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Choosing a book for Jan/Feb 2012
By New York Revi… · 14 posts · 116 views
last updated Jan 10, 2012 02:39PM
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This was a lovely transport to somewhere new and unexpected, the writing is effective, the setting well-described, and the story comfortingly linear. But there is a seam of racism that grows deeper than the language ("darkie" and "pickaninny" are troublesome, to say the least). The author acknowledges a difference in cultural interpretations that describes each character's actions, perhaps the author's effort to disrupt racist stereotyping, but it all lays on a foundation of salvation from the "
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I'm not entirely sure why I read this book. Maybe because it was reissued by NYRB, and I find it difficult to pass up their titles used? I bought this book at Barnes & Noble. If you live in the Twin Cities and find yourself in possession of a Barnes & Noble giftcard, I highly recommend checking out the HarMar location. They have used books! Wonderful, glorious used books. Not the best selection and not particularly well-priced, but used books nonetheless. Walking in to HarMar it's fun to breeze
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Lovely idea of children rescued in the Australian Bush by Aboriginal boy. But very dated writing--very patronizing towards the boy, very ridiculously English "American" children, and very romanticized version of children and Australia both. The book wants to be a psychological study, a travel guide, an allegory, and a moral fable. The best parts are when it just wants to be a story. There aren't enough of those.
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Maybe 5 stars is generous. It's been some time since I've read this. I do know it's really compelling and I probably read it in one setting. Though I've never been there, living in the Australian Outback has always intrigued me. So two unknowledgeable white youths wandering there gripped me. A unique survival story.
The movie doesn't do the book justice. Read the book instead, it takes about the same amount of time. ...more
The movie doesn't do the book justice. Read the book instead, it takes about the same amount of time. ...more
Slim, “modern v primitive” fable. Clearly of its time (post-60s, “wave crashing over the idealists” stuff).
Dec 16, 2011
Moira
marked it as amazon-wishlist
Jan 31, 2012
Kate
marked it as to-read
Oct 03, 2012
Odette
marked it as to-read
Sep 07, 2013
Jason Hensel
marked it as to-read
Apr 23, 2014
Dan
marked it as to-read
Jan 22, 2022
Diane
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
classics,
20th-century,
1001-childrens,
adventure,
nyrb,
survival,
australian,
2022-reads,
around-the-world-2022
Dec 12, 2022
Amy Gentry
marked it as to-read
