Comments for Whispering Gums

Comment on Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 shortlist by whisperinggums

whisperinggums — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:54:35 +0000

Some will be I think … If they’re not let me know … Particularly if there’s one you really want to read!

Comment on Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 shortlist by workingwords100

workingwords100 — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:58:27 +0000

I will start with the adult fiction. I need to check whether they are available on this side of the world or in Book Depository!

Comment on Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 shortlist by whisperinggums

whisperinggums — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:03:10 +0000

Good question Ian. This award is probably still not as well known as the longer standing ones like the Miles Franklin, the Age Book of the Year, etc. Several awards here – such as The Age, the NSW Premiers, the Queensland Literary Awards (but not the Miles Franklin) – contain multiple categories. The Fiction winner usually gets the most publicity, with the articles/press releases saying, after announcing the fiction winner, “other winners are ….”!

The sex lives of Australians is a rather “fetching” title isn’t it?

I’ve gone to, and reported on, the awards panel – held the day the awards are announced – for the last 2-3 years. I hope they hold it again this year because I’ll do my darnedest to attend.

Comment on Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 shortlist by ian darling

ian darling — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:24:23 +0000

These awards are interesting in that they cover such a wide variety of books – I wonder if that dilutes the publicity the winners get? Lots of names that are unfamiliar to me but will read your blog to find out more. Some intriguing titles – The Australian Moment I guess is now and some bizarre ones, of course The Sex Lives Of Australians! The biography of Gough Whitlam might be interesting if it is well done.

Comment on What is literary fiction? A personal manifesto! by whisperinggums

whisperinggums — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:50:50 +0000

Ah Ian, thanks for reminding me of Gissing. That was a wonderful book …. But I think you’re right. For all the fears about the death of the novel, the end of reading over the years, literature is thriving I agree …

Comment on What is literary fiction? A personal manifesto! by ian darling

ian darling — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:13:55 +0000

Stefanie’s blog has featured Gissing’s 1891 New Grub Street recently and so many of the concerns about the future of literary fiction were just as evident then. Gissing seems to imply that the novel will be story driven pap for the vast majority of readers with serious work marginal to the culture. In the 125 years or so since New Grub Street it seems fair to say that the form has done better than that – fiction of all sorts has thrived and, I hope, will continue to.

Comment on Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 shortlist by whisperinggums

whisperinggums — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:03:25 +0000

I remember that joy Isabel …. End of study and I can read what I want to read! Where will you start?!

Comment on Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 shortlist by Isabel

Isabel — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:13:04 +0000

I don’t know any of them :{ I will be finishing my last requirement for my degree next week, so I can start looking for some of the fictional works.

Comment on What is literary fiction? A personal manifesto! by whisperinggums

whisperinggums — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:49:35 +0000

Welcome Ian and thanks for adding to the conversation. I remember that fuss about “readability”. I think there was a similar fuss back in 1987 when Penelope Lively won. The point should be whether the book is effective — does it move, inspire, excite. It shouldn’t matter whether it is easy or challenging to read.

Comment on What is literary fiction? A personal manifesto! by ian darling

ian darling — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:36:19 +0000

There is a part of me that would always prefer a “good bad” book to a so-so literary novel but a sort of inverted snobbery is pretty silly. There was a big fuss in UK a couple of years back where the Booker prize panel clearly went for a list that put the emphasis on “readability” as being their priority which seemed to defeat the object of what the prize was supposed to be about.