Tag Archives: Natural disaster

Survival by Stuart Diver

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Survival: The Inspirational Story of the Thredbo Disaster’s Sole Survivor
Author: Stuart Diver
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Australian history, Memoirs, Natural disaster
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 1999

Thoughts

I’d never actually heard about Thredbo until recently. When I read Bad Ground. It might be a big moment of Australian history, but it’s not one that’s memorable from my recollection of local history. So when I did a little research, I was completely intrigued. And boy am I glad that I actually decided to buy this book.

The start of this book very much reads like a love letter to Sally. It wasn’t until around the 8th chapter when Stuart starts actually talking about the landside that I was able to concentrate and read this in a big hit. Before that, my heart just kept breaking and I had to keep putting this down to wipe away a tear.

I love how this book talks about Stuart’s point of view and experiences. But balanced with this is the factual account of what Australia and the rest of the rescuers were also witnessing and experiencing. It was a pretty stark and brutal reality. One that I’m honestly surprised didn’t give me nightmares. I don’t like small spaces, reading a memoir about being trapped underground for 65 hours… literally one of my worst nightmare. All I’d need is snakes to make it the worst thing ever…

Although my edition of this was on my kobo, it’s one that I want to add to my physical library. I love reading about Australian history and I think its important to keep adding to my knowledge and collection.

<- Gender GamesVanilla Beans & Brodo ->

Image source: Pan Macmillan Australia

Black Saturday edited by John McGourty

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Black Saturday: Stories of Love, Loss and Courage from the Victorian Bushfires
Author: John McGourty
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Australian history, Fire, Natural disaster
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Year: 2009

Thoughts

There are moments in Australian history that are seared into my brain. And Black Saturday is one of them. I remember being in high school and hearing about all of the lives lost. We always did bushfire drills throughout primary school. And although the numbers didn’t quite mean as much to me then as now… I still felt… horror at all the destruction.

As such, it’s taken me years to read this book. It was published about a year after the Black Saturday fires and I’ve had it on my shelves since then. But I always knew that it would be a tough read and hit me a little harder. Particularly with the fires that we’ve had over the past few years.

One of the aspects I loved about this compilation was how each chapter covered a different area that was decimated. And at the beginning of each area, there is an overall summary of exactly what happened. How much was destroyed. How many lives lost. It gives a greater overview of the stories that then follow.

It’s always important to personify the tragedies of our past. Otherwise the number of people who died become just that… a list of numbers and names with no real meaning.

<- I’m Glad My Mom DiedWe Bought a Zoo ->

Image source: Abebooks