And suddenly it's the end of the year again, meaning time for the annual highlights posts. For me, this means posting my reading highlights on December 31, and blogging highlights on January 1. I do my Reading Highlights on the last day of the year, so I will have read (even if not reviewed) all … Continue reading Reading highlights for 2024
Month: December 2024
Monday musings on Australian literature: Some little recaps (2)
Last year, my last Monday Musings of the year fell on Christmas Day, so I did what I called a little recap post. This year, my last Monday Musings occurs the day before my big two end-of-year posts - Reading Highlights and Blogging Highlights - so I've decided to do another little undemanding Recap Post. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some little recaps (2)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 9, Dulcie Deamer
Dulcie Deamer, like my most recent Forgotten Writer, Jessie Urquhart, has retained some level of recognition - or, at least notability, with there being articles for her not only in Wikipedia and the AustLit database, but also in the Australian dictionary of biography (ADB). I have briefly mentioned her in my blog before, in Monday … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 9, Dulcie Deamer
Sherman Alexie, War dances (#Review)
Sherman Alexie's "War dances" is the fourteenth and last story in the anthology, Great short stories by contemporary Native American writers. It is also the longest story in the book, and the most intriguing in form. Sherman Alexie Anthology editor Bob Blaisdell introduces Alexie as "born in 1966, of Coeur d'Alene and Spokane heritage", meaning … Continue reading Sherman Alexie, War dances (#Review)
Sonya Voumard, Tremor (#BookReview)
As I've previously reported, Sonya Voumard's short memoir, Tremor, is one of the two winners of this year's Finlay Lloyd 20/40 Publishing Prize. Earlier this month, I reviewed the fiction winner, P.S. Cottier and N.G. Hartland's novella The thirty-one legs of Vladimir Putin. Now it's Voumard's turn, with her book on living with a neurological … Continue reading Sonya Voumard, Tremor (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite fiction 2024
Around this time of December, I have, for a few years now, shared favourite Aussie reads of the year from various sources. The specific sources have varied a little from time to time. Last year, a significant source - The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age - became unavailable to me as it is now paywalled, and … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite fiction 2024
Shirley Hazzard, The bay of noon (#BookReview)
Shirley Hazzard's novella, The bay of noon, has been in my sights for a long time, but finally, this Novellas-in-November year, I managed to get it out of my sights and into my hands. It's the first of two novellas I read for the month, but the second to review. Such was my November (and … Continue reading Shirley Hazzard, The bay of noon (#BookReview)
My reading group’s favourites for 2024
Once again, I am sharing my reading group's top picks for the year, because I know I'm not the only one who enjoys hearing about other reading groups. I'll start by sharing what we read in the order we read them (with links on titles to my reviews): Barbara Kingsolver, Demon copperhead: novel, American author Richard … Continue reading My reading group’s favourites for 2024
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australia’s bestsellers, Black Friday week 2024
With thanks to Colin Steele - Canberra’s wonderful Meet The Author convenor, who is also one of my major sources of literary news - I have another list for you, this one of the top selling books in this year's Black Friday sales. Black Friday is a post-Thanksgiving Day sales event with a long and complicated … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australia’s bestsellers, Black Friday week 2024
Six degrees of separation, FROM Sandwich TO …
And here we are again at the last Six Degrees of the year. I'm not going to say the obvious about time, as you are all thinking it anyhow, I'm sure. Instead, I will just wish you the best of the season. I hope it's a contented and peaceful one for you all. Now, on … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Sandwich TO …
Whispering Gums 