Kathryn's Inbox

Imagine being twenty-one years old, a recent university graduate and, at a time when a long and successful career should be ahead of you, you instead wake up every day knowing that at any moment you could lose absolutely everything--your home, your family and your life in an instant--based purely on where you are born and live. Imagine being there, reporting on it as it happens to other people and families, while you find yourself living in a refugee camp. That was the reality for Plestia Alaqad. Born and raised in Gaza, she was used to bombings and the endless risk. However, after October 7 2023 she, her family and everyone they knew found themselves caught up in a brutal, bloody and relentless campaign to destroy their homeland, with many thousands of people killed and displaced and the scale of which almost defies comprehension.  This is the story of a young woman caught up in a situation that is no way of her making, but that she and many others pay a huge price for based on po...

From the moment that I saw The Break Up advertised online, I knew that I might just be on to something. Immediately this one stirred up memories of Sweet Valley, the Parent Trap and several other stories about twins, all of which I found quite intriguing when I was a kid. And when I discovered that the book was written by an Australian author and set in Australia, I very much wanted to give it at chance, even though I am well outside of the target audience. The novel, the first in a series introduces readers to twins Abi and Brook who are about to start year five at their primary school. It is an important year--they are now senior students with additional responsibilities and they must work towards their eventual transition to high school in two years time. This year, however, comes with an unexpected surprise. Abi and Brooke, who have always done everything together, will be placed in separate classes for the first time. And with that comes the discovery that maybe they are not so a...

Sarah Wynn-Williams was a young diplomat from New Zealand when she applied for what she believed to be her dream job at Facebook, then a new up and coming social media company that was changing the way that people communicated and kept in touch. She saw enormous potential in Facebook, in particular how it could be a huge political force and could have the power to change the world. As the title, a clever reference to the famous line in The Great Gatsby suggests that power to change the world did not always necessarily change it for the better. In her darkly comic memoir Sarah Wynn-Williams recounts her personal experiences of working for Facebook and her take of the inner workings of the company, much of which does not paint it favourably. This book was certainly an eye opener, though I have to be upfront about one thing: I did not like it. Was it interesting discovering how the company changed over the years that Sarah Wynn-Williams worked there? Absolutely. Do I find many of the inc...

When I first heard that Australian radio host Jackie Henderson, better known by her on-air alias Jackie O was to be releasing her memoir, I cringed just a little. After all, why did someone who has enjoyed an extremely successful and well paid career as the cohost of a highly sensational and divisive breakfast radio show, need to write a memoir? Who would read it? Did I want to read it? Well, not initially. Then the news came through that the memoir would discuss her deeply personal struggles with painkiller addiction, one which she had managed to successfully hide from the public before, during and after her recovery. Also, I learned the profits from her book would be donated to Odessey House, and this would help others to break free from their addiction and I felt that was an excellent thing to do.  This proved to be an insightful read. I enjoyed the early chapters in which she details how she started in radio, perhaps even more so because I actually remember listening to her on ...

I'd never heard of Audre Lorde until midway through last year, shortly after the controversy that followed my publishing a review of Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr's work A Gift of Love. (In short a seemingly innocent--and glowing--review of a work about the civil rights movement in twentieth century America was repeatedly banned on various social media channels.) The work piqued my interest in learning more about the civil rights movement and discovering some of the prominent people within it. As a consequence I discovered Audre Lorde, a poet, feminist and civil rights activist from New York. The Black Unicorn is a stunning collection of poetry that examines womanhood from various angles, mostly exposing feminine vulnerability and feminine strength in all of its glory. This was a stunning collection. I enjoyed it best by reading just a few poems each day, which made them feel more impactful. It forced me to think about race, racial stereotypes and just how powerful it can b...

Aussie actor and author Isla Fisher delights with her debut picture book, about a pampered pup who learns to embrace her inner self.  Mazy has lived a life of luxury, as a pampered pooch and a movie star in "Hollywoof".  Things have always gone her way until, suddenly, things in Hollywoof change and filmmakers are no longer interested in casting pampered pets. She finds herself moving out of her Hollywoof mansion and into the dog park, where she soon discovers a fun life away from the glitz and glamour, one where she can just be herself. This was a fun read with some cute illustrations from Paula Bowes and plenty of puns and wordplay. There is plenty to delight the young kids, including the odd bit of toilet humour (always a winner) and some very cute doggy characters. While I felt that it could have had just a little more depth, the story remained entertaining throughout. Recommended.