The night my bum dropped

This book by comedian, author, television presenter and newspaper columnist, Gretel Killeen, is subtitled - a gleefully exaggerated memoir. The note at the front of the book reads - None of the character depicted here are based on real life. This especially applies to any persons referred to as 'my mum', 'my dad', 'my brothers', 'my sisters', 'my siblings', 'my son', 'my daughter', 'my children' or 'my friends' ... and to the character referred to here in as 'me', 'I', 'myself' or 'Gretel'.

Basically the book is an amusing, exaggerated account of someone facing a mid-life crisis revolving around being a mother, losing a job and horror of horrors, aging. In order to find solutions to her problems 'Gretel' turns to 'family' and 'friends' for usually unhelpful advice. Sections of the book have previously been published in articles.

Beyond the garden gate: Local insight into the Victorian female suffrage movement

In 1891 more than 28,000 women signed the Woman's Petition requesting the right to vote. Joanna Fitch has prepared this set of six case studies investigating the possible suffrage involvement of women in selected towns and suburbs in Victoria in the years following 1891. The six areas are St Kilda, Bairnsdale, Hawthorn, Casterton, Maryborough and Colac.

The general information in the book is gleaned from secondary sources and the information used in the case studies is primarily from newspaper articles and / or books written about the local history of the area. No attempt appears to have been made to investigate the minute books and records of the women's organisations during the period up to 1908 when women in Victoria won the right to vote in State government elections.

The case studies however do provide an insight into some of the factors that would have contributed to the possible involvement or non-involvement of women in working to win suffrage. The many footnotes provide a guide for further research.

A list of numbers of women in towns and suburbs is provided as well as suggestions for locating additional information about some of the women who signed the 1891 petition.

A copy of this publication is available online from the Victorian Women's Trust website - www.vwt.org.au. Copies of the book can be purchased from the Victorian Women's Trust.

The index to the 1891 Woman's Petition can be found online.
Additional information about the collection of the petition signatures in 1891 is available in the online exhibition - The WCTU & the 1891 Woman's Petition

Disaster in the Dandenongs: the Kyeema airliner tragedy

Macarthur Job has written an account of the the last flight of the Kyeema on its journey from Adelaide to Melbourne on 25 October, 1938. It was a foggy day and instead of landing safely at Essendon Airport the aircraft went off course, crashing into Mt Dandenong. UHF radio range beacons had been installed, but not finally tested, in many parts of Australia prior to the accident. These were quickly brought into service to avoid future incidents. The enquiry that followed the disaster resulted in the development of modern air traffic control and the founding of the Department of Civil Aviation. A readable account of this tragedy in Australian aviation history.

The real history behind Foyle's War

This book provides information about the true stories on which each episode of the television series, Foyle's War, was based. Set in Hastings during the early 1940s the police series follows the experiences of DCS Christopher Foyle and his team as they attempt to maintain law and order during a war. The television series was written by author, Anthony Horowitz, who contributed the forward to this publication written by Rod Green. Liberally illustrated with photographs taken during the period as well as images from the television series the book contains chapters on policing in Britain during World War II, crime and punishment at the time as well as information about the major characters in the television series before discussing the original events that prompted development of the story for each episode.

Finger Lickin' Fifteen

Another Stephanie Plum novel, this time evolving around the decapitation of celebrity chef, Stanley Chipotle, witnessed by Lula. Much of the story involves Lula trying to keep out of the path of the decapitators as she devises a plan to lead to their capture, in order to collect the reward, by entering a barbecue sauce making competition. With Grandma Mazur as an accomplice chaos ensues as they experiment with recipes. Meanwhile Stephanie agrees to work part-time for Ranger to help find out who has been trying to sabotage Ranger's security service while Ranger agrees to help Stephanie bring in some of the more difficult bail absconders on her list. As well as the usual destruction of vehicles Stephanie manages to become, at various times, covered with flour, sauce and other foodstuffs, much to the amusement of Ranger and Joe Morelli.

Handle with care

Jodi Picoult's latest book deals with ethical and social issues revolving around the birth of a child born with with a disability. Willow has OI (Osteogenesis Imperfecta) - brittle bones. At birth a number of her bones were broken and broken bones were a constant part of her life placing a strain on family members emotionally as well as financially.

When Willow was five Charlotte (Willow's mother) started legal proceedings against Piper Reece (her obstetrician) for not recognising the early symptoms of OI and therefore preventing Charlotte having the choice to terminate the pregnancy. The repercussions of Charlotte's actions are told by those most affected - Charlotte, Sean (her husband), Amelia (Willow's sister), Piper who had been Charlotte's best friend, Marin (Charlotte's lawyer). Each character addresses Willow when recounting what is occurring. The last episode belongs to Willow.

Disintegration of relationships, living with community reaction, trying to do something for the best reasons (in this case creating a secure future for her daughter), blame, guilt, ethics of abortion, strain of disability on family members including concentration on the needs of one family member to the detriment of siblings are some of the issues covered in this novel.

Other novels by Jodi Picoult with medical ethics themes include Change of Heart (a convicted murderer wants his heart donated to the sister of the child who was killed) and My Sister's Keeper (a family has another child in order to save the life of a child).

Jodi Picoult also wrote a novel, about a school shooting where a teenage boy kills nine students and a teacher. The Nineteen Minutes in the title refers to the time taken to execute the killings. 

Another of Jodie Picoult's novels that I read around the same time was The Tenth Circle about the rape of a fourteen year old girl and the affect this has on members of her family and friends. 

I respect Jodie Picoult for writing about social issues. However after reading several of her novels in a short period of time I decided that I had had enough and did not need to read anymore at that time.

About face

In this latest episode by Donna Leon, Commissario Brunetti is asked by an officer from a neighbouring police force to help investigate a murder believed to be connected with the legal dumping of rubbish, including toxic waste. His father in law also asks him for background information on the business dealings of a businessman who has asked him to become a partner in shipping unspecified gods to China. The subsequent murder of the police officer who has a photograph of the murderer encourages Brunetti to continue the investigation revealing links with the mafia. The book also focuses on Franca Marinello with her disfigured face and her love for classical literature.

As usual there is much reflection on Italian politics, corruption and ethical issues as the story unfolds.