For those who know me, long time no see!
For those who don’t, I’m a journalist with more than 30 years’ experience (20 of those years with the ABC) in Shepparton, Bendigo, Ballarat and Melbourne.
I returned to Shepparton 10 years ago to be closer to family.
I was born and bred in Shepparton, went to school here, fell in love for the first time here, and spent many years doing local TV and radio, as well as local theatre.
Of late, I have really missed being a journalist and telling stories, especially ones with a local connection. Happily, this yearning coincided with a call from The News for more local voices and content — and I’m more than up for it.
So, I’ll be bringing you a fortnightly column on books, authors and other things that tickle my fancy.
To kick things off, here’s my first book review — and it’s a walk down memory lane.
Tim Winton is one of my all-time favourite authors and Dirt Music is my pick of his collection. Winton has won the Miles Franklin Award four times.
To mark his 40 years as a celebrated Australian writer, his publisher has re-released several of his most loved works, including Dirt Music.
Winton says he’s just an ordinary Australian writing about small places and people in small situations.
The re-release prompted me to take another look at Dirt Music, and quickly I remembered why I love Tim Winton’s writing so much. It’s so Australian.
Winton’s books are hard to put down because of the meticulous way he paints his characters. You can see them, you know them, you care about them. And Dirt Music is a great yarn.
The central character is 40-year-old nurse Georgie, whose life has begun to unravel, and she turns to drink, drugs and internet trawling to numb her mind to the hopelessness she feels.
Georgie comes across local fisherman Luther Fox, and the scene is set for their shambolic lives to collide amid the sea and desert scenery of Western Australia.
If you haven’t read Tim Winton’s work, give it a try.
And if you’re a fan already, drag out those Winton masterpieces and give them another whirl — you won’t be sorry.
Dirt Music by Tim Winton is published by Penguin Books Australia.
Jan would love to hear from readers. Email her at books.more@mmg.com.au