Kathryn's Inbox

Edouard Louis, author of the play Who Killed My Father  shares with the reader a part of his life story in Change. Not quite a memoir, not quite fiction, it tells the story of a boy growing up in a poor city in France where he is often bullied and ridiculed and accused of being gay--something that is completely socially unacceptable in a rough and tumble town where men are expected to present extreme versions of masculinity. Change begins with a surprising offer to attend a school in a nearby town where he can be a part of the artistic programme. There, he makes friends, including a deep friendship with Elena, but it is also the beginning of an all-consuming desire to change everything about himself, from his name (Eddy to Edouard) to eventually climbing all the way to the top university in France, being the partner of wealthy men and betraying not just his family, but Elena and her mother along the way.  It is not common for people to change class, or at least not at the extreme level

Everyone has a slightly different interpretation of Andy Warhol. Whether it is his work as an artist, writer, photographer or filmmaker or of the man himself. Something of an enigma, he can mean different things to different people. Nothing Special offers Nicole Flattery's interpretation of Warhol, who she has spend a considerable amount of time and effort researching. It tells a fictionalised account of one of the young typists who finds themselves working at the Factory, typing Andy Warhol's novel a.  Seventeen year old Mae is not a real person but she may as well be, given the level of research done by the author. It opens with her well into adulthood, and tells us of a life lived where she is free, but not someone extraordinary, like the many people who graced the Factory in the 1960s. We learn how she got the job at the Factory, after being ostracised by her peers at school and after a visit to a somewhat dubious doctor. At the Factory, she finds a kinship of sorts with a

  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kathryn White (@kathryns_inbox)

We can fix climate change. That is the point of this accessible and easy to read guide to climate change. Beloved Australian scientist and media personality Dr Karl steers clear of alarmist headlines as he explains the science behind climate change and what we can do about it.  This was an interesting read. One of the best things about it is that it remains wholly accessible, while explaining the facts behind climate change and most importantly--what can be done about it. Dr Karl steers clear of politics and keeps things factual. He also explains it in a way that readers like me--I was never a star in my high school science classes--can understand and relate to. I also very appreciated the sense of hope and the explanations of what can be done, rather than it all being doom and gloom, as climate change is a topic that can so often be very depressing. At just over 150 pages this one is short, accessible and a very necessary read. Highly recommended.

  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kathryn White (@kathryns_inbox)

I'll tell you a secret. I love the Mr Men and Little Miss series of books. Well, not that I read them all the time or anything like that, but I do have some great memories of reading them when I was a kid, and if I was to see one on the coffee table I'd probably pick it up, smile and get a great nostalgia hit. Over the years, the brand has done a few things to give grown up fans that exact hit from merchandise that plays on the character's names/personalities (think a mug with Little Miss Sunshine or a t-shirt with Mr Messy,) and mash ups, like the Doctor Men series, which reimagined the first thirteen Doctors from Doctor Who as Mr Men/Little Miss characters, with the title of Doctor, of course. Anyway, on a recent trip to my local library, I was thrilled to discover that the creators have come up with a series of savage and slightly satirical novels for grown ups. As Little Miss Shy is one of my favourite characters, I couldn't resist borrowing a copy of Little Mis

Until recently I had no idea that Australian comedy duo Lano & Woodley had written a novel. It turns out that Housemeeting was originally published by Penguin Books Australia in 1996, a year or so before the first series of the brilliant The Adventures of Lano & Woodley television programme aired on the ABC. (A second series aired in 1999. You can find some clips on YouTube and Facebook, like this one here .) Anyway, Housemeeting runs on a similar premise to the television series, with Colin and Frank sharing a flat in inner-suburban Melbourne. Except that there is one problem. The arrogant and egotistical Colin wants the innocent and lovably stupid Frank out of "his" house. And Frank does not, under any circumstances want to leave ... This was a fun and entertaining read. It's not too heavy, with the bulk of the novel written in a format similar to a play or a tv script, with a few prose bits in between and some amusing illustrations by Frank Woodley. The chara

Islands is a story of a family that is fragmented and in distress. Weaving between time and eras and characters it tells the story of how fifteen year old Anna disappears one night, never to be seen again, the mystery of her disappearance never to be resolved. How did it happen? Why? These are the questions that each character asks as they blame themselves and each other for the loss of Anna. After all, things have never been quite right for the family. According to John's mother, he and Helen were never a perfect match. John could never properly get over the fact that Helen cheated on him and left. Their daughter, June, considers Helen to be selfish, holding her mother totally responsible for her parent's divorce and for Anna's disappearance. And Helen ... well, Helen just wants to be loved.  This is a novel that I found to be sad, well written and testimony to the fact that there is always more than one side to a story or situation. Readers focused looking for answers ab

  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kathryn White (@kathryns_inbox)

There is no denying it. Triple J's Hottest 100 is an Australian institution. We all know it, many of us love it and generations of Australian's associate it not just with music but a kind of kinship and community. For me, personally, which songs make up Triple J's Hottest 100 each year has more importance than the highest selling singles of that year. Shoulda Been Higher details the history of the Hottest 100 and is a definitive account of sorts of what is, essentially, the most important music countdown in Australia. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one from cover to cover. Tom W Clarke gives a definitive history, adds a little bit of humour (even the title--a phrase that will be instantly recognisable with its association to the Hottest 100,) made me smile. Clarke gives a few of his own opinions and while I didn't necessarily agree with everything I did find it entertaining. It's also great just to see the countdown getting the recognition it deserves as a part

  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kathryn White (@kathryns_inbox)

The second graphic novel in the reimagined Sweet Valley Twins series takes its focus from goody-goody twin Elizabeth to the devilish and fundamentally flawed Jessica. This time around, we see a vulnerable side to the younger Wakefield twin. After all, it's not so easy having such a perfect sister. Especially when this is the one occasion when Jessica deserves the spotlight. The twins are taking ballet lessons. Jessica loves ballet and works harder than anyone else in the class. Coupled with a natural flair for ballet, she should be living the dream, right? Nope. It is her sister Elizabeth who gets all of the praise and recognition from their teacher, who barely even notices Jessica no matter how hard she works. The premise is interesting enough, though like all Sweet Valley tales this one is flawed--it particular the retconned ending. (In the original, the teacher paid Jessica little attention because she mistakenly believed that she was not serious about ballet. This one pans out

By far, the best thing about Brutal Prince is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. From the cute cover, to the cheeky illustrations to a plot filled with an enemies-to-lovers romance and scores of mafia types (complete with shoot outs,) this book is filled with melodrama and trash and it doesn't waste my time pretending to be anything else. Aida is the youngest and wildest member of the wealthy Gallo family, big player in the local Italian mafia scene. They've been enemies with the Griffins, an equally wealthy family who are a part of the local Irish mafia. One evening, Aida decides to sneak in to a party at the Griffin's mansion. She accidentally sets their curtains on fire and one unfortunate event follows another, until the older generations of both families decide enough is another. They are going to end this war once and for all, with an arranged marriage between Aida and Callum Griffin, an aspiring politician and heir to the Griffin family fortune. Unfortun