Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy is an atmospheric literary novel set on a remote island near Antarctica. It combines a family story, mystery, environmental themes, and a strong sense of isolation.
Main characters
Dominic “Dom” Salt — The father of the Salt family and caretaker of the research station on Shearwater Island. He is trying to hold his family together in an increasingly dangerous and isolated environment.
Raff Salt — Dom’s eldest son. He is in his late teens and is thoughtful and protective, but is also dealing with the difficulties of growing up in such an unusual place.
Fen Salt — Dom’s teenage daughter. Independent, tough and closely connected to the wild landscape and animals of the island.
Orly Salt — Dom’s youngest son. He is fascinated by the natural world and has an especially endearing curiosity about the island and its wildlife.
Rowan — A mysterious woman who washes ashore during a violent storm. Her arrival changes the dynamics of the Salt family. She has secrets of her own, and discovering why she has come to Shearwater becomes an important part of the story.
A little about the book
The novel takes place on Shearwater Island, a fictional, extremely remote island near Antarctica. The Salt family are among the last people remaining at a research station that is being closed because rising seas and worsening conditions are making the island increasingly unsafe.
***********************************
There are secrets, seed banks that need saving, whales and seals , environmental woes and suspense. This book is for our book group discussion in September. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Nothing spectacular and the same old environmental themes we hear about all the time but it was an entertaining and sometimes suspenseful novel. Shearwater Island is based on MacQuarie island south east of Tasmania.
Other bookish reading. The spin landed on French writer, Antoine Laurain’s book The Red Notebook. Read an hour of that and I’m really enjoying it. More on that down the track.
I’m half way through the African book the Cobra’s Heart. i’ll probably finish that off this week. I need to pick another Penguin anniversary random read and spin the wheel again for the Books I’m spinning challenge. I also need to see what the October book group read is going to be.
I’m enjoying all the challenges at the minute.
LIFE
Friday night a friend and I went to the Theatre Royal and saw Noni Hazlehurst in the play The Lark. The Lark is a moving one-woman play starring Noni Hazlehurst as Rose Grey, a woman in her seventies saying goodbye to the old Melbourne pub that has been her lifelong home. It is a powerful reflection on memory, ageing, loss and change. We loved it. There was much nostalgia and sadness interspersed with wonderful humour. It was so good as you’d expect from such a wonderful iconic Australian actor.
Family – meaning pets. Our dogs, Ollie and Peanut had a ‘fat lecture’ from the vet the other day. They are now on a month’s strict diet with a scheduled weigh in to occur in one month’s time.
They aren’t happy and Mr P’s hands are now cuffed to a cabinet away from their treats. lol
So far it is going ok though the dogs are walking around looking quizzical.
The week coming up…
I need to mail my U.S passport into the consulate to get it renewed. Mr P has decided he’s not going to and if he was to return he’ll use his Australian one though I doubt that is ever going to happen. I don’t have any travel plans but will get the passport.
It’s tax time so that is happening this week. One of those boring tasks that must be done.
A couple of gym sessions, a long walk one day and a visit to a friend whose partner recently passed away is on the cards.
Author Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies, The Husband’s Secret +many more) is launching the Little Lies sequel this week at the Hobart Town Hall. Fullers book shop has organised that talk and I will try to get there, time and fatigue permitting.
Next weekend is a photo shoot in the city centre to do some street photography with my club. Hoping for good weather. Also looking forward to a quieter week, maybe after that.
No idea how everything piles up at once even when I do pay attention. Too many things I don’t want to miss. You know how that goes.
Have a good week. A couple of photos of Hobart from where I sat waiting for the bus the other day.
Last night it was cold, dark and windy and I had just spun the wheel and as I mentioned earlier it selected the Nanna and Nanno books. They are such delightful books I was very happy to curl up in a big chair with my bright reading light in a very cozy bathrobe and read. Not far from the heater.
I’ll mention Nonna knows best today. Lots of beautiful Italian photos. The author discusses what Italian nonnas are like. Full of energy, big, energetic cooks. eir life is about family and good, wholesome foods. There are several recipes I enjoyed. Lots of information about pickling veggies, making pasta, gathering food from the garden. Below is a recipe that caught my eye for tiranisu.
Nonna’s Tiramisu
It means ‘pick’ or ‘pull me up’. It is a delectable dessert that uses coffee, marscapone and biscuit fingers. It is stated to transform an ordinary meal into something special.
INGREDIENTS
18- ml espresso coffee
2 tbsp coffee liquer (Kahlua)
250 ml marscapone
250 ml double cream
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp caster sugar
Seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod
12 Savoiardi biscuits (finger biscuits) I need to look these up.
Cocoa powder for dusting.
Serves 4 or 2 hungry Italians
DIRECTIONS
Combine the coffee and liqueur in a bowl big enough to fit a biscuit.
In another bowl, add the marscapone, double cream, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla seeds. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
Dip each biscuit in the coffee mix, turning the biscuit over so that it is thoroughly coated.
Line the biscuits in a medium serving dish. You can line them in a single or a double layer.
Pour over the creamy mixture and s-read evenly. Dust the top with a thick layer of cocoa powder. You can serve immediately or refrigerate.
If any of you try this let me know. Have a good weekend. Until the next spin.
I set up the first wheel a week or so again in a bit of a hurry thinking I could get through ten Kindle books. Then I looked at my shelves with many unread books and thought, “What am I doing Kindles for?” It’s not like they are going anywhere and I am trying to move on more physical books. I also just don’t want to read novels. I have different collections of books. Reference, fiction, non fiction, quite a few photography coffee table type books of photos I keep meaning to study. You get the gist. And as I don’t know the future of my vision I should read the books on my shelves while I can still see the print.
So I discarded the Kindles. I mean, after all, they will just sit in cyberspace and aren’t bothering anyone. I can still read one at a time, at bus stops, waiting rooms, etc.
Jinjer at the Intrepid Angelino put me on to this. I really enjoy the projects she does. She got the idea from a Tik Toker, Jake Throws Books. He reads hours at a time spinning his wheel.
For those that missed my last post the idea of this is to list ten books on a random wheel. Spin the thing and whatever name of book it lands on you sit down and read it for one hour. Spin again and read the next random pick. I am having great fun setting it up, now I just have to start reading. It will hopefully be a way to clear off some of the fiction and non fiction books I will only read once. My special books will remain. Photography and reference. I should also be able to remember what is happening when I end up spinning all the books at once.
So here is the new list of books.
The Only Way Home by Liz Byron. In March of 2014 Liz set off from Cooktown with her two donkey companions, Grace and Charley on a challenge to walk 2500 kms of the Bicentennial National trail over 9 months. She is aged 61.
I need to find out where this trail goes. The blurb doesn’t say much. (Non-fiction) I will hold my drink bottle while I read this.
2. The Penguin Book of Classical Mythes by Jenny March. It could be about the Minotaur trapped in the Cretan labyrinth or the 12 labours of Heracles or Zeus, this looks like a fun hour to spend. Might need an unusual drink to sip like a kombucha or a Tassie made trendy juice. It looks quite intellectual. (Reference? Non fiction?-surely not.)
3.The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain. I have several books by this author and I keep hearing how good he is. ( Yes, Kaggsy). I need to read this and it doesn’t look very long. So should be able to polish it right off and continue to his other works.
It’s about bookseller Laurent Letellier who comes across an abandoned handbag on a Parisian street, and feels impelled to return it to its owner….but….he needs to find that person.
Maybe a bit of sparkling and a croissant with this one.
4. These next two books I picked up because I love the illustrations on the cover. They are really gorgeous and I have looked at them on the shelf for quite awhile. Garden Like A Nonno the Italian Art of growing your own food. The other is Nonna Knows Best, The Italian art of living well. Both by Jaclyn Crupi. If the wheel spin lands on these I can choose which one to read for that hour or maybe each for half an hour. After my hour I might want to go out for pizza…and I’ll certainly need a sunhat.
5. The next spin might land on this lovely book I’ve wanted to read for ages: The Diary of a young naturalist by Dara McAnulty. This book chronicles the turning of Dara’s world, from spring to summer to winter on his home patch, at school in the wild and in his head. It has all kinds of animals and birds and flowers in it and just looks really fun. Might need to go on a picnic to read this. Some where in the bush. Oops I forgot, it’s winter. I’ll take a coat.
6. This spin will feature a lovely illustrated travel book.
A Suitcase and a Spatula by Tort Haschka. This book promises a mini break to join Sydney born food and travel writer, blogger and intrepid gourmet, Tori, on her globe trotting adventures in food. It is full of colourful illustrations and recipes from all over the world. I might even find the energy to whip up one of them and share the photos with you. I’ll need nibbles reading this book as it is all about food!
7. Longer time followers know I love travel writing. This one should be interesting. Walking the gobi by Helen Thayer. This is touted as a 1600 mile trek across a desert of hope and despair. I might have to sit outdoors to read this as it sounds very hot and we’re in winter, as I keep saying and the cool air might feel great.
8. The last pick is probably the most serious of the group of books. Richard Flanagan’s latest book Heresies. It is completely Australian and quite a bit Tasmanian, as is he. Essays, speeches and articles from the past about important issues within Australian. Everything from indigenous issues to environmental and political. I think an hour at a time of this book will be enough. I might not need food with this book but a large bottle of something. It will rile me up and I might throw my shoe once I get into the political side of things.
9. And 10. I have pretty free will with these two book choices. Number nine will be spending an hour with any photography book that is full of stories related to large glossy photos. Many photographers have their favourites and it is important to study the images of the professionals. One can learn so much as each page is analysed for light and shadow, structures, landscape or little tiny insects or funny people on the streets. This will be fun and hopefully inspires me to try some of the techniques.
10. This will relate to any reference book I have sitting on a shelf gathering dust. I have a whole set of the books 1001 Books you should read, ideas you should know about, paintings you should see, albums you should listen to, movies you should watch.I’ll sit down with my cup of tea or coffee and have an hour of perusing. I also have several reference books about literature of the United States and Australia, including First Nations writing.
After my hour or two is finished it will then be time to listen to my book club read while working on puzzles or quickly read the next randomly chosen Penguin anniversary book. So now we’ll crack on and see how we go.
Sorry for the length of this but I wanted it all written down and I’m having so much organising it all. Stay tuned.
I set up the first wheel a week or so again in a bit of a hurry thinking I could get through ten Kindle books. Then I looked at my shelves with many unread books and thought, “What am I doing Kindles for?” It’s not like they are going anywhere and I am trying to move on more physical books. I also just don’t want to read novels. I have different collections of books. Reference, fiction, non fiction, quite a few photography coffee table type books of photos I keep meaning to study. You get the gist. And as I don’t know the future of my vision I should read the books on my shelves while I can still see the print.
So I discarded the Kindles. I mean, after all, they will just sit in cyberspace and aren’t bothering anyone. I can still read one at a time, at bus stops, waiting rooms, etc.
Jinjer at the Intrepid Angelino put me on to this. I really enjoy the projects she does. She got the idea from a Tik Toker, Jake Throws Books. He reads hours at a time spinning his wheel.
For those that missed my last post the idea of this is to list ten books on a random wheel. Spin the thing and whatever name of book it lands on you sit down and read it for one hour. Spin again and read the next random pick. I am having great fun setting it up, now I just have to start reading. It will hopefully be a way to clear off some of the fiction and non fiction books I will only read once. My special books will remain. Photography and reference. I should also be able to remember what is happening when I end up spinning all the books at once.
So here is the new list of books.
The Only Way Home by Liz Byron. In March of 2014 Liz set off from Cooktown with her two donkey companions, Grace and Charley on a challenge to walk 2500 kms of the Bicentennial National trail over 9 months. She is aged 61.
I need to find out where this trail goes. The blurb doesn’t say much. (Non-fiction) I will hold my drink bottle while I read this.
2. The Penguin Book of Classical Mythes by Jenny March. It could be about the Minotaur trapped in the Cretan labyrinth or the 12 labours of Heracles or Zeus, this looks like a fun hour to spend. Might need an unusual drink to sip like a kombucha or a Tassie made trendy juice. It looks quite intellectual. (Reference? Non fiction?-surely not.)
3.The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain. I have several books by this author and I keep hearing how good he is. ( Yes, Kaggsy). I need to read this and it doesn’t look very long. So should be able to polish it right off and continue to his other works.
It’s about bookseller Laurent Letellier who comes across an abandoned handbag on a Parisian street, and feels impelled to return it to its owner….but….he needs to find that person.
Maybe a bit of sparkling and a croissant with this one.
4. These next two books I picked up because I love the illustrations on the cover. They are really gorgeous and I have looked at them on the shelf for quite awhile. Garden Like A Nonno the Italian Art of growing your own food. The other is Nonna Knows Best, The Italian art of living well. Both by Jaclyn Crupi. If the wheel spin lands on these I can choose which one to read for that hour or maybe each for half an hour. After my hour I might want to go out for pizza…and I’ll certainly need a sunhat.
5. The next spin might land on this lovely book I’ve wanted to read for ages: The Diary of a young naturalist by Dara McAnulty. This book chronicles the turning of Dara’s world, from spring to summer to winter on his home patch, at school in the wild and in his head. It has all kinds of animals and birds and flowers in it and just looks really fun. Might need to go on a picnic to read this. Some where in the bush. Oops I forgot, it’s winter. I’ll take a coat.
6. This spin will feature a lovely illustrated travel book.
A Suitcase and a Spatula by Tort Haschka. This book promises a mini break to join Sydney born food and travel writer, blogger and intrepid gourmet, Tori, on her globe trotting adventures in food. It is full of colourful illustrations and recipes from all over the world. I might even find the energy to whip up one of them and share the photos with you. I’ll need nibbles reading this book as it is all about food!
7. Longer time followers know I love travel writing. This one should be interesting. Walking the gobi by Helen Thayer. This is touted as a 1600 mile trek across a desert of hope and despair. I might have to sit outdoors to read this as it sounds very hot and we’re in winter, as I keep saying and the cool air might feel great.
8. The last pick is probably the most serious of the group of books. Richard Flanagan’s latest book Heresies. It is completely Australian and quite a bit Tasmanian, as is he. Essays, speeches and articles from the past about important issues within Australian. Everything from indigenous issues to environmental and political. I think an hour at a time of this book will be enough. I might not need food with this book but a large bottle of something. It will rile me up and I might throw my shoe once I get into the political side of things.
9. And 10. I have pretty free will with these two book choices. Number nine will be spending an hour with any photography book that is full of stories related to large glossy photos. Many photographers have their favourites and it is important to study the images of the professionals. One can learn so much as each page is analysed for light and shadow, structures, landscape or little tiny insects or funny people on the streets. This will be fun and hopefully inspires me to try some of the techniques.
10. This will relate to any reference book I have sitting on a shelf gathering dust. I have a whole set of the books 1001 Books you should read, ideas you should know about, paintings you should see, albums you should listen to, movies you should watch.I’ll sit down with my cup of tea or coffee and have an hour of perusing. I also have several reference books about literature of the United States and Australia, including First Nations writing.
After my hour or two is finished it will then be time to listen to my book club read while working on puzzles or quickly read the next randomly chosen Penguin anniversary book. So now we’ll crack on and see how we go.
Sorry for the length of this but I wanted it all written down and I’m having so much organising it all. Stay tuned.
First pick today are the Italian Nonno and Nonna books. Let’s get started.
Travellin' Penguin 