Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Taboo
Taboo | Kim Scott
From Kim Scott, two-times winner of the Miles Franklin Literary Award, comes a work charged with ambition and poetry, in equal parts brutal, mysterious and idealistic, about a young woman cast into a drama that has been playing for over two hundred years ... Taboo takes place in the present day, in the rural South-West of Western Australia, and tells the story of a group of Noongar people who revisit, for the first time in many decades, a taboo place: the site of a massacre that followed the assassination, by these Noongar's descendants, of a white man who had stolen a black woman. They come at the invitation of Dan Horton, the elderly owner of the farm on which the massacres unfolded. He hopes that by hosting the group he will satisfy his wife's dying wishes and cleanse some moral stain from the ground on which he and his family have lived for generations. But the sins of the past will not be so easily expunged. We walk with the ragtag group through this taboo country and note in them glimmers of re-connection with language, lore, country. We learn alongside them how countless generations of Noongar may have lived in ideal rapport with the land. This is a novel of survival and renewal, as much as destruction; and, ultimately, of hope as much as despair.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
Gillyreads
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image
Pickpick

Time for a small break #24in48

LeeRHarry Heard a lot of good things about both of those books 😊 6y
Gillyreads @LeeRHarry definitely worth reading! 6y
19 likes2 comments
review
Jeg
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image
Pickpick

This book so well written I had to read it slowly in parts to really savour it. Such wonderful descriptions. Not surprised it comes up for prizes. Now want to read some of his other books. Very enlightening. @MrsMalaprop

MrsMalaprop Glad you liked it. I did too. Can recommend That Deadman Dance. Haven‘t read his other one Benang as yet. Saw him speak with Helen Garner @Perth Writers Festival & he‘s going to be in Ubud too. 😊 6y
CarolynM Another one I really have to read some time. 6y
14 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
ladycarliblack
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image
Pickpick

I enjoyed this, although at times it was confronting. A great exploration of the mess Australia has made of our first nations cultures and the human toll of the gap between Indiegnous and non Indigenous people in this country. Scott has written some really beautiful, almost lyrical passages as well as some brutal truths.

review
Sue
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image
Pickpick

An excellent read. I appreciate the way Scott jams so much into his books. This story shows Tilly, raised by her white mother, discovering her Aboriginal heritage at the same time as her people are trying to ensure their culture doesn‘t die. (I can not do the plot of this book justice in so few characters. Just read it folks!)

#aussiesrule2018

89 likes5 stack adds
blurb
MariettaSG
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image

Read the first ten pages in the bookstore and was hooked. I love to read texts by Aboriginal Australians. Scott writes beautifully, also he alternates in style and it grabs my attention, something about it! I just love it.

blurb
Sue
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image

Starting off day 2 of the #24in48 with Kim Scott and some audio crochet.

#24in48ausnz

58 likes1 stack add
blurb
Sue
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image

So I‘m kind of sucking with my reading goals for July. Thank goodness for the #24in48 this weekend! Who else is excited?

Also has anyone tried to explain the joy of a readathon to a non-reading friend or colleague? How did that go?

SharonGoforth I am! I‘m hoping the readathon will pull me out of my reading slump. 6y
JazzFeathers I suppose it's like trying to explain how you write a story to someone who doesn't write. The most frustrating experience 6y
2BR02B Even friends and colleagues who read (but less voraciously than me) are often baffled by my enthusiasm for the concept of marathon reading. Yet when one admits they spent their weekend watching the same tv show for eight hours straight, no eyebrows are raised. A little backward, if you ask me. 6y
See All 6 Comments
AnneCecilie I talked about the upcoming readathon today with some colleagues and how it would kickstart my vacation. I don't find it difficult to talk about at all, they know I read a lot and listen to book podcasts and booktube videos. So even if they wouldn't do the same, they understand how I would want to. 6y
Sue @SharonGoforth Good luck! May the odds be ever in your favour! 6y
Sue @JazzFeathers Yes! @2BR02B Also yes! @AnneCecilie That‘s awesome! I had a conversation with a work colleague yesterday who was a little perplexed but found the concept interesting although he wouldn‘t do it himself. 6y
58 likes6 comments
blurb
Sue
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image
Abailliekaras I read Taboo and thought it was excellent. About to start From The Wreck. 7y
CarolynM I'm a bad Australian, I haven't read any😂 To be honest, the only one that really interests me is Taboo 7y
JennyM Just one - The life to come - and sadly I didn‘t enjoy it. 7y
ReadingEnvy Zero but at least I've heard of Taboo and read books by two of the authors... 7y
MandaChittles None of these!!! 😮😐 6y
59 likes1 stack add5 comments
blurb
JPeterson
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image

Congrats on the milestone, @MrsMalaprop and thanks for hosting such an awesome giveaway!
I would love the chance to read some Australian fiction, and searching through your #ozfiction hashtag (thank you for that, by the way...my tbr has grown even more), there is something about the tagged book I kept coming back too. 😊
#ozfictiongiveaway

MrsMalaprop Thanks for entering & great choice of #ozfiction 👍. 7y
55 likes1 comment
blurb
Kalalalatja
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image

Thanks for the giveaway @MrsMalaprop and congratulations on your milestone! 🎉🎉 looking at my shelves I realised I don‘t have very many books by Australian authors, and I would love a chance to change that. The tagged book sounds really good, and I‘m crossing my fingers I‘m one of the lucky winners 🤞 #Ozfictiongiveaway

MommyWantsToReadHerBook Ooh, this sounds good! I may have to borrow it from you as a title for the giveaway! 7y
MrsMalaprop Thanks for your entry. Another great book by Kim Scott is 7y
llwheeler I read True Country by Kim Scott in university and it was SO good, has really stuck with me. I should read some of Scott's others! 7y
Kalalalatja @MommyWantsToReadHerBook you just go ahead 😄 @MrsMalaprop @llwheeler it sounds like I really need to try some of Scott‘s books! 7y
78 likes4 comments
review
MrsMalaprop
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image
Pickpick

Yep. Another accomplished novel from Scott. This time a contemporary novel about Aboriginal people, Noongars, from the south of Western Australia.

Massacres of Aboriginal people happened here and although this is a fictional account, it is a fascinating examination of varying perspectives: white Australians who‘ve lived on and owned land for generations, and Noongars whose ancestors lived here for 60,000 years.

#knowyourhistory #diversereads

MrsMalaprop For those wanting to know more about our Aboriginal history, this was an important early step in my journey 7y
Centique Thanks for the recc! I‘ve watched a couple of documentaries but really should find out more about Aboriginal history. I‘ll put them both on my TBR. 7y
Tamra This sounds very good, stacked! 7y
60 likes6 stack adds4 comments
quote
MrsMalaprop
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image

So many Aboriginal languages lost 😢. My son is Noongar (Aboriginal person from south Western Australia). He knows 50 - 100 words. We wanted him to learn more. A wadjella (white fella) academic who‘d catalogued the language wanted payment to teach it to him.

Grrrr...wadjellas invade this country and decimate its first people so the language is lost & then want to charge Aboriginal people to get it back?! 😡😡😡

#checkyourprivilege

cobwebmoth 😔 7y
Suet624 😳😩 7y
See All 8 Comments
Gillyreads So Australian 😔 7y
batsy 😡😔 7y
CarolynM 😡 7y
Anna40 Horrid! 7y
MariettaSG How wrong can people be! 😡 6y
48 likes2 stack adds8 comments
blurb
MrsMalaprop
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image

Happy to be starting this one by a local Noongar Miles Franklin winning author.
#currentlyreading #ozfiction

#setinyourstate #NewYearReads @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Cool cover!! 7y
52 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
MrsMalaprop
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image

Told my husband I didn‘t need any books for Christmas, so he just got me this little haul 😂😍.

Helen Garner & Kim Scott are speaking together at the Perth Writer‘s Festival in February. I was excited to see them both, but I went to buy tickets last week only to find their session is SOLD OUT! 😭.

On the one hand I‘m sad for me, but on the other I‘m happy about the fact that so many readers out there in my little city love Helen & Kim too 😊.

MrsMalaprop Oh, & the lovely book bag is from my mum! 😍 7y
Abailliekaras Loved Taboo! 7y
SassyBookworm I love the book bag!!! 😍🤓📚 you‘re mum‘s got great taste!!! 7y
erzascarletbookgasm Love that bag! 🙂 7y
50 likes4 comments
review
Abailliekaras
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image
Pickpick

Scott writes with the assurance of someone who‘s in no rush; it‘s pared back, allowing for gaps in what is said, & the characters follow a winding path, stopping to observe the trees, an eagle, tell stories. At times this felt contrived, but it‘s a vital history, told without judgment. It resists being a fast-paced read & instead gives honest characters (like Tilly, a flawed teen & resilient survivor) & an ancient culture. #ownvoices #Australia

38 likes1 stack add
blurb
Abailliekaras
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image

My latest blog post on Australian books. Some early tips for November if you're doing #ReadAroundTheWorld #Auslit 🤓🇦🇺
10 New(ish) Australian Books – Books On The Go
https://booksonthego.net/2017/09/12/10-newish-australian-books/

JenP Thanks so much! I'll try and remember to tag you when we get there so you can repost the link for us! 7y
Abailliekaras @JenP 👍 there are lots to choose from! 7y
rockpools Nice! Lots of ideas for us there - thank you! 7y
Abailliekaras @RachelO finally a country I have some local knowledge of 😉 I'd add Shirley Hazzard, Kate Grenville & Helen Garner to the list to make it a baker's dozen! 7y
40 likes4 comments
blurb
Sue
Taboo | Kim Scott
post image

Got along to hear Kim Scott talk about his new book Taboo tonight at @avidreader - Scott talked about the need for connection to precolonial land and language in order to begin healing the past and how he explores this in his Taboo.

Sue Scott also talked about this book and how useless English is to capture the nature of this country 7y
MrsMalaprop Ooh, need to stack-add this. Really liked 7y
Sue @MrsMalaprop I read that one earlier this year - it's brilliant. Pretty sure Taboo will be just as good! I've not heard Scott speak before, and I feel like I got so much from the experience ( although he and the presenter and most of us in the audience were shaking with cold by the end!) 7y
Marchpane I finished reading Taboo just today! It's well worth a read but I found it hard to connect to the characters. A little distancing in that respect. The parts dealing with connection to country were very well done & Scott talks a little in the afterword about that idea of England being the "default country" @sue @MrsMalaprop 7y
Sue @Marchpane Nice! He talked a bit about he default country idea last night too, as well as his work in the Noongar Language and Stories project, which sounds amazing http://wirlomin.com.au 7y
73 likes2 stack adds5 comments