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Dirt Music
by Tim Winton | Literature & Fiction
Registered by Ada2 of North Avoca, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, May 15, 2004
Average 8 star rating by BookCrossing Members 

status (set by AnonymousFinder): to be read


9 journalers for this copy...

Journal Entry 1 by Ada2 from North Avoca, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, May 15, 2004

8 out of 10

Some of the following text comes from a BBC review by Leigh Mytton

Dirt Music, Tim Winton's seventh novel, explores the interplay between three people against the breathtaking and unforgiving landscape of Western Australia.

Georgie Jutland used to "frighten the mascara off people". Now she is 40, living a downtrodden existence in a "relentlessly ugly town" and seeking solace in vodka and surfing the net. In a bid to inject some excitement into her life, Georgie - girlfriend of Jim the "uncrowned prince" of the local fishing community - seduces oddball poacher Lu Fox.

Georgie's men are opposites: Jim is revered, while Lu, the sole survivor of a family wiped out by untimely deaths, is cursed. On the face of it, Lu is a redneck, but he quotes Blake, reads Keats and cries easily.

Winton's characterisations are incisive and the supporting cast (including an ex-biker with a mail order bride and a drug-crazed surfer with a wooden leg) warrant a book of their own.

They all live in the brutal commuity of White Point but Winton intersperses raw and vernacular language with lyrical passages. Throughout the novel, it is the indomitable force of nature that pervades.

Dirt Music starts slowly, with Georgie, Jim, Lu and the other White Pointers as separate entities. It gathers pace as their stories become inextricably linked. The main characters are united by "flickering jabs of memory" and a sense of loss. As the jigsaw puzzle joins together, Dirt Music becomes a veritable page-turner. The fate of Georgie, Jim and Lu matters more than anything and Winton keeps you guessing to the final page.

Tim Winton is one of Australia's foremost contemporary writers. Dirt Music was shortlisted for the 2002 Booker Prize. Winner of The Miles Franklin Literary Award, The Christina Stead Award, WA Premier's Book of the Year, Book Data/ABA Book of the Year Award, Goodreading Award-Readers Choice Book of the Year
 

Journal Entry 2 by Ada2 from North Avoca, New South Wales Australia on Monday, May 31, 2004

This book has not been rated.

BOOKRAY now underway:


1 Fellraven (UK)
2 redhouse (UK)
3 gill846 (Canada)
4 Leester (Canada) on its way
5 goatgrrl (British Columbia)
6 Rrrcaron (USA)
7 jenndiggy (USA)
8 megi53 (USA)
9 Axelp (Netherlands)

Please PM me if you would like to join this bookray
 

Journal Entry 3 by wingFellravenwing from Redditch, Worcestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 08, 2004

This book has not been rated.

Just received from Ada2 as part of a bookring. 

Journal Entry 4 by wingFellravenwing from Redditch, Worcestershire United Kingdom on Friday, June 25, 2004

8 out of 10

Well this was a splendid read, and particularly enjoyable for the vividness with which Winton conjures up images of the coast and small towns of Western Australia and lush tropical northern coast of the continent. The interplay of the relationships between the three central characters and the roles of their respective pasts and backgrounds in shaping the action of the novel is very well handled indeed, and the characters themselves are never less than engaging as human beings even at those points when you'd probably rather not know them if they were your neighbours.

Winton's another new author to me whose work I'd like to read more of.

On it's way to Redhouse! 

Journal Entry 5 by winglelliewing from Trimley St Mary, Suffolk United Kingdom on Monday, June 28, 2004

This book has not been rated.

Arrived safely in Suffolk. Thanks. One book to finish then I'll be reading this. 

Journal Entry 6 by winglelliewing from Trimley St Mary, Suffolk United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 06, 2004

This book has not been rated.

I agree fellraven, this was an absolutely splendid read. I simply could not put it down and its gone into my top five so far this year.
Not a lot of dialogue as so much of the narrative was internal but what there was, was so beautifully written I could hear it being spoken and it didn't matter a bit that there were some strange Aussie words, I always knew what they meant!
I felt the extreme heat and smelled all the smells etc. The characters were all real to me and continued to live on after I closed the book.I suspect they will stay with me for some time.
Thanks so much Ada2 for sharing this, I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did.
Mailing to Gill in Canada in the next few days. 

Journal Entry 7 by winglelliewing from Trimley St Mary, Suffolk United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 13, 2004

This book has not been rated.

Mailed today 13/7, sent surface as it's such a big book, so don't hold your breath Gill! 

Journal Entry 8 by gill846 from Victoria, British Columbia Canada on Thursday, September 02, 2004

This book has not been rated.

Does this ever look good!!!! Can't wait to read it. Have one ring ahead of this, so I hope to get to it soon! 

Journal Entry 9 by gill846 from Victoria, British Columbia Canada on Monday, September 27, 2004

7 out of 10

Well, I finished this and mailed it off a couple of days ago, but I am still trying to gather my thoughts to figure out exactly what to say about it. "Beautifully simplistic" is one phrase that comes to mind. I loved the interaction of the characters and their very down to earth wanderings in search of healing.

On the other hand, I couldn't help thinking, while reading this, how abysmally screwed up these people were, and in the end, after all their wanderings and everything, I was still left wondering: are they going to get it together, finally, and move on, or are they still just too screwed up to get on with life?

Overall, a truly beautiful book. I love discovering new authors. Thank you so much for sharing! 

Journal Entry 10 by Leester from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Friday, October 01, 2004

This book has not been rated.

Got this in the mail today - thanks gill846. It looks great! I am in the midst of a book club read ("Clara Callan") and have promised another to a fellow Bookcrosser within a week ("An Embarrassment of Mangoes"), but this will be next up after that! How cool to read a great contemporary Australian author. Thanks for the offer, Ada2! 

Journal Entry 11 by Leester from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Friday, October 15, 2004

8 out of 10

Finished this on a flight back from L.A. last night. Sat and stared into space for the rest of the flight. This is definitely the type of book whose characters will stay with you. I very much enjoyed it, and I thank Ada2 for asking me to be part of the bookring.

There were quite a few words that I had to figure out by the context in which they were used, but it didn't take away from the flow of the story or my enjoyment of the book. I still don't know what boabs are, though - think that was the only thing I couldn't figure out that came up a lot! I loved the fact that the way it was written made me hear the voices with an Australian accent - it was a very unique experience. I would definitely be interested to read more Australian contemporary fiction. 

Journal Entry 12 by Leester at Post Office in Toronto, Ontario Canada on Monday, October 18, 2004

This book has not been rated.

Released 7 yrs ago (10/16/2004 UTC) at Post Office in Toronto, Ontario Canada

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Shipped off to goatgrrl in BC, by Express Post, should be there soon! 

Journal Entry 13 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Friday, October 22, 2004

This book has not been rated.

Hurray - Dirt Music has arrived safely. What a beautiful postcard you included, Ada2 (it's still travelling with the book). I'll start this book just as soon as I've finished the book I started today, and will have it sent on to the next reader by the end of October. Happy Hallowe'en, everyone! 

Journal Entry 14 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Tuesday, October 26, 2004

This book has not been rated.

The fictional town of White Point, setting for Tim Winton's Dirt Music, is located on the midwest coast of Australia in the "Roaring Forties" -- the name given by sailors to the winds at latitudes between 40°S and 50°S, which are especially strong in the South Indian Ocean. As Winton describes in the first pages of the novel, White Point is a "personality junkyard", where "people still washed up to hide or lick their wounds".

One such individual is protagonist Georgie Jutland, a petite (or "small", as she prefers) forty year old nurse with a fondness for late-night vodka and web surfing. By day, Georgie is a reluctant stepmother and spouse to lobster fisherman Jim Buckridge, having lived three years in Jim's fancy house in White Point (a "bauhaus shocker"). But by night, she's restless. As the novel begins, Georgie is up at 4 a.m. one November night staring out to sea when she notices something flashing on the beach. The "something" turns out to be a truck, trailer and boat belonging to shamateur ("the fleet equivalent of a scab") Luther Fox.

It seems everyone in White Point has a Past, and as the Past will do, it comes back to haunt each of Luther, Georgie and Jim in turn. How these characters are constrained by their pasts, and how memory torments each of them, is the central theme of this novel. In this respect, I found Dirt Music very evocative, and took from it a strong message about the importance of reconciling with -- rather than fleeing -- one's earlier days.

You can read the Guardian's review of Dirt Music here, and the Independent's here. Shortlisted for the Booker for Dirt Music in 2002, Winton's novel The Riders was also shortlisted in 1995. 

Journal Entry 15 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Thursday, October 28, 2004

This book has not been rated.

I'm just a commuter train ride away from finishing this book, and my God how I've loved it! I suspect I haven't quite reached the final denouement, but the writing is on the wall.

I feel quite connected with previous readers on the list for this bookring, not least because I've found Leester's Air Canada boarding pass (LA to Toronto) and redhouse's Britrail ticket (Ipswich) nestled in its pages. I wish I was going somewhere this week so I could add a ticket!

I've emailed Rrrcaron for her address, and will send the book on to her in the next few days. Thanks so much, Ada2, for introducing me to one of the best books I've read this year.

-- Deborah 

Journal Entry 16 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Saturday, October 30, 2004

This book has not been rated.

I'll be mailing Dirt Music to Rrrcaron in Lancaster, New Hampshire later today. Happy trails, little book, and thanks and best wishes to previous readers from New Westminster, British Columbia (photo at left: sunrise over the Fraser River earlier this week). 

Journal Entry 17 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Tuesday, November 23, 2004

This book has not been rated.

I received this in the mail last week, and I was sure I journaled it! Well, he is my receipt notice now. Sorry about that! I will try to get to it soon. It's a big one!
Ruth 

Journal Entry 18 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, February 23, 2005

7 out of 10

I enjoyed this book, yet it didn't draw me in as much as I thought it would. The characters were so messed up! The descrptions of Australia were wonderful, however, and I did enjoy that aspect of the read. I'm awaiting a pm from jenndiggy, and will mail on as soon as I receive it. Thanks so much for sharing this book!
Ruth 

Journal Entry 19 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, February 24, 2005

This book has not been rated.

jenndiggy has asked to be skipped, so I'm moving on to megi53 for an address. I will ship to her as soon as I receive it!
Ruth 

Journal Entry 20 by wingMegi53wing from Danville, Virginia USA on Wednesday, March 09, 2005

This book has not been rated.

I was happy to see this in the mail today; I've been looking forward to it.

Some words from the reviews on the back and inside front pages: vividly written, wonderfully alive, awe-inspiring, immense ... passion for the natural world, few living novelists write better about the sea. Doesn't it sound wonderful!?

I'll probably start reading it this weekend. 

Journal Entry 21 by wingMegi53wing from Danville, Virginia USA on Sunday, March 27, 2005

9 out of 10

The writing was pleasantly lethargic, even at the end. *Dirt Music* is the intellectual's beach hammock book!

The best part was when Lu was camping out alone in Coronation Gulf. I've never seen a survivalist adventure portrayed so well, even in the YA standard, Gary Paulsen's *Hatchet*.

Winton's descriptions of the music Lu made by stringing his monofilament in a tree and the games he played with nurse (is that evocation or what? Since Georgie was a nurse!) sharks at the water's edge were just wonderful.

I loved the reference to Blake's "Book of Urizen" that Luther quotes.

Speaking of quotes, there was an interesting convention here of not placing the conversations in quotation marks. It was still quite easy to understand, and a fast read, relatively speaking.

Well, Ada2, this is the last, for me, of the five Australian books you offered as bookrays last year, and I'm hard put to say if this one or *Au Revoir* was my favorite.

Thanks so much for the great idea of sharing varied examples of your country's literature! I'm mailing this to AxelP by Wednesday, March 30. 

Journal Entry 22 by wingMegi53wing from Danville, Virginia USA on Sunday, March 27, 2005

9 out of 10

I forgot to mention that I noticed a CD compilation was made to go along with this book:

http://shop.abc.net.au/browse/product.asp?productid=328802

Unavailable in the USA, as far as I can tell.

I'd really like to hear the Arvo Part work! 

Journal Entry 23 by wingAnonymousFinderwing on Saturday, April 02, 2005

This book has not been rated.

postal delivery, thanks to megi53!

Will go on a long business trip today, with loads of
time to read. Perfect!

cheers, Axel

CAUGHT IN AMSTELVEEN NETHERLANDS 



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