Oliver Sacks

I find Oliver Sack's books so wonderful I couldn't choose just one to review. Oliver Sacks is a neurologist who was born in England and has lived in New York since the 1960s. You may have seen the film Awakenings (616.832 SAC)which is about him. The book and the film are available at the library. In The man who mistook his wife for a hat(616.8 SAC) and An anthropologist on Mars(616.832 SAC) Dr Sacks presents in a warm and personal way, case histories of people struggling to live with conditions such as Tourette's Syndrome, autism, phantom limb syndrome and epilepsy. He investigates the world of the deaf in Seeing voices(362.42 OLI) and the colourblind in The island of the colourblind(616.8 SAC). He writes from the perspective of a doctor in Migraine, but he has also written as a patient in A leg to stand on(617.584092 SAC). He has even written a memoir of his youth called Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a chemical boyhood(617.584092 SAC). He writes about the truly fascinating human brain in an engaging and easy to understand way.

The Girl with the Broken Wing

This book by Heather Dyer is such a delightful read. Spend some time reading this book to your children, it will be time well spent! It is the story of Hilary, an angel, who 'breaks' her wing trying to land on James and Amanda's roof. She has so much fun with the twins that she decides to stay. She eats chocolate, goes on a picnic and even goes to school while James and Amanda try to keep her wings hidden.

The girl with the broken wing by Heather Dyer. Available in junior fiction.

The curious incident of the dog in the night-time

This book won the Book Trust Teenage Fiction Award but, like all good books for young people, it is a great read for adults as well.It is the story of fifteen year old Christopher who has Asperger's Syndrome which is a form of autism. He finds a neighbour's dog lying dead on the lawn and sets about solving the mystery of who killed it but ends up finding out a lot more. It is a fascinating glimpse inside the head of someone who is brilliant at maths and science but who just doesn't understand humans. A moving and fabulously quirky book! Available from the youth fiction section under the stairs.

Small Island

This book has won a number of awards and is a fascinating read. During World War II soldiers from British colonies fought for Britain but when they came to live there were given a very cold welcome. Set mainly in 1948 we see a slice of life in England during a very difficult time of transition.

The story is told alternately by a Jamaican man who fought in the war and has now come to live in England, his proud and haughty wife, an English woman who married to escape her dull farm life and her awkward, cold husband. Their lives collide in a tale of relationships, racism, hope and dashed expectations.

Small Island can be found in the Wagga adult fiction section under Levy.

Michael Palin on Python

People can be quite nutty about Monty Python. I can understand why even if I am not the greatest fan myself. Luckily you don't need to be a huge Monty Python fan to enjoy Michael Palin's diaries.
He begins when Python begins and we are able to experience with him the madness, tantrums and tensions. There are volatile personalities and hilarious adventures as we follow through the filming of the television series' and movies such as 'The Life of Brian'.
At the same time it is a lovely picture of a family man coping with parenthood, his father's growing disability, celebrity and difficult times.
The book can be found at Wagga Library on the shelves at
791.4572 MON .
Let us know what you think!