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About the author and blogger ...

Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.
A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.

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Political shenanigans in Australia and Israel: Amnesia by Peter Carey and The Hilltop by Assaf Gavron

5/11/2014

14 Comments

 
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I’m pleased to introduce two novels published in the UK tomorrow that combine comic farce with trenchant exposés of problematic political systems.

The new novel from ‘that other’ Australian Booker Prize winner, Peter Carey, is not another treatise on dementia, but a political cyber-thriller on the collective forgetting of the dark side of Australia’s “special relationship” with the USA. While for many readers from outside that country it may be more a matter of ignorance than amnesia, with several cultural references passing over our heads, this is an important and engaging novel which marries the essential human factor to disturbing parallels with global politics today.

The novel opens with Felix Moore, Australia’s last remaining left-wing journalist and typical feckless white male, reading about the worm that has infected the computerised control systems of thousands of Australian and American prisons, while awaiting the court’s ruling against him in a trumped-up defamation case. But historically it begins with the battle of Brisbane in 1942, when Australian and American servicemen fought each other on the city’s streets and Celine Baillieux, whom Felix encounters later at university, is conceived through rape. Thirty-odd years later, Australia is facing its greatest constitutional crisis with the (possibly CIA-engineered) dismissal of prime minister, Gough Whitlam, and his progressive cabinet, as Celine gives birth to her first and only child, Gaby, future cyber hacker and the world’s most wanted woman in 2010 (p 167):

Their baby wailed. The pulsing squiddy cord was cut. The insistent force of life was now brought to the mother’s attention and her naked child was laid against her chest. It is a moment when new parents often weep, but when this pair wept it was not at the miracle of life, but because the legally elected government of Australia had been overthrown.

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Enter Murdochian property tycoon Woody Townes with an offer Felix can’t refuse: he is to write Gaby’s biography in a tone that will endear her to the Australian people and save her from extradition to the USA. But is this what Gaby, proud of her expertise in an arena in which women are so often marginalised, really wants? And is Felix’s supposed long-term fan, Woody, really on his side? Now, having been brought by Celine to her daughter’s hideout, is Felix at risk of extradition too?

I’m not sure how seriously the reader is expected to take the ensuing swashbuckling story of multiple kidnappings, audiotaped confessions and low-grade red wine but it’s clear from this interview in the Guardian that the author is deadly serious about the issues behind the book and the parallels with the response of the US to another upstart Australian, Julian Assange. While his righteous anger might have made this novel a little less accessible than it needs to be, the unheroic Felix and the idealistic Gaby make for interesting company. When I stopped worrying about the depth of my ignorance I found this a powerful novel on corrupt corporations, the fragility of democracy and the conflicts between idealism and compromise.

After their parents die in a car crash, Gabi and Roni Kupper grow up with adoptive parents on a kibbutz. Although the novel doesn’t address this in great detail, it seems that the model of collective child rearing militates against their forming attachments with their new parents and they grow up with the sense that they are each other’s only meaningful family. Yet, while the younger boy, Gabi, is awkward and prone to violent outbursts, Roni seems well adapted, moving through the standard Israeli milestones of school, military service and university. He makes friends, has girlfriends, moves to Tel Aviv and goes into a business partnership running a bar. Meanwhile, Gabi seems to fail at every attempt to follow in his brother’s footsteps.

The novel, however, begins years later, with the boys in middle age. Gabi has found religion and peace of mind as a member of the fledgling community of Ma’aleh Hermesh C, an illegal – yet apparently thriving – Jewish settlement on Palestinian and nature reserve land on a rocky hilltop in the West Bank. Yet his peace is shattered by the arrival of his brother, penniless after his years playing the stock exchange in America. Roni fails to endear himself to the community by forging a business partnership with an olive grower from the neighbouring Palestinian village. But there are greater threats to the Israeli settlers; while they cheerfully ignore the regular demarcation and demolition orders, the international diplomatic scandal sparked by a curious Washington Post correspondent proves a greater challenge.

The story provides the stage to showcase the hodgepodge of communities that make up twenty-first century Israel: religious versus secular Jews; Tel Aviv yuppies versus Palestinian villagers; modern capitalism versus kibbutzim collectivism; the ever-present military and the shadow of the United States. The absurdity of the conflicting rules and regulations regarding the legitimacy of the settlement – where one government department will provide services to improve its stability while another works towards its abolition – was reminiscent of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 or Magnus Mills’ The Scheme for Full Employment. Although played out to comic effect which raised a frequent smile in this reader, I was somewhat depressed by the cartoonish approach to the tragedy of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. It’s always rather daunting to open a novel to find a cast list preceding the text, especially one set in a country and culture with which one is unfamiliar. While it’s left me with a deeper appreciation of the complexity of the issue of Israeli settlement in the West Bank, the to and fro of the political shenanigans along with the confusion of characters did threaten t overwhelm me at times.

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The Hilltop has garnered prestigious awards since its publication in Israel last year. Thanks to Oneworld (publishers of Zebra Crossing and In Paradise) for my advance reader’s copy of the translation from the Hebrew by Steven Cohen. Thanks also to Faber for my review copy of Amnesia (with the classy wipe-clean dust sheet). Apparently November is supposed to be a quiet month for publishers but no-one seems to have told my TBR pile, or Susan’s. Look out for my reviews of two other novels published 6 November: Strange Girls and Ordinary Women and Funny Girl.

Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
14 Comments
Lori Schafer link
5/11/2014 07:29:19 pm

This isn't quite related to the books you're discussing, but I recently read a really fascinating and rather exhaustive history of the colonization of Australia called The Fatal Shore. I think what I found so compelling about it were the striking similarities of the "progress" of "civilization" across our separate continents - the main difference being the convict system, which was halted here in its relative infancy. Now I'm utterly unfamiliar with the historical events to which Amnesia makes reference, but I do wonder whether there are distinct similarities - which themselves could potentially lead to conflicts - between the American and Australian national characters. In fact, if you run across a book like that, let me know - that's one I will definitely want to read!

Reply
Annecdotist
6/11/2014 04:34:03 am

Interesting to speculate on that, Lori. I was thinking only in terms of the modern situation with the USA such a large global power but, as I think you've pointed out before, history does a lot to shape national character. Don't think I've come across anything that fits your criteria but I'll certainly let you know if I do.

Reply
Irene Waters link
8/11/2014 01:37:40 pm

Lori it is a really interesting subject. The differences in our settlement created huge differences in many aspects of our development although there are some similarities also.For example the States were settled predominantly by religious zealots. They didn't believe in idols or copying nature for religious reasons. Therefore no artists were in the Americas in those early days.The rare painting that does exist was done by amateurs. In Australia however they bought out artists on the first fleet to record everything and our art record from this time is massive. I could go on and on but I won't take up Anne's space. I don't know of any novels on the subjects and I don't know whether the differences caused by this would ever create a huge conflict (apart from the constant arguement US English vs English English) but there are subtle differences.

Reply
Annecdotist
11/11/2014 09:40:37 am

Interested that you've highlighted the religious difference, Irene … and you are always welcome to sound off in my space!

geoff link
7/11/2014 09:44:47 am

Is Carey's better than the Kelly Gang? That was a struggle. It does sound a fascinating history lesson. We looked at Gough Whitlam in my modern history A level, contrasting what was seen (in 73/74) as a progressive modern inclusive approach with Nixon's corruption in the US. Might give that a whirl if the prose is a bit more penetrable

Reply
Annecdotist
8/11/2014 09:03:49 am

Mmm, can't really say, Geoff, as I think I've found the Kelly Gang fairly straightforward. It jumps about a bit from past to present and there is a switch from first to third person halfway through, but I think you'll like the humour and if you've got the politics you'd be more grounded than I was.

Reply
Irene Waters link
8/11/2014 01:45:52 pm

I didn't know about the Battle of Brisbane but certainly there was much fighting between the American troops and Australian troops in Sydney at this time. In Sydney though I believe it was predominantly over women. Living through the Whitlam years has put this on my reading list as a must read. I'd also be interested in the Hilltop but these days if the character number is so huge that I have to keep referring back to see who is who I find it takes away from my pleasure of reading. I think it will go on the bottom of the pile for a time when I can put my feet up and read in one sitting.

Reply
Annecdotist
11/11/2014 09:44:21 am

As portrayed in the novel, the battle of Brisbane seemed to be also about women: the Americans had more money and smarter uniforms so had a greater choice of girlfriends (how sad that the women had so little purchasing power on their own they had to attach themselves to a richer man).
Not sure I'd be able to plough through The Hilltop in a single sitting – it's a lot of pages!

Reply
Norah Colvin link
9/11/2014 03:03:16 am

Well, Anne, you've got me again; and another Australian to book. I wouldn't be putting either of these books on my reading list. They sound way too 'heavy' for me. I had always meant to read "The Kelly Gang" but haven't done so yet. However, earlier this year I listened to "His Illegal Self" and absolutely loved it. I was very impressed with Carey's writing and often thought to myself (who else?) as I was listening, "That's sheer poetry. I wish I could write like that." He had me composing, in my head, many little snippets of other things that never got written down. I must revisit some of his works next time I'm looking for inspiration. Thanks for reminding me. :)

Reply
Annecdotist
11/11/2014 09:46:33 am

Glad to hear that Carey has inspired you – you'll definitely need to read more / listen to more.
And your comment made me smile: "often thought to myself (who else)". Thank you.

Reply
gabrielle daly link
11/7/2015 03:26:01 am

Just finished reading Amnesia and looking for reviews. I liked yours and like you am not sure how much of this is seriously meant. And I'm still not sure what side Woody Townes was supposed to be on. It's not a very convincing premise for a story...you write a book that make this cyber criminal so attractive she will not be punished for her crime. Don't think it quite works like that. And the obsession with mother, a rather nothing character?

Reply
Annecdotist
12/7/2015 11:16:36 am

Thanks for finding me, Gabrielle, and glad you liked the review. I suppose what impressed me was, although the plot might stretch credibility, the writing carried me through. Although, must confess, more than six months on, I can't remember that much about it!

Reply
michael Jacobs
6/4/2016 09:21:20 pm

Lori -- I have to disagree with you on the Hilltop. I think Gavron told a story quite well. Rather than a cradle to grave detailed history, the novel has been crafted to highlight the complexity and absurdity inherent in the settlements and the relationship with them of both Israel and the US.

I enjoy your reviews, keep writing them.

Reply
Annecdotist
7/4/2016 10:26:04 am

Thanks for chipping in, Michael, and glad you enjoyed The Hilltop. Despite my finding it a bit of a struggle, I have been able to recommend it to a couple of people with a stronger connection to Israel.

Reply



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