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The Songlines
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin
14 posts | 13 read | 10 to read
The songlines are the invisible pathways that criss-cross Australia, ancient tracks connecting communities and following ancient boundaries. Along these lines Aboriginals passed the songs which revealed the creation of the land and the secrets of its past. In this magical account Chatwin recalls his travels across the length and breadth of Australia seeking to find the truth about the songs and unravel the mysteries of their stories.
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wanderinglynn
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin
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#acrossApril April 29: set below the equator

Chatwin ventures into the desolate land of Outback Australia to learn the meaning of the Aboriginals‘ ancient “Dreaming-tracks.”

Eggs Well done 👍🏼 5y
62 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Graywacke
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin
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#7days7books Day 5

Seven books that left a deep impression on me and changed me.

Among my bad boy books - problems everywhere. Idealistic, outright lying, and yet so profoundly inspiring to my little mind. I adore Chatwin (and others I associate)

@batsy tagged me. Returning the favor to @jewright Want to share? (Are you already tagged?)

batsy Your picks are exposing me! Yet another author on my tbr I haven't gotten around to 😅 5y
Graywacke @batsy Lots of people have trouble with Chatwin, since he played really hard with the facts and his expertise was probably less than implied. But...well there‘s a reason people like him so much too. 5y
erzascarletbookgasm I‘ve only read one of his 5y
See All 6 Comments
Graywacke @erzascarletbookgasm what did you think? 5y
erzascarletbookgasm I find Chatwin has created a fascinating character in Utz. An interesting and eye-opening read for me. 5y
Graywacke @erzascarletbookgasm that‘s good motivation. I would like to read it. 5y
46 likes6 comments
blurb
Amtl
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin

Describes his time in Alice and in aboriginal communities learning about songlines and aboriginal culture, explores migration and nomadism. Some sections are all quotes and notes from his journals over the years. Idea that people developed tools to fight off predators. Sedentary life in towns made these into weapons used against other people because of scarcity of resources.

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Oblomov26
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin
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Pickpick

Chatwin again adopts the role of the observer in a strange land, this time in the outback of Australia, spending time with the Aborigines and those locals who work with and around them. Part travelogue, part study of Aboriginal culture and thought and how it has been impacted by European Australia, part meditation on the nomadic nature of mankind ancestors and how this impacts the way we think and act and what we lost when we settled down.

kspenmoll Gorgeous photo. 7y
Cinfhen Amazing photo😍 7y
54 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Magic_Kiwi
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin
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Pickpick

Reading chapters 1-3 & 21 for class.
I really hope one day to read this book in whole.
This book is beautifully written and well composed.
A taste of art 🎨❤️

quote
Magic_Kiwi
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin

“‘So a musical phrase‘, I said ‘is a map reference?‘
‘Music‘, said Arkady, ‘is a memory bank for finding one‘s way about the world.‘”

quote
Magic_Kiwi
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin

“Aboriginals believed that all the ‘living things‘ had been made in secret beneath the earths crust, as well as all the white man‘s gear - his aeroplanes, his guns, his Toyota Land Cruisers - and every invention that will ever be invented; slumbering below the surface, waiting their turn to be called.”

quote
Magic_Kiwi
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin

“‘To wound the earth‘, he answered earnestly, ‘ is to wound yourself, and if others wound the earth, they are wounding you.”

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DivaDiane
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin
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#birthdaygiveaway @Read4life

Hope I‘m not too late! Only saw this just now after I got up!

I spent an amazing vacation in Melbourne/Victoria, Australian in 1999. I would love to go back to Australia and visit some other places. I read the tagged book while there.

Read4life My husband‘s dream vacation is Australia. Beautiful picks & no you‘re not late. Thanks @DivaDiane 7y
60 likes1 comment
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Oblomov26
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin
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Had a day off, had a errand to run, but when I get to the shop it is closed for half an hour. Discount bookstore on the next block. Good way to kill the time ...... I suppose I needed more books right?

TrishB Always 👍 7y
Libby1 Without a doubt. 7y
kspenmoll Bot of course! 📚 7y
62 likes3 comments
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andrew61
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin
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#rockinmay #mysteriousways
I read this as one of my first books on an around the world challenge. I love the idea that routes are only known to aboriginal tribes by their songs. For me definitely mysterious. A really great book.

MrsMalaprop I liked this book too. And found it mysterious. Great interpretation of the prompt. 👍 8y
andrew61 @MrsMalaprop Definitely a fascinating story. I've not been to Australia but it made me want to explore. 8y
Cinfhen Ooooh, fascinating! Nicely done 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8y
18 likes2 stack adds3 comments
review
BlueMonday42
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin
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Pickpick

This is my new favorite memoir. Travelogue, history lesson, science lesson, and investigation into human nature all in one, this was a life-altering experience for me. I can't recommend this one enough.

16 likes2 stack adds
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stukgelezen.nl
The Songlines | Bruce Chatwin
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Bought myself a beautifull new edition of my favourite travelogue, published by the Folio Society!