"First published in 1901, this classic Australian novel was written by Miles Franklin at age sixteen. Still very relevant today, it tells the story of the sensitive and independent Sybylla who, in her rags to riches to rags career, flies in the face of convention to remain an independent woman.

"The film based on this novel was produced by Margaret Fink, directed by Gill Armstrong and stars Judy Davis as Sybylla and Sam Neill as her wealthy suitor Harry Beecham."

Very much reminiscent of an Aussie version of Jane Austen. A bit of love and loads of Australian scenery from the early years - a book that people should probably take a bit of time to read. If not - I hear the movie is pretty good too.

Not really the kind of thing I like - but certainly an easy enough thing to read through.

I have an idea of who I am going to send it to, so I shall place on the reserved shelf until then.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sending as part of a Chrissy pressie rabck to my birthday buddy, gypsysmom. I hope she hasn't read this Aussie classic, as I love sharing Aussie authors with her!

Although I have seen the movie based on this book I have not read the book itself so I am very pleased to have a chance to remedy that lack. Thanks MooMoo for keeping me supplied with books by your great Australian writers.

If MooMoo says it is an Aussie version of Jane Austen I will have to concur because I haven't lived in Australia and she has. It is much grittier than Jane Austen's work though and I suspect Jane would have collapsed into a dead faint if she had been forced to governess the M'Swat children. I suspect that Sybylla and Susanna Moodie (who wrote Roughing it in the Bush about pioneering in Canada) would have had a lot in common though.

I was rather miffed with Sybylla though for not trying to help her family who desperately needed assistance. Being a governess to the M'Swats was forced upon her by her mother but she surely could have found another situation if she had really wanted to. And her treatment of Harry Beecham was quite awful. She agreed to become engaged and wear his ring and then she threw it in his face when he got angry with her for flirting and then she decided she would become secretly engaged but not marry until she was 21. Then when he lost his fortune she promised she would wait for him and it didn't matter that he was poor but when he regained his fortune she said she didn't want to marry him. No wonder Harry left Australia and went travelling over the world! It's a wonder he didn't take up strong drink and gambling as well.

However, it does have "loads of Australian scenery" and makes me long (again) to visit Australia even if it doesn't look the way Miles Franklin described it. Someday, I'll get there and in the meantime I will enjoy the Australian literature that my Birthday Buddy sends me. Thanks MooMoo. Happy Birthday to you in a few days. I suspect my present won't arrive on time but I hope it won't be too long.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

I left this book on a bench beside the duck pond. My friend MooMoo who gave me this book would faint at the temperature today (-24.4 C or -30 C. with the windchill)but there were lots of hardy souls out skating.

This release is for the 2009 Never Judge a Book by its Cover challenge - Week 52 (anything goes) and for the 2010 Keep it Moving release challenge.