To be Australian, is to be, feel and commemorate Anzac Day as a natural part of our psyche.  My family and myself have always attended the dawn service and gun fire breakfast, after a usually very cold morning, and emotions of such appreciation to these wonderful diggers who gave their lives and still do today.
A Century of Anzacs is one of those marvellous pictorial books that every home should own. From the beginning with The Colonial Wars(1840-1901), WW1, WW2, and right through to Iraq and Afghanistan today it tugs at the heartstrings as well as giving the factual information of each. The introduction given by the Honorable Paul Keating ( former Prime Minister 1991 - 1996). 
Lets all do our part to commemorate this years Anzac Day on April 25th. 

Official Blurb - The ANZAC tradition was forged on the killing fields of Gallipoli in 1915 and the legend grewthroughout the decades at places such as Tobruk, Singapore, Kokoda and Long Tan. A CENTURY OFANZACS is a pictorial history of Australia's involvement in more than a hundred years of war, conflictand peacekeeping, starting with colonial wars in New Zealand and South Africa in the 1800's, right up toour modern peacekeeping roles in Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan.With introductions that provide an overview of each conflict in which Australia and New Zealand haveserved, A CENTURY OF ANZACS includes hundreds of rare and evocative images of courage, sacrificeand duty. The book is a tribute to the men and women who served their country in the past, and thepresent day soldiers and personnel who continue the ANZAC tradition on the international stage.

  All hail the body diversity of the sisterhood!!
This is a warts n all look at how one woman has consistently, over many years, braved and defied so many society standards about how women “should” be portrayed in the fashion and media industries and come out on top.
I normally go for the fun, quirky style book review, however on this occasion, I must admit I’m finding it a tough challenge. Its an issue that affects us all, and although we have come along way in a few decades, the juggernaut that is social media is the next behemoth to conquer. Chelsea is there along for the ride, promoting all that is great about body diversity and we should give her a massive thanks and high five that she has found her true calling, rallying for what we women have always been, a normal and healthy size 14+.
This is my nod and acknowledgement to an Aussie woman for International Womens Day who inspires us all to be happy with who we are, inside and out.
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Official blurb - Part memoir and part positive body image manifesto, this is an insider's perspective on the industry and how the images the world gets to see are only part of the story. The modelling and advertising industries persistently tell women they're fat, ugly and abnormal if they conform to anything other than a western ideal of beauty. In 2002 Chelsea Bonner founded BELLA, a modelling agency focused on healthy body size and dedicated to changing our dangerously narrow perception of 'beautiful'.

Chelsea was born into the Australian entertainment industry, daughter of one of the country's most famous media couples, and grew up with the painful reality of her family life hidden behind a facade of gloss. She was expected to follow effortlessly in her parents' beautiful shadows, but her natural body shape led to teenage rebellion. Instead, Chelsea decided on a career as a modelling agent and, shocked at what she witnessed, became determined to change the industry from within. She has fought on through illness, broken relationships, the collapse of businesses and exclusion by powerful industry forces.

I read this wonderful funny story while lounging under the shade of an umbrella, glass of bubbles and Miss Bella at my feet​. I love my Aussie summers and this book couldn't of been more well timed.
My heart went out to Harvey Beam (albeit not for long) heading back to his regional outback Australian home town. I felt like I could literally see and feel the shimmering heat of the tarmac as his plane landed.
​Harvey, the entitled white middle aged male, grumpy, remote and the 'why me' mentality shining through. Its a story of mid life crisis, the chaos of families, dying relatives and charting the course of changing dynamics within the family. The hurt, the pain and the bitter sweet moments of random pellets of joy. 
Thoroughly entertaining and feel good. I loved it!!

Official blurb - Confirming his suspicions that you can successfully run away from your problems and a dysfunctional family, talk-show host Harvey Beam got out of his regional hometown as soon as he could. Beam creates a stellar radio career in the city, and builds a life that bears no resemblance to the one he left behind. But as things start to unravel at work and at home, Beam is called back to Shorton by the imminent death of his father. There he finds everything is still waiting for him just as he left it. Maybe, though, Harvey Beam is not the same angry young man who ran away. And maybe the arrival of a single, wonderful stranger will mean that instead of going back, Harvey can finally move on.