Poking Seaweed with a Stick and Running Away from the Smell

by Alison Whitelock

Alison Whitelock dreamed of shooting her father with a sawn-off shotgun. Her brother planned to use the longest knife in the cutlery drawer, and her mother tried to poison him with out-of-date tranquillisers. This wee book is a bittersweet account of growing up in Scotland in the strange and brutal kingdom we call home. But Poking Seaweed with a Stick is anything but a tale of childhood suffering; it is an enchanted Scottish tale that will have you smiling through your tears and laughing till you cry.

Genres: Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

They say those born overseas will always ache for the sky under which they were born. Ali Whitelock’s particular bit of sky hovers above Scotland and spends most of its time obscured by clouds almost permanently pregnant with rain, hail, occasionally snow. Her first book, Poking Seaweed with a Stick and Running Away from the Smell, was published to critical acclaim in Australia and the UK. A few years later, after an abrupt life lesson, she stumbled upon Mary Oliver’s Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? and took the decision to give up her spectacularly boring day job in order to write full-time. is her first poetry collection. Her poems have appeared in newspapers, magazines and journals in Australia, the UK and the USA, which Ali very much enjoys telling anyone who’ll listen. She currently lives in Sydney.

Reviews

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fuck, this book was like a punch in the gut that you have to laugh at. In a good way. Incredible.

How someone can write about such tragedy and still make you laugh about it? To have you laugh one moment, gasp the next, feel sad in another, then back to laughter. Such good writing.

The resilience of Ali, her mum and all those around them, despite growing up with such an awful father… it’s incredible. Highly recommend this book.

[Davina Dowdle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a surprisingly enjoyable read! Maybe it was the politically incorrect Scottish humour, which reminded me so much of our Australian banter, or the way Whitelock spoke about her dysfunctional childhood without the drudgery of self pity, or perhaps it was just that I needed to read something lighter and less 'meaty' than the other books on my night stand. I don't know, but I found this to be a quirky and hilarious book that proves it's possible to rise above the pain of having less than perfect parents. Loved it.

[Gisela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an enjoyable read. Very clever use of voice and repetition. I wish more memoirs and autobiographies wore their stories and character this lightly while hinting at depths that the author is not yet willing to investigate...

I unreservedly recommend it: a delightfully funny, heart-warming, poignant and totally engaging memoir.

If you loved the classic "My Family and other Animals", you'll love this one too. I can't wait for Alison Whitelock's next book!

[Gwen Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful memoir, even though many of the stories are about painful events. All told in a unique voice with clever use of repetition without being annoying. A strong use of humour carries the emotional load. There were a couple of stories I would have liked to know the outcome - perhaps these will be revisited in a sequel. Passed it on to my husband and he read it within a couple of days, and I overheard him talking to others about it. That's big praise indeed!

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. I read it while on a trip to Scotland with my family. My sister found it in a book shop and we read it together. We were laughing out loud at most of her stories. It is a very funny, sweet and clever look at a young woman's childhood in Scotland.

[Susan Wood · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am sure that this book was cathartic for Alison to write. She had a difficult childhood but has found her feet through her writing.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book. I thoroughly enjoyed every page. I really hope to read more.