I have been into Murcutt's work for a few years now, but I have been disappointed by the lack of good books on his work. Until now, the best book around was Phaidon's '3 houses'. The only projects I have been able to see have been single family houses in the middle of the australian brush--so it was pretty cool to see this book with houses (or at least A house) in an urban area as well as larger commercial type buildings (like the education center).

As far as I know, all of his projects are shown in the book--built and unbuilt in great detail. The first 30 pages or so of the book is a collection of essays by both the authors and Murcutt. Then the book gets into his projects chronilogically--each with photographs, sketches and drawings.

The last part of the book is a collection of 'blue-print' drawings showing the plans and more importantly the construction details of all his buildings--all in pretty good detail showing dimensions and materials.

Im stingy with my book money--but I definately feel like I got my money's worth outta this one.

The Pritzker laureate selected his favorite buildings for this handsomely illustrated monograph, with its insightful text by two Australian architectural professors who know his work well. Nearly a third of the pages are devoted to drawings that illuminate Murcutt's meticulous approach to design.

Hiking Tropical Australia: Queensland And Northern New South Wales is a comprehensive, "traveler friendly" walking guide to Australia's eastern tropical and subtropical regions. Covering an area of approximately 1600 miles beginning around Grafton (in northern New South Wales) and reaching down into the lower portion of wild, rugged Cape York Peninsula (in farm north Queensland), Hiking Tropical Australia coverage extends inland as well to include national parks such as Girraween and Carnarvon that lie in the transition zone between tropical and outback landscapes. Enhanced with more than 100 maps and pictures, Hiking Tropical Australia divides topical Australia into six zones defined by ecology and topography: the eastern and western scenic rims; sand, sea, and islands; escarpment and range; the granite belt; and far north Queensland, above the Tropic of Capricorn. Travelers will find precise directions for reaching all the parks and trails; difficulty ratings and notes about the special attractions of each hike; as well as vivid descriptions of what will be encountered along the way. Hiking Tropical Australia is a unique and invaluable guide for the vacationing visitor, and has a wealth of information helpful to native Australian as well.

I used the book this summer while traveling in the northern part of Queensland. I found it to be an ideal companion to the more general guides (Lonely Planet, Fodor's, etc.). The book helped my husband and me to figure out the best places to hike, when we had fairly limited time and many things we wanted to do. It provides the perfect amount of information in a useful format; for each hike the author lists trail distance, hiking time, level of difficulty, and main attractions, and then gives a helpful description of what hikers will see. The author also provides brief descriptions of parks and state forests. I like that the book describes hikes of varied lengths and difficulty. I highly recommend this book to people of any age or fitness who want to hike in the northeastern part of Australia.

This book is a lovely journey of discovery - a mature woman's search to find her place in the world through learning about the mother she never knew. Charmian Clift was a gifted writer, and we learn much about her, but we also connect at a very 'here and now' level with her unknown daughter.

I plan to re-read this when I have some time.

Suzanne Chick's book is wonderful on several levels. It is an essential companion to the writings of Charmian Clift, but perhaps more importantly, it is the story of discovery. She allows us to accompany her on the search for the real Charmian Clift, with all the intellectual and emotional turns on the way. There are many books about the search for a birth mother but few people find that their natural parent was a wellknown writer with a legacy of work, both fiction and non-fiction, as well as having been interviewed. Extremely well written.

This is an amazing book about lies, double lives and secret sexuality. If you have not already, buy it - read it!

In this book, Joseph has tapped into a world foreign to most of us. This world is one where married men actively seek out sex from other men at beats and other places.

Joseph advertised in a local paper asking men to contact her if they were in a married or defacto relationship who are (or want to) have sex with other men.

The book then goes on to detail excerpts of the stories and interviews Joseph had with these anonymous men. Many of the men tell Joseph that they love their wives, but they need sex with other men. Others tell Joseph that they do not identify as homosexual. Joseph's amazement and intrigue in what she is discovering is evident in what she writes.

To complete the picture, Joseph includes interviews with women who have found out after years of marriage to men they love (and have children with) that their husbands have been procuring sex in this way. Joseph has included informationand interviews with counsellors, health workers and people who work on beats.

The perspectives shed light on this world - a world that is bigger than I would ever have imagined.

I read this book on an aeroplane trip, and kept looking around thinking 'I wonder if that man does that,' 'Or him', or 'her husband'!

The book is well written and readable - but what makes the book incredible is the unknown world it unclothes. An amazing read.

This is an amazing book about lies, double lives and secret sexuality. If you have not already, buy it - read it!

In this book, Joseph has tapped into a world foreign to most of us. This world is one where married men actively seek out sex from other men at beats and other places.

Joseph advertised in a local paper asking men to contact her if they were in a married or defacto relationship who are (or want to) have sex with other men.

The book then goes on to detail excerpts of the stories and interviews Joseph had with these anonymous men. Many of the men tell Joseph that they love their wives, but they need sex with other men. Others tell Joseph that they do not identify as homosexual. Joseph's amazement and intrigue in what she is discovering is evident in what she writes.

To complete the picture, Joseph includes interviews with women who have found out after years of marriage to men they love (and have children with) that their husbands have been procuring sex in this way. Joseph has included informationand interviews with counsellors, health workers and people who work on beats.

The perspectives shed light on this world - a world that is bigger than I would ever have imagined.

I read this book on an aeroplane trip, and kept looking around thinking 'I wonder if that man does that,' 'Or him', or 'her husband'!

The book is well written and readable - but what makes the book incredible is the unknown world it unclothes. An amazing read.

The sort of book you can't put down once you get started, particularly if business, marketing and sport interest you, Written as an autobiography, in an honest if sometimes basic style, nevertheless a very fascinating & gripping tale of the Olympic selection saga, from getting agreement with Melbourne over one Aussie bid, to competing with other major cities - from Manchester to Beijing.

Absolutely gripping! I couldn't put it down. The Bloodwood Clan makes a great gift idea for family and friends. A thriller with a twist. Well done Beryl. Can't wait for your next book ...

Sven Klinge is the author of the most comprehensive cycling guide books in Australia. By combining cycling with walking treks, he has explored over 300 of Australia's National Parks and State Forests. Born in Sydney and educated at the University of Sydney, Sven now divides his time between accountancy and other writing projects. CYCLING THE BUSH: 100 RIDES IN NEW SOUTH WALES is a fully revised edition, with dozens of new rides, and many others updated to take into account new management policies and conditions. The range of rides includes short one day trips around Sydney to extended overnight cycling/walking expeditions in remote and rugged wilderness areas. Almost all of New South Wales' major national parks are covered, including nearly 50 rides in the popular Blue Mountains alone. Other chapters centre on the wild Morton National Park, the picturesque Barrington Tops, and the great alpine ranges of Kosciusko. From mountain lookouts to secluded beaches, from pristine rivers to limestone caves, from cliff-lined gorges to snow-gum forests, this guide covers 100 of the most exciting mountain and touring bike adventures available to the cyclists in New South Wales and the ACT. Each ride incorporates data on distances, height variation, transport, access, track and rides grades, facilities, map references, and special equipment needed. Extensive information is provided on geological, biological, and historical aspects of natural, Aboriginal, and colonial features along the rides. There are chapters devoted to the development, mechanics, and maintenance of the mountain bike, in addition to sections covering accessories, riding techniques, first aid, food, equipment, photography, and camping. In COMPACT, LIGHTWEIGHT FORMAT, this guide should be POCKET EQUIPMENT for every cyclist and bushwalker wishing to discover this exciting way of venturing into the most diverse parks system in Australia.

One important aspect of this book is that the truth is known. Tibble Smith can regain his proper place in Australian History as the first person in Australia to discover gold.

"I see what you mean" and Steve's more recent program and series "Info Active" should be an essential acquisitions for teachers of our young children. He is able to take complex ideas of visual literacy and oral communication through factual texts and present them simply for the teacher to integrate them into key learning areas. Brilliant in all regards, but it needs a good look at, particularily the teacher backup. Unfortunately teachers haven't always got the time.

If you saw any of the Sydney during the Olympics, you are sure to find this account of its early years a fascinating revelation. Based on the life of Lieutenant Governor Joseph Foveaux, demonised in Robert Hughes' The Fatal Shore, this book reveals the links and patronage networks which held the British empire together. I liked the way the author in each chapter flung the reader into a physical description of the place where the action happens. And I even found myself caring about Foveaux's successes and setbacks. This is a warm, elegantly written and compelling new departure in Australian historical writing.