Book

 

Here’s the modest haul, restraint please, from the St Peter’s Bookroom Book Fair last weekend, $20 the lot. Alphabetically by author. 1. ‘The history question : who owns the past?’ by Inga Clendinnen a Quarterly Essay that addressed the history war before the last one with her fearless signature incisiveness (Black Inc., 2006) 2. ‘The golden rule’ by Irene Cooper, its reiteration in different religious traditions as told in story between a grandfather and grandchild, beautifully illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska, the book itself in excellent condition (Abrams Books, 2007) 3. ‘Wild Australia : a view of birds and men’ by Douglas Dorward, as the title suggests a ‘blokes go bush’ book but interesting today for its paintings and drawings by John Olsen, prefiguring his later big artbook nature trips to extreme parts of the continent (Collins, 1977) 4. ‘John Ford Paterson : a family tradition’ with text by Lyn Johnson, a Scottish artist I was unaware of, who came to Australia and could be called next generation Heidelberg School, Paterson created some very good things ((McClelland Gallery & Sculpture Park, 2010) 5. ‘Churchill: visionary, statesman, historian’ by John Lukacs, which came after a book of his I have read ‘Five days in London: May 1940’, itself a must-read for anyone who still needs to know what Churchill did to avoid capitulation, how much of a close thing it really was (Scribe, 2002) 6. ‘Australian legends of our land’ by Oodgeroo Noonuccal, a children’s book for anyone, withdrawn from the Malvern Library Service well-worn, telling ancient stories of Stradbroke Island and other parts of the country (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990) 7. ‘There’s a wocket in my pocket!’ by Dr. Seuss, in very good condition and no texta scribbles, I further soften to Dr. Seuss and this one is great, charming, screwball, mysterious, a house full of zany creatures including the zlock behind the clock and the vug under the rug (Collins and Harvill, 1975) 8.  ‘Elinor Fettiplace’s receipt book’ is an Elizabethan cookbook revived and carefully annotated by Hilary Spurling, it follows the English seasons and brings to life the world of Elinor’s household, planning some testing (Penguin Books, 1986) 9. ‘Political amnesia : how we forgot to govern’ another one of those Quarterly Essays, this one by the reassuringly formidable Laura Tingle, she who when interviewing stares at a politician’s answer with baleful disbelief. (Black Inc., 2015) 10. ‘Dublinesque’ by Enrique Vila-Matas, a Spanish novel in which the main character “sets off for Dublin on the pretext … to hold, on Bloomsday, a funeral for the age of print,” so an add to the large literature speaking to the work of Joyce and especially that kaleidoscopic wonder, ‘Ulysses’ (Harvill Secker, 2012)

Book (December)

For Christmas I’m given Phaidon’s new blockbuster, ‘Universe: exploring the astronomical world’. Over 300 pages of art and science images from every century, so heavy it rests on a stand to read. Traherne said we could happily spend years studying the skies, while love is where we learn. Hence ‘A different person’, memoir of the American poet and rich kid James Merrill, alive to la dolce vita. Meanwhile, this December, Bridie absorbs ‘Paris through a fashion eye’, ‘Vogue on Yves Saint Laurent’, anything haute couture. With, for light relief, ‘Blowfish’s Oceanopedia: 291 extraordinary things you didn’t know about the sea’.

Book (June)

Re-reading Proust we find that a certain woman “keeps spouting books at you” and is, dismissive judgement, therefore tiresome. On the same page someone else is thought a good sort, even though it’s unlikely she’s read all ‘The Critique of Pure Reason’. Between these two criticisms the salon weaves, from expectations of being well-read and those of not advertising the fact. One will be choice in how quotes are quoted, be well-read and informed but wear it lightly. Other expectations are implied: one must be original but not too so, entertaining but not exhausting, slightly mysterious like a June night.

Book (May)

Visiting Van Gogh. There’s his ‘Still Life with Three Books’. There’s the Zazzle ceramic brooch. The Three Books 11 oz coffee mug. There’s the Fine Art America Three Books duvet cover. There’s the Fine Art America Three Books shower curtain. There’s the Fine Art America Three Books phone case. There’s the Three Books postage stamp. There’s the ‘Colour Your Own Van Gogh’ (paperback or spiral-bound) adult colour-in, including ‘Still Life with Three Books’. The website. The Australian blog entry dated May 14. The Google Scholar fine art essay: ask your librarian. There’s the Fine Art America Three Books tote bag.