# Whatcha Readin' May 2012 Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2012-edition/620448 "2012-04-30T21:05:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 14
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2012-edition/620448/14 "2012-05-01T17:29:26Z")
> [@Whatcha Readin' April 2012 Edition](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-april-2012-edition/617388/87): > > Not reading yet but purchased today: [Kinglake-350](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EPJNS6/ref=docs-os-doi_0), about the (Australian) Victorian bushfires of 2009. > > Those bushfires were in an area I’ve been to, I’m from Melbourne; the towns most affected are not all that far away. I well remember the unbelievably oppressive heat of that day and the slowly growing horror as the extent of the disaster became clear. > > The book comes highly recommended. I find disasters oddly fascinating, and it’s nice to have something **Australian** to read. So even though it’s more expensive than I’d usually accept for an ebook, I think it’ll be worth it. I’ll finish what I’m currently reading, so it’ll be a little while before I report back about it. I have now read about 80% of the book, and it is amazing. If you have even the least bit of interest in the subject matter, I highly recommend you read this book. As I said earlier, I’ve read a _lot_ of books about disasters, and this one is right up at the top of the list in every way. I’m not saying that because it’s (for me) a local story. It’s about people, and how a disaster can bring out the absolute best in people, and in that sense it’s universal. It’s also harrowing in its descriptions of what the survivors went through, and in tracing the fates of some who didn’t survive. Really an amazing book, in every way. I don’t give rave reviews very often; when I do, they’re earned. This book earned a rave. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-may-2012-edition/620448)._