Miles Franklin, My Brilliant Career

Miles Franklin, My Brilliant Career and My Career Goes Bung. Angus & Robertson, 1990. The debut novel from one of Australia's first major authors, and the follow up (not so much a sequel as a subversion), bound as an omnibus edition. The former, written in 1899 and published in 1901, was a milestone in Australia's early literary history. It describes the coming of age of a young woman in the Australian outback during a period of drought, when families on the land were struggling to hold onto their properties. The later, written in 1902 but not published until 1946 due to the manuscript being lost for many years, is a less significant work, but still and interesting read.

Stats to Date

Books Read: 24

Books by Male Authors: 17½
Books by Female Authors: 6½

Books by Australian Authors: 6

Fiction Books: 17
    Genre Books: 9
Verity Books: 7
    Literature Books: 3
    Science Books: 2
    History Books: 1
    Fitness Books: 1

Week 26: The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan, The Dragons of Eden. Coronet, 1977. Another re-read from the last millenium. Subtitled Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence, Carl Sagan discusses what was then known about how intelligence and the brain evolved. Obviously any 40 year old science book is going to show its age, but it still offers a fascinating insight into the development of intelligent life on Earth (and the speculation that other primates and the cetaceans share many of the same characteristics as humans as regards self-awareness and language).

Stats to Date

Books Read: 22

Books by Male Authors: 17½
Books by Female Authors: 4½

Books by Australian Authors: 4

Fiction Books: 15
    Genre Books: 9
Verity Books: 7
    Literature Books: 3
    Science Books: 2
    History Books: 1
    Fitness Books: 1