BOOKS.
Dubbo Weekender | Friday 23.10.2015 to Sunday 25.10.2015 girlfriend Livia. Recurring elements such as Catarella’s wrong pronunciation of names and Mimi’s womanising make you feel among old friends, but Montalbano’s reflections on ageing and loneliness bring an added dimension for long-term fans. If you haven’t read one before or seen the TV series, there is still much to enjoy without worrying about the backstory. 7/10 (Review by Bridie Pritchard)
O NON-FICTION Mr Smiley: My Last Pill And Testament by Howard Marks is published in hardback by Macmillan. HAILED as ‘the most sophisticated drug baron of all time’, lovable rogue Howard Marks has gone on to become an author, columnist, DJ, and hero to a generation. His first autobiography, Mr Nice, was the bestselling nonfiction book of 1997. It detailed his time running a cannabissmuggling empire, until he was caught and imprisoned in 1988. The follow up, Mr Smiley: My Last Pill And Testament, picks up as he is released seven years later, and details how he is soon
TO describe Grace Jones as a singer, model and actress seems inadequate, yet she makes clear herein that she’s no fan of the word ‘diva’. Her autobiography lifts the lid on a life somehow even more remarkable than one would expect.
drawn into the hectic world of drug of the moment: ecstasy. Touring and promoting Mr Nice, it appeared from the outside that his smuggling days were behind him, but the schemes and struggles continued behind closed doors. Sadly diagnosed with inoperable cancer earlier this year, this is literally his last testament, told with trademark wit and charm. This may not be the game changer that Mr Nice was, but it is still a fascinating insight into the world of drugs, told by one of Britain’s most charismatic bad boys. 8/10 (Review by Harriet Shephard) I’ll Never Write My Memoirs by Grace Jones (as told to Paul Morley) is published in hardback by Simon & Schuster.
After a tough upbringing (her family were Pentecostal on one side, perfectionist on the other, which made life difficult for an inveterate square peg like Grace) she escapes to New York and Paris, going on to meet pretty much anyone who was anyone. Friendly rivalry with Jerry Hall, turning down Jack Nicholson (though later comparing hat collections with him), sharing a smoke with Keith Richards... it’s all here, though so is a more surprising quiet side (she’s a big fan of watching tennis). Yet the biggest star always remains Grace Jones herself; her account can be scattershot, but is also self-reflective in a way celebrity memoirs seldom manage. Spellbinding stuff. 8/10 (Review by Alex Sarll)
There are leaders – and then there are leaders T HE daily dose of letters to the editors of the Sydney press which criticise government policies, plus the never-ending events of street protests, are indicators of the level of discontent in this country. It takes real leadership to inspire and unite people to achieve a positive better end nationally. Just because an individual rises to the top of any particular country is no guarantee that the quality of life of its citizens will improve. An example of unrest and questionable administration is featured in a recent publication by Wendell Steavenson, “Circling the Square”. It is a collection of stories from the Egyptian revolution. In January 2011 crowds gathered to protest against Mubarek’s three decades of rule in Egypt. The quality of leadership in that country is typified by the prosecution of the three press reporters and their confinement for many months. “The New Tsar” by Stephen Lee Myers records the operating strategies of Vladimir Putin since he left the KGB and rose to power. When he became the Russian leader he was seen as achieving improved public living standards, taxes were reduced, and eventually some prosperity spread across the country. Later, Putin installed a new form of authoritarianism, revised his style of control, consolidated power and brutally crushed protests. He retains
the support of many. The book shows him as a cool and calculating leader with ambition and few scruples. There are several books written on Barack Obama on our shelves and, depending on the author, the quality of his years as US President varies. We watch the TV coverage of the current Republican candidates and Donald Trump is shown frequently, more to demonstrate controversy than a quality of process. “Monash” by Grantlee Kieza relates the life and service of a great military leader. Having been recognised for his major contributions in the Western Front battlefields of France, he was knighted by George V at a ceremony at Bertangles, France. Kieza also relates Monash’s postwar life in Australia where he broke barriers as an outsider where casual anti-Semitism ruled. An interesting coverage of our leaders over time has been written by Greg Sheridan – “When We Were Young & Foolish”. It covers the earlier lives of several politicians and that influence on their rise to leadership positions. Included are Bob Carr, Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, Kevin Rudd, B.A. Santamaria, Bob Hawke and others. Even though Santamaria
was not elected to a government position his influence and contribution to life in 20th century Australia earned him an obituary written by Les Carlyon placed under the masthead on the Sydney Morning Herald’s front page. The word “leadership” is therefore open to discussion – the foregoing examples could challenge our understanding. A significant example is made in George Woodcock’s biography, “Gandhi”. It would be difficult to find a leader who achieved such a lasting, positive effect. ‘Satyagraha’, or truth force, was the name Gandhi gave to the resistance he and his followers offered to foreign opposition and local tyranny. It was “the resistance of people who did not fear to be violent but chose deliberately to be non-violent and to fight by the power of truth, rather than the power of the body”. The book is a study of power, and of one of the most remarkable wielders of power in the history of the modern world. Not all good intentions go to plan. Edward Larson has written “The Return of George Washington”. In December 1783, Washington was the most popular and powerful man in America; he stunned his people by stepping down as commander in chief and returned to pri-
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O CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK Liquidator by Andy Mulligan is published in hardback by David Fickling Books. AS bright, gaudy and fluid as the fictional drink it’s named after – although not quite so addictive – Liquidator ticks all the topical boxes. Consumerism, greedy conglomerates, corrupt lawyers, absent parents, journalists being bought by advertisers – it’s all in there, deftly woven into a story about a group of teenagers on work experience who, when one of them (Vicky) damages her boss’ laptop and stumbles across a secret so huge it puts their lives at risk, pool their skills in a race against time. Lively, pacy and to the point, it’s told from all the teenagers’ perspectives. There’s nerdy, computer genius Ben, tough on the outside but gooey in the middle Edgar, the Tuttle twins (organisational queens), Leelah who dreams of being a surgeon, and Katkat who’s got all caught up with a rock star. Mulligan balances the darkness of the world this gang are drawn into, by spiking the plot with hope and the feeling that these friends will astound and succeed together. It’s got grit and spark, but lacks the pull to keep you wanting more. 6/10 (Review by Ella Walker)
ADVERTORIAL
From the bookshelves by Dave Pankhurst The Book Connection vate life as a farmer. Yet as the fledgling American experiment foundered under the Articles of Confederation, a new government was called because Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and others realised that the chances of success were slim. The retired hero Washington was the only one who could unite the fractious states. With his influence in shaping the Constitution, which the states later ratified, the founding document has guided America’s government to this day. In current times one person who rises with a unique quality of high position is Queen Elizabeth II. David Hill guides us through the role of the British monarchy since the settlement in Sydney Cove in “Australia & The Monarchy”. When the Queen recently exceeded Queen Victoria’s 61 years as monarch, a version of “God Save the Queen” by Edward Elgar was played on the pipe organ. It exampled a composition which in itself has a certain ‘majesty’. The example is used to illustrated that ‘leadership’
can have different emphasis. Most countries don’t get a first chance to prosper. George Megalogenis in his book “Australia’s Second Chance” explains that we are on our second chance. For the best part of the 20th century we were the world’s richest country per capita, a pioneer for democracy and a magnet for migrants. Yet our last big boom was followed by a 50-year bust as we lost our luck, our riches and our nerve. Can we learn from our past? And who has the skill to lead us there? New York Times bestselling author John Maxwell has written “The Complete 101 Collection” in which he details “what every leader needs to know”. Attitude, self-improvement, experience, leadership, relationships, success, teamwork, equipping and mentoring are some of the characteristics he cites as fundamental to the task. So where are those people who have the qualities and aspirations? There are leaders – and then there are leaders. Enjoy your browsing, Dave Pankhurst.
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