Aussie Readers discussion

2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC involvement at Gallipoli. I have decided that one of my priorities in 2015 will be to read some books by Aussie authors that in some way relate to our country's involvement in the World Wars. I'm not planning to turn it into a challenge, because I don't wan to lock myself into a commitment. It is more a feeling along the lines of, when I am looking at book selections, I will keep in my mind the wish to read books which honour Australians at war. For example, one of the books at the top of my TBR list is Ronan's Echo by Joanne van Os, as a work of historical fiction.

That sounds really good Mary...Ronan's Echo is one of my top reads for 2014 and I'm sure you'll enjoy it:)

Will you list the books in here that you read that are relevant?

Brenda wrote: "That sounds really good Mary...Ronan's Echo is one of my top reads for 2014 and I'm sure you'll enjoy it:)

Will you list the books in here that you read that are relevant?"

Certainly happy to list the books I read Brenda. I'm not sure if my settings are correct for receiving messages - can you advise what I should have please?

Go to your profile page Mary, then click on "edit my profile" next to your name. When you get there, move along to "settings", click on that, then go down and you'll see "who can send me private messages", click on "anyone" (you must have it set to "just my friends") - then "Save Account Settings" after you've changed things:)

And that would be good, as others would possibly love to read some of your choices too...

Brenda wrote: "Go to your profile page Mary, then click on "edit my profile" next to your name. When you get there, move along to "settings", click on that, then go down and you'll see "who can send me private me..."

Thanks, I've found the relevant page to make the adjustments. Hopefully the emails will get through from now on. :D

And, just as a follow-on from this admin stuff, I'll advise the first book that I'm hoping to read after a hiatus of many decades:
The Heroes: Daring Raiders Of The Pacific War by Ronald McKie, which was published in the 1960s. I read it as a young adult and was gobsmacked by the efforts of the Australian servicemen involved. It tells the story of a secret mission by a special task force on the MV Krait to blow up Japanese shipping near Singapore. The bravery of those men in Operation Jaywick hugely impressed me. No copies available at my library, so I need to search further afield.

Good luck with that Mary! I just did a search on the book, to get more information...couldn't get much at all! Fishpond has it for $39.99 :( Which was the cheapest...I saw some for $70+ !!

Maybe you could ask your library to source it from another library?

Have you by any chance read The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally? I bought it but haven't had a chance to read it yet. I would really love to read something about Gallipoli.

The U.S. Amazon has one for $48.94 + $3.99 shipping. They also have one for $349.60, I didn't bother checking shipping rates :)

The $48.94 is from the UK.

On eBay for $10 http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/THE-HEROES...

I have bought travel books from this seller before - very reliable.

Oh well done Andrea!!!

Sarah wrote: "Have you by any chance read The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally? I bought it but haven't had a chance to read it yet. I would really love to read something abou..."

I've heard excellent things about this book Sarah, but have not yet had a chance to read it. Should be on my TBR list.

Andrea wrote: "On eBay for $10 http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/THE-HEROES...

I have bought travel books from th..."

Thanks Andrea for this link.

Brenda wrote: "Good luck with that Mary! I just did a search on the book, to get more information...couldn't get much at all! Fishpond has it for $39.99 :( Which was the cheapest...I saw some for $70+ !!

Maybe ..."

Yes, Brenda, there are three copies available at libraries in my general area of north-central Victoria. My library corporation charges $3.00 for an inter-library loan. Much cheaper than the dealers' prices quoted by you and other Goodreaders on this thread. I guess it is a collector's item, as a book that is no doubt long out of print, about a specific and quite unique episode of WW2

It seems that Andrea's find is a much better deal if you want to have your own copy:) Good luck!

My Personal Challenge for 2015, in this year of the centenary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli, is to read some books relating to the experiences of Australians at War. I have been delighted with my first choice on this journey of discovery, The Moods Of Ginger Mick by C.J. Dennis, first published in 1916.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Sarah wrote: "Have you by any chance read The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally? I bought it but haven't had a chance to read it yet. I would really love to read something abou..."

I read it and absolutely loved it. It does a fantastic job of showing from the nurses' view the tragedy of Gallipoli. Of course, Keneally's writing is always superb. This history is true, the details great and you almost feel like you are there. The nurses get assigned to the Front as well which gives you a different perspective on the Aussie participation in the War. You should definitely read it and you'll probably want your own copy.

MaryG2E wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Go to your profile page Mary, then click on "edit my profile" next to your name. When you get there, move along to "settings", click on that, then go down and you'll see "who can sen..."

I'm in the States and not a "friend" to MaryG2E (yet?) but I'd really like to tap into the list on Gallipoli. I'm fascinated by WWI and actually more interested in what went on in the Pacific. There's more than enough written on the Western Front (which we get a lot of history on), but not much known here on the Australian contribution to the conflict. How can I sucker my way in?

Linda wrote: "MaryG2E wrote: "I'm in the States and not a "friend" to MaryG2E (yet?) but I'd really like to tap into the list on Gallipoli. I'm fascinated by WWI and actually more interested in what went on in the Pacific. There's more than enough written on the Western Front (which we get a lot of history on), but not much known here on the Australian contribution to the conflict. How can I sucker my way in? ..."

Mary is going to list the books here in her challenge thread as she reads them Linda....

So post #17 shows the first she has read. It looks like that's all that's on her list so far:) Here's a list of ANZAC books that's on Goodreads that I found:)

https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8...

WWI books (not sure if Gallipoli is featured much if at all here)
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Another couple - Turn Right at Istanbul: A Walk on the Gallipoli Peninsula by Anthony W. Wright and Gallipoli 1915: Frontal assault on Turkey by Philip J. Haythornthwaite

And then there is https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8...

Hope these help a little:)

Linda wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Have you by any chance read The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally? I bought it but haven't had a chance to read it yet. I would really love to read ..."

Thanks for your comment and suggestion Linda. This book is very definitely on my list for 2015.

Pleased to advise that a tiny, fragile, 1967 edition of The Heroes by Ronald McKie arrived via inter-library loan yesterday. It is interesting simply to hold such a small, closely-printed paperback, with the price tag of 80 cents still intact! Ronald McKie was an experienced journalist and he has written this book in the style of a novel, so the prose flows easily. Linda, this book is about the action of a special strike force conducting covert operations in the Singapore area during WW2, rather than WW1.

Brenda wrote: "Linda wrote: "MaryG2E wrote: "I'm in the States and not a "friend" to MaryG2E (yet?) but I'd really like to tap into the list on Gallipoli. I'm fascinated by WWI and actually more interested in wha..."

Super thanks Brenda! Now I just have to see how many of them I can get here through the library. I don't think we have interlibrary loan privileges with Australia!!! (lol)

And thank Mary for friending me. Now I can follow your lists and get more ideas!!!!!

P. S. WAY off topic, but I'm extremely interested in Peter Corris's Cliff Hardy series and looking for cheap but decent condition paperbacks to purchase. I'll pay cost and shipping if anyone can find some in used bookstores for a decent price. Thanks!!!!!!

Linda have you tried Booko.com for your comparison in prices? They always show the shipping prices too and a lot have free delivery. https://booko.com.au/products/search?...

Then there's Book Depository http://www.bookdepository.com/search?... with free delivery

Abe Books who are in your neck of the woods http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Searc...

Kenny's who are in Ireland but the last time I bought from them they had free delivery. Just change your country to the $s at the top (it's in pounds at the moment) http://www.kennys.ie/catalogsearch/re...

Hope that will help you a little:)

Today I have finished reading the historical account of the top secret undercover raids by Australian troops on Singapore Harbour in 1943 and 1944, written by an Australian journalist in 1960. The Heroes by Ronald McKie is a genuinely interesting story, and an easy read, which is a blessing when you consider the subject matter. 4.5★s

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

MaryG2E wrote: "Today I have finished reading the historical account of the top secret undercover raids by Australian troops on Singapore Harbour in 1943 and 1944, written by an Australian journalist in 1960. [boo..."

Great review!

Beautiful review! Hope I can get ahold of a copy through our library system. I'm especially interested in actions concerning Singapore since it was mainly Singapore prisoners who were used to work on the Burma-Thailand Railway.

Brenda wrote: "Linda have you tried Booko.com for your comparison in prices? They always show the shipping prices too and a lot have free delivery. https://booko.com.au/products/search?......"

Super thanks, Brenda! I'm always on the lookout for new sources of books. Not that I need more, but some I can't access here in our library and I really want to read them. Free delivery is a definite plus!!!!!

You're welcome:)

The story of the Unknown Patient, a WW1 returned serviceman who lay unidentified in a Sydney mental hospital for 12 years...This is an article from an academic journal, but it is fairly easy reading IMHO. You can skip over the academic lingo if it is too pompous. This story, which I read a few years ago, came to my mind while reading Ronan's Echo by Joanne van Os.
http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent....

BTW, have just finished Ronan's Echo, and it is a terrific read. Thanks to Brenda and other Aussie Readers who have recommended it.

Glad you enjoyed it Mary:)

I decided that I needed to update my somewhat sketchy knowledge of the Gallipoli campaign, so I have recently read a history, Gallipoli: The End of the Myth by Robin Prior. It was not easy reading, but it did educate me and give me much food for thought.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Today I have finished a YA graphic book about Gallipoli, which was quite interesting as a concept. Gallipoli and the Southern Theaters by Gary Jeffrey

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Resuming reading about ANZACs at war, I've just finished a really excellent YA book by Kerry Greenwood, entitled Evan's Gallipoli. Very impressive, a genuinely good read.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A Rose for the ANZAC Boys by Jackie French
OMG can you have more than 5 stars? This book deserves 10. I found this to be an truly outstanding piece of writing about the war experiences of Australian and NZ women and men on the Western Front. By coincidence, I've read it on International Women's Day 2015, which is quite an honour. It will take me a few days to get my head around writing a review. But this meticulously researched, deeply authentic story about women who went to the war to assist the soldiers should be read by all Australians and Kiwis. Deeply moving, and a wonderful tribute to our incredibly brave and resilient female forebears.

MaryG2E wrote: "
A Rose for the ANZAC Boys by Jackie French
OMG can you have more than 5 stars? This book deserves 10. I found this to be..."

You've twisted my arm Mary! I've just added it to my tbr.

Having had a bit of time to digest the contents of the remarkable book A Rose for the ANZAC Boys by Jackie French, here is my review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It's a while since I concentrated on my personal challenge of reading books related to the ANZAC experience. I've just finished a cracker of a story, very sombre and moving, but also romantic and sweet:
Barbed Wire And Roses by Peter Yeldham. Peter Yeldham is fast becoming one of my very favourite Aussie Authors, with his great skill in making historical fiction zing!

My review of this most rewarding read: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

MaryG2E wrote: "It's a while since I concentrated on my personal challenge of reading books related to the ANZAC experience. I've just finished a cracker of a story, very sombre and moving, but also romantic and s..."

That sounds fantastic - adding it.

I continue to read avidly about the ANZAC experience when the opportunity presents. I've recently finished an excellent book, in the genre of 'faction' - a fictionalised account of an Australian soldier's experiences at Gallipoli. The title is Watson's Pier by Joshua Funder. It was a great read and I can recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.
Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished this challenge at the end of 2015 with 12 wonderful books read about the experience of Australians at war. Some of the very best I read were in the YA genre. Overall there were some truly enlightening treatments about the broader aspects of war, not so much focused on the fighting in the trenches. I gained knowledge and insight into the contributions made by women and also men who were not on the front lines.

In a stellar selection, the novel that stood out the most for me was Barbed Wire And Roses by Peter Yeldham because of its deeply moving examination of soldiers with shell shock and the summary execution of same who were deemed to be cowards and thus were 'shot at dawn' (origin of that phrase I think.) 5★s

Then in no particular order:
After Darkness by Christine Piper 4★s
Watson's Pier by Joshua Funder 4.5★s
The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally 3★s
A World of Other People by Steven Carroll 4.5★s
A Rose for the ANZAC Boys by Jackie French 5★s
Evan's Gallipoli by Kerry Greenwood 4.5★s
Gallipoli and the Southern Theaters by Gary Jeffrey 3★s
Ronan's Echo by Joanne van Os 5★s
Gallipoli: The End of the Myth by Robin Prior 4★s
The Heroes by Ronald McKie 5★s
The Moods Of Ginger Mick by C.J. Dennis 5★s

MaryG2E wrote: "I finished this challenge at the end of 2015 with 12 wonderful books read about the experience of Australians at war. Some of the very best I read were in the YA genre. Overall there were some trul..."

I've been very keen to read Barbed Wire And Roses since you gave it such a good review. So far I haven't been able to find a copy to buy, but I see my library has it in their catalogue.

Andrea wrote: "MaryG2E wrote: "I finished this challenge at the end of 2015 with 12 wonderful books read about the experience of Australians at war. Some of the very best I read were in the YA genre. Overall ther..."

Well worth reading Andrea. The book was published about 10 years ago, so there may not be many copies in the bookstores. The copy I read was borrowed from my local library.

Great list Mary, and well done on reading them and enjoying them too. It's a great list for others of us who'd also like to read them, and I thank you for listing them for us all:)

Brenda wrote: "Great list Mary, and well done on reading them and enjoying them too. It's a great list for others of us who'd also like to read them, and I thank you for listing them for us all:)"
Thanks Brenda