Colleen McCullough

[Gannon]

Hang on, I'm frantically writing down "Charlotte Link, David Grossman, Victor Hugo" and trying to get my head around Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean. No, I have not read Les Miserables but I did see a live theatre performance in London years ago - can't recall who the cast members were - and liking the rousing, empassioned scenes even though musicals are low on my list. That appears to be the problem with the new movie, people (critics included) can't seem to get their heads around the singing.

I'm on to "Ordinary Thunderstorms" by William Boyd and it made me think of you, Gannon, with the river peaking on the weekend. Hope the flooding has subsided considerably. I heard that poor Bundaberg (ah, the rum distillery) had the worst floods in its entire history. Still, the sun shines after the storm and today was beautiful, calm and sunny.

Howedy Maudster. The river peaked lower than expected and most of us are high and dry. Bundaberg is in a very sorry state. They are making a "tent city" for all of the displaced people. Did you see the damage on the news. There would be one house ok, and the house next door would be gone. Heartbreaking stuff. I can't believe that you, Fran and I have not read "Les Miserables". I thought that at least one of us would have read it.

[Maud Fitch]

Gidday Gannon. Who's going to read Les Miserables first?

A friend of mine said "It's all about this depressed bloke named Les" and I had to laugh. Slightly more to it than that!
I remember shivering when I read Hugo dialogue quoted in a parenting handbook. It was something along the lines of a French soldier ruefully saying to his sergeant "She is starving yet she gives the bread to her child" and the sergeant replies "She is a mother".

[Fran]

@Maud/Gannon
Just downloaded my copy of Les Miserables from Amazon ..... FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
(Sorry Maud but at least Victor has no need of royalties at his current location!)

[Gannon]

@Maud/Gannon
Just downloaded my copy of Les Miserables from Amazon ..... FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
(Sorry Maud but at least Victor has no need of royalties at his current location!)

Hey there Fran, I am sure that you will love it. The characters are amazing.

Not a bad idea getting it on Amazon. My hardback copy weighs about five or six kilos. It's enormous.

[Maud Fitch]

How's Victor's "Les Miserables" going - sick of it yet?

Thought I'd post a portion from Jason Steger's interview with Colleen McCullough in The Age newspaper:

Author Colleen McCullough has always been forthright. These days, while her flesh may be weakening, her spirit remains willing; her mind is as sharp as a boning knife and just as able to cut through extraneous material to get to the nitty gritty.

Last time I saw her was in the home she shares with her husband, Ric Robinson, a Norfolk Island local. It was not long before she was due to have a major operation and, to be honest, I wondered whether I'd see her again. But here she is, I'm happy to say; a bit frailer but undaunted. She takes a lot of aspirin - 'a wonderful drug' - and still loves a ***. And she still has her raucous laugh. McCullough turns 76 this year.

We're sitting in the Sofitel having an early afternoon tea as a late lunch. There are three plates on the tiered cake stand and we start from the bottom with sandwiches - smoked salmon, egg, ham, cucumber; of course, all with crusts off - then move on to the larger-than-bite-size scones, with berry jam and cream, and finish at the top with an array of slices and cakes. Well, not Colleen; because of diabetes, she stops at level two. 'You can pour for me,' she says. 'I couldn't pick up the teapot - I'm old and crippled.'

The book's very you (Life Without The Boring Bits) I point out. She likes strong tea and strong opinions. 'Absolutely. If I've got an opinion, I've got an opinion. I'm never lukewarm. It's not in my nature to be lukewarm.' Colleen went on to say 'Probably with The Thorn Birds, in 50 years' time, people will go, I couldn't read that. Which is not the case with her seven-book Masters of Rome series. 'They are permanent; they'll be around as long as books will.' They are built around the figure of Julius Caesar, who remains her great hero - 'Probably the most gifted man that ever walked the earth' - and whose bust sits in her home. They are the books Colleen is most proud of.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/ ... z2KxuemT5A

[Fran]

@Maud
Big thank you for posting that interview - I really enjoyed reading it. Wouldn't you just love to join her for one of those three-tier teas? I laughed at her not moving on to the top tier - having scoffed the berry jam & cream (I'm sure that's great stuff altogether for diabetes!) .. I could just imagine Colleen saying "sacrifice is one thing but deprivation is quite another". So glad to know she is keeping well and still chipper.

[Gannon]

@Maudster & Fran

She is such an amazing woman. The research that she did (without the internet) for her Rome books is quite frankly almost unbelievable. I am sure that there would not be many people around who know more than her about Ancient Rome. I would love to go and visit her and steal the bust of Caesar.

Thanks Maudster, for the link. I love reading or watching interviews with Colleen. She cracks me up every time with that laugh of hers, and she is certainly not backward in coming forward with her opinion.

Hope you both have a wonderful weekend, even though Fran's hasn't started yet.

[Fran]

@Fran
It most certainly has started ... at 4:15pm every Friday I down tools & it is officially the weekend.

By the way Gannon did you happen to get your hands on The Red Violin? The movie DATo has been singing the praises of, it is a really, really sublime movie. I got a dvd from Amazon & have watched it twice so far and I think I will give it another viewing over the weekend. Everything DATo has said about it is absolutely true - I think he is as good on movies as he is on books!
@Maud I think it would be your kind of movie also ... the music score alone is awesome.

[Gannon]

@Fran
It most certainly has started ... at 4:15pm every Friday I down tools & it is officially the weekend.

By the way Gannon did you happen to get your hands on The Red Violin? The movie DATo has been singing the praises of, it is a really, really sublime movie. I got a dvd from Amazon & have watched it twice so far and I think I will give it another viewing over the weekend. Everything DATo has said about it is absolutely true - I think he is as good on movies as he is on books!
@Maud I think it would be your kind of movie also ... the music score alone is awesome.

ref @Fran, are you talking to yourself there Fran.

I have not had a chance to watch "The Red Violin" yet but am betting that it will be great with you both rating it highly.

[Fran]

@Fran
It most certainly has started ... at 4:15pm every Friday I down tools & it is officially the weekend.

By the way Gannon did you happen to get your hands on The Red Violin? The movie DATo has been singing the praises of, it is a really, really sublime movie. I got a dvd from Amazon & have watched it twice so far and I think I will give it another viewing over the weekend. Everything DATo has said about it is absolutely true - I think he is as good on movies as he is on books!
@Maud I think it would be your kind of movie also ... the music score alone is awesome.

ref @Fran, are you talking to yourself there Fran.

I have not had a chance to watch "The Red Violin" yet but am betting that it will be great with you both rating it highly.

@Gannon
That does prove my weekend has started doesn't it?

[Gannon]

@Gannon, errr I mean @Fran

Good Call.

[primrose777]

Hi everyone,
I picked up a Colleen McCullough book today called " The Independance of Miss Mary Bennet." A novel about Mary Bennets life after Pride and Predjudice concludes.
Being a Jane Austen fan and knowing how highly regarded Colleen is I grabbed it for a song ( only $3 )
Wondering if anyone has read it and what were your thoughts??

[Fran]

Hi everyone,
I picked up a Colleen McCullough book today called " The Independance of Miss Mary Bennet." A novel about Mary Bennets life after Pride and Predjudice concludes.
Being a Jane Austen fan and knowing how highly regarded Colleen is I grabbed it for a song ( only $3 )
Wondering if anyone has read it and what were your thoughts??

Hi Prim
I read it sometime back & really liked it, loved how she made Mary Bennet into a strong, independent & crusading woman. I think you will love it, but then Colleen can do no wrong, can she? Enjoy & report back

[Gannon]

Howdy there Prim. Would you believe that it is the only "Coleen" book that I have not read. Sounds like Fran enjoyed it, hope you do too. Let us know what you think.

[primrose777]

Will do Gannon... but I do think you should pick up a copy and get in touch with your inner Jane Austin