Rating: 
Summary: St. Michael's on a Cloud
Review: Merryn Anstee and Scott Crozier's 2004 production of 'Cloudstreet' is being presented by the acclaimed St. Michael's Grammar School (St. Kilda, Melbourne, Australia) as part of their 2004 Senior Drama Festival. The school, whose alumnus contributes to many facets of Australia's theatre industry, will present six performances at The Studio on campus, opening 23 July 2004. Merryn Anstee is hailed as one of Australia's finest drama teachers and foremost theatre directors. St. Michael's is noted as Australia's most prestigious academic and dramatic arts training institutions.
The school has had recent successful seasons of Peter Shaffer's 'Amadeus', Stephen Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd', Carol Churchill's 'Top Girls' and Shakespeare's 'King Lear'. Season sold out.
Rating:
Summary: out of print?!?
Review: My daughter in law who hails from Perth in western Australia has read this book four times, it is her favorite, and she is very well read. I was captivated and treasure the copy she gave me. Highly recommended. "Carn then, give'er a read!".
Rating:
Summary: out of print?!?
Review: My daughter in law who hails from Perth in western Australia has read this book four times, it is her favorite, and she is very well read. I was captivated and treasure the copy she gave me. Highly recommended. "Carn then, give'er a read!".
Rating:
Summary: Superb portrayal of a lifestyle, an era and of a people
Review: Reminds me of John Steinbecks style of writing the way Winton analyses the character and the angle which he uses to define the character. Places his characters in similar settings to Steinbeck. Felt this to be a better novel than `Riders' and look forward to reading more of his work.
Rating:
Summary: One grand "nugget in the webbing"
Review: The Los Angeles Times Book Review states "Winton is a one-man band of genius."Heady words, and I snapped at the bait, intrigued by the raving reviews of the readers. (Be careful not to read all of them, as one gives away the entire ending in one sentence). I was not disappointed. I was completely captivated by this story in a way I have never been by any other. The originality, teasing slang and the insight into australian post-world war II was a hearty combination that cadenced into one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. This book went with me everywhere. I discussed it with many and especially enjoyed lingering over certain sentences ripe with slang. It was probably one of the most delightful aspects of reading this book; the freshness and foreigness to me as an American reading the saucy expressions of Australians. The humor is hilarious, and there was a smile for nearly every page I read and also moments that made your heart melt. At this very moment, there are friends of mine working in medicine (hospital) still trying to figure out what Tim Winton meant by "the smell of nugget in the webbing." Aside from the hilarity, the novel is about two families that by chance come together to live in the same large home. The Pickles Family inherits a large home from a relative that dies suddenly and unexpectantly. Thanks to this relative (Uncle Joel) and his wise forethought, he bars his brother, Sam from selling the home for 20 years. Joel's motivation is a premeditated attempt to protect the wife and children of Sam and Sam's gambling at the race tracks, not to mention the unfortunate work related amputation of his fingers on one hand that renders him nearly unemployable. Since things are pretty grim anyway (they are living above the bar that Joel owns and "working" off the rent,) Sam's drunken wife Dolly, and his children move on up to Cloudstreet and the mansion in the offering. Sam, ever so shifty, immediately, and without prior consultation with the rest of his family, rents out one half of the house to the Lamb family. The Lambs are the absolute opposite of the Pickles. Religious, and with their own family sorrows, they pack in and set up a grocery store in their one half of the lower story to make a living. The Lambs arrive after suffering through the near drowning of their most beloved son, Fish. (note the irony.)
Fish, retarded and prone to sensing spirits in the house and in and of himself becomes essential to the story and the telling. Revolving around this poor boy are the steel strength-heart soft mother, Oriel, and father Lester, a hen-pecked, sweet tempered,entertaining pa. Son "Quick" is the angst-ridden brother who feels responsible for Fish's accident and grows up fighting the evils around him. The other sisters round out this lively family. Many characters and sub-plots keep this book a page turner that will entertain and move you. I look forward to reading the rest of his novels.
PS : there is a study guide for those that want to enhance the novel. See Amazon.com under author Tim Winton.
Rating:
Summary: One grand "nugget in the webbing"
Review: The Los Angeles Times Book Review states "Winton is a one-man band of genius." Heady words, and I snapped at the bait, intrigued by the raving reviews of the readers. (Be careful not to read all of them, as one gives away the entire ending in one sentence). I was not disappointed. I was completely captivated by this story in a way I have never been by any other. The originality, teasing slang and the insight into australian post-world war II was a hearty combination that cadenced into one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. This book went with me everywhere. I discussed it with many and especially enjoyed lingering over certain sentences ripe with slang. It was probably one of the most delightful aspects of reading this book; the freshness and foreigness to me as an American reading the saucy expressions of Australians. The humor is hilarious, and there was a smile for nearly every page I read and also moments that made your heart melt. At this very moment, there are friends of mine working in medicine (hospital) still trying to figure out what Tim Winton meant by "the smell of nugget in the webbing." Aside from the hilarity, the novel is about two families that by chance come together to live in the same large home. The Pickles Family inherits a large home from a relative that dies suddenly and unexpectantly. Thanks to this relative (Uncle Joel) and his wise forethought, he bars his brother, Sam from selling the home for 20 years. Joel's motivation is a premeditated attempt to protect the wife and children of Sam and Sam's gambling at the race tracks, not to mention the unfortunate work related amputation of his fingers on one hand that renders him nearly unemployable. Since things are pretty grim anyway (they are living above the bar that Joel owns and "working" off the rent,) Sam's drunken wife Dolly, and his children move on up to Cloudstreet and the mansion in the offering. Sam, ever so shifty, immediately, and without prior consultation with the rest of his family, rents out one half of the house to the Lamb family. The Lambs are the absolute opposite of the Pickles. Religious, and with their own family sorrows, they pack in and set up a grocery store in their one half of the lower story to make a living. The Lambs arrive after suffering through the near drowning of their most beloved son, Fish. (note the irony.)
Fish, retarded and prone to sensing spirits in the house and in and of himself becomes essential to the story and the telling. Revolving around this poor boy are the steel strength-heart soft mother, Oriel, and father Lester, a hen-pecked, sweet tempered,entertaining pa. Son "Quick" is the angst-ridden brother who feels responsible for Fish's accident and grows up fighting the evils around him. The other sisters round out this lively family. Many characters and sub-plots keep this book a page turner that will entertain and move you. I look forward to reading the rest of his novels.
PS : there is a study guide for those that want to enhance the novel. See Amazon.com under author Tim Winton.
Rating:
Summary: An Australian masterpiece
Review: There is little doubt that Winton has produced in this novel a masterpiece of place, metaphor and characterisation. The Australia of the forties and fifties resonates in this novel which is uniquely "Aussie" in every sense of the word, from Oriel Lamb's casting as a little "Aussie battler" to Sam Pickles' "punting" on the horses to Lester Lamb's belief in the hoary hand of faith and "the knife never lies". This is a novel as accessible to American audiences as Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" or Morrison's "Beloved" is to Australian audiences, but like both novels just mentioned, "Cloudstreet" more than rewards those who patiently persist with this wonderful tale and urban fable, and gives an avid reader a glimpse of Australian lifestyle, beliefs, love and popular culture during the Second World War and post-war years.
Rating:
Summary: "Perfectly. Always. Everyplace. Me."
Review: This novel is a family epic, depicting working-class, ordinary, Australian life in an extraordinary and spiritual way. It follows the lives of two families, the 'Pickleses' and the Lambs, as we join them on their journey from isolation to unity. The entire novel, spanning twenty years, takes place in one moment, as Fish Lamb's life flashes before his eyes as he approaches death. Sometimes confusing, this funny, beautiful book is better appreciated with close study, although it can be enjoyed on any level.
Rating:
Summary: "Perfectly. Always. Everyplace. Me."
Review: This novel is a family epic, depicting working-class, ordinary, Australian life in an extraordinary and spiritual way. It follows the lives of two families, the 'Pickleses' and the Lambs, as we join them on their journey from isolation to unity. The entire novel, spanning twenty years, takes place in one moment, as Fish Lamb's life flashes before his eyes as he approaches death. Sometimes confusing, this funny, beautiful book is better appreciated with close study, although it can be enjoyed on any level.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpeice of Australian Literature
Review: Tim Winton's work was recommended to me by an Australian friend who is an avid reader and it did not disappoint. I was captivated by his freeflowing style and by his excellent character studies. The way he brought to life the characters of Sam and Dolly, Lester and Oriel, Rose and Quick, and Fish was a wonder to behold. I felt I knew exactly how they would react in any of the situations they found themselves. Although being a "Yank" I had to check in everyday with my "Aussie" mate to translate some of the slang words used by Mr. Winton in his marvelous story, I thoroughly enjoyed his tale of two families and the obstacles they had to overcome. The final paragraph of this book was well worth the effort it took to read it. Cloudstreet is a wonderful read and I am so grateful to my Australian friend for sending me this book. I highly recommed this Australian gem to all my fellow Americans!
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