BOOK REVIEW

BILL MCCARTHY A little treasure of a book. Ben Lawson tugs at our heart strings with his reminiscences of growing up and life in Australia, before taking the plunge and travelling overseas to live and work. The bushfires of 2019 came as a shock and wakeup call. Especially the heroic efforts of the firefighters and the impact on the victims balanced against the poor response of our government to the threat of global warming.

It was stroke of genius to match his heartfelt words with the wonderful illustrations of Bruce Whatley. These cleverly highlight the emotions in Ben’s text. Whatever your attitude to the causes of global warming, you cannot help but sympathise with this young author. MARY BARBER Ben Lawson has written a homage to our beautiful land. The book is about the megafires of the 2019-20 summer and the devastation they left. It is a plea to politicians to take care of our country, to protect our wildlife and stop mining and burning coal. It is an easy read. It flows well from the first page to the last. The book is beautifully illustrated by Bruce Whatley.

SUZI HIRST This is the most charming book and I feel every home should have it. The nostalgia felt by Ben Lawson on leaving Australia behind him is so real and I feel exactly the same when I think of my beloved Rhodesia.

The illustrations by Bruce Whatley are beautiful. This book is a two-minute read but a two-hour book to ponder and bring back old memories.

Leave it on your coffee table or your desk and pick it up every so often and smile.

Read it to the kids at bedtime, send it to family spread out all over the world because … all royalties from sales are donated to the Koala Hospital. 10/10

TO MY COUNTRY TOMYCOUNTRY By Ben Lawson

Actor Ben Lawson was preparing for another Christmas away from home when the Black Summer bushfires began to burn their way across Australia’s eastern coast.

As the bushfires continued to rage into the new year on an unprecedented scale, Ben, feeling angry, helpless and broken-hearted as he watched the devastation from across the ocean, sat down and put his feelings into words.

To My Country is an ode to the endurance of the Australian spirit and the shared love of our country.

The 41-year-old former Neighbours star is from Brisbane and is now working in the US.

Proceeds of To My Country are being donated to The Koala Hospital.

TONY HARRINGTON This book is an illustrated long poem by an expat Aussie actor written in the style of traditional Aussie bush poets. I wonder if he’s related to Henry Lawson?

Themes of love of country, homesickness and anger about lack of action on climate change were triggered by the devastating 2019-20 Australian bushfires resulting in the death of billions of native flora and fauna. Bruce Whateley’s lyric-matching warm and fuzzy iPad electronic Procreate artwork helps enhance the author’s simple and sentimental verse.

Best thing about this book is that the royalties will provide a few bob for the Koala Hospital. All the sentiments expressed in this poem have already been extensively and well covered by Australian print and visual media. Average work 6/10

JOHN KLEINSCHMIDT This book was a challenge to review as it is an illustrated ode to the Australian spirit, especially the firefighters who were tested more than ever by the bushfires of January 2020. I found the illustrations by Bruce Whatley far more engaging than the verse, giving the story real life and meaning.

Other commentary praises the public reading of the poem by the author, and I suspect that would be a better way to understand his description of the way Australians living overseas feel about their country and the things they miss while away. Nothing outstanding in the verse and only a very short read. JO BOURKE This is not a book for the bookshelf! This is not a book to read once and discard! This is a book for the coffee table, a conversation starter and one to re-read when we need to be reminded of the spirit of Australia.

Bruce Whatley’s unique illustrations are perfectly in tune with the poetry of Ben Lawson. Heat seems to rise from the double-page spreads of the all-consuming bush fires. I took six minutes to listen to Ben reading the poetry (YouTube) while I followed the words, with Bruce’s illustrations in front of me, page by page. Worth doing.

This is book is already a treasure for me. I intend to save a few more koalas by purchasing To My Country for my expatriate children, Annie in USA and Pete in Canada, to make them more homesick than ever.

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