Book Notes: "Great Meadow" by Dirk Bogarde

Great Meadow by Dirk Bogarde

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another of Bogarde's biographical stories, this one of his childhood in England around the time of Hitler's rise. It reads like a novel, even though one knows it is more-or-less an account of Bogarde's childhood. There is nothing peculiar about the ending, but it left me with a tingling sensation that was hard to shake. Bogarde was writing of his childhood in the early 1930s, but recollecting his childhood some 60 years later. His ability to put his own story into a format that keeps the reader fascinated in the mundane activities of a boy living in the '30s is due in no small part to his excellent prose.



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Book Notes: "Hemingway on War" by Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway on War by Ernest Hemingway

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Although I enjoyed this collection of works I have read many of the collection's stories and sections of Hemingway's books before. It was worth reading again and a few of the pieces of journalism were unfamiliar but the collected works released by Hemingway's family are more like homages to the great man than when reading a Hemingway work for the first time. As I have completed almost all of Hemingway's major published works I have little choice but to work through the themed collections of Hemingway on War, Fishing, Writing, etc. While previously unread works are few and far between it is still worth the effort but not as good as a Hemingway original.



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Video: The Week in Politics with Michelle Grattan

VIDEO: Michelle Grattan on infrastructure reforms

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra and Michael de Percy, University of Canberra



University of Canberra professorial fellow Michelle Grattan and senior lecturer Michael de Percy discuss the week in politics, including the reforms Joe Hockey was unable to implement as treasurer and his likely new role as the Australian ambassador to the US. The discussion also turns to explore how Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull might introduce infrastructure reforms and Warren Entsch’s proposal that same-sex marriage should be voted on before the next election.


Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra and Michael de Percy, Senior Lecturer in Political Science, University of Canberra

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.