Reviews and Comments

An amazing book, excellently narrated in the audiobook form. I wish I had read it before I went to Fremantle, as many of the objects mentioned are there. A fascinating overview of early European encounters with the land and people of Australia. Best read together with “dark Emu”

Audiobook

I think there were a few key messages out of this book: Whilst orchestrated and 100% the Germans fault, the extent of the horror was not so much manufactured in the end, but allowed to happen. Neglect in the context of structures designs to dehumanise people is a particularly potent mix. The British were aware but not ready. Only so much could be imagined, but some was known; and more could have been done. Much was done. People who have gone through so much cannot be expected to meet expectations of the rescuer. People can be cantankerous and contrary. Starving and starved people make no sense.

A difficult but important read.

There’s an occasional Clanger where Terry is incredibly racist even though this is an anti racist book, but overall it still stands up and crackles along as a tale of peace and the stupidity of war.

Despite being curious and picking up tiny little slivers of knowledge through work; I know I know essentially nothing about Aboriginal Australian nations and culture. This book is great; and introduction and invitation written/edited by a proud Koori man named Bruce Pascoe; to know more, to celebrate culture, to reckon with historical and contemporary injustices. I am grateful for this accessible intro and recommend it to anyone who ever lives in or travels to Australia.

I dunno if I just wasn’t in the mood for it, or if it was just a hard act to follow after the gentleman in Moscow, but I didn’t love this book, and joined through it for book club rather than for any other reason. Maybe it’s my ignorance of malay history. Maybe it’s that I don’t really care about the marriages of white people in history. It hit some sweet notes and I appreciated the theme of what loyalty may mean in the context of friendship and marriage and with lovers. But despite some evocative scenes and clever plot weaving it just felt two dimensional.

Another book club book and I swear in trying to speed read this I must have missed huge chunks and don’t fully understand what happened at the end! But I loved the descriptions and the main character and would probably happily re-read it on an island. One critique from another in book club which I agree somewhat with is that the main character didn’t feel very Russian; his optimism in particular felt very American. But maybe that’s the point- the internationalists perspective? Or maybe we have too grim a view of Russia? Nonetheless a great read and would recommend.

Man this dude was lucky; this could be a tale of warning (at one point he heads off into the hills with a cyclone coming)… but he wasn’t the only one doing this. He makes this walk seem accessible, which is inspiring, but also worries me a bit. But on the flip side, it’s an easy and beautiful and inspiring read. I think he benefitted from the hospitality of the girls more than he let on, but it was also cool to see how things worked for them. Will give this to my mum, I know she will enjoy it a lot. Very pretty book.

I don’t know if I would have been able to get through the density of it reading normally- that’s more of a reflection on me than the book; which deftly explains details of countries and people I’d never known much about. It’s crazy seeing the impact of that time and those decisions to today; the audacity of the men that made decisions at the time about places they at times barely knew also.

It starts off with the most horrific bits; it’s important for context: for the confusion and love that follows. It blows my mind that we celebrated this man, but this book challenges and explains that fact beautifully.

Listened to the audiobook version. I found this deeply engrossing and immersive; his explanation of complex physics and step by step experiences were beautiful and inspiring. I particularly appreciated his description of quitting smoking (!) and of Velcro for folk who may have never seen it before. Highly recommended.

I knew it would be harrowing; how could it not be? And didn’t have the energy to read about such deep and intractable violence. But it is a good book, the latter half in particular; about grief and motherhood and fragments of hope.

This felt completely out of time; obviously old (I wouldn’t be trusting any geopolitical advice!) and yet prescient and modern. Beautiful descriptions and obviously pitched to the wealthy human that can afford the opportunity cost of drifting for months on end without any income; and yet delightfully accessible advice. Would definitely listen to again.