Books Read 2024

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow (novella)

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

A Special Providence by Richard Yates

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas

Australian Magpie: Biology and Behaviour of an Unusual Songbird by Gisela Kaplan (natural history)

The Immortal Emperor: The Life and Legend of Constantine Palaiologos, Last Emperor of the Romans by David M. Nicol (history)

The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle

Hrolf Kraki’s Saga by Poul Anderson

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow (novella)

Nation of the Night by Sue Isle (novella from the collection Nightsiders)

The Snake Stone by James Goodwin

The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris

Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier

Dance of the Happy Shades by Alice Munro (collection)

Warriors 2 Ed. George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois (anthology)

Black Light by K.A. Bedford

Meanjin Quarterly Vol.79, Issue 3 Ed. Jonathan Green (literary journal)

Fata Morgana by William Kotzwinkle (novella)

Sultans in Splendour: Monarchs of the Middle East, 1869-1945 by Philip Mansel (history)

The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson (novella)

Nightsiders by Sue Isle (interlinked collection)

Bull: A Farce by Will Self (novella from Cock and Bull)

Overland 203 (lit. journal)

In the Midst of Winter by Isabel Allende

The Heirs of Locksley by Carrie Vaughn (novella)

Cock and Bull by Will Self (collection of two novellas)

White Time by Margo Lanagan (collection)

Labels and Other Stories by Louis de Bernieres (collection)

Smart Ovens for Lonely People by Elizabeth Tan (collection)

Cock by Will Self (novella from Cock and Bull)

Dark Harvest by Cat Sparks (collection)

Overland Issue 238 (literary journal)

The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald (novella)

Out of the Dark by David Weber (novella in Warriors 2)

5 Faves

I could have easily waxed lyrical on plenty more wonderful books, but I’m keeping things to my favourite five due to time parameters.

No plot synopses here, just a few general comments.

                                         A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow (novella)

A playful take on ‘Sleeping Beauty’. This was a refreshing delight and my favourite read of the year. I’ve really been drawn to meta elements being used in a playful manner over the last few years and this falls right into that alley. Fun, humorous, clever, inventive, touching and beautiful.

A Special Providence by Richard Yates

Yates’ characters are so absorbing. This is a WWII novel that concentrates on the prewar era, along with the aftermath, as much as the battle itself. An intelligent, tender, ironic and insightful work, especially with regards to the intricacies of the mother-son relationship

                                     All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Another WII novel... but I swear I'm not some world war history buff. This was a gift from a friend and former colleague, Tania Hicks. Although the oncoming tragic elements are inevitable, the narrative journey has  rays of light as it celebrates both humanity and the humanities. I have been keen on reading this ever since I read Doerr's incredible short story ‘The Deep’.

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas

 

I was wrong before when I claimed Tsiolkas tends to slap you over and again and that he focuses solely on disconnection. I may have been too young when I initially read some of his work and formed a somewhat naïve opinion that was further reinforced when I read Dead Europe, which to me, as an Australian Greek who has experienced life in both countries, was far too repetitively hard hitting. 

A couple of years ago, however, I read Barracuda, which was excellent. And The Slap is arguably even better. Despite exploring some dark themes, the character arcs in The Slap are intriguing and there is also, ultimately, plenty of optimism. The Slap explores what it means to be truly human; not only in terms of our flaws, but also in terms of our strengths and potential. 

Australian Magpie: Biology and Behaviour of an Unusual Songbird by Gisela Kaplan (natural history)

I’m a bird lover who has been observing maggies since a kid. Rightly or wrongly, my dad had one in his pet menagerie growing up, and my Pappou on the other side used to talk and feed a mob in his front yard. We lived with my Pappou and Yiayia on my mum’s side for a while, and then, being one of those stereotypical Greek Australian families, we moved one house over afterwards. The side of their home neighboured our backyard, so there were plenty of backyard convos, and, of course, visits both ways.

To put it in a nutshell, I enjoyed spending plenty of time with these highly intelligent and complex birds while growing up. 

Kaplan, as you’d expect from the world’s leading magpie guru, delivers a thorough exploration on almost everything you’d like to know about our great carollers. I did want a little more on the neurological aspects and cognition, but Kaplan, as stated, covers plenty of ground, especially with regards to magpies' fascinating social aspects and behaviour. A must-read for both bird and maggie lovers. 

Without doubt, these birds deserve to be on a better team flag than Collingwood's! 

Happy 2025

Better late than never...Hope you all have a happy, healthy and meaningful 2025! 

 

Top 25 Short Story Reads of 2024

This is my annual list of favourite short stories read over the year. It's the usual unapologetic mix of spec-fic and realism, along with the 'newish' and old. Some stories from Dance of the Happy Shades are on previous lists rather than this one as I'd already read a number of stories in other anthologies. I am also still reading The Book of Magic. This year, I managed 102 reads. As always, many fabulous stories were just off being listed, but I'm committed to the yearly cold cutoff at 25.

‘Dirae’ by Peter S. Beagle (from Warriors 2 Ed. George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois)

‘Smart Ovens for Lonely People’ by Elizabeth Tan (from Smart Ovens for Lonely People)

‘Day of the Butterfly’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in Chatelaine)

‘An Ounce of Cure’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in The Moitrealer)

‘Red Dress–1946’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades)

‘Thanks for the Ride’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in Tamarack Review)

‘Recidivist’ by Gardner Dozois (from Warriors 2 Ed. George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois)

‘Gunter Weber’s Confession’ by Louis de Bernieres (from Labels and Other Stories by Louis de Bernieres)

‘Andouil and Andouilette Begin Their Holiday’ by Louis de Bernieres (from Labels and Other Stories by Louis de Bernieres) Not overly deep nor profound but a warm comical tale featuring a loving elderly couple.

‘The Friends of Masquelayne the Incomparable’ by Matthew Hughes (from The Book of Magic Ed. Gardner Dozois)

‘Ancient Ways’ by S.M. Stirling (from Warriors 2 Ed. George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois) Old school swashbuckling fun.

‘The Boy Who Didn’t Yearn’ by Margo Lanagan (from White Time)

‘Pang & Co. Genuine Scribe Era Stationery Pty Ltd’ by Elizabeth Tan (from Smart Ovens for Lonely People. First published in dotdotdash 2010)

‘Biography of a Bouncing Boy Terror: Chapter II: Jumping Jack in Love’ by Ysbeau S. Wilce (from The Book of Magic Ed. Gardner Dozois)

‘Community Service’ by Megan Lindholm (from The Book of Magic Ed. Gardner Dozois)

‘Seven Years from Home’ by Naomi Novik (from Warriors 2 Ed. George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois)

‘Veterans Day’ by Cat Sparks (from Dark Harvest, originally published in Hear me Roar)

‘The Painted Girl’ by Sue Isle (from Nightsiders by Sue Isle)

‘The Shining Houses’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in the CBC programme Anthology)

‘Boys and Girls’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in The Moitirealer)

‘The Time of Death’ by Alice Munro (from Dance of the Happy Shades, originally published in The Canadian Forum)

‘Fata Morgana’ by Cat Sparks (from Dark Harvest, originally published in Mother of Invention) It was a privilege to provide feedback on this story prior to publication.

‘Song of Fire’ by Rachel Pollack (from The Book of Magic Ed. Gardner Dozois)

‘Wealth’ by Margo Lanagan (from White Time)

‘Washing Day’ by Elizabeth Tan (from Smart Ovens for Lonely People, first published in Mascara Literary Review)