Colleen McCullough

[Fran]

@Gannon
So sorry to hear about your back problem ... do take care, rest and do as you are told.
Hope you are feeling much better by New Year & are fit to celebrate a little.

Thanks Fran, I hope my back is better for New Years as well. I must say that one good thing has come from my back problem, these pain-killers are so strong, that they not only take away the pain for a few hours they make you feel real good.

I also got "The Sense of an Ending" by Julian Barnes for Christmas. I have just finished Colleen's Autobiography (very good and very funny) and I am going to start "The Sense of an Ending". I seem to remember that you did not think it deserved the Booker, I am looking forward to reading it and letting you know what I think.

Cheers, Big Ears. (Don't worry, its the pain-killers talking, did I mention that they make you feel realllllllll good)

I sense an improvement
I don't think I said than about 'The Sense of an Ending' ... I quite liked that book. I did say 'Snowdrops' didn't deserve the nomination though. The Sense of an Ending is so short you'll probably have it read between medication sessions .. I heard a reviewed say you should read it twice that it's one of those books that really seems to deliver on a second reading.
Anyway as we say 'keep taking the tablets' & take care

[Maud Fitch]

@ Gannon. Golly gosh, I turn my back for five minutes and look what you get up to! I've got to have eyes in the back of my head. It's back-breaking work keeping tabs on you. Back to the drawingboard.....sorry, 'back' seemed to sneak in the back there.....sincere condolences on your obvious and intense pain - and at Chistmas time, too. How awful for you yet strangely delightfully psychedelic at the same time, yeah man. <cue hippy music>. Actually I can't take strong painkillers because they upset my stomach. Get better soon!

@ Fran. Congratulations on your post tally. You've cracked the big one with over ten thousand posts to your credit!

[Gannon]

@Fran & Maud

Thanks to both of you for your concern. My back is starting to feel better, just in time because today is the last day of painkillers. Still a fair bit of pain there, but at least I can walk around.

Fran, I am glad that you enjoyed "The Sense of an Ending", it must have been someone else who didn't like it. I read it last night(it is so short) and I loved it. I have not read any of the booker shortlisted books to compare it to, but until I do, I think it is a worthy winner, great book. I will definitely be looking at Julian Barnes' other books.

Maud, stop making me laugh, it hurts when I laugh. Only gagging, your post once again left me with a big smile on my face, and they say laughter is the best medicine. Today is the last day of painkillers man, what a bummer dude, they are like freaky good man.
Interesting Jasper news Maud. "One of our Thursdays is Missing" came in tenth in the abebooks top ten signed books of 2011. I better hurry up and order my copy before they are all gone. In fact I am going to order my copy today.

Ps- I love the avatar Maud, very Jasper FFordeish.

[Maud Fitch]

@ Maud, stop making me laugh, it hurts when I laugh. Only gagging, your post once again left me with a big smile on my face, and they say laughter is the best medicine. Today is the last day of painkillers man, what a bummer dude, they are like freaky good man.

Interesting Jasper Fforde news, Maud. "One of Our Thursdays is Missing" came in tenth in the abebooks top ten signed books of 2011. I better hurry up and order my copy before they are all gone. In fact I am going to order my copy today.

PS- I love the avatar Maud, very Jasper Ffordeish.

Glad you are feeling better, Gannon. Thank you very much for that Jasper Fforde snippet. Smiling must be infectious. You have made my day! Not a bad effort from Mr Fforde considering all the books in this world. There's an amusing YouTube video of him signing a few thousand in a room behind a book shop prior to a launch. I was going to start "The Song Of The Quarkbeast" but I've been given a copy of "A Visit From The Goon Squad" and will read it first.

Yes, the book lover avatar just screamed Thursday Next at me!

[Gannon]

@ Maud, stop making me laugh, it hurts when I laugh. Only gagging, your post once again left me with a big smile on my face, and they say laughter is the best medicine. Today is the last day of painkillers man, what a bummer dude, they are like freaky good man.

Interesting Jasper Fforde news, Maud. "One of Our Thursdays is Missing" came in tenth in the abebooks top ten signed books of 2011. I better hurry up and order my copy before they are all gone. In fact I am going to order my copy today.

PS- I love the avatar Maud, very Jasper Ffordeish.

Glad you are feeling better, Gannon. Thank you very much for that Jasper Fforde snippet. Smiling must be infectious. You have made my day! Not a bad effort from Mr Fforde considering all the books in this world. There's an amusing YouTube video of him signing a few thousand in a room behind a book shop prior to a launch. I was going to start "The Song Of The Quarkbeast" but I've been given a copy of "A Visit From The Goon Squad" and will read it first.

Yes, the book lover avatar just screamed Thursday Next at me!

Hey Maud, I have heard that "A Visit from the Goon Squad" is very good. Today for the first time in my whole history of reading books I stopped reading a book without finishing it. The book is "Zero History" by William Gibson. I got about half way through it, hoping it would pick up but it is just so boring. I have given myself a challenge to read at least 50 books this year and I am starting well with 2 finished already. I feel with "Zero History" I am wasting my time when I could be reading something else, so I have started "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote. I keep telling myself that I will go back to "Zero History" and finish it off, but really I don't know if I will, there are just too many good books that I can be reading instead. The dilema is that maybe it will pick up and end up being a great book but its going back on the shelf for the moment. Have you read "In Cold Blood", a friend told me it was very good so heres hoping, I don't want to ditch two books in a row. My Thursday Next Literary GPS tracker is showing that my TN6 book is currently making its way by ship pulling into Sydney Harbour. Should be here soon.

Seeing as this is the Colleen McCullough thread, I better throw in some Colleen news. "Life- without the boring bits" at times is quite a bizarre book. Some chapters are almost Jasper Ffordeish and very comical, while others she really lets go and shows the reader how passionate she is about some topics. Australia's treatment of Norfolk Island really cops a thrashing. The later chapters turn us back to a more traditional autobiography and she describes her childhood and growing up. Quite an entertaining read if you get the chance.

I was supposed to be at the Brisbane International at this point in time but we had to pull out as my brother had two weddings to go to and I thought I would save some money(more signed first editions ).

[Maud Fitch]

.....Seeing as this is the Colleen McCullough thread, I better throw in some Colleen news. "Life- without the boring bits" at times is quite a bizarre book. Some chapters are almost Jasper Ffordeish and very comical, while others she really lets go and shows the reader how passionate she is about some topics. Australia's treatment of Norfolk Island really cops a thrashing. The later chapters turn us back to a more traditional autobiography and she describes her childhood and growing up. Quite an entertaining read if you get the chance.

I was supposed to be at the Brisbane International at this point in time but we had to pull out as my brother had two weddings to go to and I thought I would save some money(more signed first editions).

Wow, Gannon, you certainly have been taking advantage of the holidays to do some serious reading!

You've inspired me with your reading challenge. To kick things off, I should grab a copy of Colleen McCullough's autobiography, too. Oddly enough, it has been pretty lowkey in the media. "Zero History" appears to have zero interest. I always feel conned when I get a dud book but at least you tried. My famous trick is to skip; and the sign of a bad book is that you don't miss anything by doing so.

Good news re Thursday Next travelling diligently towards you. And I love the way you calmly say you were supposed to be at the Brisbane International! How could you not go? Yikes, I'd eat gruel for six months to get a ticket.
<sigh> Books are a bit of an obsession, aren't they.....

[Fran]

I'm curious what did Australia do to Norfolk Island? I thought it was part of Australia ... am I wrong?

[Gannon]

I'm curious what did Australia do to Norfolk Island? I thought it was part of Australia ... am I wrong?

Colleen devotes a whole chapter to Norfolk Island and writes "the average Australian citizen knows nothing of the story I am writing". I must admit that I am one of those citizens, and had no knowledge of the story she tells of Norfolk Island.
In 1914 Norfolk Island was placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia as a dependent territory. Colleen states that from 1914 until 1979, Norfolk Island was under complete autocratic Australian rule. During this time nothing was spent on the island, in fact the only money spent was to keep its Administrator and his imported bureaucrats in great comfort.
In 1946 the United Nations asked every member to disclose its non-self-governing territories. Australia denied having any non-self-gorverning territories. Essentially Australia lied to the United Nations. The result of this lie, meant that in the United Nations eyes, Norfolk Island did not exist.
There are other points that Colleen brings up as well but in a nutshell she is very upset with how Australia treated Norfolk Island, virtually not helping the island in any way at all and yet still remaining its overlord.
It is a very interesting chapter and as I said, I knew nothing of any of this story that she so adamantly tells. In school we were only really taught that it was discovered by Captain Cook in 1774 and was used as a penal colony.
There is more to it, I would have to go back and read the chapter again but I think I have covered the important bits, and I would recommend the book to both you and Maud.

@Maud

Holy Moly Maud, six months of eating gruel. You sound like you love tennis as much as I do. I think I could only do one month of gruel(depends whats in the gruel, nothing good I suppose thats why they call it gruel). I could have gone on my own but I decided to buy a couple of signed first editions instead.
You are correct Maud, there has not been much hype over Colleen's autobiography. It has been very low key. I must admit to being slightly disappointed, but my expectations were very high. It is a good book, especially for fans of Colleen.
I think the reason I was so disappointed with "Zero History" is that I loved "Neuromancer" and "Count Zero" so much. I am getting right into Sherlock Holmes at the moment. I was very impressed by "The House of Silk" and I have never read any of the Sherlock novels, so I think I will start with the first one this year.

[Fran]

@Gannon
Thanks for the brief history lesson ... amazing what you learn on this site.
Norfolk Island looks like a really beautiful paradise to live, can't understand why you Aussies wouldn't look after it. But then our 'larger neighbour' kinda upset us for a long time too ... but we're the best of buddies now!

Are you looking forward to Meryl Streep as The Iron Lady? Now what made me think of that I wonder?

[Gannon]

@Gannon
Thanks for the brief history lesson ... amazing what you learn on this site.
Norfolk Island looks like a really beautiful paradise to live, can't understand why you Aussies wouldn't look after it. But then our 'larger neighbour' kinda upset us for a long time too ... but we're the best of buddies now!

Are you looking forward to Meryl Streep as The Iron Lady? Now what made me think of that I wonder?

Howdy there Fran. I am sure there is more to the whole Norfolk Island story, I think I will go back and read that chapter again. It is surprising and as Colleen quotes at the beginning of the chapter most of us Australian citizens do not know the story of the Island.
I would love to live on Norfolk Island, I am sure that I will get there at least for a holiday in the future some time ( Colleen, get out the tea and scons ). It is simply too beautiful a place not to visit in your life.
Yes I am so looking forward to Meryl Streep's portrayal of the Iron Lady. Meryl would have to be the best actress that I have ever watched. Her range of characters is nothing short of incredible.

[Fran]

@Gannon
Thanks for the brief history lesson ... amazing what you learn on this site.
Norfolk Island looks like a really beautiful paradise to live, can't understand why you Aussies wouldn't look after it. But then our 'larger neighbour' kinda upset us for a long time too ... but we're the best of buddies now!

Are you looking forward to Meryl Streep as The Iron Lady? Now what made me think of that I wonder?

Howdy there Fran. I am sure there is more to the whole Norfolk Island story, I think I will go back and read that chapter again. It is surprising and as Colleen quotes at the beginning of the chapter most of us Australian citizens do not know the story of the Island.
I would love to live on Norfolk Island, I am sure that I will get there at least for a holiday in the future some time ( Colleen, get out the tea and scons ). It is simply too beautiful a place not to visit in your life.
Yes I am so looking forward to Meryl Streep's portrayal of the Iron Lady. Meryl would have to be the best actress that I have ever watched. Her range of characters is nothing short of incredible.

Oh she is brilliant ... being hotly tipped for the Oscar I do believe.
But the movie has got a lot of negative reviews here, not Meryl's performance of course, but the political story itself.
While I love Meryl I still think they should have signed up Helen Mirren for the role ... she is just awesome IMHO

[Gannon]

@Gannon
Thanks for the brief history lesson ... amazing what you learn on this site.
Norfolk Island looks like a really beautiful paradise to live, can't understand why you Aussies wouldn't look after it. But then our 'larger neighbour' kinda upset us for a long time too ... but we're the best of buddies now!

Are you looking forward to Meryl Streep as The Iron Lady? Now what made me think of that I wonder?

Howdy there Fran. I am sure there is more to the whole Norfolk Island story, I think I will go back and read that chapter again. It is surprising and as Colleen quotes at the beginning of the chapter most of us Australian citizens do not know the story of the Island.
I would love to live on Norfolk Island, I am sure that I will get there at least for a holiday in the future some time ( Colleen, get out the tea and scons ). It is simply too beautiful a place not to visit in your life.
Yes I am so looking forward to Meryl Streep's portrayal of the Iron Lady. Meryl would have to be the best actress that I have ever watched. Her range of characters is nothing short of incredible.

Oh she is brilliant ... being hotly tipped for the Oscar I do believe.
But the movie has got a lot of negative reviews here, not Meryl's performance of course, but the political story itself.
While I love Meryl I still think they should have signed up Helen Mirren for the role ... she is just awesome IMHO

Once again we are in total agreement about Helen Mirren. Its funny I was going to mention her in my last post. We always seem to be on the same wavelength. I heard that the Iron Lady herself turned down an invitation to the premiere. It would be so strange watching a movie about yourself.

[Maud Fitch]

The Brisbane International is a brilliant venue for the tennis, picturesquely right on the river but thankfully missing out on the Great Flood last year. And, Gannon, the outdoor courts are available to the general public so perhaps one day you'll visit and whack a few balls around.

While I love Meryl I still think they should have signed up Helen Mirren for the role ... she is just awesome IMHO

Once again we are in total agreement about Helen Mirren. Its funny I was going to mention her in my last post. We always seem to be on the same wavelength. I heard that the Iron Lady herself turned down an invitation to the premiere. It would be so strange watching a movie about yourself.

And I agree with both of you! First of all, I'd be surprised if the political side of things didn't cop flak because so many involved are still alive and, secondly, I believe Margaret Thatcher is not only old but suffering dementia so her glory days are far behind her now. A lesson for us all; deeds may be immortal but the flesh is not.

The history of Norfolk Island is a bit of a mystery to me, too. The penal colony side is always highlighted, e.g. ruins, ghosts, etc. but I didn't know the politics behind Australia's "ownership". No wonder Colleen McCullough gets annoyed. I have always wanted to visit for a real getaway holiday - and one for which no passport is needed.

[Gannon]

Maud, if you organize a trip to Norfolk Island, let me know when you are going. I can meet you there and we can go and crash Colleen's house. We can all have tea and scones(don't know why I am going on about scones all the time). Maybe Fran can come too.

[Fran]

Maud, if you organize a trip to Norfolk Island, let me know when you are going. I can meet you there and we can go and crash Colleen's house. We can all have tea and scones(don't know why I am going on about scones all the time). Maybe Fran can come too.

Wow wouldn't we make some threesome marching up Colleen's drive demanding tea & scones .... she'd probably throw the typewriter at us