Bibliofemme Reviews
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30 Days in Sydney by Peter Carey
(Published by Bloomsbury)
30 Days in Sydney is a rich and vibrant account of
Peter Carey's visit to Sydney after living in New York
for ten years. Carey's experiences and knowledge of
the local landscape are powerful and interesting.
There's also a sense of heightened emotion and a touch
of nostalgia, giving it rawness and a personal edge,
almost like a diary.
From the moment he arrives in Sydney we are given a
stunning visual of what Carey refers to as the "mouth
of Sydney", huge sandstone cliffs. "These bright
yellow cliffs show the city's DNA - that is a
sandstone city." His journey, which takes us from
Woolloomooloo to the Northern Beaches, up to the Blue
Mountains and back into the heart of the city and is
delivered to us via the four elements - Earth, Air,
Fire and Water.
Carey's love of Sydney and his ability to seek out
interesting characters and old buddies gives the book
an almost tangible edge. He's a skilled observer and a
keen historian with an eye for beauty. 30 Days in
Sydney is a great story and a sensory experience. I
could smell the salty air at Bondi, feel the Southerly
at Pittwater, and the furnace on the Blue Mountains.
Score: 4 out of 5
March 2005
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