Book Review: A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro

Ishiguro’s debut novel, A Pale View of Hills, tells the story of Etsuko as she dwells upon the recent suicide of her eldest daughter. As she mourns her daughter, Etsuko becomes immersed in a haunting summer of long ago in her native Japan in which her community tried to continue their lives after the war. During the summer, she befriends Sachiko, an unconventional figure in conservative Nagasaki.

As an elderly woman, Etsuko lives alone in England with little more than solitude to pass her days and a fragile grasp on her surroundings as her identity is displaced amidst the changes that time and death bring. As the summer unfolds, Etsuko is invited to reconsider her changed community and the life she follows.  

Ishiguro presents distinct characters that reveal themselves with slow subtlety yet retain their enigma. His characters linger in musings on memory, identity and regret with a simple narrative that slips between the present and the past seamlessly. The summer becomes one of dark overtones that are skilfully woven into the novel through Etsuko’s distracted memories and culminate in a well written, intriguing plot.

A Pale View of Hills won the Winifred Holtby Prize when it was first published in 1982.
Kazuo Ishiguro is an award winning author whose subsequent books include The Remains of the Day, When We Were Orphans and Never Let Me Go.

Book Review: The Family Law by Benjamin Law

The Family Law is a hilarious compilation of tales about growing up amidst domestic chaos in a migrant household of five children in outer suburban Queensland.

In his debut book, Law shares the sorts of tales that usually remain in the domain of family and perhaps, close friends, for he reveals the quirky happenings that occur behind closed doors, hints at family dynamics and lightly touches upon serious issues.

He recalls family life with affection and a rare honesty without falling prey to the temptation of unnecessary long-winded personal musings that taint many memoirs.
The tales are laden with humour and cause a smile at the sheer absurdity of the situations that Law finds himself in throughout his childhood.

Law remains true to his younger self with a childlike enthusiasm for his mother’s use of profanities, the ins and outs of childbirth and all things remotely sexual throughout his memoir. It is easy to imagine the Law Family relentless in the pursuit of their next giggle over an obscenity or a mistaken sighting of someone emerging from the shower. However, he extends his comic perception of ordinary family life beyond this playground banter to consider serious issues such as racism and social isolation.

Law succeeds in balancing humour with insight whilst maintaining a light read. He conveys maturity in his brief reflections but prefers to dwell upon his dad’s reluctance to wear certain underwear rather than engage in solemn periods of reflection. At times, humour serves as a means for Law to negotiate the world around him and deal with difficult issues.

Beneath the frequent laughter, one might imagine Law has created an intimate family history in which he can reminisce with fondness in years to come.

The television rights have been sold to Matchbox Pictures.

Book Review: Apply Within By Michaela McGuire

Apply Within is a collection of short stories from McGuire’s early working life rather than a memoir of career sabotage unless you count her initial decision to major in creative writing which led McGuire to an assortment of mishaps as she fumbled to find a career.

Like many writers, McGuire exhibits a natural curiosity about the world that becomes evident in her undertakings as a suburban video store shop assistant, casino employee and lap dance supervisor at a strip club. McGuire shares her astute observations of these workplaces long before she is at the mercy at societal expectations of a real job upon graduating from university.

McGuire’s claim to career sabotage is likely to be the sole exaggeration in her stories of workplace dynamics, office politics and other aspects of working life. It is only after graduation, McGuire submits to a recruitment agency in an attempt for a real job. She finds work at a federal MP’s office and similar office environments. This is the path many follow in order to establish a career.

In many respects, the stories mark McGuire’s initiation into the realities of working life. Unfortunately, the ridiculous situations that McGuire recalls with detached humour retain credibility and form the basis of working life for many employees. This may account for her previous employer’s alarm upon discovering McGuire’s blog, Swings and Roundabouts, in which she first shared her observations of the workplace. However, the alarm may have been disproportionate given that McGuire intends to present a comic view of the workplace rather than the in-depth analysis present in other recollections of the workplace.

Overall, Apply Within is a light, amusing read that will resonate with university students and those in the early stages of their career.

Book Review: Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

It is the summer of 1965. Jasper Jones knocks on Charlie’s window. The two boys disappear in the night into the secret glade in the bush that Jasper calls home. Jasper is an outcast. His mother is dead. His father is no good. He is mixed race. Tonight, another untold tale beckons within the bush.

Thirteen year old Charlie is immersed in the worlds of Faulkner, Harper Lee and Mark Twain. He can finally read whatever he likes from his father’s library. Armed with his literary heroes’ wisdom, Charlie must navigate Corrigan for tonight he begins to develop an awareness of racism, prejudice and war within the small mining town. As the summer continues, he observes the unfolding facades of the town and questions the social norms that permit racism and prejudice to persist. This is Charlie’s coming of age story in which he rebels against his mother, falls in love for the first time and confronts his fears.

Jasper Jones is a credible recollection of the racism, injustice and social exclusion that lingers in Australian society. It is easy to forget that the novel is set in 1965. The occasional historical reference serves to remind readers of Jasper Jones’ relevance to multicultural Australia, particularly in light of indigenous issues. Charlie’s insights are written in a sensitive manner that conveys his initial innocence, moral deliberations and adolescent uncertainty.

Charlie tells the tale of Jasper Jones and the other secrets that Corrigan harbours with some guidance from his father and Mad Jack Lionel. It is slightly disappointing that Jasper Jones echoes its predecessor, To Kill a Mockingbird, in terms of these characterisations. Think hints of Atticus Finch and Boo Radley rather than direct derivatives. These echoes do not detract from the novel itself, but make it easier to overlook the merits of Jasper Jones in its own right, particularly given its literary references to Harper Lee. Similarly, the plot has slight yet recognisable echoes of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Despite this, Jasper Jones is a well written book that has won many awards including the Indie Book of the Year Award 2009 and the Australian Book Industry Award 2010.  Silvey’s witty, playful dialogue draws a smile from the most reluctant reader and will translate well to the movie adaptation. The film rights have been sold to Rebecca O’Brien.

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Book Review: Bonobo Handshake By Vanessa Woods

Welcome to Lola Ya Bonobo, a sanctuary for orphan bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Say hello to Mimi the Empress, ruler of this female dominated society that lives peacefully in the absence of war and infanticide. Expect your welcome to take the form of sexual contact, the Bonobo handshake. Don’t be alarmed if Vanessa Woods engages in some inappropriate touching to engage bonobos to participate in psychological tests – sex is a means for bonobos to resolve conflict. In the African jungle, anything can happen as those familiar with Vanessa Woods’ earlier memoir, It’s Every Monkey for Themselves, will testify.

Set amidst a civil war, Bonobo Handshake is Vanessa’s third African adventure in which she follows her husband, Dr Brian Hare, on his quest to study bonobos, an endangered ape that share 98.7 percent of our DNA. In Congo, Vanessa adjusts to married life, meets refugees, gains a political education and attempts to reconcile her feelings towards her father. Meanwhile, Brian engages in psychological testing of bonobos in order to compare humans with their closest relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos. Or at least he attempts to, for it is Vanessa who must conduct the tests as the bonobos shun Brian on account of his gender.  She develops a fondness for the bonobos that becomes evident in her increasing concern for their wellbeing for in Congo, bonobos are sold as bushmeat and pets in addition to being subjected to torture.

 Although Bonobo Handshake is a memoir, Vanessa primarily tells the stories of the bonobos and the land in which they inhabit, whilst recognising her limited authority as an outsider. Vanessa shares her knowledge of animal conservation in an accessible manner with many interesting anecdotes about the sanctuary workers, poachers and government officials. Similarly, her personal musings are concise, humourous and thoughtful with no hint of self indulgence.

As she helps Brian, Vanessa becomes fascinated with the peaceful bonobo society particularly as the casualties of war seep into her consciousness. She dwells upon Congo’s history and the aftermath of consumerism with a series of haunting anecdotes that invites readers to recognise their roles in the downfall of Congo, a third world country.  She acknowledges her previous ignorance and does not present herself as a moral compass.

Vanessa’s exploration of Congo’s history helps readers to appreciate the importance of Brian’s work as his ultimate goal is to find an end to the dark side of humanity: war, genocide, infanticide, murder and rape. It is her consideration of deeper issues like this, which may have led Vanessa to abstain from the narcissism that surfaces in memoirs. Notably, ten percent of the book’s profits go to Lola Ya Bonobo.

For Bonobo photos, videos and stories, visit www.bonobohandshake.com