times of Melbourne's most notorious woman by Barbara Minchton and Philip Bently, the authors present the findings of their extensive research on the life and times of Madame Brussels.

Caroline Lohmar was born in Prussia. In 1871 she married Studholme George Hodgson in London before they travelled to Melbourne. When Stud joined the police force and relocated to northern Victoria, his wife needed to find a way of supporting herself so she gradually began establishing what were, for a short time, the most impressive brothels in Melbourne.

This study examines the facts known about the rise and fall of Caroline's business until the early 1900s. She gradually came to use the name Madame Brussels which added to the prestige of the operation. Much of the information for the book comes from court documents - she was tried before the court on a number of occasions - and newspaper reports. Especially towards the end of the nineteenth century there was a movement to remove brothels from the city and newspapers, particularly Truth, often produced long stories venting against women such as Madame Brussels and their industry.

An interesting account of an aspect of Melbourne's history.

Living the Dream: 60 years in cricket & football

Journalist and author, Ken Piesse, has spent most of his life following sport - especially his favourite sports of cricket and Australian Rules Football. As a boy he followed these sports and later had the chance to write about them, meeting some of the main players of the game. He has been an avid cricketer since childhood and is still involved, more recently with the Australian Cricket Society. He has also spent much of his time talking about sport, including on P and O Cruises.

In Living the Dream Ken Piesse writes about many of the cricketers and footballers that he has met and written about as well as demonstrating his love of cricket both as a supporter and a player.

About Ken Piesse - Cricket Books .com