Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)

Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)
Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Book Review Wednesday

Dirt Music
by Tim Winton (2001)

I went through a stage of really loving Tim Winton, and while I still think he's great, it's been a while since I read one of his books. Dirt Music was my last, I think, and I really enjoyed it. A well-rounded, uniquely Australian, beautifully written story.

Set on the coast of Western Australia, like most of Winton's stories, Dirt Music follows Luther Fox, a tragic figure mourning his family while poaching lobster traps, and Georgie Jutland a retired nurse, as their paths meet and they become 'inextricably linked', as they say.

A powerful story about nostalgia and family, and buried memories, that unravels at increasing speed towards an exciting finale. Well worth reading, especially as an introduction to the author.

So what did you play?
Guitar.
I mean, what kind of music?
Oh, I dunno. All kinds, I spose. Anything you could play on a verandah. You know, without electricity. Dirt music.

5 comments:

Joshua Maule said...

I was considering reading Cloudstreet again. But this post has made me consider reading Dirt Music for the first time. Hmmm.

Ben McLaughlin said...

I have been thinking about re-reading Cloudstreet too Josh, it's such a beauty. That was the first one I read.

None have quite matched it, but Dirt Music is definately worth a crack. A really satisfying read.

Thora and Dean said...

i like the riders. eery.

Thora and Dean said...

or how about the bugalugs bum thief. teehee!!

Ben McLaughlin said...

Heh! Yeah, I have very mixed feelings about The Riders. I was reading it and absolutely loving it, thinking it was going to knock Cloudstreet from my number 1 spot. But then when it became less and less likely that old mate would find his wife, I became really, really dissappointed. I was hugely dissappointed with how it ended, so while I liked the writing so much, I was pretty frustrated. I know that was the point, but..