CITY OF VEILS BY ZÖE FERRARIS, LITTLE, BROWN, $32.99.
Who doesn’t love a forensic pathologist? The challenge is making your crime scene expert different. In City Of Veils, Katya Hijazi is a burqa-wearing police lab technician in Saudi Arabia, solving crime despite the disapproval of the religious establishment and her conservative admirer, Rafiq.
When a woman, thought to be just another murdered housemaid, is found washed up on the shore, her body is given to Katya for examination, but Katya and Rafiq’s investigation leads them to a missing US security consultant, a mysterious British academic and strikes at the heart of Islam. Katya’s struggles against sexism are frustrating – it’s as if Elizabeth Bennett is trying to become a CSI – but her passion for justice drives her on.
And Thereby Hangs A Tale BY JEFFREY ARCHER, PAN MACMILLAN, $44.99.
And Thereby Hangs A Tale is Jeffrey Archer’s sixth collection of short stories and, this time, he takes the reader on a global journey with stories set in England, Germany, Majorca, Italy and India.
One of the greatest strengths of the author’s stories are his wonderful, diverse characters. Here we meet a determined and beautiful young nurse looking for a way to ensure a more than comfortable future for herself, an obsessive art collector, a charming Irish real estate agent and an English tourist who gets a little more service than anticipated at a hotel on his last night in Italy … Of course, each tale contains a trademark Archer narrative twist (my favourite part!) and are all witty. This collection will leave old fans satisfied and new ones lining up for more.
As the digital age creeps into every part of our lives, it’s good to see the power of photography hasn’t waned, especially when collected together in one place, as it is here.
This anthology of 250 thought-provoking documentary photographs, from classic portraiture to images of youth culture, urban and bush life, and environmental change, has been put together by the Oculi photographic collective of award-winning snappers.
Photography by Paul Westlake. Hair and make-up by Sarah Tammer.
Bindi Irwin is the chosen one – heir apparent to father Steve’s wildlife juggernaut. With ambitions that reach as far as The Lodge, is the 11-year-old too young to be a brand, asks Bryce Corbett?
In the lush hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, a mini-world inside a world is taking shape. It’s called Planet Bindi and Australia Zoo is its Ground Zero. It’s a parallel universe where everyone wears khaki, everyone talks in sound bites and the catchcry “Crikey!” bounces off the nearby Glasshouse Mountains. You know you’re getting close to the epicentre of this brave new world as the roadside billboards featuring its pre-teen princess become more and more frequent.
In pictures: Bindi Irwin and family
Woman’s Day: meet Bindi Irwin’s boyfriend
Upon arrival, a spell in the world-famous Crocoseum, followed by a visit to the Australia Zoo gift shop, leaves the visitor in no doubt as to who is the heir apparent of the empire the Crocodile Hunter left behind. There are Bindi talking figurines, Bindi beach towels, Bindi sparkle wallets, Bindi backpacks, Bindi water bottles, a Bindi signature clothingrange and Bindi bendy dolls.
In the conservation- and wildlife-mad world that the late Steve Irwin created, it is the eldest child, Bindi Sue Irwin, who is the chosen one.
In the annals of corporate Australia, we’re seeing the creation of a whole new dynasty, albeit one built on conservation and crocodiles instead of mining or media. As a stroll around the Australia Zoo gift shop reveals, the current company management is betting on Bindi to lead Irwin Enterprises into the next decade. There’s the Jungle Girl TV series in which Bindi stars, the Bindi Wildlife Adventures series of books (the first four of which are released this month), the clothing range, plus a starring role in the Hollywood movie Free Willy 4: Escape From Pirates Cove, with Beau Bridges.
Outsiders have questioned whether it’s healthy for an 11-year-old to have all of this attention heaped upon her. Terri has come in for criticism for allowing her daughter to become the poster-child for a multi-million dollar business empire. The question being asked is: how fair is it to place the responsibility of securing the legacy of a hyperactive, millionaire, wildlife warrior father on the slender shoulders of his little girl?
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“Bindi and Robert are next in line,” explains Terri. “Steve and I always intended that, if they were interested, they would take the reins of the company. This is a family company, after all. Before Steve died, we drew up a 10-year business plan. I’m very proud of the fact that I am not just shooting in the dark with all of this, but actually realising Steve’s vision.”
As Terri sees it, the exposure she is giving Bindi to the worlds of wildlife conservation and business management are educations no school environment could ever provide. “I’m not imposing my ideas,” she says. “I’m simply teaching my kids to be goal-oriented and to follow through.
“As a parent, you want your kids to be good people and to have great lives. It’s about mentoring and getting them to understand things about life without burdening them. In other words, I’d like Bindi to understand a bit about the business and not just about the animals.
Yet, beneath the khaki and bravado, she is also a woman who lost her lover and life partner in the prime of his remarkable life. Her grief is not something she wears on her sleeve – after all, there are children to raise, a multi-million dollar business to run and a legacy to honour. Yet the grief is still there.
While Bindi is being photographed for The Weekly, Terri watches her daughter proudly and, apropos of nothing in particular, tells me how, on the night just gone, she let her kids watch Crocodile Dundee for the first time. “At first, they were horrified that the movie was about a crocodile poacher,” she says. “But then, after it was over, Robert looked at me and said, ‘That movie made me miss Daddy’. And it’s moments like those that just break my heart.”
For a brief second, her composure breaks and her eyes moisten. She stares at Bindi as she speaks. “Robert seems to be more demonstrative in his grief. Sometimes, after a shower, I’ll find he has written, ‘I miss Daddy’, in the steam on the mirror. Bindi tends to internalise her grief more. I suppose she is just dealing with it in her own way.”
Your say: What do you think of Bindi Irwin? Do you think she it too young to be doing so much? Share with us below.
Read more of Bryce Corbett’s exclusive interview with Bindi and Terri Irwin in the June Issue of The Weekly. Out now with Rebecca Gibney on the cover. Follow Bryce on Twitter, @BryceCorbett
Sacred or oppressive? As Europe debates the banning of the burqa, Erin O’Dwyer talks to four Muslim Australian women about why they choose – or choose not to – wear the Islamic veil.
To some, Islamic veils are expressions of faith. To others, they are symbols of oppression. Either way, they continue to spark debate.
The latest controversy has flared in Europe, where first Belgium and, perhaps soon, France, will pass laws to stop Muslim women wearing the face-covering burqa or niqab in public.
The author of Belgium’s new law argued everyone in public must be recognisable in the interests of security and that the burqa clashed with the values of a free society, which respects everyone’s rights.
In July, the French National Assembly will debate a similar bill to prevent French Muslim women wearing any headscarf that also covers their face. President Nicolas Sarkozy says the burqa is an “affront to French values” and a denigration of women.
Muslim leaders in Europe have spoken out, saying women who choose to wear veils or headscarves will become social outcasts, trapped in their homes, if they’re banned.
“Today it’s the full-face veil, tomorrow the veil,” says Muslim Executive of Belgium spokeswoman Isabelle Praile.
Amnesty International described the ban as discriminatory and as a violation of women’s rights to freedom of expression and religion. “The Belgian move to ban full-face veils, the first in Europe, sets a dangerous precedent,” says spokesman John Dalhuisen.
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The debate reached Australia when a Liberal Party senator controversially called for a ban on burqas after a thief wore one as a disguise. Yet other politicians distanced themselves from his position, saying Australia was a tolerant society, which should respect different religions and cultures.
Your say: What do you think? Do you think there is any problem with women wearing a veil in public? Do you think it should be banned? Share with use below.
Read the story of these four women in the June issue of The Weekly, out now with Rebecca Gibney on the cover.
Oh so sexy at 63, Susan Sarandon is a woman without fakery. In her varied career, she’s never felt the need to hide who she really is, as she tells Chrissy Iley.
The first thing you notice about Susan Sarandon is how comfortable she looks in her own body. She often talks about how proud she is of her breasts, but it’s more than that. There is something about how connected she is to herself that makes her hugely charismatic and cosy to be with.
She is instantly accessible, perching on a little sofa in Claridges hotel wondering why the green tea is brown. She is wearing black leggings, trainers and an oversized sweater with a cream lace shirt underneath. A curious outfit, yet somehow you notice her, not its oddness.
In pictures: smokin’ hot celebs over 60
Her skin is flawless, her eyes huge and all consuming. She is not afraid to look at you and she’s not afraid to let you look right at her. It’s an open face. No slyness, no manipulation. She is renowned for being a woman who doesn’t fear most things and certainly doesn’t fear speaking her mind. It is that truth-telling that, during the interview, makes us come a little undone, but more of that later.
We’ve met before, the last time a few years ago. Susan turned up feeling sick, had to go and vomit halfway through the interview, but she didn’t want to cancel because it might have inconvenienced me. She is old school – the show must go on.
“I celebrated my 63rd birthday and got blood tests and saw a nutritionist. I want to do a pre-emptive strike on whatever is building up in me, so I’m travelling with this dehydrated green stuff and red stuff, and cutting out all sugar and all liquor. I rarely drink, so that wasn’t hard.
“The bad one was bread. I love bread. I cheat sometimes. When I did the play [Exit The King on Broadway], I got run down and was drinking serious caffeine, so I needed to clean up my act. I’m very susceptible to drugs of every kind. Coffee, it’s great because it gets me very up, but then I crash.”
I tell her I find coffee comforting. It doesn’t make me particularly speedy. She surmises, “You are probably someone who takes Ritalin to calm them.”
When she says drugs have such an effect on her, I ask what kind of drugs she means. “I mean anything! I’m not really interested in drinking. Tequila maybe, but champagne makes me fall asleep. It doesn’t take much.
“When I’m travelling, I only need to take half an Ambien [a sedative] to sleep on the plane. I love mushrooms and I’ve done those successfully, but I don’t like anything chemical. I didn’t like LSD and ecstasy wouldn’t agree with me. I like stuff you can smoke.”
I tell her that I’m the opposite. The stuff you smoke makes me paranoid and depressed. “Everyone is wired differently,” she says. “Some people can do stuff that others can’t. That’s what I told my kids. Some drugs can kill you, some are a lot of fun, so talk to me first.”
It doesn’t surprise me that, seven minutes into our interview, we are discussing chemical versus herbal drugs in great detail. Susan is curious and open. Some things she just can’t be bothered to hide or be polite about. She doesn’t watch her words or think that she has to recreate a cleaner, blander, less-lived self for the purpose of an interview.
Your say: What do you think of Susan Sarandon? Which of her movies is your favourite? Share your thoughts below.
Read more of this interview with Susan Sarandon in the June issue of The Weekly out now with Rebecca Gibney on the cover.
Photography by Harold David. Styling by Lizzy Shepherd
She’s had both good times and bad. Rebecca Gibney tells Bryce Corbett her six secret rules for a happy life.
In the great backstage dressing room of the Australian TV industry, there are those who affect nice, those who are nice – and then there’s Rebecca Gibney. She is so consistently lovely and so effortlessly agreeable that she ought to be irksome.
And yet we love her. We shower her with Logies, make her the most popular female personality on TV and watch her program, Packed To The Rafters, in our millions.
In pictures: Rebecca Gibney through the years
Woman’s Day: Rebecca Gibney — How I overcame my dark days
Remarkably, for someone who appears to have it all, she doesn’t inspire the slightest hint of envy. No matter how much goes right in Rebecca’s life, we can’t help but root for her. Perhaps that’s because so much has gone wrong. She’s weathered more than her fair share of hard knocks. A failed marriage, a highly publicised nervous breakdown, an alcoholic, abusive father and a brother who has undergone life-threatening brain surgery – not once, but twice.
“It wasn’t that long ago that I was in a really dark place,” she tells The Weekly. “And I still sometimes battle demons, but I’ve got the tools now.”
So how does she explain the effortlessness of that trademark Gibney smile? What are the secrets of her new-found happiness? Because, even in spite of her baggage, you only need to spend an afternoon with Rebecca Gibney to come away feeling like the world’s not such a bad place after all. She exudes an incredible positivity.
Like a kindly psychologist or a long-lost friend, Rebecca likes to give. Being a self-confessed “over-sharer”, she’s not afraid to talk.
So here are Rebecca’s Six Secrets For A Happy Life. Consider it the collective wisdom of Rebecca Gibney – the culmination of 45 years of hard-won life experience.
Kindness costs nothing
If you ever drove across Sydney Harbour Bridge and had the car in front pay your toll, chances are you were tailing Rebecca Gibney. As a strict adherent to the “random acts of kindness” school of thought, Rebecca is an inveterate payer of other people’s tolls.
“Back when they used to collect tolls by hand, I always used to pay for two or three cars behind me, because it gave me a kick,” she says. “I used to look in the rearview mirror and see the smile on their face, and I’d just think, ‘Well, maybe that’s going to make the next five minutes of their day really good’. It’s great for your soul to do that.”
Respect your elders
Later this year, the Gibney clan, in all its boisterous, karaoke-singing, room-filling glory, will travel en masse to Europe. Rebecca and her five siblings are joining their mum on a holiday to Paris, Venice and on a cruise around the Mediterranean. Ostensibly, it’s a trip to mark Shirley’s 75th birthday, but, in truth, it’s as much a gesture to thank her for the remarkable job she did in raising them.
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Embrace your past
By any measure, the road Rebecca has walked through life has not been the most straightforward. Her first marriage, to singer Jack Jones of the rock group Southern Sons, faltered after only three years. At the age of 30, just as her professional life was firing, she suffered a nervous breakdown – a result, she says now, of decades spent suppressing bad memories from her childhood. Agorophobic, depressed and too reliant on Valium, she found herself in the darkest of places.
Your say: Why do you love Rebecca? Do you watch Packed To The Rafters? What are your secrets for a happy life? Share with us below.
Read more of Rebecca’s secrets for a happy life in the story by Bryce Corbett in the June issue of The Weekly. Out now with Rebecca Gibney on the cover. Follow Bryce on Twitter @BryceCorbett
Next time you want a drink of water, don’t dismiss the good old tap.
According to new Canadian research, bottled water holds more bacteria than tap water.
The study conducted by a team of 70 scientists from the C-crest Laboratories in Montreal found that bottled water is not as pure as first thought.
“Heterotrophic bacteria counts in some of the bottles were found to be in revolting figures of 100 times more than the permitted limit,” Microbiologist Dr Sonish Azam, who worked on the study, said.
“Bottled water is not expected to be free from microorganisms but the [level] observed in this study is surprisingly very high.”
She said that there is no need to drink bottled water if good quality tap water is available.
“Unsurprisingly, the consumer assumes that since bottled water carries a price tag, it is purer and safer than most tap water,” she said.
Despite the study finding large amounts of bacteria in bottled water, Dr Azam said this bacteria was not likely to cause disease.
“But the high levels of bacteria in bottled water could pose a risk for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, infants, immunocompromised patients and the elderly,” she said.
The Dieticians Association of Australia’s Queensland spokesperson Julie Gilbert said if good quality tap water is available, it is the best option.
“If on the rare occasion tap water is unsafe, bottled water is a good alternative,” she said.
The DDA does not believe bottling water is good practice when we have a safe water supply in Australia.
“Bottled water is a healthy option when tap water is not available, convenient or safe,” she said.
“And bottled water is a better choice than other packaged drinks. When eating away from home, DAA recommends taking a reusable water bottle from home, or asking for tap water.”
You might not have a personal stylist, perfect figure or any idea what suits you, but don’t despair. All you need to know is how to make the most of what you’ve got…
It may sound extreme but, in the words of those famous style sirens, Trinny and Susannah, what you wear really can change your life.
Endless studies have shown that when we look good, we feel good, and this psychological boost can affect everything from our relationships and performance at work to whether we have a good holiday – think hiding yourself away in oversize t-shirts versus finding swimwear you feel good in. But if you’re not too clued up on what works for you, maybe you need some expert advice.
“There’s plenty of help out there,” says personal stylist Annalisa Armitage, founder of My Image Consultant (www.myimageconsultant.com.au) and president of the Association of Image Consultants International, Sydney branch. “Get online and subscribe to a few fashion blogs (Google throws up plenty of links), and visit make-up counters for professional tips. For hair, ask salons or hairstylist academies if they’re looking for models to practise on. You could even offer to be a model for an image consultant who’s looking to build up their portfolio of makeovers – but you’ll need to be willing to be photographed.”
The first step to looking good is to clear your wardrobe out. “Do it at least twice a year,” says Annalisa. “If you haven’t worn something for two seasons, it has to go.” And don’t hang on to things thinking they’ll come back in fashion. “It’s true fashions are cyclical, but they never repeat exactly. You can expect to wear high fashion for three years maximum, if you buy it when it’s coming in, not going out.”
But you don’t have to spend a fortune, says Annalisa. “If you shop carefully and buy things that go together, you should be able to make plenty of looks from two pairs of pants, two skirts, two dresses, six tops, two layering items (jackets, cardigans) and a selection of scarves, shoes and accessories. Most people have much more than this in their wardrobe, but rarely actually wear much more.”
Once you’ve had a clear-out, start to build a wardrobe around a colour that works for you. “Pick a core colour such as black, grey, brown or navy, then add to it,” says Annalisa. “Make sure every item you buy goes with what you already have. And only spend large amounts of money on classic styles that won’t date.” And remember the little things. “Good grooming costs little but can have the biggest impact on how you are perceived,” says Annalisa. “If you look shabby, others may think you are shabby in what you do, or assume you don’t think much of yourself, so why should they?”
Look after your nails, have regular haircuts and clean your shoes. Mind your health too. “Get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water. And remember that fresh air and exercise both create a look of polish no amount of make-up can reproduce,” says Annalisa. But the most important thing? “Know who you are. When you show this through your clothes you will always look and feel fabulous!”
Annalisa’s 3 Dos and Don’ts for every body…
**1. Big Bust?
**
Do…
Invest in a well-fitting bra with underwires and straps.
Go for V-necks and low, wide necklines.
Wear tops that fit just right – not too loose and not too tight.
**Don’t…
**
Wear high necklines, including halter necks and turtle necks.
Choose tops with ruffles or breast pockets.
Buy tops with horizontal stripes or rounded patterns.
**2. Small bust?
Do…
**
Choose sleeves that finish in line with your bust.
Emphasise other things like great upper arms or a nice back.
Go for halter necks, slash necks and turtle necks.
**Don’t…
**
Wear tops with defined cups you can’t fill.
Choose deep V necks or anything with a very low neckline.
Wear boob tubes or corsets.
**3. Short legs?
Do…
**
Match your shoes to your hemline to create a continuous line of colour.
Choose tops that finish at your waist.
Wear skirts – they make it impossible to tell where your legs finish and your torso begins.
**Don’t…
**
Buy 3/4 length trousers or trousers with cuffs.
Wear low-rise trousers or jeans.
Choose short tops or jackets that don’t meet your waistline.
**4. Wide hips and bum?
Do…
**
Wear capped sleeves to balance you out.
Buy bootleg trousers and jeans for the same reason.
Choose long jackets and cardigans.
**Don’t…
**
Wear trousers with pockets that gape or with small pockets on the bum.
Choose tops that finish at your widest bit, especially in a contrasting colour.
Buy white, light-coloured or high-waisted trousers.
**6. Very tall?
Do…
**
Embrace your height and realise you can wear most things.
Wear fabulous shoes as everyone will always check to see if you’re wearing heels!
Watch out for sleeve lengths – if they’re too short, always layer a longer sleeve underneath.
**Don’t…
**
Avoid high heels.
Stoop or apologise for your height.
Wear cropped trousers as they’ll just look like they’re too short for you.
**7. Very small?
Do…
**
Wear one-colour outfits to create a long line.
Create a focal point high on your body.
Choose clothes that sit close to your body – nothing too billowing.
**Don’t…
**
Wear full skirts and wide trousers unless you’re very slim and wear them with heels.
Choose items with large frills or big patterns that will overwhelm you.
Invest in high heels unless you can walk in them.
**8. Feeling overweight?
Do…
**
Remember that all dark colours are as slimming as black.
Wear bright, eye-catching jewellery close to your face.
Layer up with long vests – the strong, vertical lines are slimming.
**Don’t…
**
Wear bright colours on the bottom and dark on the top, as you’ll look unbalanced.
Wear hipsters or trousers that are too tight around the waist.
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