BOOK REVIEW

BILL MCCARTHY I did read the first 200 pages of this book. If I had not been distracted by the presence of my two visiting grandchildren then I might have read every second page of the remainder instead of the one in five I did read. Even then it was a toss-up between wordle, sudoku and political party policies. I think Brisbane was not an interesting place in the early 60’s and the characters in the book follow suit. Romantic they are definitely not. The boys drink rum and punch out of rubbish bins. A girl spends a lot of time up a tree looking through her boyfriend’s window, with whom she will not sleep. He gets another girl pregnant who subsequently has an accidental abortion, then kills herself. Other girlfriends are deported or have to leave the country because of the white Australia policy. Another girl gets raped. These events are somehow submerged in 400 pages of idle chit chat. For me, this book was not a pleasant read. MARY BARBER I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were lively, and their dilemmas were easy to relate to. There was enough complexity in their individual stories to make them interesting. This is a coming-of-age book. Tara and her group of friends are at the end of their university days and about to launch into their careers in agriculture. What paths will they take? Which love will last? Readers who know Brisbane well will enjoy the timber homes on the riverfront, the vibrant treescape and the coffee shops of the 1960s. The dialogue and descriptions were all smooth and easy to follow. In short, this is a good book to immerse yourself in.

SUZI HIRST What to say? I struggled! I did not finish this book. I tried but had to force myself to pick up the book and keep ploughing through. Half way through I gave up. I was Interested to see what the reviews were like on the internet, and I was surprised that in the main it was all positive. I will be keen to read what me fellow reviewers have to say about the book! Guess it was just not a book that grabbed me. I will leave it to you to decide whether to give it a go or not! Happy reading.

THOSE BRISBANE ROMANTICS By Danielle De Valera

Way back in the day when people wrote letters, a box of Old Gold chocolates had significance and the City Hall at 91 metres was the tallest building in town; everyone’s under twenty-five and single, and everyone’s hoping to get that special someone into bed. But in Brisbane, 1961, that’s not so easy. Perils abound: The Pill can’t be dispensed to unmarried women, pregnancy terminations are illegal, and being gay is a criminal act - relationships take on unique shapes. If you remember pounds, shillings and pence, you’ll enjoy revisiting this era. TONY HARRINGTON It was interesting to revisit places and an era that I grew up in. This book is about the social, romantic and work life of a group of recent post graduate agricultural scientists in the early 1960’s. I wasn’t too keen on the two principal characters and their on-off relationship. Too many other characters and couples distracted from the main theme. Too many parties, too much booze, too much extraneous stuff! The only thing I found a little bit romantic was the main female character’s love of flowering plants and nature. I didn’t find those Brisbane romantics very romantic at all. The main theme of the book was the power of sexual attraction and the question of sex before marriage. In those days marriage meant motherhood and domesticity versus a career for the single woman. This novel was well written but it didn’t excite me. 4/10

JOHN KLEINSCHMIDT The author provides us with a coming-of-age tale that is as much about life and times in the 1960’s as it is about the uncertain hearts and minds of her vividly described university student characters. Eight agricultural students living and partying in an old Queensland house in Spring Hill experience roller coaster romantic relationships pressured by early marriage and career choices, inter-racial issues influenced by the White Australia Policy and a multitude of other confronting matters including their education choice and artistic aspirations. The writing varies between sparse and beautifully crafted, sometimes an off-putting mix. Not a must read for me but relatable. JO BOURKE This detailed account of student life in the early 60s struck many chords in my memory. I was admitted to Kelvin Grove Teachers College at the tender age of 16 due to a shortage of teachers and quickly embraced student life. The author’s description of the fine old house, the jacarandas, the City Hall, the revues and the parties after are spot on for me! Despite the many characters in this novel, the author skilfully weaves each individual vignette, so the narrative is enhanced and reflects so well the culture of the times with its lack of birth control and the White Australia Policy. I’d love to see this story read by senior school students, but I suspect they would shake their heads in amazement. This is a story for those who lived through the 60s student days and who somehow made it through those days of self discovery and can look back with affection.

I had not previously heard of this author and the internet listed at least a dozen of her books which I look forward to reading.

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