Bound South by Susan Rebecca White, the book all the indies as well as the chains seem to be talking about. It was okay, not bad but not exceptional. Not really noteworthy, I didn’t think, and I hesitated to even mention it by name. There was nothing wrong with the book, I didn’t get all the reviews, didn’t get why I was seeing the striking cover everywhere. Maybe if I were from Atlanta it would resonate. It may have something to do with the fact that I saw it everywhere. The hype made me thi

As I said in my first post in this series on ‘ The Power of Literature ’ that I grew up in a working class home where there were few books. In fact, there was no television until I was 11 years old. For me, life outside school was made up of sport, exploring the bush, swimming and fishing in the creek, annoying my sister, and playing in the street till dark. I wasn’t read to and I can’t remember more than a couple of books in my house. So when I arrived at school I wasn’t a reader . Later in l

Three years ago I wrote about Places I'm Dying to See where I listed exotic locales that I'm determined to see at some future date. But a funny thing has happened the older I get . . . while I still want to see Giza and Petra I'm more interested in ever before in my own country. Andrew and I traveled a bit before we had children--goodness, our honeymoon alone involved nine separate plane rides--and we took our little red car and drove from Utah to California then back again and then from Uta

A significant fish fossil has been discovered on New South Wales's far south coast that is thought to be the largest of its kind in the world.

The largest species of cuttlefish in the world is at risk from a huge desalination plant being proposed in South Australia, say researchers.

* A lunch and learn with Pam Holland, internationally renowned award winning quilter from Australia, is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the First National Bank Atrium. For more information, call 437-4880.

Sam Bateman, Straits Times 30 Apr 09; IN MARCH 1989, the large American oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Alaska's King William Sound, creating massive marine pollution. The major cause of the accident was human error. Investigation found that the third mate did not properly manoeuvre the vessel, and that the master failed to provide navigation watch, possibly because he was under the influence of alcohol. The Exxon Valdez incident became a defining moment in efforts to prevent pollutio

“What can we do between now and the Fourth of July?” That was the central question asked by moderator Jack Copeland on April 22 at the third and final Chamber of Commerce forums addressing the state of small business in Mammoth. The meeting drew about 30 people for a lively discussion.

The foreigners being taken for questioning after their boat was intercepted by the marine police off Kuala Langat on Sunday (below). — Pictures courtesy of marine police