Romulus, My Father

by Raimond Gaita | Biographies & Memoirs |
ISBN: 1876485175 Global Overview for this book
Registered by aleonblue of Brisbane, Queensland Australia on 6/4/2007
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6 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by aleonblue from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Monday, June 4, 2007
Blurb from the back of the book:

"Romulus Gaita fled his home in his native Yugoslavia at the age of 13, and came to Australia with his young wife Christine and their 4-year-old son soon after the end of World War II. Tragic events were to overtake them. Raimond Gaita has an extraordinary story to tell about growing up with his father amid the stony paddocks and flowing grasses of country Australia.

Written simply and movingly, ROmulus, My Father is about how a compassionate and homest man taught his son the meaning of living a decent life. It is about passion, betrayal and madness, about friendship and the joy and dignity of work, about character and fate, afflication and spirituality, No one will read this wonderful book without an enhanced sense of the possibilities of being alive."

I just had to buy this book after seeing the movie version on the weekend - starring Eric Bana and directed by Richard Roxbourough!

Journal Entry 2 by aleonblue from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Thursday, December 6, 2007
The movie version of this book has just won best movie, best actor & best young actor at this year's AFI awards, so I'm sending it around on an Australian-only bookring for interested readers. I hope it is enjoyed by all.

What to do when you receive the book:

1. Add a journal to let us know that you’ve received it ok.
2. Send a Private message (PM) the next person to get their mailing address so there won’t be any waiting once you finish the book. If they don’t respond within 10 days, let me know if they are no longer interested or want to be moved down the list
3. PM the next reader for their address
3. Read the book within 4 weeks and then add a journal with your thoughts on the book - be honest!
4. Send the book to the next person and journal that you’ve sent it on it’s way.

What if you’re too other swamped with book commitments and it is almost my turn!? If you find yourself in this situation PM me and I’ll move you a few notches down the list, if it’s feasible.

Order of Reading is:

erinoc (Brisbane, Qld)
roelina (Grandchester, Qld)
jubby (Sydney, NSW)
piemunga (Newtown, NSW) (THE BOOK IS HERE)
freelunch (Cairns, Qld)(last please)


Journal Entry 3 by erinoc from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Sunday, December 9, 2007
I haven't seen the movie yet but signed up to this one after the AFI win.

Thanks for sharing aleonblue!

I have started to read it already and think I'm about 1/2 way through. It gives me that same feeling as A Fortunate Life - life was so tough in Australia for these previous generations...we should do as much as we can to make sure that these stories are not lost.

Journal Entry 4 by erinoc from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Tuesday, January 1, 2008
What a sad story! I knew some of the storyline but had no idea what would happen in the final few chapters. I haven't seen the movie yet but now I really want to. Won't say any more because this one has just started travelling.

Thanks for sharing aleonblue!!

Journal Entry 5 by roelina from Grandchester, Queensland Australia on Wednesday, January 2, 2008
It's arrived from erinoc, just in time for a (wet and windy) holiday at Caloundra.

Journal Entry 6 by roelina from Grandchester, Queensland Australia on Saturday, January 12, 2008
Very reminiscent of my own 'New Australian' childhood outside Brisbane, along with lots of other migrant kids and their parents struggling to make ends meet and carve out a life for themselves.

Must see the movie as well.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this lovely book aleonblue, and off it goes to Jubby.

Journal Entry 7 by jubby from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Wow!

This arrived in the post today, and even though I do have a couple of other bookrings to read, I am most excited about receiving this book.
Thank you.

Journal Entry 8 by jubby from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, February 10, 2008
I just loved the easy format and shared memories of this memoir.

The story of Romulus, Raimond and Christina is not a new or even rare one here in Australia, but this doesn't detract from the moving family story that is told with obvious love and pride.

I believe that children see their parents in the very best, and the very worst of lights, and to be able to craft a piece of writing to that expresses one's parents lives together (and apart) in a balanced, reasonable and non-judgmental way is Gaita's gift as a writer.

Gaita doesn't seek to place his parents on a pedestal, but rather sets forward the details of their lives and in a educated and objective voice seeks to understand their motivations and experiences.

Truly remarkable.

I am sure that if Romulus were able to read this book he would be most proud.

Like the others before me on this ring, I've not seen the film either, but I am curious to know how it was received by Gaita. I'll do a little googling.

Thank you for sharing this book with me.

Journal Entry 9 by jubby at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, February 10, 2008

Released 16 yrs ago (2/10/2008 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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Posted to Piemunga.

Journal Entry 10 by piemunga from Marrickville, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, February 13, 2008
received in the post yesterday

thanks! i should be able to start it next week

Journal Entry 11 by piemunga from Marrickville, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, February 26, 2008
a decent read, but i didn't feel emotionally attached to any of the characters. i'm not sure what it was...

Released 16 yrs ago (3/3/2008 UTC) at Postal Release in -- Controlled Release, New South Wales Australia

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

posting off to freelunch today. i apologise for the delay! i kept forgetting to bring it in to work with me!

Journal Entry 13 by freelunch from Cairns, Queensland Australia on Sunday, March 9, 2008
received today, thanks piemunga (and thanks to aleonblue for organizing this ring)

in the way of all bookrings this one has arrived when I have a whole bunch of reading commitments, but it is short and I should get to it within the prescribed four weeks.

Journal Entry 14 by freelunch from Cairns, Queensland Australia on Sunday, March 30, 2008
memoirs aren't usually my thing but I was so drawn in by this book that I've just finished it less than 12 hours after starting it (something I seldom do regardless of book length as the real world usually does its best to distract me as soon as I sit down to read)

thanks again aleonblue for sharing this book - I'll be posting it home tomorrow.

Journal Entry 15 by freelunch from Cairns, Queensland Australia on Sunday, April 6, 2008
I posted this book on Monday March 31st so it should arrive home soon, but while this book is still in my 'domain' (so to speak) I have to ask what were they thinking when they turned this excellent book into such a miserable movie????

I saw the movie tonight and was very disappointed. I need to hunt down another copy of the book now so my wife can read what she missed...

Journal Entry 16 by aleonblue from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Monday, April 7, 2008
Received the book in my postbox recently - thanks to all who took part in the bookring...

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