ANZAC Author Reading Challenge 2015- August 2015- Helen Garner & Keri Hulme

Helen Garner born 7 November 1942 is an Australian novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and journalist.
Garner's first novel, Monkey Grip, was published in 1977, and immediately established her as an original voice on the Australian literary scene. She is known for incorporating and adapting her personal experiences in her fiction, something that has brought her both praise and criticism, particularly with her novels, Monkey Grip and The Spare Room.

Throughout her career, Garner has written both fiction and non-fiction. She attracted controversy with her book The First Stone about a sexual harassment scandal in a university college. She has also written for film and theatre, and has consistently won awards for her work.

Keri Hulme born 9 March 1947 is a New Zealand writer. Her only novel, The Bone People, won the Booker Prize in 1985. Hulme was the first New Zealander to win the Booker.

Helen Garner

Novels

Monkey Grip (1977)
The Children's Bach (1984)
Cosmo Cosmolino (1992)
The Spare Room (2008)

Non-fiction books

The First Stone (1995)
True Stories: Selected Non-Fiction (1996)
The Feel of Steel (2001)
Joe Cinque's Consolation (2004)
This House of Grief - The Story of a Murder Trial (2014)

Keri Hulme

Novels

The Bone People (1984)

Poetry

The Silences Between (Moeraki Conversations) (1982)
Lost Possessions (1985)
Strands (1992)

Short Stories

Te Kaihau: The Windeater (1986)
Homeplaces: Three Coasts of the South Island of New Zealand (1989)
Stonefish (2004)

I read The Spare Room: A Novel It was a compelling story of a woman who spends 3 weeks caring for a friend with stage 4 cancer, as she seeks alternative medical treatment. Sad and thought-provoking -a worthwhile read.

My library has a really nice selection of books by both authors, so I had a good browse. I chose The Spare Room: A Novel and Te Kaihau: The Windeater.

>5 LoisB: Glad to hear you liked The Spare Room. :)

>5 LoisB: >6 nittnut: I read Joe Cinque's Consolation last year. It was a difficult read, but good.

Sigh. I am giving up on Keri Hulme. I. Can't. Read. Her. Writing. I hate giving up on an author, but I've managed one mystifying short story and a moderately readable poem and I'm calling it a day. I would, however, love to hear any thoughts from anyone who "gets it" or has insights on her style and so forth. Moving on to Spare Room. As soon as I finish Lonesome Dove for the AAC. Lol

>8 nittnut: Sometimes I think that is the beauty of short stories, they are a way to taste test new writers, without making a huge commitment. With novels I apply a 100 page rule- but sometimes getting to that 100th page is an effort.

I hope you like the Garner one better.

>9 jll1976: So true. Thank goodness for short stories. Lol. I am starting the Garner tomorrow, I think. :)

I liked The Spare Room. Here are my thoughts:
This is the fictional account of two friends. Niccola has cancer and has come to stay with Helen for three weeks for alternative treatment. It quickly becomes clear to Helen that Niccola is not going to be an easy guest and she begins to navigate the treacherous waters of care-giving while trying to maintain their friendship. I have not been a full-time care-giver to a terminally ill person, but I have supported a friend who was going through the process of accepting that she was going to die. It's a struggle to give up the fight to live. It's painful. I thought that Helen Garner captured the feelings of helplessness and anger and pain that family and friends experience when someone close to them is dying. One quote that really stood out to me was: Death will not be denied. To try is grandiose. It drives madness into the soul. It leaches out virtue. It injects poison into friendship, and makes a mockery of love. It's a difficult but beautiful book.

I chose The Spare Room for my ANZAC, as well. You captured it beautifully, nittnut.