| Bibliofemme Reviews |
30 Days in Sydney by Peter Carey
(Published by Bloomsbury)
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30 Days in Sydney is a rich and vibrant account of Peter Carey’s visit to Sydney after living in New York for ten years. Carey’s experiences and knowledge of the local landscape are powerful and interesting. There’s also a sense of heightened emotion and a touch of nostalgia, giving it rawness and a personal edge, almost like a diary.
From the moment he arrives in Sydney we are given a stunning visual of what Carey refers to as the “mouth of Sydney”, huge sandstone cliffs. “These bright yellow cliffs show the city’s DNA – that is a sandstone city.” His journey, which takes us from Woolloomooloo to the Northern Beaches, up to the Blue Mountains and back into the heart of the city and is delivered to us via the four elements – Earth, Air, Fire and Water.
Carey’s love of Sydney and his ability to seek out interesting characters and old buddies gives the book an almost tangible edge. He’s a skilled observer and a keen historian with an eye for beauty. 30 Days in Sydney is a great story and a sensory experience. I could smell the salty air at Bondi, feel the Southerly at Pittwater, and the furnace on the Blue Mountains. 
Score: 4 out of 5
