Each month for our 2019 Reading Challenge, we try to give you a theme that will give you an excuse to go exploring. November's theme is "Oceans and Rivers", and for our reviews in this post we've covered almost all bases.
Brenda has reviewed a non-fiction book about oceans (specifically, the Great Barrier Reef), while Sharon took the opportunity to revisit a classic work of fiction set by a river.
It’s hard to believe that over a year has passed since the
launch of the Sir
Charles Maurice Yonge Collection. Sir Charles Maurice Yonge (1899-1986) was a highly distinguished marine
zoologist with a publication record spanning 63 years. He led the highly
successful Great Barrier Reef Expedition of 1928-1929, which opened up the
scientific world to the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef, and laid the
foundations of scientific study in modern coral reef biology.
Published in 1930, A Year on the Great Barrier Reef aims to
describe corals, reefs, and the animals and plants of the Great Barrier Reef in
plain language. It is interesting to compare the state of the reef and its
flora and fauna with that of the present day. Yonge also recounts his
experiences with the people of the reef’s islands and discusses the connections
between the reef, their livelihood and culture. The everyday highlights and
challenges of living and working around Low isles are relayed with all the
vibrancy of a first-hand account.
True to Yonge’s intent, the book is
easy to read and is complemented by many maps, diagrams, and photographic
plates taken by his wife. A list of the expedition team and their roles can be
found at the end, as well as guidance for the more technically minded on how to
find the scientific reports about the expedition.
And then, of course, there’s just the
thrill of reading a physical book that’s nearly 90 years old. If you’re in
Cairns, you can see a copy of A Year on
the Great Barrier Reef as part of our larger Great Barrier Reef display,
but we also have copies available for loan. This book will appeal to lovers of
history as well as those with an interest in the sea and the Great Barrier
Reef.
Non-fiction,
Australian, An author I haven’t read before, 574.925 YON
Sharon Bryan read The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Graham.Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing —absolute nothing— half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.I'll admit it, I'll take any excuse to revisit this book. I'll also take any excuse to revisit anything written by A. A. Milne, so I'll let keen readers guess what I'm going to review next time.
My first exposure to the characters Ratty, Mole, Toad and Badger came in the stop-motion television series in the 80s, and I still occasionally find myself singing "there are ghost and ghouls and spirits of toads from long long ago...!" which obviously left an impression on me, because I don't remember any of the other songs from the show (fun fact: Toad was voiced by David Jason - aka, Inspector Frost - you can watch the song here). When I finally got around to reading the book for myself, I felt like I was visiting old friends, rather than making new ones.
Ratty and Mole are the backbone of this book - two lads who become instant best friends and end up being mostly inseparable. Ratty is the let's-get-stuff-done-old-sport epitome of languid British masculinity at the turn of the century, while Mole is the timid character who is still brave enough to do the things that terrify him. Toad is the embodiment of the idle English rich, always finding a new hobby and throwing himself into it regardless of common sense (or common decency). Meanwhile Badger is the grumpy but good old man who gives advice and guidance as well as a kick up the butt when needed. These men live their lives completely devoid of female company (weirdly, when they do encounter female characters those characters are humans, not fellow animals) and are, in a sense, living the live dreamed of by 8-year-old boys.
There is something marvellous about the idea of living by a river bank and having very little to do with your day apart from messing about in boats and occasionally rescuing a rich idiot from his latest (mis)adventure. It's a world that's easy to love.
Fiction, c520 GRA and eBook
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