Read Watch Play Twitter Reading Group – June : Faraway

Are you back from your travels? Where did you go? Somewhere warm now that winter is here? Somewhere much colder; there’s all those Scandinavian crime novels to chill you to the bone? Did you try a new time or dimension? Let someone else know and join in the live twitter discussion next Tuesday25 June starting at 8pm Australian Eastern Standard Time. Use the tags #faraway and #rwpchat as you discuss the reading, watching, playing in time and space.

The Twitter book group meets on the last Tuesday of every month so pop that in your diary, smartphone, MS Outlook, or tattoo it on your arm. Just remember and join in!

Read Watch Play 2013 – June : Faraway

What do you think of when you read far far away?  Does it take you back to reading fairy stories or does it make you think of other stories/histories which take place far far away?  Are Westerns #faraway reading or watching for you?

Does it make you think of travel to places #faraway?  Or of science fiction, space travel and exploration?  Or is it of fantasy with creatures and ideas from #faraway?

What places seem #faraway to you? They may be countries or worlds away, or only a few blocks, suburbs or towns away? Late last year I was reading The Marsh Arabs by Wilfred Thesiger – Thesiger was a Laurence of Arabia type who spent a lot of time in the late 40s and early 50s living among the Marsh Arabs in Iraq. His fascinating account of a disappearing world took me faraway in TIME and PLACE. The photo here is of one of the stunningly beautiful meeting houses they built entirely out of reeds on floating islands.

How do you connect to people #faraway?  The twitter reading group is a great way to connect with people #farway as you can discuss your reading, watching, playing with people anywhere in the world, simply by using #faraway (or the different tags for each month).

What children’s books take you #faraway?  There are lots of amazing graphic novels to take you #faraway?

While you are reading, playing or watching for #faraway, you might like to tweet about it using #faraway so that other people can have a conversation with you.

There will be a live twitter discussion on Tuesday 25 June starting at 8pm Australian Eastern Standard Time.  Use the tags #faraway and #rwpchat as you discuss the reading, watching playing that is your experience of faraway, so others can join in the conversation too.

Read Watch Play Twitter Reading Group – May : Indigiread

So, have you tried a new Indigenous author? We Librarians were very lucky last year with the smart, funny, interesting Dr Anita Heiss attending  at least two Library conferences. And Kim Scott has become a favourite of mine.

This is a reminder for the live twitter discussion next Tuesday 28 May starting at 8pm Australian Eastern Standard Time. Use the tags #indigiread and #rwpchat as you discuss the reading, watching, playing that is your experience of indigenous reading, so others can join in the conversation too.

The Twitter book group meets on the last Tuesday of every month so pop that in your diary, smartphone, MS Outlook, or tattoo it on your arm. Just remember and join in!

Author Maggie Counihan at Blaxland Library

Author Maggie Counihan at Blaxland Library.

Today we were lucky enough to host a wonderful author talk at Blaxland Library with the adventurous author and traveller Maggie Counihan, who truly embodies her own motto that “Age is no barrier”. Her first book, Backpacking to Freedom: Solo at Sixty details how, at the age of sixty, Maggie went on her first solo trip to India – and has never looked back. This book, as well as her latest book, Bring on the Birthdays: Ageing with Adventures, are now available from her website: http://www.maggie-rollo.com. This website also has a selection of great travel photos and  insightful travel tips from Maggie and her partner Rollo.

If you couldn’t make it to the talk at Blaxland today, never fear because Maggie had some time to chat with us for our ‘Indigi-Read’ podcast for May. Click here to listen as she discusses her early life and her life-changing decision to follow her dreams and experience the world on her terms.

Read Watch Play 2013 – May : Indigiread

This month we celebrate fine Indigenous writing, films and music. We would like to show our respect and acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land, of elders past and present.

For #indigiread you can discover contemporary Indigenous writers like Anita Heiss (make sure you explore her Black book challenge) Ruth Hegerty, Oodgeroo Noonuccal and Wesley Enoch.

You can explore Indigenous history in Australia, New Zealand, and other places.

You can read Indigenous military history, and find out about Indigenous knowledge for many different cultures.  Use this month to discover Indigenous writers from all around the world.

There are films you can watch including Bran nue dae, Rabbit Proof Fence, 10 canoes and The Sapphires.

While you are reading, playing or watching for #indigiread, you might like to tweet about it using #indigiread so that other people can have a conversation with you about your #indigiread.

There will be a live twitter discussion on Tuesday 28 May starting at 8pm Australian Eastern Standard Time.  Use the tags #indigiread and #rwpchat as you discuss the reading, watching playing that is your experience of #indigiread, so others can join in the conversation too.

Read Watch Play Twitter Group – April : Crime Read

So how did you go with the crime reads? Have you worked out how to commit the perfect crime?  Did I hear somewhere that Sue Grafton’s alphabetical Kinsey Millhone series began as she dreamed about doing away with her husband? Maybe you tried some true crime?

This is a reminder for the live twitter discussion next Tuesday30 April starting at 8pm Australian Eastern Standard Time. Use the tags #crimeread and #rwpchat as you discuss the reading, watching playing that is your experience of crime, so others can join in the conversation too.

The Twitter book group meets on the last Tuesday of every month so pop that in your diary, smartphone, MS Outlook, or tattoo it on your arm. Just remember and join in!