Saturday 26 September 2015

Heide, and We Don't Just Mean by Johanna Spryi's novel Heidi (just fyi)

It's amazing to think that so close to Ivanhoe - in Bulleen Templestowe in fact, lying nestled between a gas station and a random road (I feel like a small casino) is one of the loveliest art galleries in Melbourne - Heide. It's simply beautiful and you know that feeling when you're driving around the country and you stumble upon a  small independent gallery that has amazing views of the surround? Yeah, well that's Heide but you'd never expect it tucked away in suburbia. 


Comprising of three buildings (Heide I, II and III (so original but they were probably putting their creative energies elsewhere)), each has a distinct style and almost seems to reflect the art inside. One of them (I think II) looks decidedly 70's but it's a bonus not a weakness if anything. The gardens as well, goodness gracious are something to behold as well! I had a picnic there a few years ago for a fathers' day celebration and it was simply sublime and divine. Don't worry this isn't some kind of conspicuous advertising I think it's just good to appreciate what you have! The collection is most often of Australian artists such as the vibrant Emily Floyd.

Read an article about its architecture here 

Actually, Heide began as the family home for John and Sunday Reed (yes their FAMILY HOME!) in 1934 and was a place for living and creation. Sunday is such a great name. But anyway, a lot has been said about their lives and the impact that they made on the face of Australian art. Most recently released 'Modern Love - the Lives of John and Sunday Reed' has been released in conjunction with the gallery and the State Library of Victoria. 

 It's a beautiful and at times sad insight into their lives. It is definitely on my list to read! That list grows longer everyday. 

If you're interested in finding out more about Heide then look no further (here)

Enjoy the spring weather! 
 

Saturday 19 September 2015

Where's My Happy Ending?

If you're wondering why a prince/or princess hasn't swept you off your feet yet it may be time to read a different novel or watch another sort of film. Not to say that happy/yay/romance things never happen but it's been interesting to see a resurgence of books for younger girls that focus on different qualities and adventure! My two favourite picks are, of course Dragon Keeper by Carole Wilkinson but otherwise newer releases: 

THE ANTI PRINCESS CLUB by Samantha Turnbull


Finally! An engaging fiction series for girls that shows them there is more to life than wearing a tiara.’ – Mia Freedman
The Anti-Princess Club is a four-book series for kids (recommended age group 7-10).
The series follows the lives of 10-year-old best friends: Emily Martin, Bella Singh, Grace Bennett and Chloe Karalis.
The girls thumb their noses at helpless fairytale princesses who wait all their lives to be rescued by a prince.
Sick of being treated like damsels in distress, the girls form The Anti-Princess Club with the motto: ‘we don’t need rescuing.’

Check out the website here

and THE RAVENOUS GOWN by Steffani Raff



In a day when princesses have been boiled down to beautiful ball gowns comes a new kind of fairy tale.

Fall under the spell of a “Once upon a time…” where beauty is bigger than a reflection, where wisdom makes girls extraordinary, and where curses are broken through the strength and character of unlikely heroines.

A magnificent collection of short stories written in fairy tale prose The Ravenous Gown captures the essence of a stronger, smarter princess—the kind that actually lives happily ever after.

-goodreads

Saturday 12 September 2015

Go Set A Whatman?

Yes, it is official, I have finally finished reading the second book by Harper Lee, Go Set A Watchman that came out earlier this year among a media frenzy! I know I work in a bookshop but hey, there are a lot of books! Is this the appropriate time to mention that I've never read the entire Harry Potter series let alone touched Twilight or Lord of the Rings? Sorry for putting them in the same sentence (no offense). 

Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch – ‘Scout' – returns home from New York City to visit her ageing father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill A Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past – a journey that can be guided only by one's own conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humour and effortless precision – a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill A Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to a classic. - See more at: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/harper-lee/go-set-a-watchman-9781785150289.aspx#sthash.iCP6pBRp.dpuf
A historic literary event: the publication of a newly discovered novel, the earliest known work from Harper Lee, the beloved, bestselling author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, To Kill a Mockingbird.
Originally written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman was the novel Harper Lee first submitted to her publishers before To Kill a Mockingbird. Assumed to have been lost, the manuscript was discovered in late 2014.
Go Set a Watchman features many of the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird some twenty years later. Returning home to Maycomb to visit her father, Jean Louise Finch—Scout—struggles with issues both personal and political, involving Atticus, society, and the small Alabama town that shaped her.
Exploring how the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird are adjusting to the turbulent events transforming mid-1950s America, Go Set a Watchman casts a fascinating new light on Harper Lee's enduring classic. Moving, funny and compelling, it stands as a magnificent novel in its own right. 
 - Harper (haha what are the chances?) Collins
Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch – ‘Scout' – returns home from New York City to visit her ageing father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill A Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past – a journey that can be guided only by one's own conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humour and effortless precision – a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill A Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to a classic. - See more at: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/harper-lee/go-set-a-watchman-9781785150289.aspx#sthash.iCP6pBRp.dpuf
Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch – ‘Scout' – returns home from New York City to visit her ageing father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill A Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past – a journey that can be guided only by one's own conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humour and effortless precision – a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill A Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to a classic. - See more at: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/harper-lee/go-set-a-watchman-9781785150289.aspx#sthash.iCP6pBRp.dpuf
Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch – ‘Scout' – returns home from New York City to visit her ageing father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill A Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past – a journey that can be guided only by one's own conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humour and effortless precision – a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill A Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to a classic. - See more at: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/harper-lee/go-set-a-watchman-9781785150289.aspx#sthash.iCP6pBRp.dpuf

aycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch – ‘Scout' – returns home from New York City to visit her ageing father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill A Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past – a journey that can be guided only by one's own conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humour and effortless precision – a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill A Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to a classic. - See more at: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/harper-lee/go-set-a-watchman-9781785150289.aspx#sthash.9GlrKZjf.dpuf
aycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch – ‘Scout' – returns home from New York City to visit her ageing father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill A Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past – a journey that can be guided only by one's own conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humour and effortless precision – a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill A Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to a classic. - See more at: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/harper-lee/go-set-a-watchman-9781785150289.aspx#sthash.9GlrKZjf.dpuf

Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch – ‘Scout' – returns home from New York City to visit her ageing father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill A Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past – a journey that can be guided only by one's own conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humour and effortless precision – a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill A Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to a classic. - See more at: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/harper-lee/go-set-a-watchman-9781785150289.aspx#sthash.iCP6pBRp.dpuf
First things first, yes we've all heard that Atticus is now a racist and so reading it it wasn't that much of a shock. What kind of freaked me out was the really seemingly 'rational' and calm argument he put forth as to why he had turned out so. Doesn't really make it any better but I suppose that the character evolved in this way so we have to accept it. As much as we wish we did, they don't belong to us! Although, I worry that there are whole generations of people named after Atticus from To Kill A Mockingbird and now it's discovered he's actually a racist. That would really suck to say the least. 

Second issue: it's not as good as the first. Well of course! How could it ever be? So highly acclaimed was the former, including winner of the Pulitzer Prize and beloved by many, not to mention has had 55 years just to stew in its greatness. The story and writing is actually okay and I never felt that I had to force myself to finish reading it but I think it's totally unrealistic to expect it to be as good as TKAM. What can compete with nostalgia and elevation to a pedestal? Nothing, unless it had been something more than 'perfection'. I feel like it's a bit sad in a way because you can't erase this part of the story now and it's just there. Maybe in a few years people will stop comparing and see past the hype to enjoy it for what it is.

I quite enjoyed the focus on Scout (maybe we can name children after her??) and I felt she was quite relate able as a character. Positively modern day in her vernacular and relation ship with Hank/Henry. She's strong and confident and isn't afraid to say no. Coming back to her hometown after all those years and seeing what has changed - has she? It's quite interesting I guess to see how your favourite characters have changed. Although JEM! Read and see.  

I would recommend this book just to see the growth of character but of course if you really can't stomach the thought of Atticus, perhaps refrain.