 Word On Books
with Jeremy Fenton
Nostradamus and the Instant Noodles
By John Larkin, Published by Mark McLeod Books
From the author of such books as Pizza Features, Spaghetti Legs, Growing Payne and the soccer series for young 'uns called the Western Wildcats, comes Nostradamus and the Instant Noodles.
If sales are anything to go by, John Larkin is one of a small band of writers successfully putting humour on the page in Australia (think Nick Earls with a measure of anarchy thrown in for younger readers). For the most part, Australian authors do gentle, larrikin memoirs very well but outright comedy has always been a hard one.
There is no doubting that Larkin has a gift for comedy, but it's a relatively lightweight one in this reviewer's estimation.
A random quote: 'Let's start by saying that we're talking about a guy who is so stupid, he thinks an erogenous zone is a proposed housing development scheme under the Social Democrats.'
To just dismiss Larkin's latest book as lightweight comedy (in the form of the story of 15-year-old Ian Champion and his desire to escape Canberra and his family), would be to ignore the deeper themes of cultural difference and tolerance that burble throughout. Not to mention the, er... interesting characters that make up his 'relics' in Great Britain.
The whole making for a not-altogether unsatisfying read.
This reader couldn't exactly identify what age group Nostradamus is aimed at, but judging by the level of humour, it's teenagers (and probably male ones at that!).
 The Yankee Whaler
By Deborah Lisson
A Different Sort of Real
By Kerry Greenwood
Both published by Scholastic
Praise is justly due to Scholastic Australia for their initiative in publishing the My Story series of novels for young adults. Each one is set in a different period in Australia's history, all in diary form and all written by different authors. They are as valuable in their opening up of history in an arresting manner as they are for their taut, perfectly pitched writing.
There are two new additions to the series currently in bookshops.
The Yankee Whaler takes the part of Thomas Morris in Bunbury (Western Australia) in 1876. Young Thomas delivers telegrams for a living in the 'furthest outposts of the British Empire' while dreaming of New York.
During the year he comes to suspect that something untoward is happening in Bunbury - cryptic telegraphs are being sent and there are strangers in town acting suspiciously.
Ultimately Thomas finds himself in the middle of an international plot concerning the American Whaler Catalpa and a daring break for freedom by several 'Imperial convicts' of Irish background.
Based around actual historical events (with an excellent section at the end of the book that sets out some of the facts), The Yankee Whaler involves some surprisingly probing concepts and ideas.
A Different Sort of Real explores the life of Charlotte McKenzie in Melbourne in the year 1918. While the Great War may be concluding, the worldwide influenza outbreak that follows is arguably just as horrifying (Australia didn't get the flu properly until 1919).
Charlotte finds herself helping the doctor next door during the pandemic that killed more people than the war itself. Then the disease hits a lot closer to home.
This is a riveting story as the inadequacies of early 20th Century medicine are clearly highlighted, as is Charlotte's personal reaction to the scourge.
My Story is a fascinating concept. It makes for original, well-executed reading for young adults. I would highly recommend any of the eight-odd works currently available.
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