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Breathing


Walking along the beach, sucking in the salt air.

Musing:
I recevied Tim Winton's new book Breath for Christmas. He's a mavelous writer and they say its his best book yet, so will be a real treat. Here's a sample of what I have to look forward to. "I will always remember my first wave that morning. The smells of paraffin wax and brine and peppy scrub. The way the swell rose beneath me like a body drawing in air. How the wave drew me forward and I sprang to my feet, skating with the wind of momentum in my ears. I leant across the wall of the upstanding water and the board came with me as though it was part of my body and mind. The blur of spray. The billion shards of light. I remember the solitary watching figure on the beach and the flash of Loonie’s smile as I flew by; I was intoxicated. And though I’ve lived to be an old man with my own share of happiness for all the mess I made, I still judge every joyous moment, every victory and revelation against those few seconds of living.”

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  1. JulieJanuary 5, 2009 at 9:25 PM

    ... mmm ... might have to reconsider a possibly immature opinion ... I read maybe the first book ... and did not follow it ... I tend to think of him as today's Patrick White.

    However, I like the way he writes sentences and joins them together.

    That is such a good way of adding photos to a post, y'know. So eye-catching and downright beautiful ...

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  2. Joan ElizabethJanuary 5, 2009 at 9:43 PM

    Dare I admit I have never read Patrick White but I do find Tim Winton's work both accessible and beautifully crafted writing.

    I am hoping to find time to read Breath this week, the last week of my holidays. Spent all of last week on the "annual cleanup" of house and garden, mostly garden.

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