Finished two books in the last two days - both of them thanks to mrrmaid gal (book swapping - one of lifes sweetest pleasures??). One I finished reading up too late in a nun's bath - sounds debauched, really not - she was away on holidays I was being accomodated in Bathurst before a course. That book was 'leaving the saints' by Martha Beck - a book written by a woman brought up in the Church of the latter Day Saints (ie Mormons) who ends up leaving the church - in short because of the stifling power structure of the church as she experiences it (blocking freedom of speech for academics, threatening the livelihoods of those who are excommunicated or seen as dissidents), because of its complete lack of support for women and children survivors of sexual abuse (both due to the patriachal set up of the church which seems to support men over women in general, and because of the extra complication of using religious dogma such as forgiveness and banding together to protect the church to silence victims), and the very shaky and illogical precepts on which the church is built. It was an interesting story of her own spiritual journey, her emotional healing after her abusive childhood, her confusion about what aspects of her background to abandon and what to keep. It gave me a new perspective on life in Utah! Well worth a read - an easy read, lots of interesting historical asides, upbeat and funny in many sections despite the subject material which might sound completely depressing.

The second book I finished last night - listening to it on CD! Yes the Kombi kids have rediscovered audio books and I think I am the most recent recruit! Great idea - I have been listening to stories and painting these last few nights - much cooler than watching the teve I reckon. Aumstead Maupin's 'Night Listener'. It is a bit of a story within a story - a story of him writing the story of him writing the story kind of thing - circularish and interesting in how it plays with which aspects of a writeres life might get included in fiction, which bits might be made up and how fans can get confused by this and think that they know an author just through their character's. It is also a bit of an 'is this a hoax or not?' story as the author gets in contact with a young fan with an awful background who has written his own book. The plot thickens as our author bonds with the boy and then has questions arise about his authenticity. I wont say more, but it is a bit like Peter Carey's 'My life as a Fake' (see below) in the way it kind of develops along two paths - it could be real, it could be made up, you get just enough to keep both ideas seem plausible.. for a while. So in that way it is also about suspension of disbelief - why we sometimes want to believe despite the evidence.

I am about to send both of these books off to a few other people to read before they head back up north - hope that's ok grrls!!