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Tirra Lirra by the River
Tirra Lirra by the River: A Novel | Jessica Anderson
One of Australias most celebrated novels: one womans journey from Australia to London Nora Porteous, a witty, ambitious woman from Brisbane, returns to her childhood home at age seventy. Her life has taken her from a failed marriage in Sydney to freedom in London; she forged a modest career as a seamstress and lived with two dear friends through the happiest years of her adult life. At home, the neighborhood children she remembers have grown into compassionate adults. They help to nurse her back from pneumonia, and slowly let her in on the dark secrets of the neighborhood in the years that have lapsed. With grace and humor, Nora recounts her desire to escape, the way her marriage went wrong, the vanity that drove her to get a facelift, and one romantic sea voyage that has kept her afloat during her dark years. Her memory is imperfect, but the strength and resilience she shows over the years is nothing short of extraordinary. A book about the sweetness of escape, and the mix of pain and acceptance that comes with returning home. From the Trade Paperback edition.
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blurb
Eyelit
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Starting my last book to complete the #bookriot #readharderchallenge for this year. Accompanied by day 3 of a tea advent calendar (and there may or may not be holiday music playing in the background 😉)🥰📚🫖

Larkken Well done! I am going to be five short for this challenge. Oh well! 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Where did you get your Litsy mug?! I forgot to mention for you to follow @Litsylovebirthdays22 🎉🎊🎉 2y
64 likes2 comments
review
squirrelbrain
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Pickpick

Like you @BarbaraBB I loved this book!

It‘s a deceptively complex book - it seems quite simple on the surface but there‘s a lot going on underneath. I actually found it quite unsettling, but in a good way; I couldn‘t stop thinking about it.

I can see why this is an Australian ‘classic‘ @CarolynM - thank you so much for sending it to me. 😘

PS The campervan looks a right mess, but it‘s all Henry‘s towels, and his pet snake! 🤣

BarbaraBB Great review. I agree it seems light but there‘s so much brewing. The facelift. The suicide attempt. A real classic indeed. 3y
TrishB Stacked- sounds interesting! I bet Henry‘s had fun. 3y
squirrelbrain He did, thank you! @TrishB His batteries have run flat now - he‘s exhausted! 3y
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Cathythoughts Yes Henry looks exhausted… for now 😉😁 3y
squirrelbrain Ha @Cathythoughts -they soon get giddy again don‘t they?! 3y
Oryx Is this Henry's first holiday? 3y
squirrelbrain Yes @Oryx it was. We just had two nights to test him in the van, but he loved it and was very well-behaved. Phew - can you imagine if it had all gone wrong?! 3y
Oryx @squirrelbrain what a relief! Many lovely holidays ahead in the van together ☺️ 3y
CarolynM I'm so pleased you liked it🙂 You can see why Stone Angel made me think of it (and Moon Tiger) all such memorable old ladies! Glad see Henry is a good traveller🐶 3y
77 likes2 stack adds9 comments
review
BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

Nora is an amazing person. She is very authentic and never afraid to make bold choices. That‘s why she leaves Australia for England and return in her golden years. She has led such an interesting life. Her memories are interesting as well, Nora has forgotten a lot of them but patiently awaits the confrontation with her past.

Such a great choice @CarolynM thank you for sending it. I hope you loved it too @squirrelbrain

LeahBergen What a gorgeous photo! 3y
BarbaraBB @LeahBergen Thank you Leah! 3y
BarbaraBB @CarolynM @squirrelbrain I can‘t think of an explanation re the book‘s title, do you have one?! 😘 3y
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IuliaC Love every detail of this photo! 😍 3y
squirrelbrain I loved it too Barbara! Just about to post my review… I love the colours in your photo! I think the title comes from one of the only poems that Nora can remember - it‘s quite quite near the beginning of the book. I‘d not heard of ‘Tirra Lirra‘ before as a phrase - I presume it means something like Fa La La where words in a song are placed by nonsense. 3y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I must have skimmed the poem 🤦🏻‍♀️ 3y
squirrelbrain TBH, I nearly missed it Barbara and then had that ‘a-ha‘ moment - so that‘s where the title comes from! Page 13 by the way! 😁 3y
CarolynM I'm very glad you enjoyed it🙂 You can see why Stone Angel made me think of it (and Moon Tiger) Very different stories but very memorable old ladies! 3y
BarbaraBB @CarolynM Yes! Moon tiger too! Strong women in their golden years reminiscing about their lives. I love it! 3y
Dodi I like the art in the pic! 3y
BarbaraBB @Dodi Thank you, it‘s a Belgian artist at the start of her career. I bought them ages ago! 3y
75 likes6 stack adds12 comments
blurb
squirrelbrain
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Look what just arrived @CarolynM - thank you so much! 😘 Love the Christmas kangaroo, and how good of you to remember that we talked about this book all those months ago when we did our #buddyread of The Stone Angel - it sounds fab from the blurb.

I love the bookmark too - I am reading Tiddas at the moment from Lee‘s #nywd list ( @LeeRHarry ) and I‘m learning so much about Aboriginal art and culture / Reconciliation etc so this is perfect!

kspenmoll Did you make that gorgeous blanket? 3y
Cathythoughts I loved this book ❤️ 3y
LeahBergen Lovely! 3y
squirrelbrain @kspenmoll - no, I‘m not that clever! It‘s actually a foot rest / pouffé type thing, from IKEA I think. 3y
CarolynM Glad to see it's arrived at last 🙂 Hope you enjoy. 3y
66 likes5 comments
blurb
Cathythoughts
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#PoetryMatters #song

The Lady of Shallot

From the bank and from the river
He flashed into the crystal mirror,
‘Tirra lirra ‘ by the river
Sang Sir Lancelot.

Reminded of this poem recently while reading the tagged book ✨✨✨✨✨

TrishB A wonderful poem 💜 6y
TheSpineView 💜💜 6y
Cathythoughts @TrishB love it 😍 6y
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Cathythoughts @TheSpineView 👍🏻♥️♥️ 6y
LeahBergen I love this poem 💕 6y
Cathythoughts @LeahBergen it‘s brilliant 👍🏻✨ 6y
57 likes6 comments
review
Cathythoughts
Tirra Lirra by the River | Jessica Andersen
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Pickpick

.. while the sun beat down & the she-oaks soughed, and I exchanged with Peter an occasional low remark, and the yabbie in the silent water drifted upwards to the suspended bait, I would experience the deep poignancy of a recapitulation of childhood sensations that one believes will be one‘s last “ Loved the beautiful writing & Nora‘s Story & her “ globe of memory “ ... & getting older myself I was very interested in her remembering. 👍🏻♥️

readordierachel Lovely quote ❤ 6y
Cathythoughts @readordierachel yes ♥️ it‘s a very moving book. She uses language sparingly.. it took me awhile to realize why I couldn‘t read as quickly or as nonchalantly... lovely ♥️ 6y
readordierachel As much as I love a good page-turner, sometimes it's so nice to savor a book like that 😀 6y
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JennyM That‘s beautiful ♥️ 6y
Cathythoughts @JennyM isn‘t it really beautiful 👍🏻♥️ 6y
CarolynM I thought you would like this one and I'm so glad you did. 🙂😘 6y
Cathythoughts @CarolynM yes ! One to remember 😘 6y
46 likes7 comments
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Cathythoughts
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Started this one ... enjoying ♥️👍🏻 a lovely gift from @CarolynM

CarolynM Oh, that's lovely. I hope you go on enjoying it😘 6y
Cathythoughts @CarolynM I will ♥️👍🏻 6y
AntoinetteBuchanan Great book! 6y
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Freespirit This sounds like one I need to read😀 6y
Cathythoughts @AntoinetteBuchanan yes! Im finding it really good 👍🏻✨ 6y
Cathythoughts @Freespirit 👍🏻👍🏻♥️ 6y
chapter_fifty2017 This is one of my favorite books ever 🤩🤩🤩 6y
chapter_fifty2017 I actually studied it as a very mature student taking English literature absolutely loved it 👌😍😏 6y
Cathythoughts @chapter_fifty2017 it‘s brilliant! Just finished awhile ago ♥️ 6y
chapter_fifty2017 Thanks Cathy When l saw it l just had to comment it made such an impression on me as l really related to her coming of age tale. Will have to reread it again 🤔🤩😍 6y
55 likes2 stack adds10 comments
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Cathythoughts
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Thanks so much Carolyn! Both books look really good & Id never heard of either - so a lovely surprise... your very good 👍🏻♥️I‘ll drop you a line soon. X Cathy

Tanisha_A Happy birthday! 🥳🎂🎈♥️ 6y
batsy Happy birthday, Cathy! Have a fabulous day ❤️🎂💐 6y
Cathythoughts @Tanisha_A 👍🏻♥️thankyou 6y
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Cathythoughts @batsy thankyou Suba !! Your very kind 👍🏻♥️ 6y
Kaye Happy Birthday 🎂🎊🎉🎈🎁🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂 6y
Cathythoughts @kaye thanks Julie 👍🏻♥️ 6y
eraderneely Happy Birthday🎂🎉🎂 6y
Cathythoughts @eraderneely thankyou 😀♥️ 6y
Librarybelle Happy Birthday! 6y
Cathythoughts @Librarybelle Thankyou 💕💕💕 6y
MaureenMc Happy birthday! 🎈🎂 6y
CarolynM Tirra Lirra is a modern classic, I loved it. Flowers is a new one, I haven't read it but I only hear good things and it's a beautiful cover. Hope you had a lovely day😘 6y
Cathythoughts @MaureenMc Thankyou 😍👍🏻 6y
Cathythoughts @CarolynM Thanks , I did have a lovely day . And thankyou again for such lovely surprises 😀😘 6y
52 likes14 comments
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CarolynM
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#HeatOfJuly #URemindMe

In this wonderful short novel an elderly woman returns to her childhood home after a lifetime as an expat and the memories come flooding back. #ozfiction

JennyM I bet this one is emotional. 6y
Cinfhen Sounds good!! 6y
marianese I love the cover! 6y
64 likes3 stack adds3 comments
review
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
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Pickpick

Read/finished 10 books in January. These two rose above the rest. #bestofjanuary Please check out Tirra Lirra - an Australian Awakening, if I dare make that comparison!

Alfoster Cool! Have Himself in my queue! Yay❤! 8y
39 likes1 comment
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ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
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Really enjoying this one! Is it weird that I get all melanchony and nostalgic thinking that this book has been around for almost my entire life and Im just now discovering it? I wonder what else is already out there just waiting for me . . . 🤔 #blameshawnmooney

shawnmooney Great! But Born a Crime is quite a new book, which I have yet to read, nor have I read or heard of the book in your photo, so I'm not sure what I'm being 'blamed' for. ❤ (edited) 8y
shawnmooney Oops, in fact I see that TirraLirra is in fact on my TBR! 😳 8y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @shawnmooney That was a whoops - meant to post Tirra Lirra! I fixed it! (And my TBR is all your fault ❤) 8y
shawnmooney Lol. I do remember posting about it now, and very much look forward to hearing your thoughts! 8y
36 likes4 comments
review
EnidBiteEm
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Pickpick

I loved the very Australian flavour of this novel. Nora faces such oppression, and yet manages to forge her way through to an escape of sorts, unlike some other women of her small neighbourhood where Nora returns at the end of her life, to be cared for and to recount her life story. This has been rereleased this year, so hopefully more people will get to enjoy Nora. #happybirthday Jessica Anderson (for the 25th!)

15 likes1 stack add
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shawnmooney
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A 2015 re-issue of a 1984 Australia novel I had never heard of. Sounds interesting.

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled This sounds really good!! 8y
Sue It is - I read this for uni many years ago now. Poignant. 8y
32 likes6 stack adds2 comments
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accordingtotig
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A cup of tea, air conditioning, and THIS

ReadingEnvy I hadn't heard of this one; thanks for posting. Sounds good! 8y
8 likes1 stack add1 comment