Book Reviews - M
MacGibbon, John
Title of Book : Piano in the parlour
Reviewed by : Book Club Member
Category : Non-Fiction
I enjoyed this beautiful book of our musical past. Written by a New Zealander with help from collectors of music, it includeds the history of the first pianos brought into New Zealand, and the music stores. There are stories of family musicial evenings when people travel miles in horse drawn carts to dance and sing till 4.00am in the morning. A great look into our past and the people who bought us our first music.
McCulloch, Collen
Title of Book : The thorn birds
Reviewed by : Book Club Member
Category : Fiction
Great book - could hardly put it down. Read it in 4 days!
McGregor, Ewan & Boorman, Charley
Title of Book :Long way round chasing shadows across the world
Reviewed by :Staff member
Category : Non-Fiction
Scottish actor and motorcycle enthusiast Ewan McGregor had been inspired by fellow motorcyclist Ted Simons books about his two sole world tours by motorcycle, to the extent that he invited fellow actor and motorcycling friend Charley Boorman “over for dinner”. Thus the seed was planted that perhaps they too could fulfil a dream by riding from London through Europe, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia; fly across the Pacific to Alaska, then continue the ride down through Canada to finish in New York, then head home “The long way round”. This well written well illustrated book outlines the trials and tribulations encounted in setting the trip up on BMWs which carried them over 20,000 miles in four months through every kind of experience one could imagine. The text alternates between Ewan and Charley, the latter have a great love of the f--- word. This aside the book is hard to put down and so honestly written, it reduces one to tears in places.
Mansell, Jill
Title of Book :Making your mind up
Reviewed by :Book Club Member
Category :Free Novel
Lottie’s boss has sold his business he wants her to contact several people – he is going to die within six months. She is attracted to her new boss but her children object. Mario her ex-husband, with his partner Amber, and Cressida, a hairdresser, try to help/hinder! Throw in Seb, a snowstorm, and, a sprained ankle, and the problems mount. Lottie must win out eventually. A light hearted story which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Montefiore, Santa
Title of Book :The forget-me-not sonata
Reviewed by : Library staff
Category :Free Novel
The cover of the book advertises the author as the new Rosamund Pilcher. While I feel this is a little exaggerated it is saga in the same style and of similar depth as Rosamund Pilcher's Shell seeker. It is a saga that starts in a small Anglo-Argentine community in Buenos Aires and moves to rural England. It is a poignant story of family relationships, particularly of 2 brothers and 2 sisters over 40 years. Audrey Garnet falls in love with a talented but eccentric young man, Louis Forrester, who composes for her the hypnotic Forget-Me-Not Sonata. Love and life do not flow smoothly and tragedy alters the plans of the young couple. The saga follows their lives and the lives of their family, as well as other members of the "Hurlington Club" (a group of older women). It explores the effect of the circumstances on the characters and how they discover the true meaning of love.
Morgan, Jo
Title of Book : Backblocks America
Reviewed by : Book Club Member
Category : Non-Fiction
This book is totally different from those I’ve read recently, being “more of a thematic take on North American society, its politics and its values”. I was half way through the text before I felt “in tune” with the writers who present their tale so well. If you’re interested in history, as well as geography, plus a good dose of armchair adventure, this book is for you. Join husband and wife team, Gareth and Jo Morgan with their traveling motorcycle companions Dave and Roger as they dodge the cities to discover heartland America so similar in many ways to small town New Zealand.
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