Given my current reading preferences, I probably wouldn't have read Adam Johnson's Pulitzer prize-winning novel, The orphan master's son, if it hadn't been for my reading group, but I'm rather glad I did. It's a confronting novel, not only because of its brutal content, but also because it is an outsider's critique. I always feel more … Continue reading Adam Johnson, The orphan master’s son (Review)
Month: May 2014
Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading Matters’ ANZLitMonth
This is the third year that expat journalist Kim has hosted an Australian Literature month on her blog Reading Matters - except that this year, for the first time, she has included New Zealand literature in her scope. As she writes in her introductory post, her aim is to celebrate and "raise awareness of the amazing range of literature … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading Matters’ ANZLitMonth
Deborah Sheldon, 300 degree days & other stories (Review)
What I found particularly interesting about Deborah Sheldon's short story collection, 300 degree days & other stories, is that the stories deal almost exclusively with a particular type of family relationship, the one to do with children, parents and, sometimes, grandparents. I'm not sure I've read a short story collection before that has been quite so tightly focused, but … Continue reading Deborah Sheldon, 300 degree days & other stories (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Regional literary festivals
With the Sydney Writers' Festival kicking off today, I thought it might be interesting to turn our thoughts briefly to the regions. We (well, Aussie readers anyhow) know the big well-established city festivals, in particular Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, but there are also many smaller festivals, some rural, some suburban. In this post I plan to … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Regional literary festivals
Mary Grant Bruce, The early tales (Review)
Around a month ago I wrote a Monday Musings post on the Juvenilia Press, and said that I would read and post on some of its publications. Well, here is the first of those posts. While I discovered the press through its Jane Austen juvenilia, the books I ordered were those for juvenilia by Australian authors. … Continue reading Mary Grant Bruce, The early tales (Review)
Mansfield Park Symposium, Jane Austen Festival Australia, 2014 (Part 2)
WORDPRESS GREMLIN: Those of you who subscribe to my blog will have received two notifications yesterday of my Part 1 post - as the result of what was rather a nightmare. I published the post. Up popped WordPress's successfully published screen as usual, and then POOF it all disappeared. It was nowhere to be seen … Continue reading Mansfield Park Symposium, Jane Austen Festival Australia, 2014 (Part 2)
Mansfield Park Symposium, Jane Austen Festival Australia, 2014 (Part 1)
The seventh annual Jane Austen Festival Australia, which was held in early April, is establishing itself as a comprehensive affair. Originally focusing primarily on Regency times and activities, it has gradually increased its literary content. This year it introduced a new feature, a half-day literary symposium dedicated to in-depth discussion of the year’s feature novel, Mansfield Park. … Continue reading Mansfield Park Symposium, Jane Austen Festival Australia, 2014 (Part 1)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Non-fiction literary awards
This will probably be my last post on specialised literary awards, but it is an important one to cover, not least because while I was away a non-fiction work, Clare Wright's The forgotten rebels of Eureka, won the Stella Prize in its second year. This is notable because while most awards seem to be specially … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Non-fiction literary awards
On the literary road, in Ontario
I'm back from my North American trip and, as you can tell, didn't find much time to post while I was there. It was a packed three and a half weeks, catching up with our daughter, sightseeing, and meeting people, many of whom I'd got to know via online reading groups. I didn't find much … Continue reading On the literary road, in Ontario
Monday musings on Australian literature: If I were going to the Sydney Writers Festival
I'm afraid I don't have a real Monday musings today. I'm in the process of packing up to leave Toronto later today, so thought I'd just share with you the program from this year's Sydney Writers Festival. Once again, I don't expect that I'll manage to attend. Its timing is always slap-bang in the middle … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: If I were going to the Sydney Writers Festival
Whispering Gums 