Sunday, July 09, 2006

Falling In Love With A Story

I would think that most people who write a blog are readers as well. Or working at becoming a writer. And to be a good writer you have to be a reader.

Due to the high cost of books in Oz, I haunt 2nd hand shops. My finds are generally wonderful. I will search for older books and stories set in specific time frames. Sometimes I find an author that really sets my spirits to soaring.

I found one such author recently. Her name is Ruth Parks. She wrote 2 books that I now consider treasures. The first is called, 'The Harp In The South' and the second is 'A Poor Man's Orange'. The setting is after World War II. The people are Australians or Australian immigrants living in the slums of the city scratching out a living. They are so alive and rich that you feel you know them. I ended up feeling as if they were family. I didn't want the stories to end. And the stories stay with you long after you have closed the book. I have adopted Ruth Park's people and feel blessed to have found such a wonderful writer.

When you find a writer and a story like hers you are given one of the greatest gifts you can ever hope for. I wish you all such finds.

TTFN

4 comments:

Leolady said...

Hi, just dropping by again, glad your rugby get together went well, and you made a new friend, I think thats why I like rugby as it tends to bring people together socially more than most sports. I liked your description of a country cottage run amok, it sounds like my life on most days.

I also liked the sound of your description of Ruth Park's books, so I've been off to the Amazon websight and I am trying to get hold of her triology to read when I go away on my hols although I'm not often allowed enough peace and quiet to read much!!(I took Harry Potter last year - so I thought I'd try with a grown up book this time)

Have a great day or should I say G'Day (you will have to educate us on Aussie slang, our only source of the lingo is Neighbours, Rolf Harris and Home & Away, so not much of a selection) - take care - D

purchasewoods said...

Hi leolady: Oh geez! I hope you enjoy the books. I wouldn't want to be the cause of bad reading material on vacation. lol! They really are wonderful - I promise.

That is a good idea about the translations and I have jotted down some so we can sort you out properly.lol.

When are you off on vacation - if you don't mind me asking.

Take care. Lin

Leolady said...

The beginning of August, we are driving to the south of France as we have never been to that part of France before, then over to Venice, we stay just outside on a peninsula, but it's near enough to pop over and see FG, I can't wait, it's hubby's birthday on the 11th so hopefully we will catch up with FG to have some Pizza & Grappa and then we are off to a barbie with them on the Italian Bank Holiday on the 15th. We then go back through Switzerland and France and spend a couple of days just outside Paris, it's a lot of driving but the roads over in europe aren't as crowded as the UK just so long as you get out of the way of the local drivers who tend to drive behind you at 100 miles an hour and are so close they can see the whites of your eyes - the last time we were there a hearse overtook us (complete with body onboard) when we were doing 80!!!

Hopefully one day when the kids are grown up and we have some disposal income we will make it over to Oz, I have a cousin in Melborne and one of our very good friends is going to emigrate over at the end of Oct, it's on my "to do" list before I go to meet my maker.

Thanks for the tips on the books if I can get them I'm sure I will love them.

Take care - D

Leolady said...

Hi, I did leave a comment last night but the system said the blogs were updating so I don't know if it disappeared into the ether,(if it hasn't apols for repeating myself) as FG says I am off on my hols at the beginning of Aug (I actually go on my birthday, so I have a day in the car going through France with hopefully a nice french meal at the end of it!), we are off to the south of france for a week as we have never been there before and then we drive along the coast to and into Italy (I want to see if it is the coast where Grace Kelly & Cary Grant drove along in To Catch a Thief) it's then straight over to Venice, where I will hook up with FG for lots of fun,pizza and of course Ice Cream (the diet goes on hold for my hols!)we then drive back through Switzerland and spend a couple of days near Paris then back home.

So hopefully somewhere (probably on the french leg of my euro tour, I will get chance to read - although in saying that last year I took Harry Potter and had to read that when I got home! but thanks anyway for the tip, hopefully if I get some peace & quiet I will be able to read them they sound just like the sort of thing I will enjoy!

Hope everything is well in Oz - have a good week - D x