I am very pleased to bring you another guest post by Amanda, for a book I've not managed to read yet, much as I'd like to: Josephine Wilson's Miles Franklin Award winning novel, Extinctions. Amanda's review I loved this book. I was really sorry when it ended. It’s the kind of novel you press into … Continue reading Josephine Wilson, Extinctions (Guest post by Amanda) (#BookReview)
Author: Whispering Gums
Stella Prize 2019 Longlist
I don't do well at having read the Stella Prize longlist at the time of its announcement. In 2017 I'd read none, and last year I improved on that by having read one of the 12-strong longlist. By the end of the year, though, I had read five, which is good for me, given in … Continue reading Stella Prize 2019 Longlist
Angela Meyer, A superior spectre (#BookReview)
A superior spectre may be Angela Meyer's first novel, but her already significant writing credentials, including being the author of the short/flash style fiction collection Captives (my review), and the editor of the anthology The great unknown (my review), ensure this is a confident debut. And it needed to be, because Meyer took big risks in this … Continue reading Angela Meyer, A superior spectre (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading Victoria
The inspiration for these Monday Musings posts comes from all sorts of places, but mostly from online sources and print media. Today's, however, comes from a catch-up I had last week with my group of litblogger mentees (at which Angharad and Emma from 2017 met Amy from 2018.) It was delightful. You won't be surprised … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading Victoria
Vale Andrew McGahan (1966-2019)
My reading group was only talking about Andrew McGahan (1966-2019) this week. We knew he was terminally ill, but little did we know that his end was so near. How very sad, then, to hear today that he died just yesterday, at only 52 years of age. Now, I know that Lisa (ANZLitLovers) has written … Continue reading Vale Andrew McGahan (1966-2019)
Six degrees of separation, FROM Fight Club TO …
Kate has chosen a doozy for this month's Six Degrees of Separation meme (about which you can find more if you click on her blog name: booksaremyfavouriteandbest). Meanwhile, assuming you have done that or that you already understand the meme, I'm getting on with the show. Like last month, we are starting with a book that I … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Fight Club TO …
Trent Dalton, Boy swallows universe (#BookReview)
Two books came to mind as I was reading Trent Dalton's debut novel Boy swallows universe. One was Steve Toltz's out-there book about fathers and sons, A fraction of the whole (my review), and the other was Tim Winton's Breath (my post), which explores what it is to be a good man, but more on these … Continue reading Trent Dalton, Boy swallows universe (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian Media Hall of Fame
When I was a young twenty-something library student, I learnt a new word - serendipity. It, means, essentially, finding things by accident, and was apparently coined by Horace Walpole back in 1754. It's one of the best things about research I think - unless, of course, you are so focused you have no time for … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian Media Hall of Fame
Deborah Hopkinson, Ordinary, extraordinary Jane Austen (#BookReview)
Writing biographies for young children - like, for example, Deborah Hopkinson and Qin Leng's Ordinary, extraordinary Jane Austen - is an interesting concept. Interesting, but not new. So, when I was given this gorgeous Jane Austen one for Christmas, I decided to research the topic - and what I discovered is that the picture book biography … Continue reading Deborah Hopkinson, Ordinary, extraordinary Jane Austen (#BookReview)
Jennifer Down, Pulse points (Guest post by Amanda) (#BookReview)
Amanda is on a roll, reading several Aussie women writers, so when she offered me a review of Jennifer Down's collection of short stories, Pulse points, of course I said yes. I love her opening explanation of why she loves short stories - I couldn't have said it better myself. Amanda's review I love short … Continue reading Jennifer Down, Pulse points (Guest post by Amanda) (#BookReview)
Whispering Gums 