Customer Reviews

All Sorts

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I just read All Sorts on a long-haul flight and would describe it as perfect light entertainment. Of course the plot developments and characters are unlikely and somewhat exaggerated but then that is how satire works. Also there are a number of astute observations hidden within, plus the occasional laugh-out-loud one liner. Having spent many years in the Sydney/Melbourne circles depicted here I can attest to the many grains of truth contained in this book. This genre is not for everyone but if you want a good fun read that will take you out of yourself and your worries then I happily recommend All Sorts.

Want to read a book with real characters confronting real life situations, with a wit that goes way over Shapro's limited intellect? This is a feel good book, but not without serious debate on weightier matters. Steve Dow is a journalist of some note in Australia, so we were eager to read his first novel, and were not disappointed. His characters are keenly drawn, and its the type of book that gives you a sense of loss when you've read it; you want it to go on and longer with this sparkly style and vibrant knowledge of a Sydney we survived. It's a novel that stays with you, the final proof of a good read.

I agree with one reviewer's comparison with 'Tales of the City'. Like Armistead's beloved series, this book is an affectionate glimpse into the lives of a hyperreal assemblage of witty and eclectic friends and neighbours that have come together to create their own 'family'. Also as an expat that hasn't been home in five years, All Sorts invoked such a strong sense of nostalgia that I could almost smell the harbour and taste the Tim Tams! A very satisfying and 'comfy' read.

Sometimes you read a book that just makes you relax... this is one of those books.

All Sorts is a great, light, lively, funny, and silly look at life in Sydney in 2011 - with some lovely poignant moments thrown in for good measure.

Whether you're a resident, or interested in getting a little insight into the city that is Sydney, do yourself a favour and have a read!

Steve Dow is a beautiful writer as a journalist, and it was only a matter of time until he turned those talents to fiction. All sorts follows the lives of an eclectic group of Sydney characters who find themselves drawn together by their proximity and in some cases loneliness. Each has their own special qualities others may not appreciate, but as a group they love and support each other through thick and thin. Their adventures are funny, entertaining, sad and in most cases uplifting, giving the reader a sense that no matter how bad things get hope and acceptance are out there if you know where to find them.

Sydneysiders will relate to the characters and their surrounds, while those from "rival" Melbourne and everywhere else will gain some insight into what it is like for those living in "Sin City" while seeking their place in the world. All Sorts entertains throughout while touching on important social issues we all need to think about. Open this book with an open mind and you will love it!

OK so here we have a tight knit group of misfits - the gay boy, the straight(ish) boy, the girl from out of town, the matriarch of undetermined gender etc, etc living in a city by the sea. So far so Barbary Lane. But this is no Tales of the City clone. Steve Dow, a noted Australian journalist, has written a paean to his favourite city and its eclectic inhabitants. You can feel the love on every page. Highly recommended.

What a fantastic read... I've read many books in my day but it's been ages since I picked one up & couldn't put it dow. Now even though it's only available as an ebook... it's surprisingly also a celebration of the Book.

I've fallen in love with the wonderful characters of the Kingsclere Book-Club & feel a part of their Family...! & so want to read more... Hint..! Hint..!

The Author's cheekiness, wit & quirky characterisations & observations of his hometown Sydney all shine through.. all delivered with the expected exceptional writing skill of a successful Journalist. What a joy to read...

Dare I say... This may just be Sydney's 'Tales Of The City..? I just may... & look I did.!!

I guess one person's cheekiness and wit are another person's surreal and "eye rolling" weird. I tried to like this book but I found it not only boring, but the plotline and characters were exaggerated, surreal and I just couldn't relate to either. I don't know any of the other writings by this author, so maybe this one was hopefully just an experiment that didn't quite work out. And I know there was another reviewer that did not like this book and seemingly got attacked for stating his/her opinions. Hopefully Amazon doesn't become the kind of place where people cannot have differing opinions. Sorry this one's a stinker--- IMHO of course.

What if Andy Warhol, Truman Capote and Richard Simmons had a child and that child wrote a book? It would probably come close to the author of this book. The book, in which for some reason my wife purchased, and in which I could not make it through even halfway, is by far the strangest mixture of watered down cliche's I've ever read. The best word to describe this book is "pseudo". It is pseudo-intellectual, pseudo-artistic, pseudo-stylistic and a pseudo-irritant. The author thinks way too much of himself and I wouldn't be surprised if he was the person who wrote the only 5-star review of this nauseating collection of words. From the very first page, until I had to stop midway through, the reader is assaulted with this "I-wanna-be-a-foreign-film/student-film" feel. But the charade is mostly transparent and hardly inspired. The characters are cardboard cutouts from old 70's magazine covers, and the conversations are, again, pseudo-chic. You feel absolutely no compassion for any of the characters. The only emotional response these characters evoke is the strong urge to slap each one in the face and say, "Are you for real?!?!"

I would say that the author shouldn't quit his day job, but since I've not read any of his journalistic endeavors, I'm not sure I would recommend that either. Life is usually unfair, but the unfairness of this author sharing the same sales outlet as Dean Koontz or Nora Roberts is probably one of them most unfair occurrences life has to offer.