The Eastern Regional Library Show 29th June 2011

Library staff members Lesley Conway and Pia Butcher run a radio show each Wednesday 12:05pm-12:45pm on Eastern FM 98.1 called The Eastern Regional Library Show. Tune in next week for a great show.

On Wednesday's show

 

The libraries are buzzing over the next two weeks, with school holiday activities at all our branches, even the newly refurbished Croydon library which re-opens on 4th July.

 

At the same time, there are still a lot of adult activities, including monthly book chat at Rowville, and two gardening groups meeting, at Rowville on 1st July 1 and Ferntree Gully on 7th July.

 

Further ahead, it is worth noting that the first week in August is National Family History Week. There will be activities in our branches, and in many organisations which support family history research. The Genealogical Society of Victoria is hosting four free talks and an Open Day over the week, covering 'Using Digger software for Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages', 'Starting your family history', 'Using Archive Digital Books Australia' and 'Introduction to Irish family history'. The link to thier web page is www.gsv.org.au.

 

The novel reviewed today was Natural flights of the human mind by Claire Morrall. It is only her second novel, and her first, Astonishing splashes of colour, was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. I admire the way she takes two quite unprepossessing characters. The first we meet is reclusive Peter Straker who lives in an abandoned lighthouse and refuses to speak to anyone. The other is Imogen Doody, a dissapointment to her mother, abandoned by her young husband, and dealing with the world through anger and pugnacity. The story gradually reveals details which allow us to feel sympathy, and even liking for these two unlikely aquaintances, and the drama which occurred twenty five years before which has shaped both their lives. Morrall's writing reminds me of the gentle, but perceptive writing of Ann Tyler and Nick Hornsby.

Music today was from Get happy : the best of Judy Garland

---- Lesley