Writer's Café 101

A Voice from the Past

2009-06-28T02:30:00.000+10:00

Is anyone still reading these?

Bob

High adventure and near-death in North Queensland

2008-09-14T17:46:00.008+10:00

Ian writes: It took me a while to enjoy Parched Seas. Half way through the first chapter, I doubted this would be a favourable review, for reasons I'll try to explain.

But when author Ian Sharp gets into full swing with this account of a memorable four months in 1962, his adventures in North Queensland swimming among sharks – mainly of the human variety – provide an engrossing yarn.

In his introduction, Sharp says of his book: “It is as factual as I can remember it. So let’s say 95% is exactly as it happened.”

But early on – after I'd read well into the opening chapter – I found myself thinking, “Oh, c'mon, Ian Sharp, you're just having me on. This can't be true.”

That, too, is what Sharp's acquaintances had said: “Don’t be silly mate that sort of thing doesn’t happen these days.” Or, “This is the twentieth century, pull the other one.”

After reading the book to the end, I now believe it is true – or at least, most of it, although an estimate of 95 per cent may be rather optimistic. When you accept it's true, Sharp's yarn becomes much more compelling.

It all began when Sharp, then just in his early twenties, clipped out a newspaper advertisement:

MEN WANTED. TWO HUNDRED POUNDS OR MORE PER MONTH to crew fishing boat, working in Northern Queensland and Torres Strait waters. Some crocodile hunting . . . NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE NEEDED. Two hundred and fifty pounds fidelity bond required. Contact Captain J. McKenna, Greyhound Hotel, North Quay

The hotel turns out to be the roughest bloodhouse pub on the Sydney docks, and when Sharp asks for Capt. McKenna, the barman points to a rum-sodden alcoholic working his way through glasses of neat spirits. Later, John McKenna introduces his “first mate”, the mean and nasty Leo.

At this point, it's not giving much away to suggest McKenna and Leo are spivs more interested in netting those fidelity bonds than actually catching fish. But Sharp – who doesn't have all the money anyway – also has some flair at their game. He persuades McKenna he would be valuable as a radio operator and bookkeeper, and that he'll pay his bond money when he sees the boat and a catch.

McKenna and Leo continue to sign up their crew – as rough a group of misfits and no-hopers as one could imagine, and Sharp describes them pitilessly. Indeed, his depiction of these men, their women, and their sordid lives became so depressing I almost abandoned Parched Seas.

Only Sharp is spared this bleak depiction. He writes: “Leo Delmont was also considering the new crews before him. He did not like the look of Ian Sharp on first sight; he never had liked his type: open faced, square shouldered with a youthful face; calculating, thinking and balancing.”

However, a strange camaraderie develops between Sharp and McKenna as they pub-crawl their way around Sydney while also investigating markets for their planned catch.

Eventually, they all make it on to the train to Brisbane – but only after McKenna and Leo sneak across the tracks at Central to avoid a vengeful publican, some police and a handful of debt collector heavies all staking out the gate.

After a slow, uncomfortable rail journey up the Queensland coast they make it into Townsville and pick up a filthy, near-derelict trawler. They clean it up and set off north again, picking up another boat at Cardwell, then plug on to Cairns. On the way, however, they get a taste of what's to come – an adventure which exposes them to life-threatening hazards. Hazards which may be no accident.

--- oooOOOooo ---

Alas, just as Ian Sharp's yarn was gathering pace, my computer played up. One of those intermittent faults. At the times it wouldn't start, a red light flashed five times with accompanying beeps. That indicated a problem with the DIMMs, said the troubleshooter guide. What? Out with a geek manual – Dual In-line Memory Modules.
It could be anything from faulty connections to a failed motherboard, said the guide. I'm biting my nails thinking of the cost of a new motherboard. Happily, though, it's just the connections and the computer guy up the road charges only $45 to clean them up.
Still, I lost almost a week in downtime and a heap of more urgent stuff had banked up, so it was some time before I could rejoin Ian Sharp and his fellow adventurers.

---oooOOOooo---

They made it to Cairns, and a threatening encounter with another human shark who'd grubstaked their venture – he wants his money, or else bad things will happen. They have to sail immediately, ignoring the weather.
At this point, Sharp introduces a touch of humour, and also switches to a more lively narrative style which overcomes earlier misgivings about Parched Seas.

As they weighed anchor and set sail in the early morning the clouds were low and the sea threateningly choppy. They would have listened to the radio weather report if it had been operable; the replacement part had not been purchased in their hurry to leave Cairns.

They were headed into difficult waters as they passed two low islets covered with mangroves; the larger had a red-topped lighthouse that now lit up as the sky darkened further.

A man came out and waved both hands above his head, the crew waved back. The lighthouse keeper turned and rushed back inside reappearing a moment later, he bent a row of flags on a white post waving frantically at them once again.

“What a friendly lot they are.” I waved back at him. “Look at him putting up
those red flags to see us off.” Even McKenna was impressed.

Sure enough, they sail into a violent tropical storm and they're all in danger again. Sharp writes a dramatic account of their fight for survival. But worse is to come for Sharp and some of his companions.

Too many details would spoil the yarn for prospective readers, but Sharp and some of his companions find themselves stranded on Howick Island [pictured] – and with nobody knowing of their plight, and Capt. McKenna probably too drunk to worry, they ration themselves to quarter of a cup of water a day from their limited supplies.

Sharp writes a strong account of their slow decline as they come close to perishing on the waterless tropical island. Rescue comes just in time. How it comes about is another part of this gripping story, and part of it explains Sharp's understanding and gratitude to indigenous people.

Along the way, I also enjoyed Sharp's pen pictures of North Queensland and its characters. He gives a vivid description of Cooktown as a 19th century goldrush port slowly rotting away in the tropical heat, and of the rough old cattle stations scattered across the Cape York Peninsula.

From a detailed account, I know much more about the way crocodiles were shot for their hides in those days.

Sharp is honest about the squalid living conditions of many Aboriginal people, but he shows understanding and compassion in describing how they got that way – enlightened views which must have been hard to find in North Queensland in the early 1960s.

---oooOOOooo---

It's not hard to find flaws in Ian Sharp's writing. Too many words and placenames are misspelled or misused. Just a few I jotted down were: Loose my money. Corking the trawler, instead of caulking. Poring lemonade. An acing head. A waist of space. Crock shooting. In Dantree River, it should be Daintree. Erskinville should be Erskineville.

In the opening chapter of Parched Seas, Ian Sharp is back in Sydney sipping a coffee when he overhears a couple nearby.

“Shouldn’t let them Boongs among decent blokes,” Edie’s husband Harry growled. Edie and Harry Harrison had both grown old, bitter, bigoted and stout in Little Mount Street Erskinville.

“Boongs in ’ere with us, should be stopped,” Harry emphasised. I realised with a sudden shock because I was burnt black by the sun this suburban couple stared and appraised me so contemptuously because they thought I was a half-caste coloured. In a fury I began to rise, I wanted to grip the man by his hair and knock some of the bigoted ignorance out of him. I would have died slowly and in agony if the courage and strength of coloured men had not saved my life.

It's a useful literary device to introduce the narrative, and Sharp book-ends his story with it – in the last chapter, he returns to the same encounter with Harry and Edie to wrap up his yarn. A useful device, granted, but Sharp extends it far too long, telling us much, much more than we need to know about the unpleasant Erskineville couple and their family.

Tighter editing would help. Indeed, it also would have spotted an error in which several sentences in paragraphs six and seven of Chapter One are unwittingly repeated in paragraph nine.

Another suggestion. Ian Sharp [pictured] provides an epilogue telling what happened to all his main characters in the following years. Except for one character, Ian Sharp himself. It would be of interest to know how he fared over the following two decades before he set down this story.

Oh yes, and a map would have been useful.

Despite those criticisms, Parched Seas remains a worthwhile read – a good, gripping yarn in a fascinating setting.

Hyperion, Friedrich Holderlin (1770-1843)

2008-08-27T09:12:00.004+10:00

Dear readers,

"Hyperion, or The Hermit in Greeece," is translated from the German by Ross Benjamin, archipelago books, 2008

This is an early modern novel of the late eighteenth century. Holderlin was principally a poet, but he did manage to write this prose before he went mad, and was confined for almost forty years.

In my readings of the philosophers, Hegel and Schelling, Holderlin's name came up many times. Though he is not considered to be a philosopher, his youth was spent with the other two, and his poetry has many philosophical themes. He did influence the other two philosophically. The three were comrades and their motto was 'hen kai pan,' or 'one and all,' from the Greek.

Hyperion, a Titan god of ancient Greece was the father of the Sun, the Moon, and Dawn. Hyperion thus brought the 'bright light' to the earth. The novel reflects on this. The novel is in the genre of an epistolary form (German, Briefroman) that is, it is a series of letters to Diotima, a seer or priestess who taught the philosophy of love. The reader is referred to Plato's dialogue, Symposium,( one of my favorites), where Diotima is the last speaker in a discussion about love and beauty at a local banquet. Plato offers some convincing arguments about love, beauty, and the good.

Holderlin's novel reflects Diotima's ideals of beauty, freedom, and harmony. The dramatic period is during the Greek revolution against the Ottomans. Our hero, Hyperion, returns to his native Greece.

The themes are a search for an all embracing unity, the struggle for freedom, and a better world, the constrictions of modern life (18th century) and the divinity of nature and love.

My purpose in discussing this early novel, in spite of its deficiencies in its translation, is to recommend it simply as a prototype of early European novels; this one is rich with Holderlin's profound desire to restore the world of ancient Greece, its artistic and philosophical grandeur. One wonders what he could have produce if he had not wasted most of his life with a mental illness. His poetry is a definite recommendation for reading.

My next discussion will be Virginia Woolf's early novel "Night and Day," which I have not yet completed.

Regards,

Bob

Alex is back from the Moon

2008-07-17T13:05:00.021+10:00

Hey guys. It's been a while since I did anything productive on the site. Sorry, but life sort of got in the way. Life with a capital L. Love and of course work. No kidding! But love kept taking a back seat to the work thing and I soon discovered the true meaning of Arrivederci. The fallout meant I ended up working twice as much, and twice as hard, as I ever have; to kid myself I didn't give a toss. The truth is, I cared a lot. But hey, that's life.

So now my life is back on track, lol, I'm going to get with the program and start writing a few reviews again.

I've chosen a Si-Fi because I think it fits the mood. I've had the moon blast, and now I'm happy to settle for reading about someone else's adventure. It’s safer that way.

Hey, it doesn't pay to turn your back on this place. I was only gone for a few weeks and there's been an explosion of stuff happening. All good! Hi to all the new team members. Bob sure is making his presence felt. Way to go Bob. Love your work.

I see Julie's on board and Jay is going to soon follow her. Great to have you on the team guys.

A bit of Goss for everyone. Lindsay's taken a hike up the success ladder and she's buried under an avalanche of paper. She said to send her regards and to tell you she read Hogback and loved it. She recommends it to anyone who wants an exciting and believable read. Great stuff she says.
Well I'd better get the glasses out and start reading. HG has waited long enough.
Arrivederci
Alex.

http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/FirstMen/index.asp

Welcome to Jay

2008-07-17T09:34:00.004+10:00

Jay is a medical intern at the primary teaching hospital in Pokhara, Nepal.
He has a passion for medicine and physics and is undertaking ongoing studies in both disciplines.

When he is not working Jay likes to travel and read. His broad reading tastes include War and Peace, Tantra Sutra by Osho, the Harry Potter series, Million Little Pieces by James Frey.

Jay has had ten short magazine articles published, and says he's looking forward to writing short articles for Writer’s Café.

Welcome to the team Jay.

Jacob's Room by Virginia Woolf (1882-1941)

2008-07-14T09:44:00.010+10:00

This is a short novel published in 1922. It followed two longer novels, "The Voyage Out" and "Night and Day." One must read Woolf very very slowly. She writes in the good company of T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land" and Joyce's "Ulysses." You read it slowly but the story moves at the speed of light, changing its style from page to page and changing the setting from paragraph to paragraph. You have to be on your guard. But the rewards are great. It is beautifully written and shows us an author of great depth, and an author whose words reflect thoughts which go back to Plato's dialogue, Phraedrus ,which she mentions in the book, several times, including Jacob''s reading of it. The Phraedrus deals with physical and spiritual love and its relation to the Platonic soul. I offer a bit of trivia. In the dialogue Socrates and his interolocutor, Phaedrus, are sitting down outside Athens in the countryside along the river Ilissus. They sit under a plane tree. Virginia Woolf mentions this tree at least three times in the novel. Perhaps she wishes that she could be sitting along that river under the same tree, in the heat of the Attic day, listening to Socrates and responding to his refutations.

The theme is open ended. Pick your category; youth, sex, the life of a Cambridge student, ancient languages, British small town culture, London, Tristan and Isolde and their love story, prostitution, flowers, flowers, flowers, physical beauty versus Platonic beauty,war and peace, theology,and the Being of life and its appearances as shadows, which is an existential theme. They jump out at you page after page.

Jacob Alan Flanders is our hero along with his mother Betty Flanders. In the spirit of Musil and his "Man without Qualities," I found myself searching, as I read, for Jacob's qualites, that is, his basic character, which changes from his freshman days at Cambridge to later periods; and like Musil, these qualites are evasive. But they do come to fruition at the very end of the novel. The time period is right up to WWI.

We follow, very quickly, Jacob, as a small boy, moving then to his college days, his various trysts with prostitutes or good home spun girls, his academic interests, and his filial duties to his mother. But Jacob's room itself is the central theme of the story. That theme concerns one of the few real moments of being which we humans may capture from the manifold scenes of vagueness and shadows that we are exposed to. The room appears to have no substantial reality to it until, we the readers are firmly placed into it, along with Jacob. The reader is given a description of Jacob sitting in his college room all coszy, reading, with his books strewn about. She captures an authentic sense of being with these two powerful paragraphs:

"Jacob's room had a round table and two low chairs. There were yellow flags in a jar on the mantlepiece; a photograph of his mother; cards from societies with little raised crescents, coats of arms, and initials; notes and pipes; on the table lay paper ruled with a red margin-an essay no doubt-'Does History consist of the Biographies of Great Men?' There were books enough; very few French books; but then anyone who's worth anything reads just what he likes, as the mood takes him, with extravagent enthusiasm...Listless is the air in an empty room, just swelling the curtain; the flowers in the jar shift. One firbre in the wicker arm chair creaks. though no one sits there."

"It seems then that men and women are equally at fault. It seems that a profound, impartial, and absolutely just opinion of our fellow-creatures is utterly unknown. Either we are men, or we are women. Either we are old, or we are sentimental. Either we are young, or growing old. In any case life is but a procession of shadows, and God knows why it is that we embrace them so eagerly, and see them depart with such anguish, being shadows. And why, if this and much more than this is true, why are we yet surprised in the window corner by a sudden vision that the young man in the chair is of all things in the world the most real, the most solid, the best known to us-why indeed. For the moment after we know nothing about him."

We caputure this intense reality for just a moment and then we are back to the shadows of Jacob's life, and to the shadows of London town. Wth the following, I thought I was reciting "The Wasteland:"

"Long past sunset an old blind woman sat on a camp-stool with her back to the stone wall of the Union of London and Smith's Bank, clasping a brown mongrel tight in her arms and singing out loud, not for coppers, no, from the depths of her gay wild heart-her sinful, tanned heart-for the child who fetches her is the fruit of sin, and should have been in bed, curtained, asleep, instead of hearing in the lamplight her mother's wild song, where she sits against the Bank, singing not for coppers, with her dog against her breast."

The novel is written in narrative form. It has its concise and quite lucid descriptions, and then suddenly breaks into 'steams of consciousness' in the Joycean or Dos Passos style. There is no subjective perspective of Jacob. We never seem to get into his mind and how he sees the world. We slowly gain compassion and respect for everything about Jacob. This basic human concern becomes an apotheosis at the end of the novel.

Regards,

Bob Fanelli

GLOBUSZ PUBLISHING ~ Where the virtual defines the future ... and synergy has a whole new meaning

The Woman in the Fifth By Douglas Kennedy

2008-07-10T10:52:00.004+10:00

With modern Paris as the backdrop, and Harry Ricks, a would-be writer, as the protagonist, The Woman in the Fifth, tells the story of a college professor, who flees to the magical city in the hope of avoiding the fallout from a foolish indiscretion.

Stripped of everything he valued; his marriage, his job, and his relationship with his only daughter, Ricks quickly runs out of cash and is forced to take a nightwatchman’s job to pay the rent for a room in the seedy-side of town.

Kennedy takes the reader on a journey to life’s dark side. Through Ricks, he explores the struggle, the mystery and serendipity that individuals often encounter when they plummet from respectable society.

The author writes eloquently about hope. When Ricks hits rock bottom, and despairs of ever clawing his way out, he meets an elegant, cultivated Hungarian immigrant, who is also alone and in need of human companionship.

Kennedy's fast paced work, is compelling as he explores the complexity of human need, morality and desire. In a recent interview, the author said, “I write about potential nightmares lurking behind everyday life.” The Woman in the Fifth is Kennedy’s eighth novel in a genre he describes as “the maddening mess called life.” He has also written three non-fictional works.

Unfortunately, this book is currently NOT available through Globusz.

GLOBUSZ PUBLISHING ~ Where the virtual defines the future ... and synergy has a whole new meaning

Welcome Julie

2008-07-10T09:04:00.003+10:00

Julie has been a small business operator for over forty-years. Keen to shift her life-focus she recently sold her retail hairdressing enterprise to explore a range of new opportunities that will allow her to spend more time working with young people.

After completing specialised training in Community Mentoring, Julie became a volunteer working with secondary school students through a Department of Education and Training funded program. She has a strong commitment to providing support to young people and works with them to set personal, educational and career goals.

Julie is committed to the philosophy of ‘Lifetime Learning’ and has completed a range of courses, including digital movie making and creative writing. She is currently undertaking teacher-training, which will allow her to work as a specialist adult educator.

Julie is a passionate reader, as well as a keen short filmmaker. Other interests include: writing, studying and observing the human condition, family and friends. Her interest in developing technology is a constant driver to ensure she stays in touch with new trends and products. Julie lives in Newcastle, New South Wales, and says she is blessed to own a home that gives her direct access to the fantastic Pacific ocean.

What is philosophy?

2008-07-04T07:21:00.003+10:00

Dear Group,

This is obviously not a book review, but I just wish to determine if I'm following the procedures correctly in my initial writing.

Philosophy addresses all things in the universe which we seek as real and meaningful; that which we can know, that which we ought to do (that is, all of our actions), that which is pleasurable and beautiful to us, and that which simply is; that is , what is the nature of all existence, especially, of course, our own species. Philosophy also addresses anything we may possibly imagine. In addition, philosophy deals with the search for the divine and knowledge of the divine. Everything is subsumed under these categories, which are the realm of philosophy. Philosophy also must deal with the linguistic (written , spoken, silent), artifactual, natural, and graphic way in which all of these are expressed. In addition in seeking these things and expressing them, philosophy needs a medium or instrument to structure the questions and possible answers. The medium in itself is a philosophical problem. To further challenge the philosopher, questions of human subjectivity and objectivity are applied to all questions and answers. That is, what emanates only from us and what is completely alien to us, and how can we connect the two? Consciousness takes on a considerable role in this overall scheme of understanding the universe, and the unconscious also comes into play. There are some, especially in post modern times, who have argued that philosophy has lost its reason for being. I think not.

Regards,

Bob Fanelli

The adventure I never had

2008-06-23T09:04:00.005+10:00

Ian writes: Way, way back when I was in the final year of high school (OK, in 1956) many of us heard stories of the big adventure and big money to be found shooting crocodiles in the far north of Australia. They were the days when we thought the only good croc was a dead croc, and the skins fetched high prices for handbags and those dreadful boots men used to wear.

For a lad who'd grown up in one of the world's most provincial and isolated cities – more than a thousand kilometres of rough dirt road helped separate Perth and the eastern Australian states – the prospect seemed appealing. Fortunately, this lad had sensible parents.

From time to time I've wondered what I would have experienced if I'd packed my bags and headed for Darwin. I'm about to find out.

In the Globusz catalogue, I've spotted an interesting read – Parched Seas, by Ian Sharp – an account by a guy who did just what I'd once dreamed of.
According to the blurb:

An employment advertisement for fisherman to work the Northern Queensland winter season is the catalyst to set the wheel-of-fortune spinning and the saga unfolding.Attracted by the promise of a tough and lucrative lifestyle, the young Sharp embellishes his resume with a bundle of skills drawn straight from his imagination, and he’s delighted when his creativity is rewarded and he gets the job.After handing over two hundred and fifty Australian pounds, as a returnable sign-on bond, to Captain McKenna, and his partner Leo, Sharp joins fifteen other young hopefuls and takes his place on the team. The hefty bond money, paid by all the workers, except for Sharp, is designed to deter the crew from jumping ship.
Now why would all these guys want to jump ship? After dipping into Parched Seas, and noting Sharp's gutsy writing, I think I'm about to find why.

I'll share my thoughts further when I've read it properly.
http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/Parched/index.asp

GLOBUSZ PUBLISHING ~ Where the virtual defines the future ... and synergy has a whole new meaning

THE PRINCIPLES OF AESTHETICS

2008-06-20T11:25:00.014+10:00

By Dewitt H. Parker
Professor of Philosophy in the University of Michigan

OK, as far as book reviews go, I've decided to opt for short and sweet. This guy Parker knows his stuff; and he’s a pretty good writer too. The Principles of Aesthetics mightn’t appeal to everyone, but Dewitt Parker knows how to use words to draw even hesitant readers into his world; he shows them another dimension of art and beauty.
This book got me in, and kept me engaged. Amazing really because when it comes to art criticism, I’ve got to admit I’m a hard nosed sceptic. The topic usually gets me a bit hot under the collar. But Parker managed to put out the fire and I was engrossed. Art criticism probably has a limited audience. I think that many people are like me and think that describing art, and its multitude of applications, is a difficult thing to do; and few do it all that well anyway.

I guess they’re right, but if the work is tackled by someone who really knows the subject, and they have a good command of the written word, then it makes the task easier. Readers then find the concepts are easier to understand. I often say, describing art, is like trying to explain how a woman thinks. It’s a challenge.

Parker's work puts many art theorists to shame. His style has incredibly easy and his prose are superb. I’ve noticed that some people get uptight when they’re told they should observe Art in a certain way. I’m one of them. But Parker has produced a work that will help to promote understanding of a topic many people avoid. His writing style is pretty near perfect (I wish I could write as fluently as him). He examines a wide range of Art topics and dissects them like a brain surgeon. Even if Art isn’t your thing, I recommend this book to you anyway. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the author’s style, grace and intelligence. It’s a prose treasure, because it demonstrates the real meaning of good writing.

Not only is Mr. Parker is a great writer and a great thinker, he’s an Art sage. If you’re hoping to find some wise comment on amorphous and experimental themes that come under the heading of modern art, you’ll be disappointed. I recon Parker was pretty smart not to tackle this genre. I think he avoided the whole scene because he knows it’s mission impossible at the best of times, and taking it on usally sends a sane human stark raving mad. No, Parker understood boundaries, and he stayed within them. He’s a classical art guru so he kept to what he knows best.

He’s a philosophical master, who speaks with authority and genuine insight on how mediums of expression should be viewed and understood; even by the novice. But just remember if you want to learn about the inner workings of modern art, this is not the book for you.

It’s more of an academic outlook on how classical and pure Art ought to be appreciated. There’s nothing experimental going on between these covers. D.H. Parker will guide the beginner, the experienced, and the expert through the amazing world of Art appreciation. He’ll open doors and windows to let fresh air in, to clear the mind. He will help the reader gain a true unadulterated understanding of Art.

Now I’ve said all the nice stuff about Parker, I’m going to get out my hatchet and go for the jugular. I totally disagree with his view that writing is the lowest form of Art and expression. I’ll defend writing as a high art form with passion. And I can back up my argument with the statement that if Parker didn’t have good writing skills, then all his art knowledge would be limited to a very small audience, and would be lost pretty quickly.

Writing has allowed Parker’s ideas to live on. Writing has made them immortal (well almost). How can the man condemn the very thing that has made it possible for him to reach a world wide audience? Art is Art, and its beauty is unmistakably clear. But I look forward to the day when an Art critic; whether he’s a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Michigan, or anywhere else, can admit that writing is a HIGH art form.

Why do so many academics say that writing is merely the use of words? Hey tell that to Shakespeare. Why don’t you decide for yourself? You won’t be disappointed if you invest the time in this book. And I can guarantee it will change you.
http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/Aesthetics/index.asp

Review by Christian Crescente

Alex's review illuminates a bitter dispute

2008-05-29T10:44:00.016+10:00

Ian writes: Readers with an interest in Australian history would find value in Alex's assessment of Walter Dill Scott's Increasing Efficiency in Business (posted May 19), and in Alex's references to Frederick Taylor's Scientific Management, published in 1911.

An attempt to introduce Taylor's methods triggered the New South Wales railway strike of 1917 – which I believe to be the most divisive industrial dispute in Australia's history.

In the background, Australian social cohesiveness was under stress from the growing war casualties in Europe, from the bitter class and religious differences displayed in the military conscription debate which saw "loyalist" advocates narrowly lose national plebiscites in 1916 and 1917, and from the assertiveness of a newly articulate working class.

In January 1916 James Fraser became acting Chief Commissioner of the NSW Government Railways, which then included the extensive street tramway systems. In Working Lives, a commissioned railway union history, Mark Hearn wrote:

Fraser was an engineer by training, a man with a methodical cast of mind. An official portrait portrays him as brooding on human inefficiency. He believed that the labour force could be made to work like the implacable machines of industry.
He was influenced by American ideas of scientific or systematic management. During 1916 Fraser attempted to introduce the management strategies of Frederick Taylor into Eveleigh Railway Workshops [in an inner suburb of Sydney].
Taylor's system involved the use of cards to measure an individual worker's performance. Fraser commented that “the object was not to 'Americanise' the system, but simply to get a proper, fair and right record of the work done and exact cost of every article”.
The unions differed. In July 1916 a Co-operator [railway union newspaper] editorial stated that “it may be said that so-called scientific management seeks to make the task of the worker more monotonous than it ever was, to take from his work the last vestige of individuality, and to make him a mere cog in the machinery of production”.

In Working Lives, Hearn said the war created the sense that events were no longer under control, that life and work were hurtling inevitably into chaos and confrontation.

This must have been especially disturbing to the controlled and well-ordered Fraser, who sought certainty in properly regulated, concentrated and systematic work. On 20 July 1917 Fraser introduced the card system into the Randwick tram workshops.

Hearn continued: Far from striking as soon as the cards were introduced the workers at Randwick in fact sought to negotiate with both the Commissioners and the Government . . . “they knew that they worked as fast there as was done anywhere else, and were not afraid of any inquiry into the question.”

The negotiations proved pointless. On 2 August the men walked off the job.
The strike quickly spread. At Randwick 1100 men walked out; on the same day 3000 downed tools at Eveleigh, and were joined by rail workers at Newcastle, the Clyde workshops and Goulburn. In turn their numbers were swelled by train drivers and workers outside the rail and tram industry – seamen, wharfies [stevedores], miners . . .

The strike lasted 82 days and involved about seventy thousand workers, 14 per cent of the total NSW workforce. However, 42 per cent of rail and tram employees did not strike, and more than three thousand volunteers helped keep trains and trams running. Non-union crews worked coastal shipping. More volunteers drove trolleys and wagons and manned wharves.

Workers who were starved or frightened back to work found themselves demoted; those who stayed out to the end found themselves marked never to be re-employed.

One of the sacked workers was locomotive driver Ben Chifley, a Irish Catholic blacksmith's son from the NSW country town of Bathurst. He did not regain his job until the election of a Labor government in 1920, which returned the sacked or demoted workers to their old positions.

The experience turned Chifley to politics, and he won a seat in the Australian Parliament. He became the nation's Treasurer during World War II, and, after the death of John Curtin in 1945, Prime Minister until the voters tipped his government out in 1949.

Here endeth the history lesson. I'll read Increasing Efficiency in Business as soon as I've time. Is Scientific Management also in the library? I must check, but I'd better search also for the next Globusz book to review.

GLOBUSZ PUBLISHING ~ Where the virtual defines the future ... and synergy has a whole new meaning

A sense of style to enhance our writing

2008-05-22T15:06:00.018+10:00

Ian reports: Guys, I hope you don't think I'm skiting, but for a time this was my desk as I assessed Slips of Speech. Perhaps, even, I could claim to have literally heaps of dictionaries, style guides, writing manuals and the like. Sounds obsessive, but for more than fifty years these were some of my tools of trade as a journalist. As well as my own books, the photo shows a few I borrowed from the local library to help me check how Slips of Speech stands up against modern guides.

In my previous post on May 17, I outlined some questions to be answered. First, can a book published in the US in 1895 help today's writers and speakers? I had been sceptical about 19th century advice – but the fundamentals of sound English usage don't change much over time.

Perhaps that shouldn't surprise. Cornell University professor William Strunk published The Elements of Style in 1918, and his little book still forms the core of the better known editions expanded by E.B. White. Over the Atlantic, Henry Fowler published Modern English Usage in 1926.

Decades later, their advice still helps us write and speak English which conveys our meaning with precision and vigour. Still, some word meanings and usages do change over time. When I began as a cadet journalist, I received a copy of The West Australian's style manual – a set of galley proofs. When they changed a ruling, the editors would just replace a few lines of metal type and have new proofs pulled.

I recall, however, that they hadn't got round to replacing: "Aftermath is the grass that grows after mowing. Do not use in any other sense."

In 2001, senior journalist Lucinda Duckett prepared an excellent style guide for Rupert Murdoch's Australian newspaper empire, but she was already out of date with "e-mail" instead of "email", and perhaps in putting a capital letter on internet.

Guides published in 1895 or 1918 or 1926 or 2001 remain valuable, but writers must keep their craft up to date. As for the differences between US, British and Australian English, we'll just have to learn to live with them. Levelling or leveling? Jewellery or jewelry? Criticise or criticize?

The Globusz guys in New York may be scratching their heads over "skiting", used above, but in Australia it's a well established synonym for boasting.

Strunk's readers in the rest of the world may be misled by his instruction to write "red, white, and blue" rather than "red, white and blue". An American football hero may get an answer he doesn't expect if he asks an Australian girl to root for him.

Some Sydney newspapers previously used the US spelling labor, and by some quirk our ruling political party is the Australian Labor Party, but otherwise Australia follows the UK with labour.

[Any writer who needs to know how UK and US styles differ would find The Economist Style Guide invaluable, particularly the hard copy version. Writers should also mark the guide's opening words: "Clarity of writing usually follows clarity of thought. So think what you want to say, then say it as simply as possible."]

Do you need to know terms like participle and infinitive and gerund to understand Bechtel's advice? No, you do not. Where you need to understand them, Bechtel offers clear explanations in plain language.

My extensive research has failed to uncover much about Bechtel (OK, I tried Wikipedia, and nothing came up). I suspect he wrote for the newly literate class which would have emerged in the 19th century after the US government brought in compulsory schooling. As in Britain and Australia, the desire for self-improvement probably drove many people to improve on their rudimentary education.

Unlike some authors of English usage manuals, Bechtel didn't assume his readers were already well versed in the terminology of grammar. He organised Slips of Speech into sensible chapters. To assess his guidelines for apostrophes, I looked up the chapters on Contractions and on Possessives. His explanations were clearer than you'll find in many modern books.

The Globusz edition retains the original index, but the reader cannot use it to look up individual entries because the original page numbers no longer apply to the digital scan.

Globusz author Eugene Binx was kind enough to post a witty comment to my May 17 post: "Good'ay Ian. Just a thought; perhaps the Apostrophe should be abolished as its' uses are possibly not an exact science."

As it happens, I can – just – remember a short-lived newspaper which did abolish apostrophes. Described by veteran journalist Mungo McCallum as Richard Neville’s "attempt at hippiedom in which he wrote under the pseudonym Harry Gumboot", The Living Daylights was a product of wild young Australian radicals in the mid-1970s. If you share my nostalgia for those manic days, follow this link.
Seriously, though, I think apostrophes are too valuable to discard – too many contractions or possessives would become confusing. We just have to learn to use them correctly.

And now, class, before we go, let's check out some more sightings:

An email from Telstra BigPond tells me a new plan could take effect from 12am the next day.
A receptionist confirms my appointment for 12pm.
"I think the onus is on the Minister to ensure that there is a proper, objective and fulsome investigation of this leak" – Australia's ABC Online quotes Senator Nick Minchin.

When the clock is spot on 12, it can be neither ante nor post meridiem – it's 12 midnight or 12 noon. And as the News Ltd style book says: "Fulsome does not mean full or abundant, but overdone, insincere, disgusting, sickening. Fulsome praise is anything but positive."

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Increasing Efficiency in Business by Walter Dill Scott is a winner.

2008-05-21T21:03:00.006+10:00

Don’t you just love it when you find a book that reinforces your own beliefs? Scott’s a gutsy guy, because he’s prepared to take on modern thinkers with his in-ya-face ideas. In his book Increasing Efficiency in Business, Scott says, ‘the modern business man is the true heir of the old magicians.’

Some readers won’t like what Scott has to say or his take no prisoner’s style. I’m guessing some people will find his comments a bit too confronting and he’ll rattle their comfort zones.

Scott refers to F.W. Taylor on many occasions. If you’ve forgotten what line Taylor peddled, this is a quote from Vincenzo Sandrone, a former student of the University of Technology, Sydney, in his essay, F. W. Taylor & Scientific Management. Under Taylor's management system, factories are managed through scientific methods rather than by use of the empirical "rule of thumb", so widely prevalent in the days of the late nineteenth century when F. W. Taylor devised his system and published "Scientific Management" in 1911. "Few employers can gather a force of efficient workers and keep them at their best. Not only is it difficult to select the right men, but it is even harder to secure top efficiency after they are hired." Touching this, there will be no dispute. Experts in shop management go even farther. F. W. Taylor, who has made the closest and most scientific study, perhaps, of actual and potential efficiency among workers, declares that: "A first-class man can, in most cases, do from two to four times as much as is done on the average."

“While overwork has its place among the things which reduce energy and shorten life, it is my opinion that overwork is not so dangerous or so common as is ordinarily supposed.” And what about, “Those nations which expend the most energy are probably the ones among whom longevity is greatest and the mortality rate the lowest. In the city of Chicago there are many conditions adverse to health of body and mind, yet the city is famous for its relatively low mortality as a parallel fact. It is also affirmed that the average Chicago man works longer hours and actually accomplishes more than the average man elsewhere. This excess in the expenditure of energy -- in so far as it is wisely spent -- may be one of the reasons for the excellent health record of the city.” See what I mean. He’s a straight shooter. But he’ll get some women off side, because he only talks about men. He never mentions women. But cut him some slack girls. When he wrote the book women weren’t well represented in the workplace. In Scott's time most women didn't work outside the home. It was their job to take care of the men.

Hey, you can’t argue with this comment, “We have a choice between wearing out and rusting out. Most of us unwittingly have chosen the rusting process.” Right on!

If everyone reads Scott’s work and only 1 in 500 take on board his ideas, I reckon we’d all be better off. Because those people would start hassling all their mates and the people they work with, and they just might win them over.

A really good mate of mine says she believes we’ve all been brainwashed into believing we need three times as much sleep as we actually do. And we’ve be told over and over that we have to put limits on how much work we take on. She recons it’s all rubbish, and she pushes the boundaries every day to keep trying to find her maximum working potential and her minimum sleeping requirements.

I'm convinced! I want to fight the popular myths and take on Scott’s ideas to the max. Hey, I’ve got nothing to lose. If he’s right, then I’m going to be a whole lot more productive. If he’s wrong; what the heck. I’ll have a great reason to become a ‘slacker’ and join the beach bum brigade. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Dill_Scott

When I discussed Scott with my hard working parents, they both said, 'It’s time we brought back his ideas so people will develop proper work ethics again.'

'I’m hooked. I hope you will be too. This one should be essential reading in preschools. I know I’ve said it before, but if you want to do yourself a favour, then do the download. http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/Increasing/index.asp

Scott was a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society (ΦΒΚ) stands for Φιλοσοφία Βίου Κυβερνήτης or philosophia biou kubernetes, "Love of learning is the guide of life."

GLOBUSZ PUBLISHING ~ Where the virtual defines the future ... and synergy has a whole new meaning

I asked the readers to be the judge and they've done just that.

2008-05-21T10:08:00.000+10:00

Kevin Atkinson has defended Eugene Binx’s novel Zen and the Art of Stand Up Comedy. Kevin read the eBook and enjoyed it so much that he's taken the time to add a comment to the Blog.

Thank you Kevin.

I hope many more people will read the book and make their own judgement about its worth. I’m happy to admit that reading tastes vary enormously, and my opinion may not be shared by most of Eugene’s readers.

It’s great to know my review has started a debate.

Congratulations Eugene. I believe the Globusz Publishing Book Club is providing an excellent service. Giving writers and readers a place to interact, and share views, is extremely valuable; and it's just not possible with traditional book clubs.

I’ll be delighted if my review comments are proven to go against public opinion. After all the job of a reviewer is to generate interest, and to stimulate others to read the book. You may find you have a lot of support out there. And that’s got to be a good thing.

Well done,
Kind regards,
Lindsay.

GLOBUSZ PUBLISHING ~ where the virtual defines the future ... and synergy has a whole new meaning

Yes, there's a need for Slips Of Speech

2008-05-17T10:36:00.009+10:00

Ian reports: A few days ago, I took two of my grandchildren to the Australian Reptile Park. It's a good day out, but I felt I had to shield their impressionable young eyes – any time the illuminated sign above an exhibit tried to say "its" it said "it's", as in "this snake sheds it's skin".

On ABC radio 702 in Sydney, the morning presenter says the previous Australian Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, is becoming disinterested in Parliament.

A judge tells a law conference he has a problem with disinterested juries.

An emailed newsletter from the NSW State Library tells me of the enormity of a new exhibition.

In a blurb about a book on English usage, I read that "John Hendricks Bechtel . . . has literally put millions on the highway to greater accomplishment and success".

So, do we need another book on English usage? The examples above (all of which are true) suggest we do – or at least that it can't do any harm.

Less than five years ago, Lynne Truss's book Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation headed bestseller lists in English-speaking countries for many months.

Truss's readers would invite you to join them as they sniggered at the illiteracy of the great unwashed (usually, these smug people bugged me so much I'd switch to discussing the use of the possessive case in gerunds, and mock those who didn't know what I was talking about).

In the past five years, have you seen an improvement in the use of apostrophes?

Is it pedantic to point out that "disinterested" doesn't mean "uninterested". I expect a jury (and the judge) to be disinterested, but I don't want them uninterested.

Is it too late to shout that "enormity" means monstrous wickedness, not of great size?

And with respect to the Globusz people, I doubt that Bechtel, despite his being impressively erudite (note my use of the possessive case in a gerund!), put literally millions of people on any highway, let alone one to greater accomplishment and success.

Yes, I've quoted from the Globusz catalogue blurb for the book I'm reviewing – Slips of Speech, by John Hendricks Bechtel.

Anyone who read the May 8 post on my personal blog knows that Vera and I were to review a Globusz book together.

She suggested Kama Sutra, which sounded fascinating, but instead we settled on Slips of Speech because Vera felt she needed to brush up her English after 20 years living in a Mediterranean nation (I told Vera I wished most people could match her prose).

Now Vera has taken leave to give more focus to university. She's made the right decision, although I hope to see her back in the Writer's Cafe during the next long uni hols. That leaves me to assess Slips by myself.

I'm well into it, and my first impressions are generally favorable. Questions I hope to answer in my next Writer's Cafe post (by the end of the week, I hope) are:

Can a book published in the US in 1895 help today's writers and speakers?
Do you need to know terms like participle and infinitive and gerund to understand Bechtel's advice?
How does Slips stand up against other books with the same aims – does it complement them, or do others do it all better?
How sound is the advice? And how easy is the book to use?

VERA IS TAKING EXTENDED LEAVE .. and we're sad to see her go!

2008-04-28T20:04:00.010+10:00

As many of you know, Ian and Vera were team reviewing this month. Unfortunately, because of her heavy university workload, Vera has to take extended leave. This means she won't be doing any reviewing for a while.

This is sad news for us, but we're all hoping it won't be too long before she's able to return to her Globusz position.

I'm sure you’ll join us in wishing Vera success with her uni studies.

On behalf of all the team I'd like to convey our sincere thanks to you Vera. We appreciate all the time you gave to club activities. We'll miss your cheery emails.

Warmest regards and our very best wishes,

Suzanne

GLOBUSZ PUBLISHING ~ Where the virtual defines the future ... and synergy has a whole new meaning

Slips of Speech - and how to avoid them.

2008-04-28T18:09:00.005+10:00

Ian and Vera are team-writing the review of this great classic.

They will have it ready for you soon.

This is one for us all! Certainly worth waiting for.

We'll soon see if two heads really are better than one.

GLOBUSZ PUBLISHING ~ Where the virtual defines the future ... and synergy has a whole new meaning

A NEW WHITEBOARD FOR CLUB MEMBERS

2008-04-28T07:49:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

I have just created a new blog for you to use as a whiteboard. I think it will be useful when you're discussing work and developing a draft review. It should help members who are team-writing.

This is the link:
http://oz-whiteboard.blogspot.com/

GLOBUSZ PUBLISHING ~ Where the virtual defines the future ... and synergy has a whole new meaning

It's time to get serious, I say! (Alex)

2008-04-17T11:10:00.039+10:00

I'm making an investment in my corporate smarts hedge-fund. I've been tossing the idea around for weeks, and now it's time for action. How's that grab ya? You're pretty impressed, right?

The time for fun is over and I've gotta get serious. So I'm having a crack at this eBook. In two weeks, I'm off overseas again, and this will be a great title to impress the person who sits next to me on the plane. They'll think i'm a really clever dude. I could get lucky; my travel companion might be way-up-there brainy. And they might help me out if the stuff's a bit over my head. Whatya think? Good idea?

Increasing Efficiency in Business, A Contribution to the Psychology of Business by Walter Dill Scott. SYNOPSIS: We've built machines to become more efficient in business, but humans remain human -- and inefficient. But must that always be the case? According to renowned business psychologist Walter Dill Scott, managers can help workers find their "second wind," the point at which they move past their previous limits and achieve top performance. Applying psychology to business, Scott wrote, "when a man is doing what he believes to be his best, he is still able to do better; when he is completely exhausted, he is, under proper stimulus, able to continue." In Increasing Human Efficiency in Business, Scott explores how to create motivation for success. He looks at factors such as imitation, competition, loyalty, concentration, wages, pleasure, "the love of the game," relaxation, and habit formation. He hopes to find each worker's latent powers and hidden stores of energy to discover "wider horizons of honorable and profitable activity."

It might be a while before i post my comments. Be kind; the delay won't be because I'm slack. It'll be just because my employer actually expects me to meet deadlines. I tell my boss all the time, that i've got more important stuff to attend to, but he just doesn't get it. He keeps checking my time sheets to make sure i'm not fudging the figures. Poor guy. He should get with the program and join the club too. www.globusz.com/ebooks/Increasing/index.htm

See ya guys.

Hey Lindsay, just gotta tell ya, that i loved your Zen review. Don't let anyone tell ya it's over the top. It's great. From the comments even the author thinks you did him a favour. Can't wait to read your next review. I'll be checking the blog all the time i'm away. And showing it to my workmates. They think you're a cool chick. Cya! This is Alex, over and out.

A Suspense novel seems a fitting next choice

2008-04-12T21:27:00.016+10:00

Hogback sounds like an excellent choice for my next eNovel. It has the potential to engage me, while at the same time providing a diversion; which can be a highly effective tactic. It worked well during the Battle of Gettysburg.
http://www.historynet.com/jeb-stuart-battle-of-gettysburg-sc apegoat.htm

SYNOPSIS: Hogback is a suspense novel, which explores the age-old dilemma of good versus evil. The story begins recounting two seemingly unrelated events happening in different parts of the world on the same day: The first in Vietnam and the second in the small, eastern Georgia town of Washington. The son of the town drunk was an easy target for an over-zealous lawyer and a weak judge who were manipulated and bought by the ruling family of the county. The teenager’s desire for revenge on the family that framed him was unfulfilled because of their death from car accident just prior to his release from prison. His anger and quest for revenge takes him on a trail of vengeance to seek out any wealthy father and son who controlled small towns in Georgia.

I love a good suspense novel, and Hogback appears to have all the right ingredients. If the pace is fast, then it shouldn't take me long to get through it. I'll post my comments soon. I bet you can't wait to see what I come up with. An interesting aspect of the human condition, is that many of us are fascinated with train wrecks. If you're expecting one, I think you will be disappointed.
Back soon,
Lindsay.

http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/Hogback/index.asp

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How harsh is too harsh?

2008-04-11T07:06:00.021+10:00

Hi guys (and onlookers).

I've been following the debate between Lindsay and Eugene Binx, the author she bagged for over-use of obscene words in Zen and the Art of Standup Comedy. Right from the start, I wanted to comment, but after the latest exchange I took the dog for a long walk while I thought things over.

On my return I find Suzanne has posted a couple of comments. They're helpful, and perhaps she's trying to calm something at risk of becoming bitter. Still, I'd like to add my two bob's worth. I'm not troubled if Eugene has used the F word seven times in seven sentences. If it helped develop our understanding of his novel's main character, or of its setting, that's fine by me. On the other hand, if it's gratuitous – put in just to shock us – I'd fall into line with Lindsay. I haven't read Zen and the Art of Standup Comedy.

I have Lindsay's opinions, but I don't know her general attitude to obscene words in popular novels. Are they distasteful at all times, or only when used gratuitiously?

English literature, popular or highbrow, would be much poorer if we admitted only those books one could read aloud on a crowded Sydney bus.

So I don't know whether Lindsay was too harsh. I hope Eugene isn't discouraged, and that he pushes on with his writing. He should think over Lindsay's comments, but if he disagrees, so be it. Write on Eugene, and I'll take a look at your next book.

Meanwhile, I think we should welcome robust discussions such as we've just had, but perhaps revise the format in which we conduct them.

First, we should invite authors to respond with full posts (not just appended comments) when we criticise their work. Before I read Eugene's comment, I'd already read Lindsay's reply. It's as if she held on to the microphone.

When we decided we would read different books, then tell the others about them, we became reviewers, as well as members of a book club discussion. That gives us some limitations and some more responsibilities, as the literary critic Kerryn Goldsworthy has explained . Our first task is to tell others whether a book is worth reading. But we should also remember our criticisms, if offered constructively, may nurture the talent of a novice writer.

[For you Globusz guys in New York, two bob is not very much money – two shillings in the currency Australia abandoned in the 1960s. So my two bob's worth is an inconsequential opinion but you're going to get it anyway. ]

The sketch? That's me, drawn by Sydney newspaper caricaturist Tony Rafty in 1982. I use it as a sort of signature when I'm blogging. -- Ian Skinner

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The Author Thinks I Was Too Harsh!

2008-04-10T08:45:00.015+10:00

Hi Eugene,
Good to hear you defend your work with such passion. You make an interesting case, but I still think your Zen eBook relies far too heavily on foul language as a reader engagement tool; and that detracts from the writing quality.

Sorry, but your technique just doesn’t cut the mustard. I think the methodology fails, and that’s why I couldn’t take the work seriously.

You asked why I didn’t hammer you about Norman’s obsession with sex. Good question, because you do use his sexual exploits to build the persona. And the story relies heavily on his ability to get every woman he meets into bed. Sure it's true that all the women throw themselves at him, and actually instigate the rather crazy bed-hopping. But Norman doesn't stop to think about the consequences of his involvements.

Answer: I accepted your fictional character for what he is. A shallow youth, who lacked the maturity to understand that sex, has little, if anything, to do with relationship building. His behaviour fits the mould of a young man driven by a desire to take, without any thought for personal responsibility. Now come on; surely you don't expect us to believe that poor old Norman didn't know that getting into bed with his own aunt wasn't a good idea? His aunt was a lonely woman; what was Norman's excuse? How many women did he have on the go at the same time? It was pretty hard to keep count.

Still he did learn a lesson or two along the way. He discovered he was capable of experiencing feelings for others, albeit, fleeting, and shallow ones. And when push came to shove, his choices were always based on what he wanted, and expected.

He should have gotten his comeuppances when Betsy double-crossed him, but his depth of emotional maturity, robbed him of the genuine pain-response, that others might feel when a loving (a gross over statement) relationship ends.

Sorry Eugene. I’m sticking with my initial critique, but I do wish you well with the new novel.

Cheers, Lindsay.

NOTE: Read the author's comment - scroll down to my earlier post: Am I being too harsh here? You be the judge. posted: Sunday March 30

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Meanwhile, I've enjoyed a pleasant sea change

2008-04-09T14:30:00.011+10:00

Eugen Herrigel has a lot to answer for. He kicked off this whole "Zen and the Art of . . ." thing with his Zen in the Art of Archery published in Germany in 1948. People who know about these things said it was good on zen and good on archery. Pity the copycats couldn't be the same.

Wikipedia says there are now 200 books with similar titles – and that's before you start counting blogs. The other day someone gave me Zen and the Art of Lawn Bowls!

Robert M. Pirsig rekindled the genre in 1974 with Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Being a keen biker (still am!), I accelerated past Pirsig's warning:

What follows is based on actual occurrences. Although much has been changed for rhetorical purposes, it must be regarded in its essence as fact. However, it should in no way be associated with that great body of factual information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice. It's not very factual on motorcycles, either.

It was quite an interesting account of a motorcycle tour across the US, and I'm glad I read it. But I never did fall into line with all those other people who said Pirsig's book changed their lives.

Today, if anyone offers a book titled Zen and the Art of Something, let's poke it with a sharp stick. It's probably limp and lifeless, giving off a faint whiff of the 1970s.

Sorry you had to find out the hard way, Lindsay.

As for standup comedians spraying obscene words at their audience (or their readers), isn't that so 1970s too?

It began when comedians moved from the theatre stage into alcohol-sodden pubs and clubs, and it coincided with a sort of liberation mood when young people rejected the pursed-lips wowserism they'd experienced from their parents through the 1950s and early 60s.

Shouting four-letter words was so liberating! Wasn't it?

With Alex, it's good to know he laughed like a drunken Irishman as he read The Best of Forwarded Emails. I'm glad he didn't say imbecile Sikh, which must have been a temptation after reading a whole chapter of Sardarji jokes.

Thanks, Alex, for pointing me to Getting IT Right. It sounds just what I need to stay on top of all these newfangled YouTube and Web 3.0 and podcast things I'm supposed to master to stay in the action.

Me? I've had an enjoyable time on a Scottish island. I could nit-pick my way through some faults with Peter Culling's Isle of Enniskerry, but what the hell, it's an enjoyable yarn. Perhaps this sort of thing rekindles Boy's Own enthusiasms from my far-distant youth.

I guess you read the blurb. Jim wins four million quid in a British national lottery, buys a deserted Scottish island which once supported a laird in a big house and some farmers and fishermen in crofts, recruits a diverse group of people wanting to escape city life, and gets the island moving again.

So where could I find fault? First, Culling writes well, but could do better if he learned to revise and revise again (fundamental to a writer's craft) until he chopped at least a fifth of his words, and sharpened up those he kept. He should learn his spellchecker won't pick out "principal" when he intends "principle", or "to" instead of "too".

Jim says he doesn't want the new islanders to think of him as the laird, but he spends much of his time dispensing avuncular advice, and you'll wait in vain to see him spit on his hands and pick up a crowbar or shovel to help those rebuilding crofts or farmyards.

Perhaps Culling should get hold of the Mills & Boon writer's manual, where he could learn to structure his novel with a few crises which threaten the whole project. And because the novel ends with a romantic happy ending, a few bitter misunderstandings and unrequited yearnings along the way would have built tension.

There were problems, such as a vet who couldn't get on with the farmers, and a gang of bovver boys who tried to trash the island, but they were seen off quite easily.

And fundamentally, too, I wonder whether the success of Jim's endeavours leaves him and his islanders living in the same sort of high-pressure, businesslike world they'd set out to escape.

But don't let my quibbles put you off. I think you'd enjoy Isle of Enniskerry. I did.

To save Christine from having to answer those Globusz guys in New York, wowser is one of those wonderful Ocker (that means Aussie!) words describing those prune-faced, anti-fun people who would be called killjoys, blue-stockings or puritans in other parts of the world. Hence wowserism.

Some say it was invented by John Norton, an unsavory Sydney newspaper proprietor around the end of the 19th Century, and some say it's an acronym derived from We Only Want Social Evils Remedied.

Back in the Great Land of Oz. And lovin' it!!

2008-04-06T17:36:00.021+10:00

Hey guys,
I’ve been working outside Australia again and have just returned. I’ve gotta say it was fun to log into Writers Café 101 and read the stuff that had been posted. It made me feel great to be part of the club. And I got a good laugh from Lindsay’s last post.

She’s like the wordsmith Grim Reaper. I’m glad I’m not an author. I’d be too scared to let her anywhere near my books. She’d mow me down like a Sherman tank. Here’s a video to help you get a handle on the damage she’d cause. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-7JZIHsRN0

Still I get the message. There she was all set for a bit of light Easter entertainment, only to have Binx crush her like a chocolate egg. I hope it didn’t turn her off her Easter Bunny loot.

While Lindsay was plotting her revenge on poor old Eugene, I was laughing like a drunken Irishman. No kidding. I had a ball with The Best of Forwarded Emails, by Ram G. Kumar.

This is a great little book to carry around on your laptop. Fantastic for de-stressing difficult client, or boss, related situations that go off the rails. I can guarantee it will defuse the most highly charged confrontation and before you know it, the person who wanted to dismember you, will become your best mate.

Kumar has done an excellent job compiling his material. There are so many great pieces it was hard to select a couple for a suggestion list. Why don’t you start with these, then work your way through the whole lot.

The Future of Customer Care
Funny leave letters and applications sent from India
Appraisal Note – Read between the lines

And every red blooded Aussie lad will love the Beer Theories. This is a great read. Do yourself a favour and download it asap.

Cheers, Alex.

AN IDEA: Lindsay add this to the travelling show repertoire. The Sydney Buses' passengers will love you for it. Pass around a hat and buy yourself the digital book reader "thingy" I think you called it. You know, the one you said you really wanted.

I'M SO IMPRESSED I TOLD MY MUM ABOUT RAM.
I downloaded another one of Ram's eBooks for my mother. On a scale of 1 - 10 (1 low), I'd say my mum's computer application skills are about 7.5., so I downloaded Getting IT Right for her. It's a very small work, but packed with great stuff to help computer newcomers get a handle on a few things. I reckon it'd work for a lot of people who just need to brush up of stuff they've forgotten. Come to think of it; just about anyone will find it useful. Even the CompNerds might find something useful in it. Good Gear. Do the download!

http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/GettingIT/index.htm