There's always something going on here in the nation's capital, besides politics that is and despite the belief in some circles that it is a soulless place! In fact, it's so busy here - so packed full of things to do - that my reading has been pretty slow of late. However, I have been … Continue reading My literary week (8), a cultural life
Author: Whispering Gums
Rebekah Clarkson, Barking dogs (#BookReview)
The best way to describe Rebekah Clarkson's debut book, Barking dogs, is that it's a portrait of a community undergoing social change. This community is Mount Barker on the outskirts of Adelaide. Once a farming community, it is now, says Wikipedia, "one of the fastest growing areas in the state", the province of developers, the aspirational … Continue reading Rebekah Clarkson, Barking dogs (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: ACT Writers Centre
Do you have a writers centre in your neck of the woods? We do in Australia, but I've barely written about them before. They generally provide support and/or training for writers, via online and face-to-face mechanisms, some free-of-charge but most fee-paying, and tend to be membership organisations. Over coming months, I'll share what's happening in … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: ACT Writers Centre
Linda Neil, All is given (#BookReview)
Linda Neil's second book, All is given, is subtitled "a memoir in songs". I wondered if this meant her memoir would be structured around specific songs - but that's probably way too prosaic an idea. Certainly, it's not what I got! I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that I didn't know of Linda Neil, who is … Continue reading Linda Neil, All is given (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading the reader (Survey)
Late last month, the Australia Council of the Arts released the results of a survey they conducted with Macquarie University. It is, the introduction to their final summary says, "the third stage of a major study of Australia’s changing book industry, by the Australian Research Council and Macquarie University." The project, according to the Macquarie University website … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading the reader (Survey)
Six degrees of separation, FROM Shopgirl TO The natural order of things
Here we are again at the first Saturday of the month - and you know what that means don't you! Yep, the Six Degrees of Separation meme. As most of you know, it's currently hosted by Kate (booksaremyfavouriteandbest). This means she has the power - though she will take requests - to nominate the book from which we create a chain of … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Shopgirl TO The natural order of things
Ian McEwan, Nutshell (#bookreview)
Like Carmel Bird's Family skeleton, which I reviewed recently, Ian McEwan's Nutshell has a narrator who won't appeal to those who don't like devices like skeletons in cupboards or babies in wombs. However, repeating what I said in my review of Bird's book, it all depends on the writer's skill, and McEwan, like Bird, is … Continue reading Ian McEwan, Nutshell (#bookreview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Books in The Australian Women’s Weekly, 1930s-1950s
This will be a short post, tonight, mainly because I couldn't find, in the time I had available, enough information for my original idea - which was to discuss The Australian Women's Weekly's support for Australian writers. This was inspired by my coming across, during last week's research into Currawong Publishing Company, an article about … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Books in The Australian Women’s Weekly, 1930s-1950s
Jill Roe, Our fathers cleared the bush (#bookreview)
As that old pop song goes, what kind of fool am I? I went, you see, to Macquarie University, which I chose for its then modern approach to tertiary education. It was great, but somehow, I didn't end up in tutorials taught by Thea Astley, nor did I study Australian history in which Jill Roe was one of … Continue reading Jill Roe, Our fathers cleared the bush (#bookreview)
Telling Indigenous Australian stories
This weekend is particularly significant for indigenous Australians. No, let me rephrase that: it's significant for all Australians because what happens to indigenous Australians marks who we are as a nation. And, right now, who we are is not wonderful. Anniversaries galore If you're Australian, you'll know what I'm talking about, but for everyone else, the … Continue reading Telling Indigenous Australian stories
Whispering Gums 