Putting aside the complex environmental questions surrounding AI and its data centres for the moment, I want to talk about using AI. I know it’s easy to naysay new technologies. I’ve been guilty of it myself, such as when smartphones first appeared on the scene. And, based on last night's experience, I could say I … Continue reading Eve Langley, AI and me
Becky Manawatu, Auē (#BookReview)
2019 First ed. Becky Manawatu's debut novel Auē won two Ockham New Zealand Book Awards and Best Crime Novel at the Ngaio Marsh Awards. She is of Māori and Pākehā* background, as are Keri Hulme and Alan Duff with whose novels, The bone people and Once were warriors, Auē has been compared. These books address the intergenerational … Continue reading Becky Manawatu, Auē (#BookReview)
Shaun Micallef in conversation with Adam Shirley
We got to this week's Meet the Author evening early, and found the author, Shaun Micallef, signing books, so I bought a copy and got in line. When it came to my turn, I told him that only he could get me to read a book about vampires, to which he answered, teasingly but also … Continue reading Shaun Micallef in conversation with Adam Shirley
Monday musings on Australian literature: Graphic nonfiction
Last Monday I wrote my Monday Musings post on graphic novels, in which I defined the term and noted that it was sometimes applied so widely as to include graphic nonfiction. I understand this from a practical point of view. After all, in public libraries and bookshops the goal is to organise books in such … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Graphic nonfiction
George Kemp, Soft serve (#BookReview)
George Kemp's debut novel, Soft serve, explores big themes in a quiet, compassionate little package. Coming-of-age is tough enough, but when young people are confronted with the devastating loss of one of their own, it becomes an almost insurmountable challenge. Put this terrible grief against a backdrop of climate-change-fuelled bushfire and you might expect something … Continue reading George Kemp, Soft serve (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Supporting genres, 10: Graphic novels
Back in 2020 I commenced a "supporting genres" Monday Musings subseries, although some of the posts have been more form- than genre-based. Today's is one of those, and has been inspired, as many of you will have guessed, by a graphic novel winning this year's Stella Prize. And, as most of you will also know, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Supporting genres, 10: Graphic novels
Geraldine Brooks, Memorial days (#BookReview)
Grief memoirs are a problematic lot. Some of us love them, some of us hate them, while others, including me, sit somewhere in the middle. The most recent I've read, Marion Halligan's Words for Lucy (my review) and Gideon Haigh's My brother Jaz (my review) were moving, intelligent books that added something to my understanding. … Continue reading Geraldine Brooks, Memorial days (#BookReview)
Stella Prize 2026 Winner announced
The event opened with a Welcome to Country given by Aunty Kathryn Fisher, a First Nations elder from Magandjin (Meanjin). She was born and grew up on Cherbourg Aboriginal Reserve, and is linked to the Turrbal People through kinship ties. She talked about our shared histories and, interestingly, quoted Albert Einstein's statement that "The world … Continue reading Stella Prize 2026 Winner announced
Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (17), Women readers (1)
(Courtesy OCAL, via clker.com) Another post in my Monday Musings subseries called Trove Treasures, in which I share stories or comments, serious or funny, that I come across during my Trove travels. Today's story popped up as I was looking for articles on women readers in general, and I couldn't resist sharing it as a … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (17), Women readers (1)
Maxine Beneba Clarke, Beautiful changelings (#BookReview)
Maxine Beneba Clarke's latest book, Beautiful changelings, is the first poetry collection scheduled by my reading group in our 38 years, and it went very well. I should clarify, lest you think we are poetry-avoiders, that we have read some verse novels and we've had a couple of poetry evenings where we've shared favourite poems, … Continue reading Maxine Beneba Clarke, Beautiful changelings (#BookReview)
Whispering Gums 