Spell the Month in Books is a linkup hosted on Reviews From the Stacks on the first Saturday of each month, but that’s the day for #6Degrees, so here we are, a week and a day later instead.
This month it should be easy because self-evidently May has only three letters — but the theme is Animals…
Can I do it with all Australian books? Yes, I can!
Links go to my reviews.
Maybe the Horse Will Talk (2019) by Eliot Perlman
Animal People (2011) by Charlotte Wood
The Year of the Beast (2019, Glenroy Series #6) by Stephen Carroll
Thanks to Jennifer for reminding me. Her May list is here.
ANZ LitLovers LitBlog 
Am I completely out of line here if i say that my new collection is Love Letter to Lola and it contains twelve animal stories, four of which are directly concerned with extinction of species? The title story is a letter from the last wild Spix’s Macaw to his dead wife.
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By: carmelbird on May 14, 2023
at 9:45 am
Completely, but it’s welcome news all the same. When is it due out?
I am so sorry to have missed your session at the Bendigo Writers Festival. I really wanted to be there, but by Sunday afternoon I was exhausted and we just had to set off home.
(I did look for you at the ASA Anniversary reception on Saturday night, but I only stayed for the speeches. I am no good at parties)
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By: Lisa Hill on May 14, 2023
at 10:01 am
I completely understand about the festival, and I admire your energy. Would you like me to send you a copy of Love Letter to Lola?
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By: carmelbird on May 14, 2023
at 10:18 am
My energy is fading, Carmel!
Is Love Letter to Lola with Transit Lounge? If so, Barry has sent me your previous titles so I expect it will turn up in the mail, so no need to send me one, but thank you anyway.
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By: Lisa Hill on May 14, 2023
at 10:48 am
It’s Spineless Wonders who specialise in short fiction. Perhaps you have too many books. Would you mind if I were to send you one?
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By: carmelbird on May 14, 2023
at 5:43 pm
Ah, I see, Spineless Wonders, I’m not sure whether they’ve been in touch or not. They’re not among the publishers who regularly contact me about books for review.
*checks files*
Ok… they contacted me through the contact form on the blog about a different short fiction collection and I explained that I don’t read PDFs and not much in the way of short stories.
So they probably thought I wouldn’t be interested…
(How were they to know that I would read a laundry list if it were written by Carmel Bird, eh?)
Anyway, while I do have a pile of review books to tackle, I have reserved Lola from my library which has two copies on order. By the time they’ve processed a copy for me to borrow, I’ll have made progress on existing commitments and the timing will be right!
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By: Lisa Hill on May 14, 2023
at 6:42 pm
I hope you enjoy it, Lisa. Oh – there are so many books to read! You are quite amazing – the speed with which you read, and then review. (So is Whispering Gums…) I can’t keep up.
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By: carmelbird on May 15, 2023
at 5:47 pm
Very clever, Lisa. I ignored the theme ;-), just stayed with the letters. Although, I do have ‘Love Letter to Lola’ on my reserve list at the library. :-)
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By: Jennifer on May 14, 2023
at 11:48 am
I loved Animal People.
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By: kimbofo on May 14, 2023
at 3:05 pm
Yes, I think Charlotte Wood’s early work was always interesting.
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By: Lisa Hill on May 14, 2023
at 4:30 pm
I keep meaning to read Elliot Perlman again, I was really impressed with Three Dollars years ago, then never picked him up! Thank you for the reminder.
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By: madamebibilophile on May 14, 2023
at 9:42 pm
I love his work, I like social novels that are a commentary on the big picture issues in contemporary life.
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By: Lisa Hill on May 14, 2023
at 9:48 pm
I did mine on the Friday for the same reason you are doing yours now. I doubt it matters that much.
I found this month extremely hard, especially because it was about animals. But it was also quite enjoyable. However, I never even thought about finding books that begin with a different title but mention an animal further on. Would have made it easier. LOL. You managed really well.
My Spell the Month in Books.
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By: Marianne @ Let's Read on May 15, 2023
at 9:18 pm
Rhinoceros, that’s brilliant! Hopefully you can use it in SeptembeR!
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By: Lisa Hill on May 15, 2023
at 10:30 pm
Heehee, I have used it before, in April 2022 when I didn’t know we had a theme, yet. Still, I am sure I’ll use it again when the subject is right.
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By: Marianne @ Let's Read on May 16, 2023
at 7:29 pm
Yessss!
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By: Lisa Hill on May 16, 2023
at 8:50 pm
What a fun idea! And three books I haven’t heard of, though that first title is very intriguing.
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By: Simon T on May 15, 2023
at 9:51 pm
To quote the explanation from my review:
“If you’re wondering about the strange title, it’s explained by a story that Maserov tells his little boy at bedtime. (Evicted from the family home he may be, but he still comes every night to bath the kids and put them to bed. Maserov worries about many things but he thinks that, theoretically anyway, many disasters such as unemployment and economic humiliation are reversible. But your children not remembering your being around, not loving you, that’s irreversible.) In the story he tells to Beanie, a jester about to be sacked by his king buys himself time by promising the impossible— and anything can happen in a year…”
I just loved this book, and the sensitivity with which he tackles his theme is just brilliant.
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By: Lisa Hill on May 16, 2023
at 6:19 pm
Great books Lisa – and I cannot believe that I have almost missed doing this – again!
I loved Carroll’s Eliot quartet but never got into his other ones, sad to say.
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By: Brona's Books on May 16, 2023
at 5:45 pm
Not the Glenroy novels? I liked those better than anything!
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By: Lisa Hill on May 16, 2023
at 6:19 pm
You were far more successful than I was. I found titles for M and A but an animal related title for Y had me flummoxed
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By: BookerTalk on May 25, 2023
at 3:36 am