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jennms_qkw's review against another edition
5.0
This was a sweet exploration of the past and present. A bit of a memoir.
It was on my TBR.
It was on my TBR.
lowlandsbeach's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. Probably as I am nearly the same age as the author, a lot of the late1950s 1960s to early 1970s childhood experiences resonated with me. Very readable, and so interesting to visit childhood penpals as adults.
cstefko's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 stars
Not the most riveting memoir, but very poignant at times. I would have liked to actually read some of the letters to/from her pen pals, but I get why she might prefer to keep them private, especially in the case of her longest-lasting penpal, Joannie, who (feels kind of weird and icky to use a spoiler tag for nonfiction but better to err on the side of caution, since it would definitely affect how you read the parts about Joannie). The section where she went to hunt down her remaining penpals was fun, even if the Israel stuff was... perhaps lacking nuance. I just love anything even remotely about Australia and Australians, and it was interesting to read the perspective of an Australia who has a love/hate relationship with her country.
Not the most riveting memoir, but very poignant at times. I would have liked to actually read some of the letters to/from her pen pals, but I get why she might prefer to keep them private, especially in the case of her longest-lasting penpal, Joannie, who
Spoiler
passed away after battling anorexia and depressionsushai's review against another edition
4.0
I chose this book because I'm heading to Sydney and wanted to get a sense of its history and culture. For that purpose, the book was perfect. The story of her finding her pen pals again as an adult sounded more interesting than it actually was. It seemed like she was in a rush to get the book finished. I would have liked more details. I think if she'd written in a little later in her career it would have been more polished, as I have liked her other books quite a bit.
bennse2's review against another edition
4.0
Geraldine Brooks has had a far more interesting life than I have had, and she showcases her world journeys through her family and personal history. Provides some solid historical background, interspersed with Geraldine's memories and experiences - so I'd highly recommend it to people who enjoy memoirs; history; letter-writing. I enjoy all of the above, so it was perfect for me!
klb72's review against another edition
4.0
I was recommending this book before I was half way through I was so captivated. There's something about the yearning of a young girl, wanting to break out, explore, described with love and care by the adult version. I loved the pen pal journeys, loved the family relations, as well as getting an insight into Australia in the '60s and onwards. It was beautiful to see Geraldine's journey regarding her own viewpoints, challenged by the range of pen pals she had.
Highly recommend, and wish I had listened to the audio version by the author.
Highly recommend, and wish I had listened to the audio version by the author.
ashesmann's review against another edition
3.0
Not what I was expecting. Geraldine Brooks tells us the story of her life, guided by her letters to her pen pals. Some are sad, but I love that the ones who ended up living a simple life are the ones highlighted as really living.