Time methinks for another Library of America (LOA) Story of the Week, particularly since one of their recent offerings was one of my favourite American authors, Kate Chopin. "Fedora" is the sixth story by Chopin I've discussed here, and is probably the shortest, more of a "sketch". In fact its original title was apparently "“The Falling in Love … Continue reading Kate Chopin, Fedora (Review)
Author: Whispering Gums
William Lane, The salamanders (Review)
William Lane's latest novel, The salamanders, is a book that keeps you thinking from beginning to end. As I started it, I was thinking of it as a cross between Julian Davies' Crow mellow (my review), a satirical novel about a house party for artists and their patrons, and Emily Bitto's The strays (my review) about an … Continue reading William Lane, The salamanders (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Memory of the World and Dorothea Mackellar
If you're an Australian, did you know that last week seven new entries were added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Australian Register? If not, let me start at the beginning ... with UNESCO's Memory of the World programme. Established in 1992, it's the documentary heritage equivalent of the World Heritage Site programme which protects physical sites of natural … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Memory of the World and Dorothea Mackellar
Maria Katsonis and Lee Kofman (eds), Rebellious daughters (Review)
To rebel or not to rebel, that is the question. At least, it's the question that interested memoirists Maria Katsonis and Lee Kofman who, having written their own stories about "conservative upbringings and subsequent rebellions", wanted to discover what other women could reveal about that "universal life experience", the rebellion against parents. This book, Rebellious daughters, is, obviously, … Continue reading Maria Katsonis and Lee Kofman (eds), Rebellious daughters (Review)
Stella Prize 2017 Longlist
"I feel like we're at the Oscars for nerds" tweeted Tracey Spicer, ABC Journalist, at tonight's announcement of the 2017 Stella Prize Longlist. Love it. Nerds of the world unite! When the longlist (of 12) was announced last year, I had read and reviewed only one of the books. By the end of the year, … Continue reading Stella Prize 2017 Longlist
Monday musings on Australian literature: Arnold Haskell on the Arts (2)
Back in November, I wrote a post on the Arts chapter in dance critic Arnold Haskell's book Waltzing Matilda and focused on theatre and literature. In this post, I'll look at his discussion of the press. "compares ... favourably" Haskell starts by saying that Australia's press started in a "thoroughly unprincipled and worthless manner", though he doesn't … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Arnold Haskell on the Arts (2)
Jane Fletcher Geniesse, Passionate nomad: The life of Freya Stark (Review)
My reading group came to read Jane Fletcher Geniesse's biography, Passionate nomad: The life of Freya Stark, by a somewhat circuitous route - and it started with my blog. One of our members had read my Monday Musings post on 19th century travellers, and suggested that we read a 19th century travel writer. Somehow, as … Continue reading Jane Fletcher Geniesse, Passionate nomad: The life of Freya Stark (Review)
Six degrees of separation, FROM Fates and furies TO The Buddha of suburbia
You probably all know the Six Degrees of Separation monthly "meme" by now, but here's the info for those of you who haven't caught up with it yet. It's currently hosted by Kate (booksaremyfavouriteandbest). Each month, she nominates a book, from which "players" create a chain of six more books, linking one from the other as the spirit moves. … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Fates and furies TO The Buddha of suburbia
Delicious descriptions: Freya Stark on a studied absence of curiosity
Usually I post a Delicious Description after my main post on the book in question, but I'm reversing my practice this time, for no other reason than time. I haven't quite finished my main post but am going to be out of town for a few days, so I thought I'd whet your appetite while I'm … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Freya Stark on a studied absence of curiosity
Monday musings on Australian literature: The cost of literary awards
I must get better at noting who posts links on social media that I later take up and use on my blog. Today's post was inspired by an article posted on Twitter (I think) early last December last (and I now thank whoever it was who posted it!) The article is by The Sydney Morning … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The cost of literary awards
Whispering Gums 