It's a funny thing about writers festivals: there's nothing really new to be said about reading and writing - surely we've said it all - and yet everything seems to feel new! Why is that? I guess it's the stimulating environment that festivals create (the repartee that occurs between participants) and that there are always different ways of saying … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2016: Recap
Month: August 2016
Monday musings on Australian literature: Text Classics publishes its 100th title
Back in 2012, I reported on Text Publishing's new initiative to publish Australian classics, with new introductions, and market them at a very affordable $12.95. I was thrilled and hoped the venture would take off. Well, it did, and now four years later they have published the 100th title in the series. What a wonderful … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Text Classics publishes its 100th title
Canberra Writers Festival, Day 3: Three conversations and a disappointing miss
Oh no! Because, as I explained in my first post, I booked late, I missed some events that I would love to have attended, but I was thrilled that one of my "musts" was still available, Charlotte Wood (author of The natural way of things). However, I woke up in the morning, looked at the Festival … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival, Day 3: Three conversations and a disappointing miss
Canberra Writers Festival, Day 2: A morning tea, a launch and some conversations
Let's get the guilt admission over first. I ditched the session I'd paid for this afternoon to attend three free events. I reckon I got my money's worth. I did this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I didn't realise that the afternoon event - on adapting a book (Rosalie Hamm's The dressmaker) to film - occupied the whole … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival, Day 2: A morning tea, a launch and some conversations
Canberra Writers Festival, Day 1: Two book launches
Well folks, finally we have another writers festival here in Canberra. From 1983 to 2001, we had something called the Word Festival (though its name varied a little over the time). Since then, to the best of my knowledge, we've only had the one-off Canberra Readers' Festival (on which I posted) in 2012, so it … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival, Day 1: Two book launches
Delicious descriptions: Robyn Cadwallader’s voices
In my recent review of Robyn Cadwallader's The anchoress, I included very few quotes or excerpts to show her writing. Somehow my post ended up in other directions. But, she had some wonderful ways of describing the world she created, and I'd like to share one aspect to demonstrate this. Locked away in her cell, … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Robyn Cadwallader’s voices
Monday musings on Australian literature: Arnold Haskell’s Australia
Who is Arnold Haskell you are probably asking, if you are anything like me. The answer will probably surprise you: he was a British dance critic, who wrote many books on ballet, and was, in fact, involved in the development of the Royal Ballet School. But, he also visited Australia a couple of times, first in 1936, as … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Arnold Haskell’s Australia
Robyn Cadwallader, The anchoress (Review)
Let me start by saying that I'm not a big reader of historical fiction, and particularly not of non-Australian historical fiction, so to read a novel set in mediaeval times is quite a departure for me. However, I did want to read Robyn Cadwallader's The anchoress for a number of reasons. Not only is Cadwallader an … Continue reading Robyn Cadwallader, The anchoress (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Science writing
If you've read my last post on the Griffyn Ensemble, you'll know it is National Science Week here in Australia (13-21 August). Last year I wrote two Monday Musings for the week, one on novels featuring scientists, and the other on non-fiction science books. This year I thought I would write a little about science … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Science writing
The Griffyns do it!
By "do it" I mean, yes, "it", that is "sex", but I don't mean they literally did it. They can be cheeky at times, but not that cheeky. No, the sex we're talking about here is strictly reptilian. Let me explain ... The Griffyn Ensemble's second concert for 2016 was designed to align with National Science Week … Continue reading The Griffyns do it!
Whispering Gums 