English

The Book that Changed My Life

As part of our continued efforts to promote the joys and benefits of reading, here are a couple of contributions from the head of our technology department, Nathan Binks, and our librarian and English/humanities teacher, Janelle Collins.

Your Name: Nathan Binks

Title: A Fortunate Life

Author: A.B Facey

What is it about?          Everyone has heard of it and no doubt most have read it. It’s a powerful book that will affect everyone in a different way. Tough times, incredibly hard decisions, resilience and above all survival. It’s the true story of an Australian man who never learnt to read or write, but lived an amazing life. He wrote it when he was very old and it became an instant best-seller.

What was it about the writing/ genre/ plot that was so appealing?

People like A.B Facey are extraordinary and his story has moved many, including me.

How did it make you feel and why was it special when you read it?

It may seem surprising that an ex interstate truck driver actually loves reading (most of the old gang rely on pictures!), but I love this book. My daughter has just started reading it; she is in year 6 and she’s loving it too.

Your Name: Janelle Collins

Title: I have two.

1. Nancy Drew and the mystery of the Moonstone Castle by Carolyn Keene
2. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings

What is it about?

1. It is a mystery story, with Nancy Drew and her friends investigating. There is a haunted castle. I don’t remember all that much about it, but I did read it MANY years ago… I went on to read all the other Nancy Drew books I could get my hands on too.
2. It is about a farm boy who suddenly gets swept up on a huge adventure, and he finds out that his aunt and grandfather are very important and that they, along with a band of people that they collect along the way, are on a quest to stop an evil that is afoot in the world.

What was it about the writing/ genre/ plot that was so appealing?

1. It was a book that triggered my love of mystery stories.
2. It is a fabulous fantasy book that I got really involved in, I got sucked in by the plot and characters, I wanted to be a part of their world and adventures.

How did it make you feel and why was it special when you read it? (how old were you, was that relevant?)

1. I can’t remember much about the book, but I remember when Paddy, the bookmobile man, wasn’t sure if I would be able to read it or not (I was only about 7 at the time) so he checked if I could understand a bunch of words in it. It was my first ‘chapter book’ and I was really proud I was allowed to borrow it.

It sucked me in, I wanted to be a part of it, I wanted to be one of the characters, and I can remember being terribly disappointed because there was a prophesy and I did not fit into it.