Today's post is inspired by an article, "Fly away Peter: When Australian literature goes to the opera", published in May this year in The Conversation. Written by Michael Halliwell, Associate Professor of Vocal Studies and Opera at the University of Sydney, it was inspired by the production of an opera based on David Malouf's wonderful novel, Fly away Peter. Now, as some … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian novels adapted for opera
Author: Whispering Gums
Tony Birch and Ellen van Neerven in Review of Australian Fiction 10 (4)
I have been wanting to write about the oddly titled Review of Australian Fiction for some time. I say oddly titled because, contrary to what it might sound like, this does not contain reviews but short fiction. Established in 2012, it is published, electronically (or digitally), every two weeks. Each issue contains two stories by Australian authors: one by an established … Continue reading Tony Birch and Ellen van Neerven in Review of Australian Fiction 10 (4)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literary autobiographies
I've written Monday Musings on autobiographies and memoirs by indigenous Australians, and I've reviewed biographies of Australian writers, like Mary Durack and Madeleine St John. However, I haven't written about what we might call literary autobiographies, that is, autobiographies by authors. So, today's the day. I have read several literary autobiographies, but few since I started blogging. Being a … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literary autobiographies
Alice Robinson, Anchor point (Review)
I love it when the book I'm reading picks up ideas explored in my previous book. Alice Robinson's debut novel Anchor point is, in reality, far removed from Mark Henshaw's The snow kimono (my review), but the first line of Henshaw's book - "There are times in your life when something happens after which you are … Continue reading Alice Robinson, Anchor point (Review)
Mark Henshaw, The snow kimono (Review)
I wasn't far into Mark Henshaw's The snow kimono before I started to sense some similarities to Kazuo Ishiguro. I was consequently tickled when, about halfway through, up popped a secondary character named Mr Ishiguro. Coincidental? I can't help thinking it's not - but I haven't investigated whether Henshaw has said anything about this. I'm not at all suggesting, … Continue reading Mark Henshaw, The snow kimono (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Science-based non-fiction
National Science Week, which inspired last week's post, finished yesterday, but I decided to extend it a day by writing a post on Australian non-fiction on science subjects. I'll focus of course on works created for general readers, not academic works. Unlike last week's list, I haven't read all the books I list here. Given the … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Science-based non-fiction
Sherwood Anderson, Adventure (Review)
As some of you will know, I started discussing books online in January 1997 when I joined a listserv-based international reading group. I was active in that group until around the time I started blogging, when I found I could no longer keep up with all my on-line presences. In the period that my involvement … Continue reading Sherwood Anderson, Adventure (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Novels about scientists
It's National Science Week (15-23 August) here down under and, while science is not my area of expertise, my mind is always opened by the breadth of events and discussions that take place. I don't, I admit, get to many events, but I do enjoy the increased focus on science on my favourite radio station, ABC Radio National. For … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Novels about scientists
Wendy Scarfe, Hunger town (Review)
A little over halfway through Wendy Scarfe's novel, Hunger town, one character says to another that "kindness needs to be a political way of life". It sounds a little naive I suppose, but in recent months the idea of kindness, in the political as much as the personal arena, has been playing on my mind. … Continue reading Wendy Scarfe, Hunger town (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Ernestine Hill
Regular readers of my musings will know by now that I sometimes use this spot to explore and share things that I don't know much about. This post is one such. It was inspired by an article I read a year ago in Inside Story, Swinburne University of Technology's online journal about current affairs and culture. The … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Ernestine Hill
Whispering Gums 