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BOOKS & BLOGS
THE GREATNESS OF DADS
Kirsten Matthew | Hachette | $50
They say that a father is a son’s first hero
and a daughter’s first love. This is a book
for all kinds of dads, and for those who
love them. It is a collection of stories,
anecdotes, quotes and letters from all
sorts of people, famous and unknown,
interspersed with fabulous photography
of dads and their kids, from babies to
grown-up children. In my opinion,
the importance of dads these days is
under-acknowledged. I was fortunate to
have two fantastic dads in my life. They
were both completely different, but
both played a crucial part in my life. But
everyone’s relationship with his or her
dad is different. In this book you’ll read
about many different kinds of father/
child relationships; many hilariously
funny, many poignant and emotional.
Plus there are lots of those stories about
being embarrassed by your parents –
their dancing, their clothing and their
attempts to be cool. There are even
some very sad stories, where there
were spaces in peoples’ lives where a
dad should have been but wasn’t. Here
are a couple of quotes to give you an
idea of this wonderful book. Helen
Thomson: “Dads are stone skimmers,
mud wallowers, water wallopers, ceiling
swoopers, shoulder-gallopers, upsydownsy,
over-and-through, round-andabout
whoosers. Dads are smugglers
and secret sharers.” Hank Williams: “My
daddy, he was somewhere between
God and John Wayne.” Tom Baker:
“Every dad is entitled to one hideous
shirt and one horrible sweater. It’s part
of the dad code.” Spike Milligan: “My
father had a profound influence on me –
he was a lunatic.”
MAGGIE’S RECIPE FOR LIFE
Maggie Beer with Professor Ralph Martins |
Simon & Schuster | $40
The fabulous Maggie Beer is an Australian cook, food
author, restaurateur and food manufacturer. She has
produced a number of best-selling cookbooks, and
her television program The Cook and the Chef with
Simon Bryant was a great success. Maggie’s passion
has always been to share her love of fresh, delicious
produce to create wholesome food, improving the
lives and health of all people. Maggie’s new book is
aimed particularly at those of us who are approaching
old age. It is filled with recipes for life-enhancing food,
with ingredients known to stimulate mental processes
and help prevent dementia. She has co-written the
book with Professor Ralph Martins, who has worked
for the past 30 years on the causes, prevention and
treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, which is on the
rise. This is not a diet book; there are no restricted
food groups here. It is a book of delicious, deepflavoured
daily recipes that happen to contain
the elements necessary for good body and brain
function. Accompanying the 200 recipes are luscious
photography and Maggie’s signature cooking tips and
information.
Spring
BREAK
Find yourself a shady
tree to sit under and lose
yourself in a great book.
WENDY WHITELEY AND
THE SECRET GARDEN
Janet Hawley | Penguin | $80
A surprising thing has been occurring for
the past 20 years on the harbour foreshore
in Sydney. In picturesque Lavender Bay,
just 100 metres or so from Sydney’s Luna
Park and numerous towering buildings, a
quiet transformation has happened. Wendy
Whiteley, the former wife and muse of artist
Brett Whiteley, has been clearing, weeding,
planting and creating a botanical artwork
spanning almost a hectare. When Brett passed
away in 1992, and then Brett and Wendy’s
beloved daughter Arkie died in 2001, Wendy
was distraught. She channelled her grief into
physical labour, clearing a decrepit piece of
railway property that abutted her house in
Lavender Bay. This overgrown mess was
gradually transformed into a spectacular and
magical garden wonderland, where surprises abound and new delights are to be found around
each corner. Wendy has poured an enormous amount of money and physical exertion into
this project, which is open to and enjoyed by the public every day of the year (Wendy doesn’t
charge admission). The great news is that Wendy has been able to secure a 60-year lease on
the land, fending off the developers, and is able to live out her life next door to the garden,
enjoying the sight of people of all ages delighting in her work. This magnificent book, written
by Wendy and Brett’s friend Janet Hawley, tells the story of the couple, Brett’s rise to fame,
Wendy’s own story and the creation of this botanical marvel overlooking the incomparable
Sydney Harbour, which inspired so many of Brett’s works. More than just a spectacular coffee
table book, this is a brilliant, compelling read.
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