This week Mr Gums and I went to our second Seymour Biography Lecture, an annual lecture devoted to life-writing which was endowed by the Seymours in 2005. Our first, last year, was given by Robert Drewe who discussed memoir as a form of life-writing that is differentiated from but as valid as autobiography. It was a wonderful lecture, so … Continue reading Here I stand: David Marr’s Seymour Biography Lecture
Author: Whispering Gums
Monday musings on Australian literature: Inga Clendinnen
I cannot let this week pass without adding my voice to the tributes made by my blogger friends to anthropologist-historian Inga Clendinnen (1934-2016), who died last week at the too-young age of 82. It seemed fitting to delay my tribute for a couple of days to make her a Monday Musings topic. Clendinnen deserves no less (says she, applying … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Inga Clendinnen
John Muir, Save the redwoods (Review)
Any fool can destroy trees. They cannot defend themselves or run away. And few destroyers of trees ever plant any; nor can planting avail much toward restoring our grand aboriginal giants. It took more than three thousand years to make some of the oldest of the Sequoias, trees that are still standing in perfect strength … Continue reading John Muir, Save the redwoods (Review)
Ariella Van Luyn, Treading air (Review)
It wasn't until I reached the end of Ariella Van Luyn's debut novel, Treading air, that I discovered it was loosely based on the life of a real person. I'm glad it happened that way. I like introductions, but I always read them last because I like to come to my reading as unencumbered as possible … Continue reading Ariella Van Luyn, Treading air (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: The inaugural Australian Short Story Festival
Promotion is hotting up for the inaugural Australian Short Story Festival (ASSF) to be held in Perth this year, from October 21st to 23rd. At least, it's hotting up, if you follow them on social media, because they've been actively promoting the event on Twitter and Instagram*. ASSF Inc is a non-profit organisation, and they are aiming … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The inaugural Australian Short Story Festival
Idan Ben-Barak on writing clearly about complicated science
As I mentioned in my post on The best Australian science writing 2015, Iran Ben-Barak was a runner-up in the Bragg UNSW Press Science Writing Prize in 2015 with his article "Why aren't we dead yet?" It's an entertaining article about a complicated subject - pathogens (which are many and varied), the immune system, and how … Continue reading Idan Ben-Barak on writing clearly about complicated science
Bianca Nogrady (ed), The best Australian science writing 2015
It was one of the more science-minded members of my reading group who tentatively suggested we add The best Australian science writing 2015 anthology to this year's schedule. I'm not sure why she was uncertain because we've shown ourselves to be pretty open readers. Our main question when someone suggests a book is "Will there be … Continue reading Bianca Nogrady (ed), The best Australian science writing 2015
Canberra Writers Festival 2016: Recap
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
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
Whispering Gums 