Patricia R.

Is Not A Book On Native Herbs-Medicine

Reviewed: 07-11-20

Instead is a apologetic history where the braiding of sweet grass is an example of said history.

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1 person found this helpful

Very disappointed

Reviewed: 03-21-20

It’s a strange phenomena obviously I can watch Monty Python and laugh until I cry, yet I can’t seem to ‘get it’ listening to a British audiobook. Lots of slang which I’m sure our cousins in the fair Isles understand perfectly this book moves along at a little more than a fair clip; quite frankly leaving me in the dust trying to do at least a minimal job staying with the story line. To put it plainly even though to the ear it sounded as if it was exceedingly well written as well as a funny bone tickler to the umpth degree I ended up at the end knowing nothing more than I started. If your British or understand British jargon and slang I’d make a fair bet this book is a real fun fest. Oh well you can’t win them all, missed the brass ring on this one.

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Words

Reviewed: 01-25-20

I was very disappointed with this book, was really looking forward to it because of my own wonderful memories of visiting Australia for one glorious month in 1998. I fell in love with the people, history, flora and fauna of this magnificent land. Truly had I been a young woman at the time I am not sure that I wouldn’t have tossed all to the wind and emigrated as soon as the ink dried on the paperwork.

So why the disappointment? Four chapters invested in a sincere effort to understand the narrative found me totally flummoxed. I could barely understand one sentence due to the Aussie dialect. I didn’t have that problem while there at the same time I also had an abundant amount of real and wonderfully helpful locals to draw upon for anything I didn’t understand.

This is no reflection upon the author she being Australian herself. The error is mine and mine alone.

Words can and often do carry their own connotation according to the nation, social customs not to mention various dialects. While there my grown son and self were constantly involved with the locals having great fun over our words for various items. One such incident comes to mind vividly.

Son being a man full grown soon found himself smitten by the charms of one of the local ladies. He asked her out for dinner, researching and locating the most romantic local residence for elegant dining. Flowers, fine wine, moonlit table on the balcony above the rugged river below. No effort too intense in order to make sure she was accorded the best.

They ordered their meal then proceeded to enjoy each other’s company via conversation over a nice glass of wine. Son has always been more of a water or beer drinker as he is a cattleman used to being out on the land most days. There wasn’t a water glass in sight but there was a narrow white china bowl with ice and a wedge of lemon on the edge. So he upped it and drank the whole in one gulp.
The lady friends eyes widened considerably but she said nothing. The next waitress was asked for a refill which as soon as poured he again gulped right down. Now both the lady friend as well as the waitress are staring at him. Then the lady friend broke out in laughter explains to him that his minuscule water cup was really a finger bowl. He observed its true use then they went back to their conversations.

He lived through that learning curve with a minimal amount of embarrassment the next though he’ll remember until his dying day.

Dinner was served son notices that the shrimp was obviously finger food he was unable to find something suitable upon which to wipe his hands so he calls the waitress over and states quite clearly that he needs a ‘napkin’. The whole dining area is now looking at him, the waitress is bright red and stammering the lady friend jumps to his rescue requesting of the waitress the proper name for the item desired. Once everyone stopped looking and went back to their own meals the lady friend informs him under her breath that a napkin is a feminine hygiene product. That what he wanted is referred to as a ‘freshet’.

I was sort of hoping that she might just end up being a daughter in law, she was such a lovely person in every manner. Alas that one got away but we will never forget that magical land down under, those memories are there forever.

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Excellent

Reviewed: 12-24-19

Well written and elagently read. God bless those who perished as well as those who survived.

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Excellent

Reviewed: 12-08-19

The true and dynamic story of women pioneers in the field of science . Staged in the time when women who stepped out of the traditional role assigned to them garnered scorn, ridicule and worse from their male colleagues; these women arise despite others and often even themselves.

Excellent play, excellent script which moves along in a constant state of expectation.

Kudos to the actresses for a joy well gifted.

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