THE ARSONIST by Chloe Hooper

At this point in time, with parts of Australia burning to pieces, I cannot think of a better book to read to give one an insight into the nature of these types of devastating and ruthless fires, the loss of life and property, the horrific dangers firefighters go through in trying to manage these fires, what happens to the land during such fires, and then for investigators to find that there are people out there who deliberately set these fires, sit back to watch the devastation and horror unfold.

This is that book. The author is an Australian narrative non-fiction writer, and man, can she write. She was in Victoria on her partner's bush block during the time of the Black Saturday February 2009 fires, aware that at any time the wind could change direction and come their way. Luckily for them, it didn't happen, but 173 people died during those few days, millions of domestic and wild animals died, and thousand of hectares of trees and property destroyed.

Arson investigators quickly established that in one area where 11 people died, the fires were deliberately lit. What follows is the story of how the arsonist was tracked down, arrested, brought to trial, found guilty and sentenced. A quick on-line search will show that arsonists in general have a variety of mental health issues, and this was the case with Brendan Sokuluk, the arsonist in this case. Hooper's reach is much more than simply focussing on trying to understand the mind of such a man - it seems no one is really able to come to grips with what type of person he really was. She touches on the causes of a number of the other fires in the region - failures by those in charge of maintaining the power grid to do so and the fall out from this negligence, as well as arson. She also closely examines the communities affected by the fires - small towns and communities whose existence is dependent on the coal mines and power stations in the area  that are being sold off, run down, closed down. I also learnt about fire itself and how it behaves in an eucalyptus plantation, how this tree is built to burn, how the Aborigine people knew how to control such fire and used it for their advantage, how it became a weapon between Europeans and Aborigine, and between feuding Europeans. And how we really are totally useless at controlling it at all.

An exceptional read, with something to learn about on every single page, reading more like a thriller than a non-fiction narrative. Compulsory reading right now.

ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keene

West Side Story, Romeo and Juliet,  are just two stories through history and real life of  star crossed lovers whose families are not greatly pleased that their childrens have fallen in love. This novel is another take on this never-fails-to-tug-the-hearstrings story, and very well done it is too, if somewhat too long and drawn out. Luckily for the reader, the lovers don't die a tragic and youthful death, but their relationship being over ridden by the turn of events amongst the parents. The beauty of this of course, is that it is in the hands of the younger generation to find ways to heal the damage, forgive the actions of the parents, find ways to move forward, and be the agents of the healing.

Kate and Peter grow up next door to each other. Their dads Francis and Brian respectively meet as rookie policemen, and although friendly, never really become best mates. Their wives Lena and Anne could not be more different, and this does make for awkward neighbourly relationships. Kate and Peter do everything together, best of friends, kindred spirits. It is clear fairly early on that Anne is not a well woman, deeply affected by the still birth of her first baby, her pregnancy being the only reason she and Brain married in the first place. The grief is enormous grief between these two, and it is never fully dealt with, shaping their marriage and family life, with Peter the pawn in the middle.

Things come to a head one day when Kate and Peter are in their early teens, with an almost fatal outcome, resulting in the two families going their separate ways. It is not until Kate and Peter are both living and studying in New York city in their late teens that they meet up again, falling in love as adults this time rather than than children. Their union is wonderful to watch, but at the root of their relationship is what happened some years before, the repercussions still seriously affecting both families. Unexpectedly it is Anne who is the catalyst for the two families to reunite, the result being this beautifully told and gentle story of rebuilding, commitment, love and the power of family. Out of the ashes of one family breakdown a new and stronger family is built.

DIPLOMATIC BAGGAGE by Brigid Keenan

On GoodReads so many people with so many negative reviews about this book, about the author, about the life she has lived as a 'trailing spouse' - one of that peculiar species of mostly women who accompany their spouses to foreign lands for any length of time up to 5 years. Having been both the person who has been posted to one of  my country's high commissions for 2 years, and been a trailing spouse for 1 year in another country some 27 years later, I can fully relate to this wife's life, and at times completely felt her loneliness, her frustration with the local environment and people, her culture shock, the every-few-years-upheaval as she has to say to good bye to those she has formed deep attachments to knowing she has to start all over again in another brand new and alien place. But like most expats, she constantly picks herself up again and gets on with it - it's a big exciting and interesting world out there and I aint going to see it if I sit at home moping!

The cover will tell you that this is not a serious read, and in many parts it is hilarious - not just for the bizarre, strange, commonplace, curious and silly things that happen to Brigid, but for the whacky and self-deprecating writing style she employs - never taking herself too seriously, putting her emotions on the line for all us strangers to read about. And at all times she absolutely has to put on a brave face, in control, having the best time ever. It certainly helps that Brigid began her career as a journalist with writing and reporting coming so easily to her.

As the wife of an EU diplomat she began her expatriate existence in Nepal way back in the early '70s, and I can guarantee you there is nothing at all remotely easy about this little intrepid journey. She has lived in Trinidad, Barbados, Gambia, Ethiopia, Syria, India, with her narrative bookended by a posting to Kazakhastan, possibly one of the last postings they do. 

I loved all the postings she had, each was very different. The ones that have remained with me are their time in Ethiopa during the 1970s when the famine struck, and their time in Damascus in Syria, a place she and her husband adored, resulting in a book about ancient monuments of Syria, unfortunately now unavailable. During all her postings, her domestic life features heavily - her dealings with the staff at their various homes, her parenting of two strong willed and intelligent daughters, her relationship with her husband, the other expat wives. Her gift is being able to make all this very relatalbe, garnering some sympathy from the reader, as well as the laughs, and best of all she never takes herself too seriously. 100% recommend.  

THE GUEST BOOK by Sarah Blake

It is long, protracted, a little preachy but overall not a bad read. The writing is terrific with well drawn and conflicted characters; descriptive of place and setting, and how well ideas and themes are put together and transmitted to the reader.

This is a very American novel, with old New York money and its deeply ingrained attitudes, embedded for generations.  If you aren't white, brought up in the same narrow circles, Christian, wealthy then please do not apply. Within this tight circle if you are female please don't expect to have an opinion, let alone express it, please know that you are disposable and expected to marry within the same class you are born into.

With this as the backdrop, the story opens in 1935. Kitty and Ogden Milton are living the life in New York. A terrible tragedy occurs, and as a way to help the recovery Ogden buys an island off the coast of Maine with a beautiful rambling house on it. It becomes a retreat for the family and the setting over the years of parties, celebrations, family holidays. But where did the money to purchase it come from?

In the late 1950s the Milton children are now young adults, and bringing their own friends to the island including those who would have been excluded in the near distant past - a very talented young Jewish man called Len Levy who works in Ogden's investment bank, and a talented young black photographer called Reg Pauling. Talk about putting the cat amongst the pigeons - things happen....

Parallel to these stories taking place in the 1930s and 1950s is that of Kitty, granddaughter to Kitty and Ogden. Evie and her cousins are faced with the prospect of having to sell the much loved island. Evie''s husband who happens to be Jewish himself, has uncovered disturbing secrets about the history of the Milton family, bringing to the surface the family secrets that Evie always felt lay just below the surface of her perfect family exterior.

The author is tackling a lot in this large novel, not the least of which is the sense of entitlement and exclusion that those of extreme wealth often have to almost all other elements of the society we all live in. And how easily it is for them to shut down any threat those elements may bring. These were the aspects of the book I liked - how the author tackled the conflict between them and us, the justifications and moral judgements for the way people behave, plus her analysis of her characters.  The only problem is that the story is far too long, with too many threads, not all of which are satisfactorily resolved.