Joe Cinque's Consolation
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
13 journalers for this copy...
Another masterpiece from Helen Garner. Unputdownable.
I have decided to put this book up for a book ray. It's currently on its way to claudinec.
Journal Entry 3 by claudinec from North Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Thursday, February 10, 2005
It's arrived, thank you!
This isn't just an account of a murder trial, it's also the story of Garner's interactions with the people involved in the case and her attempts to understand how things turned out the way they did. I think the book works because Garner gave up trying to be "objective". There are some very emotional moments in the book.
Posted to miss-gonewest.
Journal Entry 6 by miss-gonewest from Perth City, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, March 10, 2005
I received this on Tuesday - many thanks to claudinec for posting such a big book along to me. I didn't expect this to be so large... However I am already half way through - I just can't put it down!
I have had so many thoughts whilst reading this book, but as I do most of my reading in bed, I'm always to lazy to jot them down! Now that I have the chance to write, I have forgotten all my clever observations!!!
That aside, I am just so hooked on this grim tale, and just as I start to get annoyed with Garner's own (and unfactual) opinions clouding the story, she manages to throw in a few lines that manage to bring me back on side. And I do agree with her impressions of Anu - at times I feel quite angry about her complete selfishness and lack of conscience.
What makes this book all the more chilling is that this is actually a true story; I had thought it was a work of fiction.
Anyway, I won't go on - I am going to get straight back in to reading this now as I can't wait to get to the end. Again many thanks for sharing this book, I'm really enjoying it.
I have had so many thoughts whilst reading this book, but as I do most of my reading in bed, I'm always to lazy to jot them down! Now that I have the chance to write, I have forgotten all my clever observations!!!
That aside, I am just so hooked on this grim tale, and just as I start to get annoyed with Garner's own (and unfactual) opinions clouding the story, she manages to throw in a few lines that manage to bring me back on side. And I do agree with her impressions of Anu - at times I feel quite angry about her complete selfishness and lack of conscience.
What makes this book all the more chilling is that this is actually a true story; I had thought it was a work of fiction.
Anyway, I won't go on - I am going to get straight back in to reading this now as I can't wait to get to the end. Again many thanks for sharing this book, I'm really enjoying it.
Journal Entry 7 by miss-gonewest from Perth City, Western Australia Australia on Friday, March 11, 2005
Ok, this is the first score of 10 I think I've given to a book... its just such a fascinating story. I just finished the book and jumped straight on to Google to see if I could find pictures of Anu Singh, Madhavi Rao and Joe Cinque as I really felt I needed to see these people for myself.Helen Garner did a marvellous job with her descriptions of her characters, I guess I wanted to make sure that they were 'real'.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I had so many thoughts while reading this book, namely that the story was so one sided. However after reading some articles this morning, I now understand why.
These are some links to fascinating interviews, both with the Cinque's and with Anu Singh (she is now 31 years old, out of prison and has a new boyfriend). I suggest that you DON'T READ THEM until you have read the book and formed your own opinions!
ABC Radio Interview with Phillip Adams & Anu Singh and Phillip Adams & Joe Cinque's parents --> http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/lnl/s1183975.htm
Interview in The Age with Singh --> http://theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/16/1092508326066.html?from=storyrhs
This articel also shows an image of Cinque and Singh as a couple - seeing this really hit home for me.
Dewey I can't thank you enough for letting me read this, I will be thinking about this book for a long time yet...
I will find out who the next reader is and get their address.
Journal Entry 8 by miss-gonewest at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, March 17, 2005
Released 19 yrs ago (3/18/2005 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Posted off today via Aussie Post to Eddi - I hope you find the book as interesting as I did. I'll look forward to reading your thoughts on it...!
Posted off today via Aussie Post to Eddi - I hope you find the book as interesting as I did. I'll look forward to reading your thoughts on it...!
Received today, thanks. Will get to it as soon possible.
I couldn't put it down. Thanks for the opporunity to read this very thought-provoking book. I'll see if anyone else wants to read it so that the ray can continue.
Continuation of ray...
Interested so far:
crystalclear NSW
catsalive Syd (post Aus)
amberC NT (post in Aus)
kalasue WA (post in Aus)
calissa ACT
puppymummy Melb (post int.)*
countessa-uk Egypt (post int.)
Interested so far:
crystalclear NSW
catsalive Syd (post Aus)
amberC NT (post in Aus)
kalasue WA (post in Aus)
calissa ACT
puppymummy Melb (post int.)*
countessa-uk Egypt (post int.)
Mailed to crystalclear today.
Journal Entry 13 by crystalclear from Shellharbour, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Received in the post today. Thank you Eddi
Will start the book tonight and have it sent off ASAP
Will start the book tonight and have it sent off ASAP
Journal Entry 14 by crystalclear from Shellharbour, New South Wales Australia on Monday, June 20, 2005
Thank you for allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed it and was very moved by the story. I think Helen did a good job of writing the story for Joe and his family.
I know that I find it very hard that the sentancing was so minor and that they are on the loose and living free now.
Really makes you ask what is wrong with our justice system here in Australia.
Will be posted this week probably not to Friday as I don't get time to make it to the post office but things should settle down after Thursday and should be able to finish work early enough on Friday to put them in the post.
Thank you again for allowing me to read this book.
Wendy
I know that I find it very hard that the sentancing was so minor and that they are on the loose and living free now.
Really makes you ask what is wrong with our justice system here in Australia.
Will be posted this week probably not to Friday as I don't get time to make it to the post office but things should settle down after Thursday and should be able to finish work early enough on Friday to put them in the post.
Thank you again for allowing me to read this book.
Wendy
I received this yesterday, thanks.
I was daunted by the look of this book & put off starting it for a bit. Now I've begun I don't think it will take long at all. The first 75 pages have been compelling reading, anyway.
I could hardly put it down. Very moving. I agree with ABC Radio Interviewer Phillip Adams that it was a somewhat agonising read at times, especially through the dehumanisation of criminal law. It's good that Joe Cinque & his family have a voice in Garner's writing - fitting that he is remembered publicly. Anu Singh can say as much or little as she likes for the rest of her life, but Joe Cinque is dead.
Off to amberC next.
Off to amberC next.
"How has it come about, this ready acceptance by people so young of the idea of suicide?" As Garner writes, this quote of J. B Priestley's in Bright Day is "a pertinent observation": "As we grow older we are apt to forget that the despair of the young is even more gigantic and immediately overwhelming than their hopefulness: we never again face such towering blank walls of misery."
Dropped in the mail for amberC today.
in the lovely pile of parcels waiting for me on my return from holidays
i was left still not understanding why Anu killed Joe Cinque. I would have liked to have read her side of the story and just what she expected to happen after she had killed him.
that it is a true story is indeed chilling. i don't rememeber seeing anything about it on the news when it happened.
to be posted to kalasue tomorrow.
that it is a true story is indeed chilling. i don't rememeber seeing anything about it on the news when it happened.
to be posted to kalasue tomorrow.
Journal Entry 22 by kalasue from Kalamunda, Western Australia Australia on Saturday, August 13, 2005
Received yesterday along with another parcel of books - looking forward to this one...
Journal Entry 23 by kalasue from Kalamunda, Western Australia Australia on Saturday, August 20, 2005
Well, as everybody else has said, this book is fascinating, disturbing, real. I need to get into something else quick smart to take my mind off it...
To be posted to calissa this week.
To be posted to calissa this week.
Posted to calissa today...
Journal Entry 25 by Calissa from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Sunday, September 4, 2005
Arrived safe and sound on Saturday. I confess I'm a little nervous about reading this book, as the events took place in the city I live in and the alleged murdurer attended a university I've also attended. Wondering if that's a little too close to home...
Journal Entry 26 by Calissa from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Wednesday, September 7, 2005
I feel so shaken by this book. It really hit home for me and I found it difficult to reconcile the descriptions of places I know, the pin point pictures of places I've been a million times before, with events that are so horrific. I was quite impressed by the honesty of Helen Garner's account- people don't often write like that and I have to wonder why. It raised so many questions.
Like kalasue, I think I'm going to need to read something light very soon just to take my mind off this.
Like kalasue, I think I'm going to need to read something light very soon just to take my mind off this.
Journal Entry 27 by Calissa from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Mailed off to Puppymummy today
Journal Entry 28 by puppymummy from Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, September 20, 2005
This has arrived safely. but there are a number ahead and so it will take me a while to get to it! I am reading as fast as I can though....
I was a little unsure about reading Helen Garner - I remember the furore after 'The First Stone' was published and didn't think that I'd appreciate work by an author branded anti-feminist. However, I found this absolutely fascinating - I was going to say that I really enjoyed it but I'm not sure that's ever the case with true crime - and I think she chose just the right way to tell the story, acknowledging that it's completely one-sided but that Joe's family has a right to be heard. I think I would like to have a talk with that judge myself about the Singh trial, his justifications would be interesting.
I am now interested to read some of her other work, I may well strongly disagree with it but then if it is written in this style it would still be of interest.
Thanks to all for the opportunity to read such a great book!
I am now interested to read some of her other work, I may well strongly disagree with it but then if it is written in this style it would still be of interest.
Thanks to all for the opportunity to read such a great book!
This arrived together with Duma Key, a bookring-PLUS. I have already read this before but I'm keeping it to share with a couple of colleagues.
Journal Entry 31 by leeny37 at Windows on the Bay in Mordialloc, Victoria Australia on Saturday, July 17, 2010
Released 13 yrs ago (7/18/2010 UTC) at Windows on the Bay in Mordialloc, Victoria Australia
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Bringing this with me to meet-up.
If you should find this book and you're new to BookCrossing - WELCOME! You have found not only a book but a community of booklovers dedicated to the sharing of books. I hope that you will write a journal entry letting me know that this book has been found. Feel free to keep it or pass it on to a friend or set it out "in the wild" for someone else to find like you did. You may remain anonymous but if you are interested in joining please use leeny37 (that's me!) as your referrer. Thank you, and once again, welcome to BookCrossing! :)
If you should find this book and you're new to BookCrossing - WELCOME! You have found not only a book but a community of booklovers dedicated to the sharing of books. I hope that you will write a journal entry letting me know that this book has been found. Feel free to keep it or pass it on to a friend or set it out "in the wild" for someone else to find like you did. You may remain anonymous but if you are interested in joining please use leeny37 (that's me!) as your referrer. Thank you, and once again, welcome to BookCrossing! :)
Wow! Picked this one up at meetup and was going to wild release it! Still... seeing how it has had so many other BC readers, I'll try and find another one to pass it on to as I've read (and really 'enjoyed') it already!
Passing along to another BCer who had it on her wishlist! Cheers!
Thanks Imn60 for gifting this book. Garner is one of our greatest living authors who writes with great insight and always provokes thoughtful discussion. I have previously read this years ago on its first release so looking forward to a re-read.
Journal Entry 35 by 
jeniwren
at Public seat outside Pambula Supermarket in Pambula, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, May 4, 2014
jeniwren at Public seat outside Pambula Supermarket in Pambula, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, May 4, 2014
Released 9 yrs ago (5/5/2014 UTC) at Public seat outside Pambula Supermarket in Pambula, New South Wales Australia
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Will leave outside supermarket and the reader who finds this will hopefully read and leave a journal entry with their thoughts and then further plans for another release.
