Have any of you read “A Fraction Of The Whole” by Steve Toltz from 2008?
I’ve ordered it on the strength of excellent reviews on various sites.
I’m a stickler for tangible reading. Need to be able to flick through the pages. I think reading article after article online for Uni really killed off any motivation to consume digital copies.
Recently read and loved Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone.
I used to read Christie style whodunnits when I was young, but less and less since, for the very reason this book addresses.
Because the authors cheat.
I loved this book for its smartarsery, its fourth wall breaking, the meta and the self awareness.
The actual mystery was okay.
You’ve forgotten audiobooks.
I have to admit i completely didn’t think of audio books as i just never considered consuming books that way…
Good when you’re walking or driving. I’m listening to Bill Bryson’s At Home.
Have listened to three Dickens, all of Jane Austen and all of Elizabeth Gaskell on audio.
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Back into the old style of reading now…a paper book, Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor, set in midwestern NSW. A little girl didn’t make it home from school and four days later, her body is found.
The author is a PhD in creative writing from U of Wollongong and, while well written, four times in the first quarter of the book, I’ve been jarred by her use of American words rather than Australian, such as wrench for spanner and plaid for tartan.
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Does anyone remember the name of the science fiction story/book that is set on a planet of such high gravity that life evolved as two dimensional forms? I tried googling but the only thing that came up with those search terms was a 19th century allegorical story (which is interesting in its own right but not what I was looking for).
Okay, in regards to the survey above, physical copies winning clearly. For comparison for my latest book, less than 1% of my earnings have come from physical sales. My earnings are pretty much all coming from digital sales or amazon prime customers reading for free on kindle (i get paid per page, similar to spotify music streaming payments)
There are reasons for this (I’m with an independent publisher and most sales are through Amazon anyway), but pretty stark difference. I wonder what revenue split major publishers have
It’s a shockingly uneconomic way to read.
I haven’t even got my local library card since my last move. Prior to that I always had one.
Finished Dirt Town. Didn’t register any more American vocabulary. She did comment in her author’s notes about an editor who was helping her get into the US market, but it’s still a sellout. Make the Septics realise there are other countries that speak English.
Re the book, it was a good read. Pretty much impossible to solve on your own because we just didn’t get given the required information.
Now onto Black River by Matthew Spencer, to do with fictional murders committed near the Parramatta River at the time of blue moons. Not far in, but so far, so good.
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I like to buy my books and simply don’t have the capacity to store them physically.
The kindle is also incredibly easy to carry around and hold in one hand.
Agreed, i should convert to a kindle one day, but i do love the feel and smell of a paperback
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That would do my head in. I often wonder if it’s the author’s doing or the editor’s? Either way it’s obviously adopted in order to make the book more reader friendly for an international market.
Isn’t one of the joys of reading actually learning a little of the language and culture of the country in which the book is set?
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I’ve been reading Roger’s Thesaurus.
It’s very educative, enlightening, informative, instructive, illuminating and edifying.
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When you’ve finished that, you should start on Roget’s Thesaurus…Roger’s is just a cheap ripoff
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I am doing a cull of my library and if I will do a list of the books that I am getting rid of. If anyone wants any then I will send them by post at my cost. In the past I have given them to local charity places but they are no longer interested it seems.
Knew I’d get a bite sooner or later.
The copy I have is definitely Roger’s Thesaurus.
I borrowed it from my neighbour, Roger. 
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I’ve given 4 boxloads to local retirement homes. They were delighted.
Thanks, I will try them as well.