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Extinctions
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
19 posts | 12 read | 13 to read
He hated the word 'retirement', but not as much as he hated the word 'village', as if ageing made you a peasant or a fool. Herein lives the village idiot. Professor Frederick Lothian, retired engineer, world expert on concrete and connoisseur of modernist design, has quarantined himself from life by moving to a retirement village. His wife, Martha, is dead and his two adult children are lost to him in their own ways. Surrounded and obstructed by the debris of his life - objects he has collected over many years and tells himself he is keeping for his daughter - he is determined to be miserable, but is tired of his existence and of the life he has chosen. When a series of unfortunate incidents forces him and his neighbour, Jan, together, he begins to realise the damage done by the accumulation of a lifetime's secrets and lies, and to comprehend his own shortcomings. Finally, Frederick Lothian has the opportunity to build something meaningful for the ones he loves. Humorous, poignant and galvanising by turns, Extinctions is a novel about all kinds of extinction - natural, racial, national and personal - and what we can do to prevent them.
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keepingupwiththepenguins
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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Gobsmacked and disappointed by the news that University of Western Australia is planning on scuttling their in-house press, UWAPublishing. Uni presses publish so much more than academic work: including this Miles Franklin Literary Award winner! We're banding together to #SaveUWAP, sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/university-of-western-australia-dear-university-of-west... #ReadingCommunity

CarolynM Sadly it's the way things are going in the Universities - stopping it would require a major change of policy at government level and I don't see that happening even if the other side gets back into power one day (please God). MUP getting out of commercial publishing even though it was profitable tells you a lot about the thinking. We need to support our small presses like Affirm, Transit Lounge and Pantera and hope they can pick up the slack 5y
Rissreads I've signed the petition thanks to @MrsMalaprop bringing this to my attention. 5y
MrsMalaprop 😡😢 5y
See All 9 Comments
MrsMalaprop Extinctions was excellent. We so need local publishers over here in WA. 5y
keepingupwiththepenguins @CarolynM Completely agree about supporting the small presses, for this and all the other reasons! Thankfully, it looks like the petition and protest movement is gathering enough momentum that MPs are starting to pay attention... fingers crossed! 5y
keepingupwiththepenguins @MrsMalaprop Stay strong - we'll keep fighting! 5y
MrsMalaprop 🙏 I see it‘s up to almost 8000 signatures now. 5y
keepingupwiththepenguins @MrsMalaprop Just passed 9000! Woohoo! 5y
31 likes9 comments
review
Penny_LiteraryHoarders
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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Mehso-so

This was not bad. I felt like there was a bit too much going on inside and I didn't like the big shift in story at the end or its abrupt ending. So yeah, just okay.

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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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Finally!! A night where we can actually sit outside and enjoy the patio! A beautiful night out here! Extinctions with a local white wine called Big Bluff White from Viewpointe Winery. Blissful!!

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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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I'm going to start reading this tonight. #ebook #kobo

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Babs_book_obsession
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
Mehso-so

This one was interesting. My first thought on finishing was “Where's the rest of it?“. Mulling it over I guess it was an ending I wanted more.
The book starts out with the main character being so unlikeable it is almost unbearable. I think this is written well, even if it is hard to read. Then he meets another character that inspires him to change. The change itself happens really fast though so... not really the most believable?

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RozQuirk
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
Mehso-so

I have the least mechanical, engineering based brain so the descriptions re this left me defaulting to skimming. When I did really concentrate and re read it a few times I could appreciate it but I did find it hard work. I thought there was too much discrepancy between the first and second halves- I know we were kind of unfolding the character of Fred but it seemed so rushed to explain everything - it just didn‘t match earlier Fred.

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Jeg
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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Pickpick

I‘ve been wanting to read this book for a while and it didn‘t disappoint. I finished it this morning and when I got to the end I really wanted more. Love the pictures throughout the book. So much in this book that I think I‘ll keep it and read it again. Now to go find another Aussie book n my TBR pile. @MrsMalaprop

MrsMalaprop Yay! It was a good‘n 👏🇦🇺. 6y
Rissreads I must say I‘ve been putting off reading this as a friends book club picked it and EVERYONE hated it! @Jeg @MrsMalaprop 6y
Suet624 Sounds really good. 6y
18 likes3 comments
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ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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Pickpick

Waffled between 3 and 4 stars - at first reminded me of Ove, but quickly got more serious. Worth reading; interesting themes of extinctions (marriage, career, even adoptions), and has illustrations interspersed througout. I liked it, but it didn‘t wow me as much as I had hoped.

49 likes2 stack adds
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BookNAround
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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What a fun giveaway! I‘d love to read Extinctions. I loved A Man Called Ove and I‘d like to see if this one gives me the same warm feeling. #ozfictiongiveaway @MrsMalaprop

MrsMalaprop Thanks for entering. And that‘s a Western Australian author too (where I live). 👍📚😊 6y
48 likes1 comment
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SandiParsons
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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I finished this last night and I'm still not sure if I enjoyed it or not. At times the writing was exquisite, and in fairness to the author, literary works are not my favourite genre. I guess the fact I'm still thinking about it counts for something!

For those participating in the #aussiesrule2018 challenge by @Sue Extinctions fits under WA for the state challenge, No 16 published by University WA Press & No 24 won the Miles Franklin 2017

Sue Awesome pick, thanks for sharing Sandi! 7y
5 likes1 stack add1 comment
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MrsMalaprop
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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This afternoon I attended a most delightful literary high tea with my book club. We missed you @Jeg ! This wonderful novel recently won the Australian #MilesFranklinAward2017. Josephine was eloquent whilst being very ‘down to earth‘. 😍🥂🍰☕️

Anna40 Sounds great! 7y
Jeg Feeling sorry to have missed this. You all look lovely and very summery. 👏👏 7y
42 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
MrsMalaprop
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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Pickpick

A Man Called Ove came to mind when I started to read this recent Miles Franklin Award winner. I really liked it. The writing is very good and the characters felt real.

I found the protagonist‘s journey not entirely convincing at times and a lot of issues were raised and not explored thoroughly enough, but it had me, and I wanted to keep reading to the very last page.

Can‘t wait to attend a high tea with the author next month. ☕️🍰👏

38 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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MrsMalaprop
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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Ok, I know I‘ve been clogging up your feeds with my posts today (can you guess it‘s school holidays & have a husband home with pneumonia?). But I just had to share that the receptionist at our Medical Centre saw my book when I was there today.
She said, “Oh I know Josephine Wilson. She was my tutor last year. I heard she‘d written a book that won an award.”
Only the #MilesFranklinAward2017 !? #ItsASmallWorld
Oh, and I reached this milestone 👏🎉

Jess7 🤗🤗🤗 7y
Shemac77 Congratulations! 7y
Lizpixie Congratulations!🇦🇺🎉❤️🎉❤️ 7y
See All 14 Comments
JanuarieTimewalker13 Congrats!!👍🏽 7y
DuckOfDoom Congrats!!🎉 7y
AceOnRoam Wow small world huh. Congrats on your litfluence, nice catch there 👏👏👏🍾 7y
Kaye Tell your husband get well soon. That pneumonia takes the sap out of you ! I‘ve had it twice. 7y
alisiakae 🎉🎉🎉 7y
LeahBergen 🎉🎉🎉 7y
AmyG Congrats 👍🏻 7y
Bibliogeekery 🎉🎉🎉 7y
hes7 Yay! 🎉 7y
Jeg 👏👏👏😍 7y
DivineDiana 👏🏻📚👏🏻📚🎉 7y
48 likes1 stack add14 comments
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MrsMalaprop
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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Loving this writing 😍.

CouronneDhiver Great quote! 7y
37 likes1 comment
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MrsMalaprop
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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After posting earlier today for the #UncannyOctober #moon prompt, I came across this in my #currentread 😊. 🌜🌑🌛

MayJasper Intriguing quote 7y
34 likes1 comment
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MrsMalaprop
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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I am half way through this engaging read #setinmytown. It is reminding me of another book that was quite a sensation, also featuring a grumpy old man, but set on the other side of the world. I‘m sure many of you know the book I mean. Anyone else read them both and drawn the same comparison?

#Novelpairing today with a lemon blueberry glazed Topdup doughnut 😋.

MrsMalaprop @tif It is set in Perth 👍. 7y
tif Thanks!! :) 7y
37 likes2 comments
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MrsMalaprop
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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It‘s not often that the professions of the main married couple in the novel mirror those of yours and your husband‘s.

So far he‘s coming across as emotionally clueless and she‘s fed up. Nope, that‘s not resonating at all 🤔😂😁.

Anna40 😁 7y
30 likes1 comment
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MrsMalaprop
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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#nextup #fallintobooks

So, so many books already waiting on my #TBR shelves, but I just had to buy this lovely yesterday. And bring it to the top of the stack.

Written by Western Australian Josephine Wilson, it just won the Australian 2017 Miles Franklin Literary Award.

One of a very small number of West Aussies to do so.

tif An award winning author from my own town, I must read this! Do you know if it's set in WA as well? 7y
MrsMalaprop @tif I don't know where it's set, but assume it's here. The criteria for the MF is that it has to depict Australian life. Are you in Perth too?! 7y
tif I am indeed in Perth! :) I was wondering if I could read it for the read harder prompt "a book set within 100 miles of where you live". I might just stick to Shark Net to be sure 7y
41 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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shawnmooney
Extinctions | Josephine Wilson
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This Australian novel, coming out next month, sounds interesting!

rwrkb I dig that cover 8y
MrsMalaprop Did you hear it just won the Miles Franklin award? And she's Western Australian 😊. Need to get me a copy. 7y
shawnmooney @MrsMalaprop Ooh, no I hadn't heard! Thanks for reminding me of this book, which I'd all but forgotten about. I wonder if @Marchpane has read it? 7y
Marchpane @MrsMalaprop @shawnmooney I haven't read this yet but may check it out now that it's won. But it's not available to download from Amazon AU ☹️Maybe I'll try to get it from the library. 7y
36 likes1 stack add4 comments