All This, and much, much more....

Welcome to Gleebooks 2009 on behalf of Roger and me. We’re hoping for a MUCH brighter year, given the grievous personal loss of 2008. We’d also love to welcome people back to the freshly renovated Glebe Point Rd, all heritage-dressed and greened and groomed. For all those people scared away by the massive and very lengthy road and footpath closures, COME BACK! We’re open. I ended last year with a note about my favourite books for 2008 (The Boat by Nam Le and Chloe Hooper’s The Tall Man). I don’t really know much of the detail of what 2009 holds, except I have been lucky enough to read an advance copy of David Malouf’s first novel in more than 10 years, Ransom (due in April)—a powerful, visceral and haunting revisiting of Hector’s Troy. It’s a thrilling reworking of a classic subject. I'm otherwise relying at this stage on the advance listings I’ve seen—so far only for Australian books. Look forward to new work this month from Sonya Hartnett (if you haven’t read her yet, you must try the new book, Butterfly) and also this month Peter Singer presents a brilliant treatise called The Life You Can Save. Last year’s Miles Franklin winner Steven Carroll releases The Lost Life in April, and there’ll be more in 2009 from Clive James, M. J. Hyland, Gerald Murnane, Peter Temple (Truth, due in August, here’s hoping), Susan Johnson, Tom Keneally and the wonderful Cate Kennedy. Markus Zusak rounds the year off in November with Bridge of Clay. That’s just to whet your appetite, there’s miles more. And I’d imagine quite a few of these will be visiting to share their work at number 49 Glebe Pt Rd, (or maybe even Blackheath if we can persuade them). Best wishes for the rest of the year, David Gaunt

Small Publishers Unite!

John Hunter of Hunter Publishers (2008 releases: Oink Oink Oink by Eric Yoshiaki Dando and The Two Kinds of Decay by Sarah Manguso) talks about the whys and wherefores of independant & small press publishing in Australia, and SPUNC—The Small Press Underground Networking Community: There's a scene in the movie Annie Hall where Woody Allen describes his feelings about love using an old joke: A guy goes to see a psychiatrist and says, ‘Doc, my brother’s crazy, he thinks he’s a chicken.’ To which the doctor replies, ‘Well, why don’t you have him committed?’ So the guy says, ‘Well, I would, but … we need the eggs.’ I think of that joke when I try and understand the enduring success of independent publishing in Australia. Little to do with independent publishing makes sense, least of all commercial sense. The strange life of the small press is as improbable as it is prolific—its longevity seems irrational and yet Australia’s independent publishers continue to produce an extraordinary range and number of quality books and publications that articulate Australian literary culture. Perhaps it began in response to the colonial history of mainstream Australian publishing—that most major Australian publishers were established and continue to operate as the local office of a multinational publishing corporation. Or perhaps it was a reaction to the disastrous effect that foreign ownership has on local writing. That, given a choice between investing to publish new Australian writers or reproducing a local version of a commercially proven, lucrative product from their existing publishing programs in Britain and the USA, multinational corporations will almost always favour the risk-free, low investment option. For whatever reasons, our independent scene has thrived and experienced regular growth spurts in the 1950s, 1970s, and again most recently in the 1990s and 2000s, which suggest it is here to stay. We are all aware of the more obvious independent success stories, such as the inaugural winner of the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for non-fiction in 2008, Ochre and Rust (Wakefield Press) or the 2007 Miles Franklin Award Winner Carpentaria (Giramondo). But it is in more subtle, yet profound, ways that, despite operating on a small commercial scale independent publishers work to shape our literary culture. Especially in the current publishing environment, where major publishing corporations eschew risk and abandon Australian content, it is small and independent presses who perform the vital role of discovering and nurturing new authors, ensuring that Australian content continues to be published, supporting innovation and artistic diversity, and ensuring that non-commercial literary forms, like poetry and short fiction, survive. The enduring significance of Australia’s independent publishing sector was acknowledged in Melbourne’s recent designation as a UNESCO City of Literature, which specifically recognised our broad based publishing industry, represented by independent publishers, as an indicator of the city’s strong literary culture. If this sudden international recognition comes as a surprise, you might be interested in the findings of a report, commissioned by the Small Press Underground Networking Community (SPUNC) in 2007 to address the lack of formal information about the small and independent publishing sector in Australia. A copy of the report is available on our website: www.spunc.com.au. The report, written and researched by Kate Freeth reveals: ‘a diverse independent publishing sector, with a healthy mix of established presses and new ventures. It spans all genres of publishing, with a strong representation of fiction, particularly poetry and short fiction. Presses usually operate with very limited resources, and many do not receive funding at all. Despite this, there is a widespread sense of dedication and devotion to publishing new writers, providing high-quality content and maintaining the diversity of published work, where multinational publishing corporations may not be so supportive.’ It will probably come as little surprise to hear that many independents run on personal ‘dedication and devotion‘ rather than sound commercial principles. To paraphrase Adam Smith, there is an unseen hand at work in the thriving independent publishing scene: the strictly non-commercial enterprise of editors, designers, publishers, and writers that drives the independents. But while all this is vital, I think most readers would understand that this model is unsustainable and many small presses grind to a halt once they have exhausted the energy and enthusiasm of the participants. In response to this, SPUNC was formed as a representative body for small and independent publishers, to promote the independent sector but also espouse the principle of diversity within the publishing industry as a vital component of Australian literayr culture. Today we have over fifty member publishers and together we are working to ensure the continued viability of independent publishing in Australia by facilitating collaborative initiatives that target the practical difficulties facing the sector plus networking and communication between small presses, the media, booksellers, and the general public. Australian cultural achievement seems to always incite us to evoke the intangible qualities that led to success. Especially in a society that commodifies culture, we need to figure out what went right, as if the whole process could be reverse engineered. But rather than focus on intangibles, we need to understand the material conditions that have supported independent publishing in this country. The most important is our extensive network of quality independent booksellers operating around Australia. In this respect, we are the envy of the English-speaking world. There is a tight connection between the viability of independent booksellers, who actively promote Australian writers and publishers and stock a diverse and extensive range of books, magazines, and journals, and a thriving publishing scene. Conversely, you can chart the demise of publishing in the UK alongside the loss of market share from independent booksellers in Britain to supermarkets and discount chains. A good bookshop is more than just a retail marketplace. It acts as a community centre and, through supporting book launches and author events and circulating news, reviews, and interviews in newsletters and websites, acts as a literary hub for readers, writers, and publishers. A good bookshop is a stimulating, enlightening, and fun environment in a way that a supermarket can never be. Whether a vital Australian literary culture is a valuable thing is a decision that Australians need to make for themselves, both as individuals and collectively. I would argue that, in an age of globalized culture, we need the fruits of a truly independent and Australian publishing industry more than ever—but then I’m an interested party. Perhaps we all have an interest in the continued success of independent publishers. If that’s true, then we need to let our choices as consumers reflect those interests by supporting not only our local publishers but also the independent booksellers who continue to create the environment in which Australian publishing can thrive. John Hunter, General Manager, Small Press Underground Networking Community (SPUNC) www.spunc.com.au

The Wilder Aisles

I wanted to write about my life of reading books, but the editor said no. (I never! Looking forward to the series. ed.) She then relented & said I could have one anecdote. So—when I was I ten, my grandmother gave me some birthday money to spend on a book. Off I went to the local newsagent, there were no bookstores in my suburb, to find the only book I could afford was The Muddled-Headed Wombat by Ruth Park, which was, I knew, too young for me. Despite my disappointment, I bought it, & read it. Imagine my surprise & delight when, the following Christmas I received, in lovely illustrated hardcover editions, the three Heidi books for Christmas, which made up some what for the birthday blues. ........ Now to what I read over Christmas/the summer. A new discovery in crime was Linwood Barclay, a US author, living in Canada. The books I read are No time to Say Goodbye & Too Close to Home. A customer drew my attention to the first & I thought it was terrific. Cynthia wakes one morning, goes down stairs to get ready for school, & finds her family, mother, father & brother gone. Thinking they have gone out early for some reason, she goes off to school & it is only when she is asked where her brother is, that she realises something is very wrong. Flash forward twenty-five years & Cynthia is back at her old house doing a ‘where are they now’ type show. What follows is a clever, entertaining mystery. I kept thinking, how is he going to resolve this—but resolve it he did & I was not a bit disappointed.     The second, Too Close to Home, is similiar but different—more edgy, a bit more of a thriller. When a family of three, the Langleys, are shot, their closest neighbours, the Cutters, find it hard to believe. The Langleys were an ordinary suburban family—who would want them dead? Then, when it seems the killers may have got the wrong house, Jim Cutter starts to wonder if his own family may have secrets he knows nothing about. What follows turns their world upside down. Strong characters & a strong plot drive—& the conclusion is stunning. Introducing Flavia de Luce, a new breed of detective heroine. Alan Bradley’s The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is an amusing, inventive crime story. Flavia, a pig-tailed eleven-year-old, with a penchant for poisons, finds a body in the cucumber patch, & when her father is charged with murder, she uses all her skills to solve the murder & free him. Set in 1950 in an old Victorian house with a laboratory in the attic, two evil sisters, a difficult father, eccentric villagers, stamp collecting, poisons & a detective like no other, this is great fun—the first in a series.   And the last of the crime novels—The Preacher by Camilla Läckberg, a follow up to The Ice Princess. This, I think, is even better. It has more depth, the characters are more developed & the story-line more interesting. Detective Patrik Hedstrom, featured in the last book, always suspected foul play in a cold case of twenty years before.Two young holidaymakers disappeared, & no sign of them was seen until a young boy out playing discoves their remains—with, to the towns horror, a fesh victim. When a second girl goes missing attention focuses on a feuding clan of misfits, religious fanatics & criminals.The list of suspects is long, the secrets dark & many. A terrific read—Läckberg is one of the best of the Scandinavian crime writers.   A bit of a surprise was author of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Paul Torday’s The Girl on the Landing. His latest is very interesting. It begins with Michael, a middle-aged man of means, staying in a friend’s house in Ireland. As he descends the stair to dinner, he notices a small painting on the wall—a woman in a green dress in the background. When he comments on the painting to his hosts they say there is no woman in the picture—& when Michael looks at it again he sees they are right. This begins a series of incidents that lead Michael to queston his grip on reality. Meanwhile, at his ancestral home in the wilds of Scotland, the past rises up & threatens to destroy everything & everyone he has ever loved. This is a strange book—difficult to fit into a particular category. However, I liked it a lot and found it hard to put down. A last mention of the Persephone Books, which I believe Jack has written about in a Gleaner past. They are the loveliest things—grey paper covers, end papers by artists well-known in their day & lovely, evocative stories. The two I read are Princes in the Land by Joanna Canaan, published in 1938 & The Village by Marghanti Laski, published in 1952. I enjoyed them immensely. Janice Wilder

Children's Books

FOR PRESCHOOLERS Dear Zoo, Oh Dear! & Buster Gets Dressed by Rod Campbell Rod Campbell’s Dear Zoo is a long-standing favourite with my two-year-old twin boys. Since well before they were one they have enjoyed the story of a succession of animals sent by the Zoo to “me”. They like the lift-up flaps that reveal a series of unsuitable animals. The lion is too fierce, the frog is too jumpy, and so on. The surprise element at one year of age has been superseded with the pleasure of lifting the flaps themselves and making the animal noises. A flap is occasionally torn off when they read it to themselves and the damaged book presented to me with a sad “Ohhh”. But there’s sticky tape for that. We have two other Rod Campbell books that have been a hit, Oh Dear! and Buster Gets Dressed. Note that in Dear Zoo the monkey is returned for being too naughty and the camel for grumpiness and it does take some restraint to not give this undue emphasis. At the end of the book the Zoo naturally delivers a pet that is perfect for keeping. Jane Harris   PICTURE BOOKS There Are Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz ($27.95, HB) …not only are they in the book, but in boxes, on sofas, in quilts and wrapped up in wool. The three playful cats in this charming book lead the reader through die-cut pages, complete with various (cat) flaps, hand written type and loose, colourful illustrations. The general chaos of the book belies its extremely thoughtful design, but contributes greatly to the reading experience. Great fun for children, catlovers, and anyone interested in all aspects of design and illustration. Louise Pfanner AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT Weebeastology: Volume I by Micah Linton ($19.95, boxed set) If you haven’t discovered the Weebeasts, a wonderful imaginative world awaits you. Peaceable and compassionate little creatures not too remote from humans, the Weebeasts are constantly evolving throughout their history, which has parallels with ours. Intrepid explorers, they’ve an eco-friendly philosophy, have developed a highly sophisticated technology and unlike (some) humans, they learn from experience, so harmful incidents are not repeated. So far Micah Linton has unearthed enough detail in his field studies to suggest that mythology is populated by Weebeasts—he is producing three volumes of Weebeast culture, with more to follow. Rendered in pencil and watercolour, the world of these irresistible wee beings is brought to life in textless books for readers of any age. Ingenious! Those who enjoy the endearing, unthreatening Moomins should find Weebeasts equally charming. (We look forward to the promised Weebeast soft toys adorned with souvenirs of their travels.) Lynndy NOVELTY BOOKS Two spectacular interactive books arrived at the end of last year, and in case you’ve not seen them I urge you to come in and play with these books which will be year-round successes. No cutting, gluing or allen keys necessary! Commander Nova’s Pop-Up Alien Space Station by Nick Denchfield & Steve Cox ($35, HB) Once you’ve read young Nick Nova’s heroic intergalactic exploits, convert the book into a massive pop-up space station almost 60cm tall and more than 70cm across. Secure the station, extract and assemble your space ships and press-out play pieces, check for alien intruders then blast off on your own adventures! With all these play pieces, complex paper engineering and more than 50 hidden objects to find, this book provides endless hours of imaginative play for any space cadet. The Gruffalo Pop-Up Theatre Book by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler ($45, HB) Look out Broadway, the Gruffalo is here! As well as the complete story of the Gruffalo, you get a pop-up theatre, a script and staging ideas, press-out characters and all the deliciously scary atmosphere of the original story, along with possibilities to create your own play using the pieces provided. What a great introduction to theatre and stage management, in the company of this latter day favourite! Lynndy Bennett   TEEN FICTION Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan ($17.95, PB) In my group of friends we are constantly reading a variety of books on which we all have different opinions. But after reading Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist we were unanimous—it ROCKED!! After a long year of assignments and exams, this sweet, funny novel was really refreshing! I absolutely loved it and recommend it HIGHLY for teenagers. Jacqui (aged 15) (This is one of my recent favourites as well. I loved the fresh premise, the characters, and the New York setting. The forthcoming movie adaptation remains true to the book, according to the Geeks of Doom website: “… its radiant truth and naturalistic approach cuts deep through our toughest layer of skin that isn’t penetrated very easily. The characters jump off the screen and suggest we hug them. They don’t have to ask twice.” Lynndy   Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock ($17, PB) When Princess Ben’s parents go missing, her life changes forever. Her Aunt, Queen Sophia, starves her and locks her away in the highest tower of the castle. When Ben thinks all is lost she finds a mysterious and hidden portal in her room, and so she finds the ‘Wizard room’—a magical room that teaches her both magic, and how to a fly broom stick. Ben learns that it is up to her to save her country. Can Ben do it? This is a wonderful book about family, trust, magic and believing in yourself. I loved every page, and every word. Let Ben unravel an unforgettable tale that you will never forget. Siena Cole (aged 12)   Zel by Donna Jo Napoli This is the story of Rapunzel, known as Zel, and why she finds herself captive in the lonely tower. Donna Jo Napoli vividly recreates the fairytale, setting it in medieval Switzerland—with all the natural beauty of the time and place. It has to be said this is less of a fairytale, and more a remarkable story of the relationship between Rapunzel and her mother. At times quite harrowing, it is also completely compelling, but not suitable for really young readers. The descriptive writing style is perfect for the tone of the story, it ranges from a naturalistic narrative to magic realism, and some of the imagery is indeed, spellbinding. Louise     Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett ($29.95, PB) Winner of the 2008 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for Literature, the world’s largest children’s book award, Sonya Hartnett has a reputation for writing brilliantly disquieting novels that confront us with the bleaker side of humanity. While Butterfly has traces of darker undercurrents, it is the poignancy of the narrative layers that will touch the reader most deeply. Ariella (‘Plum’) Coyle trembles on the brink of Change: her 14th birthday will bring a transformation of her too-large, hideous self to welcome graceful proportions, and she will be comfortable within her world. Plum wills it so, and prevails upon the treasured objects of power stored safely beneath her bed for strength and confidence. Change does arrive, but it affects far more than Plum’s lumpen body. Her adored older brothers become mysteries to prise open; her friendship with the sophisticated woman next door allows Plum (“Live life as Aria… it will make a difference.”) to feel cherished and equipped to glide through the turbulence of adolescence; while her school friends behave with transparent superiority just as Plum starts to flutter with hope and achievement. Throughout this story of teenage ambitions and disappointments seethe well-protected lies and betrayal, in it love takes many forms. Humour, insight, and heartrending revelations mark Butterfly as one of Hartnett’s most compassionate and powerful novels. Lynndy

From the Theatre

At the time of writing the year is off to a cracking start with The War of the Roses—8 hours of the Shakespeare history plays from Richard II to Richard III, with the Henrys in between. The adaptation is by the director Benedict Andrews and Tom Wright, and is performed by the Actor’s Company of the STC, with Cate Blanchett. There has been great, though occasionally somewhat exhausted feedback, and there’ll still be 2 weeks to see it when you read this—it closes on the 14th February. Aside from the play texts and a huge array of materials relating to Shakespeare and the relevant history we also have an extra special (as these are Cate’s first appearances at the STC since Hedda Gabler in 2004) of both the Elizabeth films on DVD for only $9.95 each (original price $34.95). The rest of the year at the Sydney Theatre promises much, including another two big productions from the Sydney Theatre Company—Poor Boy, the Tim Finn/Matt Cameron musical, and Streetcar Named Desire with Cate as Blanche Dubois (which I believe is already almost sold out). There are also two new productions from the Sydney Dance Company, The Australian Ballet’s ongoing Bodytorque series of new choreography and, from Iceland’s Vesturport Theatre, an acclaimed adaptation of Kafka’s Metamorphosis. For those who like to read up before/or after a night at the theatre, below is a list of play texts relating to the entire 2009 STC Season —Cate and Andrew’s first. The Removalists—arguably David Williamson’s greatest play, $21.95 Travesties—Tom Stoppard at his most hilarious & stimulating, $26.95 The Wonderful World of Dissocia—Scottish playwright Anthony Neilson’s Edinburgh Festival hit, $29.95 When the Rain Stops Falling—Andrew Bovell’s new play, $21.95 (available in March)     Elling—the cult Norwegian hit adapted by Simon Bent, $28.95 The City—Martin Crimp’s black black humour in the 21st century, $26.95           Poor Boy—the book of the musical, by Matt Cameron, $18.95 Saturn’s Return—Tommy Murphy’s latest play, $18.95 A Streetcar Named Desire—included in a Penguin volume of selected plays by Tennessee Williams, $19.95       God of Carnage—Jasmina Reza’s (Multi-Awarded French playwright of Art [the play] fame) 2006 comedy translated by Christopher Hampton, $24.95 David Farr’s adaptation of Metamorphosis is currently out of print, but a reprint is pending. Special Price DVDs: Elizabeth & Elizabeth: The Golden Years (with Kate Blanchett) - were $34.95, now $9.95. And We have the complete American Film Theatre Collection available at the special price of $16.95 per DVD (down from $32.00). Thirteen superb films in brilliant 16:9 prints, all with great extras. Butley, Galileo, Rhinoceros, The Homecoming, A Delicate Balance, Luther, In Celebration, Jacques Brel is Alive & Well & Living in Paris, The Iceman Cometh, Philadelphia Here I Come, The Maids, The Man in the Glass Booth, and Lost in the Stars. Alan Dun

DVDs at 49 with Ward Swadling

I hope every one had a good summer break & received lots of goodies for Christmas. It will be the March issue before the DVD news gets back into full swing, so I thought I would list a few titles that came in late December, just so they won’t be missed. The Sopranos Complete ($299.95, Boxed Set) Here it is! All six seasons of The Sopranos in one magnificent box of 30 discs. One of the best television shows ever made. And a swag of special features including over 3.5 hours of never-before-seen features: David Chase’s reaction to the fans outcry over the series finale; Secrets from the writers room; Cast auditions; The music selected & the meaning behind it; Lost scenes saved from the editing room. John Adams ($108.00, Region 1, Boxed Set) Based on David McCullough’s Pulitzer Prize winning book, this 7 part mini series follows John Adams from lawyering in Boston, to becoming a member of the Continental Congress where along with Benjamin Franklin & Thomas Jefferson, he pushed the 13 colonies to declare independence in 1776. He helped compose the Declaration of Independence, was an outstanding failure as an ambassador to France & England, and became the first Vice President of America & its second President. Just great Television. Highly recommended.   4 by Agnes Varda $180.00, Region 1, Boxed Set) Featuring La Pointe Courte (1954), Cleo From 5-7 (1961), Le Bonheur (1964), Vagabond (1985). A great package from Criterion that contains these four feature films plus three shorts and a handsome book. All the films have been beautifully transferred and are a pleasure to watch. They are the sort of movies you see at a film festivals & love. It is easy to see why Agnes Varda is called a poet with the camera.     The Small Back Room ($72, Region 1) After the colour extravaganza of Red Shoes Powell & Pressburger made this small black & white film set during World War 2 about an alcoholic research scientist & bomb disposal expert. I hadn’t seen this before & it is a little gem.         The English Surgeon ($31.95) Dr Henry Marsh is a renowned English Neurosurgeon, who every year for the past 15 years has gone to the Ukraine to offer free medical consultation and preform surgery on brain tumours the have been deemed inoperable. It is also the story of Dr Igor Petrovich, Marsh’s Ukrainian protégé, who is fighting the local medical system who are suspicious of success. This documentary will make you laugh and make you cry. A must!     First Australians ($39.95) Recently shown on SBS, this documentary series chronicles the collision of two worlds and the genesis of a new nation, from the point of view of the Aboriginal people. It begins in 1788 with the friendship between Governor Phillip & Bennelong & ends with the Mabo legal challenge.       Keating: The Musical ($26.95) The story of Paul Keating as Prime Minister set to music. This was filmed for the ABC & shown last August. Check out who gets up to dance with the cast at the end!         The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (Region 1, $72) Starring Richard Burton. An oldie but a goldie. Based on John le Carre’s classic cold war novel, this is one of the best cold war thrillers ever made. This 2 disc version has just been released by Criterion. The picture has been remastered, there’s a book & the second disc comes with documentaries & interviews.       DVD BESTSELLERS FOR 2008 As It Is In Heaven Ten Canoes First Australians Macbeth BBC Shakespeare Three Colours Trilogy Wings of Desire Babette’s Feast Lives of Others In the Shadow of the Moon Annie Leibowitz

Leaves

The Elements of Organic Gardening by HRH The Prince of Wales ($65.00, HB) I couldn’t resist this one. The charming picture on the jacket of HRH leaning on a shovel, all silvery, signet ring flashing in the sun as though he’s just come in out of the paddock, was too much. Funny how he doesn’t have any dirt on him. And are those clothes really very practical for gardening? I would have thought the staff uniforms shown in the pics throughout the book were far more appropriate. Of course, I’m being unfair. None of these books supposedly written by Personages Royal are actually written by said Personages. Poor old Stephanie Donaldson, who obviously did all the work, and who, I strongly suspect, is better informed on the subject of organic gardening, is relegated to a typeface at least half the size of ‘HRH The Prince of Wales’. I’m not quite sure how I feel about this: having someone famous attracts readers and hopefully encourages interest in, and practice of, organic gardening—but when the kind of fawning language which is used here to describe ‘The Prince’, ‘the Duchess’ and their activities actually interferes with the theme which is suggested by the book’s title, I wonder about the wisdom of the whole project. Prince Charles apparently was allowed to write his own introduction, and a pleasant bit of waffle it is. He capitalises ‘Nature’ throughout, and also capitalises ‘She’ when referring to nature. All very Gaia, and a tad jarring given the writer’s position. He also describes his intuitive sense, when he bought the Highgrove Estate in 1980, that ‘if you abuse Nature unnecessarily and fail to maintain a balance, then She will probably abuse you in turn.’ This is the fairly simple philosophy at the foundation of The Elements of Organic Gardening and one of the main tenets of the organic gardening movement. Although the book gives some practical advice about soil types, water and issues such as companion planting, the larger theme is the unity of ‘Nature’. A caption to the map of Highgrove’s gardens, hints that this is really the book’s aim, and even the purpose of the gardens themselves: ‘As visitors travel through the gardens, on pathways or on the page, it is the Prince’s wish that, while enjoying the beauty, they will reach the end of the journey with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the principles of organic gardening. These principles underlie everything that is done at Highgrove’. As this caption suggests, the book is really a coffee table book—a pictorial guide to Highgrove and also to gardens at Clarence House and Birkhall at Balmoral, which Charles has managed since the Queen Mother’s death. Pictures of all these gardens are plentiful. A few of them involve Charles and Camilla improbably performing menial gardening chores, but beautiful photographs of really very beautiful gardens dominate. And, I suppose, if the book encourages more organic gardeners … well, where’s the harm? Daniel Brass

Idle Summer Thoughts Of An Idle Fellow - With Apologies To Jerome K. Jerome

The Scene: A remote island in the South Pacific. Golden, sun-kissed beaches and azure waters. Your correspondent rests in a hammock slung between two palm trees, strawberry daiquiri (and book) in hand being serenaded with ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac’s husky toned siren Stevie Nicks… Now there you go again. You say you want your freedom. Well who am I to keep you down? It’s only right that you shou........ A sudden beeping of my email in tray awakens this hapless drone from his dream of tropical torpor as I find myself back at my desk gazing at the 2009 Gleaner Schedule sent by the ever-alert editor who confidently predicts that I have ‘something up my sleeve’ for a first article. I think she is hoping for an in-depth review of secondhand bookselling trends throughout 2008. But there isn’t one. I’m too lazy. Instead, what follows are some random highlights of my recent Holiday reading, a movie recommendation and a public appeal. Books I’m Enjoying Reading: Gough Whitlam: a Moment in History—Volume 1 by Jenny Hocking. A very informative and crisply written biography of—dare I say it—Australia’s most controversial Prime Minister. The first of a two volume work, although there may be need of a third if Gough reaches his century. It concludes in 1972 with the Labor Party in power for the first time in 23 years. A much needed work because although we almost know too much about Whitlam’s dramatic Prime Ministership—thanks to Gough’s larger than life persona, his own writings on its history and sudden end—in many ways we don’t know enough of the man himself, his upbringing and the circumstances that shaped his political development.   Stella Miles Franklin: A Biography by Jill Roe. I’m about halfway through this one. It’s long—over 700 pages—but the subject demands it. The iconic author of My Brilliant Career as well as the journalist, feminist, nationalist and larrikin now has the elegant, vividly written life she deserves.         Books I’m Looking Forward to Reading: Nothing to Fear: FDR’s Inner Circle and the Hundred Days That Created Modern America by Adam Cohen. Elected by a landslide after a decade of Republican rule, a popular Democrat President promising a ‘New Deal’ to the American people has to cope with the greatest crisis faced by his nation since the Civil War. The author examines five of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s advisers whom he sees as having been the most influential in developing the President’s extraordinary legislative programme. They were: Frances Perkins (Labor Secretary), Harry Hopkins (Civil Works Administration Director), Henry Wallace (Agriculture Secretary), Lewis Douglas (Budget Director) and presidential aide Raymond Moley. In the new administration policy decisions were reached through rigorous argument rather than any fixed ideological position. By the time you read this article, the 2009 New ‘New Deal’ will be underway and perhaps a copy of this timely book will be found on the desk of multi-tasking President Obama. A Film I’m Looking Forward to Seeing: Valkyrie—Tom Cruise tries to kill Hitler in this film detailing the events of 20 July 1944 in which he plays the role of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. I know what a lot of you are thinking. Look, my German-born wife refuses to accompany me to see it. Not on the grounds of any imagined historical inaccuracies but simply because she won’t watch any film in which Mr. Cruise appears. She may not be alone. However, the events of 20 July 1944 are a defining moment in German history. It was an occasion when a group of men and women sacrificed their lives in order to assert the values of civilisation and humanity against a regime of evil. Such a day full of drama, heroism and tragedy can hardly fail to translate into a good film (I hope). I recommend the following titles for those who would like to read more about this event. As historian Peter Hoffmann notes ‘It told the world of another Germany besides “Nazi Germany”’. And it is to Hoffmann’s books one must turn to understand not only the motivations & actions of that day but also the many layered and numerous other avenues of resistance to the Nazi dictatorship. Hoffmann’s The History of the German Resistance 1933–1945 is the most comprehensive account published. Just as scrupulously researched is Stauffenberg: A Family History 1905–1944, his intriguing portrait of the three Stauffenberg brothers Berthold (1905-1944), Claus (1907-1944) and Alexander (1905-1963). Originally published in 1995, a 2008 edition has been updated to include both a new preface and important new research uncovered since the first edition. Lastly, Valkyrie by Hans Bernd Gisevius—which is an abridgement of his longer memoir To the Bitter End. Gisevius (1904-1974) was one of the earliest and most active plotters. He used his position as a diplomat to further the anti-Nazi conspiracy. He escaped to Switzerland in 1945 and was a prosecution witness at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. His book, although both opinionated—he had no real liking for Stauffenberg—and self-serving is invaluable as an ‘insiders account’ of events. Our Grey Heaven—Glebe Point Road 2009: In closing, let me note we have survived over 13 months of noisy, dusty, annoying street renovations (many other businesses did not). So, finally—grey-slated footpaths and all, telegraph pole-free Glebe Pt Road welcomes you. Apparently, a large sum of Sydney City Council money is to be spent on an advertising campaign luring shoppers back. Personally, I’d use the closing lines uttered by Buddy Ebsen (as Jed Clampett) at the end of each episode of the Sixties TV comedy series The Beverly Hillbillies: ‘You’all come back now ... Hear?’ — Stephen Reid.

Winton's Paw Prints

February’s deadline finds me feeling a little hot under the collar but it’s not global warming that’s got me steamed. Was there ever a clearer picture of John Howard’s relation to George Dubya than his beaming face as he accepted his Freedom Medal for servicemen rendered? Was I hallucinating or was Johnny wearing the short pants of a first year lad who’s been favoured with the opportunity of seeing to the head boy’s laundry? Hardly the ‘man of steel’ of Dubya’s snow job. Surely Australia’s former PM could have been ashamed or at least embarrassed to be receiving an, ironically titled in this case, award from a disgraced administration—perhaps he could even have used this opportunity to exhibit a bit of statesmanship by rejecting the award for himself but accepting it for those who have given their lives & continue to fight on two fronts of a poorly planned military strategy that has acheived none of its goals. Anyway—I’m reading The Baader-Meinhof Complex by Stefan Aust at the moment so forgive me if I incline towards sloganeering. Not that you’ll find me joining any terrorist cells in the near future, as Aust’s well drawn portrait of the Red Army Faction would indicate that self-congratulation, self-aggrandisement & self-delusion are chronic diseases from which all sides of the political spectrum suffer. Author, Aust, worked in the editorial offices of konkret (the radical magazine that Ulrike Meinhof edited, wrote for, and ultimately rejected) from 1966 to 1969, and was acquainted with various of the RAF’s players during its ‘reign of terror’ in 70s Germany. Aust’s narrative starts with the grimly co-ordinated suicides of prisoners Andreas Baader, Jan-Carl Raspe, Gudrun Ensslin & Irmgaard Möller on Tuesday 18th, October 1977 and then leaps back in time to 1970 when Baader was sprung from prison and the up-til-then violence fence-sitter, Ulrike Meinhof, leaped with him into a celebratory terrorist future of ‘wanted for attempted murder’ posters. The book then weaves biographical sketches of all the RAF’s ‘cadres’ through the history of 60s student unrest in Germany—with the very real spectre of a murderous fascist past looming large when student protest was put down by a disproportionately violent police response—‘the Auschwitz generation with whom there is no arguing.’ As Meinhof puts it: ‘It is protest if I say this or that does not suit me. It is resistance if I ensure that what does not suit me no longer occurs...Counter-violence runs the risk of turning to violence where police brutality decides the rules of the game, where helpless rage takes over from cool rationality, where the paramilitary actions of the police encounter a paramilitary reply...’ Of course what follows is more heartbreaking than heroic. Or blackly humorous if you include the extraordinary clash of cultures in the Palestinian terrorist training camp when the Germans insist on mixed-sex sleeping arrangements and demand more bullets & more rations (including a coke vending machine) from their poverty stricken hosts. Terrorist tourism at its most absurd. Aust refrains from judgement, giving the reader plenty of room to wander through the complexities of ‘armed struggle’ by themselves. Because whilst at times the RAF reads like the Manson girls trooping down Sharon Tate’s driveway, there is much that rings true in regard to taking action in a post 9/11 world when, to quote Gudrun Ensslin, ‘the bourgeois schizophrenia of doing things you don’t believe in has reached the point where people who really want a democratic society are simultaneously constructing a fascist one.’ —a society in which John Howard gets a Freedom Medal. Winton

What We're Reading

James:—In her extraordinary novel Tender Morsels Margo Lanagan re-imagines the Brothers Grimm’s Snow White and Rose Red. She fleshes out the story and characters with breathtaking prose. Even though she uses fantasy and magic liberally, the story is an unflinchingly real look at a woman’s survival of horrific abuse, and how she finds safety. Lanagan subtly inverts themes like: innocence and experience, the child/parent dynamic & reality & fantasy to incredible effect. I was riveted by this book; it is one of those stories that has continuously settled on my mind in daydreaming moments. John:—Just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s good. I don’t know how many times I have thought, heard or made that statement, but the converse is also true. It was the extraordinary popularity of The Girl who Played with Fire when it was released in Australia on December 19, that made me think that Stieg Larsson’s first book The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo might be worth a look and I must say that I haven’t been disappointed. Scott:—The First Circle, Alexandr Solzhnitsyn—As a teenager I started Solzhenitsyn’s The Gulag Archipelago but quickly abandoned Stalin’s prison camps for racier stuff—probably The Dice Man or the latest Robert Ruark pot-boiler. I’m not sure why, then, I picked up Solzhenitsyn’s The First Circle recently —another tale of exile and imprisionment based on the author’s own experiences working as a mathematician in a prison research institute during the final years of Stalin’s regime—which promised to be just as harrowing. And it is. But the writing is so good and the story so remarkable that I found it absolutely compelling. Now I can’t wait to get back to the gulags! Liz:—Of all the books published in 2008 the one that stands out for me is The Boat by Nam Le. I am not usually a fan of short stories but this collection is so satisfying—each story so substantial and well developed—that it won me over. Twenty-something year old Le is disgustingly talented. He covers a vast amount of terrain and deftly slips from one narrative voice into another. He is equally comfortable writing from the perspective of a teenage hitman in Colombia, an aging New York artist, a tourist in Tehran or a child in Hiroshima just before the bomb is dropped. If you like Tim Winton then you must read Le’s coming of age story set in a small Victorian fishing town. This is an impressive first collection and I can’t wait to see what comes next. Viki:—I’ve been on a Kate Jennings spree. Her Quarterly Essay on the run-up to Obama’s election sent me straight to Moral Hazard for more of her sharp analysis of the capitalist world’s fall into disgrace. Then her memoir of grief, crazy New Yorkers & border terriers, Stanley & Sophie. I’ve been told Snake is equally rewarding, so that’s next on the list.

Gleebooks Top 30 For 2008

Breath, Tim Winton The Spare Room, Helen Garner People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge A Fraction of the Whole, Steve Toltz The Boat, Nam Le The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz The Lieutenant, Kate Grenville American Journeys, Don Watson The Chaser Annual 2008, Chaser Team The Lost Dog, Michelle de Kretser Wanting, Richard Flanagan When You Are Engulfed in Flames, David Sedaris A Most Wanted Man, John le Carre Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Dread of Death, Irvin D. Yalom Grandeur & Grit: A History of Glebe, Max Solling Tales From Outer Suburbia, Shaun Tan The Private Patient, P. D. James Gough Whitlam: A Moment in History, Jenny Hocking Never Say Die, Chris O’Brien The Slap, Christos Tsiolkas The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery On Rage, Germaine Greer Life in His Hands, Susan Wyndham The Uncommon Reader, Alan Bennett The Lot: The Journalism of Michael Leunig Being in Love, Judith Pickering The Book Thief, Markus Zusak Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet, Jeffrey Sachs

And Another Thing....

The countdown is at two days to inauguration, and with the Israeli/Hamas conflict stacking further odds against him I hope President Obama manages to achieve something of significance other than re-election in his first term. Welcome to Gleaner 2009. As usual I come away from these pages with lists of books to look forward to. Clearly I must read Sonya Hartnett’s new novel, Butterfly. Waltz with Bashir (page 4), the graphic novel about the 1982 massacre of Palestinians in the refugee camps of Sabra & Shatila is also a must, and The Vagrants (page 4) by Yiyun Li looks equally compelling. Janice (on page 7) has me leaning towards a Linwood Barclay & some Camilla Läckberg-led Scandinavian crime (with some Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie sandwiched between). I’m also looking forward to David Grossman’s collection of essays Writing in the Dark (page 12) and Nancy Fraser’s investigation of the left’s problematic balancing act between identity politics & its historical commitment to economic equality in Adding Insult to Injury. Viki