Books?

Road Ranger · Senior Member

Books?

waltzing matilda · Senior Member

I reckon a forum on books is a great idea. Shall we just decide that you have started one here Jim and continue from there? We'll all have such diverse tastes that we're sure to have a lot to learn and choose from.

At the moment I'm reading Jack Canfield's (he co-authored Chicken Soup for the Soul) "The Success Principles" and it's giving me a real boost. I need it every now and then, even when I know it already. A boost still helps get me up and running again and this book is doing it for me.

I'm also reading Geoffrey Blainey's "History of Victoria". Interesting stuff and gives me a glimpse of the past when I vist places in the Tardis. (Matilda's Tardis is the name of my little A Van. She takes me through time and space.)

SO LET'S KEEP THE BOOK FORUM GOING.

-- Edited by waltzing matilda at 19:53, 2009-03-06

Roostertales · Senior Member

I like reading from the best sellers list /mostly fiction but a few self help /business orientated

Good to hear reviews

waltzing matilda · Senior Member

What's the best you've read recently?

xina · Guru

Anything by Ion Idriess is great. His fictional works are based on Historical fact. [Australian.]
The Wild White Man of Badu, Drums of Mer, and Lasseters' Last Ride are just a few of the fictions. The Tin Scratchers, Back O' Cairns, My Mate Jim, and Coral Sea Calling are a few of the non-fictions.
Glenville Pike wrote quite a few to do with Pioneering days on Cape York.
That'll do for starters. [ You might have guessed I'm a bookworm.]
Almost forgot. Poor Fellow My Country by Xavier Herbert is based on real Territory characters.
Cheers,
xina.

-- Edited by xina at 21:41, 2009-03-06

Road Ranger · Senior Member

Thanks for your comments Nomads.

Xina, you sure do read the books that get my radar going want to swap some or are they all keepers?

Matilda, reading about the area you know or are in at the time is grouse, and very much so when the book is old and you can see the changes or the things that are still around.
I just finished a book by Tim Flannery about his time in New Guinea, reasearching Tree Kangaroos called "Through im away leg" (pigin for going on a long journey)
So it was good to revisit a lot of places and people he wrote about, they were some wild times, I was pro fishing and hunting air craft wrecks.

I spent a few years single handed on a 50ft Ketch cruising from the far noth to Hobart and every port of call I went hunting little old book shops, the best I found was in Hobart near the wharf there are some rippers.

If there were enough Nomads interested we could possibily start a book exchange,
Anyone interested?

Road Ranger · Senior Member

Roostertales wrote:

I like reading from the best sellers list /mostly fiction but a few self help /business orientated

Good to hear reviews

G'Day Rooster Tails, (term for mega horse power, due to masive loss of traction?)

I'm not into fiction myself, and business is way out of my depth, but I'm sure someone is into the some stuff, but hey, thanks for takin the time to read and post a comment.

For someone who likes to read a lot, my spelling is not very good so I apoligize, and I like to spell in true Aussie fashion I guess it showes my personality, today I learnt to spell buscuit.

drongo & wendy · Senior Member

i also like a good book but fiction dosent do it for me would rather read such books like Len Beadel and his road and whoomera stories, i realy enjoy the early outback writtings. have many here we swap with eldest daughter who loves the same as we do bugger where are my glasses Wendyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Road Ranger · Senior Member

G'Day Demon.
I've never heard of Len Beadel, but I sure do like the old out back stories, just finished a ripper about the Bullock drivers from Victoria up through Hay, Willcania, Bourke and William Creek, and can't remember the bloody name of it, it was a loaner from a friend, and I always returns stuff, but have lost many valuable books and other stuff that I loaned out to (friends) over the years, and they were never returned.

dave06 · Guru

ah now you're talking my books there dave, len biddell and the gunbarrell highway (amongst others) one of australia's relatively modern adventurer, what a fete, what an achievement, when asked how he did it he just told his grader operator to "follow me" (he was operating a bulldozer and used his compass to find the most direct route through some of australias harshest environs)

we have driven this road and a few others of his a few times and oh boy I wouldnt have liked to have been there before the road

oh and I like unca scrooge and donald as well!! as well as cowboy shoot em ups

xina · Guru

I'm afraid My books are all keepers, unless I double-up. I've got all sorts of books about the pioneering days . If any-one wants specific titles to look for, or just Authors names, sing out, and I'll do some lists.[Might start anyway when I get time.]
Daisy Bates, [Biographies,2 by different authors.] Don't know why I haven't mentioned Bill Harney yet. He's one of my favourites. Douglas Lockwood is a good Author. [He wrote about the Bombing of Darwin among other things. First book of his I got, was I, the Aboriginal. He also finished the last few pages of Bill Harneys' last book, as he died just before it was finished. ] Peter Pinney is another.
Got books about Blackbirding, Crocodiles, and just about anything you want to name.
Got a couple by Jack Hides, about New Guinea, and some others for that area, including one about the Leahy brothers, First Contact. Think I've got at least 2 Len Beadell books. One of them is Too Long in the Bush.
Cheers,
xina.

-- Edited by xina at 19:25, 2009-03-07

drongo & wendy · Senior Member

next time your camped in Myrtleford knock on the door i have the 6 books on Len Beadel, he and his crews must of been made of the same steel as his grader if u are in Womera call into the tourist thingy and there he stand in his shorts, boots and no socks come to think of it he has been standing in the same spot for sometime now just shows how tough he is

ps while on books has any one read a good book on the Arltunga gold fields [NT] i have never been able to find one grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

-- Edited by drongo & wendy at 08:56, 2009-03-08

Road Ranger · Senior Member

drongo & wendy wrote:

next time your camped in Myrtleford knock on the door i have the 6 books on Len Beadel, he and his crews must of been made of the same steel as his grader if u are in Womera call into the tourist thingy and there he stand in his shorts, boots and no socks come to think of it he has been standing in the same spot for sometime now just shows how tough he is

ps while on books has any one read a good book on the Arltunga gold fields [NT] i have never been able to find one grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

-- Edited by drongo & wendy at 08:56, 2009-03-08

G'Day Demon.

To whom did you direct that offer to knock on your door ? and was it for book swap?
And I will write Arltunga Gold Fields on my list and see if I can find it, do you know the auther?
Some one else may even like to keep a look out list for eack other.
Jim.

-- Edited by Road Ranger at 10:59, 2009-03-08

-- Edited by Road Ranger at 11:00, 2009-03-08

-- Edited by Road Ranger at 11:04, 2009-03-08

Helen · Veteran Member

I read constantly and as I live in the van space is almost non existant so I haunt op-shops, markets and this weekend the Port Fairy Folk Festival for my reading matter. Pay 50c or $1 inop shops and have found fabulous books. Have just read Amy Tan's "Hundred Secret Sences" Colleen McCullough's "A Creed for the Third Millenium" and Worst Fears by Fay Weldon. Now on Travel's with my Aunt by Graham Greene, greatly amusing.
When I have a pile of books read, I head to a 2nd hand book shop to do a swap or return them to an op-shop. If I can't bear to part with some they end up at my daughters place to join the boxes of books I already have stored there.
Happy reading, Helen

Road Ranger · Senior Member

G'Day Helen.

You got boxes of books! (great rubbing of hands) Sooooo just where are all these books?
just a jest.
I have sometimes thought I may like to have a book shop, but that would mean droping anchor.
If your looking for a book why not let us know.

I am looking for "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" by T.E. Lawrence.
(yes Lawrence of Arabia)
I have "Selections from.... edited by John Cullen. it's a school edition, green canvas cover 144 pages.
I'm still trying to find any first editions, the only reason is that an uncle of mine was working with him and he never told me much as a kid, but my cousin said read the book.
Jim.

xina · Guru

I've got it somewhere RR. If you let me have an address, I can send it to you, or if you're anywhere near Rocky. sometime, I could bring it in to you.
Cheers,
xina,

waltzing matilda · Senior Member

Well RR you certainly started an avalanche with this thread. Good onya.

xina · Guru

Helen, you sound like me. I don't have much Fiction, and what I have got is usually based on subjects I'm interested in. EG. The series by the Gears [W. Michael Gear & Kathleen O'Neal Gear] a husband and wife team who write about Pre-historic America. There are at least 10 books in the series, and titles start with "People of the". I think "People of the Wolf" was the first one, then there are "People of the Fire, Earth, River, Sea, Lakes, Lightening, Silence, Mist, & Mask.
One of my downfalls is Op-shops. My house is getting too small for my Library.
Cheers,
xina.

-- Edited by xina at 15:46, 2009-03-08

Road Ranger · Senior Member

xina wrote:

I've got it somewhere RR. If you let me have an address, I can send it to you, or if you're anywhere near Rocky. sometime, I could bring it in to you.
Cheers,
xina,
What? are you fair dinkum?

Holy bunna!

Road Ranger · Senior Member

waltzing matilda wrote:

Well RR you certainly started an avalanche with this thread. Good onya.
Nah! it's all the people like you that respond that make it happen.

xina · Guru

Road Ranger wrote:

xina wrote:

I've got it somewhere RR. If you let me have an address, I can send it to you, or if you're anywhere near Rocky. sometime, I could bring it in to you.
Cheers,
xina,
What? are you fair dinkum?

Holy bunna!

I never say anything I don't mean Jim.
Cheers,
xina.

-- Edited by xina at 17:45, 2009-03-08

xina · Guru

The Idriess book "My mate Jim" should be "My Mate Dick." tried to edit it, but can't .
Sorry about that,
xina.

Road Ranger · Senior Member

Just got stuck into another good book called the "Ship Thieves" by Sian Rees.

Story of James Porter Tasmaina 1829 at the then Macquarie Harbour penal settelment (Strahan) much like "For The Term Of His Naturl Life" Baz you would like this one.
Tat tar.

drongo & wendy · Senior Member

hey jim u can knock on my door anytime and that goes for any of the greys

oops not after mid april lol i could be knocking on yours

mike and Judy · Guru

What was the name of a series of books about the days in euripe before civilasation,
recall there was a fella called Jondala, And the main person in the series was a female who was banned from her clan, =====something to with clansman, slopeheads, a later breed of upright people from the Neanderthals, remembering more as i write
she found a valley where sha wintered and trained a horse , tamed a lion cub etc

JRH · Guru

mike and Judy wrote:

What was the name of a series of books about the days in euripe before civilasation,
recall there was a fella called Jondala, And the main person in the series was a female who was banned from her clan, =====something to with clansman, slopeheads, a later breed of upright people from the Neanderthals, remembering more as i write
she found a valley where sha wintered and trained a horse , tamed a lion cub etc

The books you are refering to are the Earth's Children series by Jean M Auel, a great series from memory. Book one was The Clan Of The Cave Bear.

There were supposed to be 6 books in all and I am still waiting for the sixth to become available.

mike and Judy · Guru

Thanks John, I really enjoyed them,
Now that was camping at its best, ,bare minimum and living from the land

JRH · Guru

Only too happy I could help, I know how frustrating it can be when you can remember part of something but the rest just seems to escape you until about 3:30 in the morning when you wake up and say yeah that was it I remember now. You then go back to sleep and when you wake up it's gone again.

I must admit I enjoyed the series also and as for camping, what would we do without all our mod cons, I shudder to think.

John.

xina · Guru

mike and Judy wrote:

Thanks John, I really enjoyed them,
Now that was camping at its best, ,bare minimum and living from the land

Jean M. Auel did a marvellous job of research before writing those books. Everything she wrote about how they lived,[housing, utensils, weapons, and all that stuff] I have in other books on Anthropology. The Gear books are similar, but set in America.
Got some more books today. A biography of Billy the Kid. A book by Vanda Marshall, about pioneering experiences in NT. "The Brotherhoods."--Inside the Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs. Another Pioneer-type one called "Fair Crack of the Whip." by Jack Scott. This one is mainly Qld., but also takes in the fall of Singapore.
Amazing what the Op-shops have to offer sometimes.
I found a DVD of Clan of the Cave Bear, with Daryl Hannah in the starring role.
Haven't looked at it yet.
Cheers,
xina.

-- Edited by xina at 19:19, 2009-03-12

Road Ranger · Senior Member

G'Day Gang!

I just finished "The Ship Thieves" and if you have read "For The Term of His Natural life" and thought that it was good, Your in for a surprise, as it was fiction based on the story of James Porter.

You must read "The Ship Thieves" this is the full, true story and it was written from the letters of James Porter, a convict that survived the lot.

I have started "The Knights Templar Revealed" looks like another good choice for me, Starts off in Crete 1800BC a real eye popper this one.
Cheers.