How many Halls of Fame are there specifically for writers? I'm not sure I've come across many, but last year I became aware of the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards Hall of Fame when Tim Winton was inducted into it. The hall of fame is hosted on the State Library of Western Australia website. I'm … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards Hall of Fame
Author: Whispering Gums
David Foster Wallace, Twenty-four word notes (Review)
David Foster Wallace got me in with the first few words of his essay "Twenty-four word notes". They are: Utilize A noxious puff word. Oh yes! "Utilise" (as we down under spell it) is one of my pet peeves. Why use "utilise" when "use" is a perfectly good word? I regularly mutter. Wallace is a … Continue reading David Foster Wallace, Twenty-four word notes (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Capital male poets
Today's Monday Musings is the second in a series of posts I plan to write this year about Canberra writers to commemorate our centenary. The first post covered Canberra's women poets. Like that post, all the poets mentioned below appear in The invisible thread, Canberra's centenary anthology that I've mentioned before. AD Hope (1907-2000) The … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Capital male poets
Valeria Luiselli, Faces in the crowd (Review)
Mexican writer Valeria Luiselli's Faces in the crowd was, as regular readers here might remember, one of my two Bah Humbook virtual gifts from Stu of Winston's Dad. I ordered it on Christmas Day for my Kindle - after all, it was a Christmas present - and have now read it. Wow, what a read, … Continue reading Valeria Luiselli, Faces in the crowd (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Indigenous Australian literacy
I feel a little uncomfortable being a white person writing on indigenous issues. It's difficult in situations of such immense power imbalance as currently exists between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians not to come across as patronising or a self-congratulatory do-gooder. However, I'm also aware that consciousness needs to be raised and good programs promoted, so … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Indigenous Australian literacy
Meanjin’s Tournament of Books 2012 (2013), Semi-finals
And so Meanjin's Tournament of Books rolls on - during a hot Australian summer that has been characterised by terrible fires and floods. "I love a sunburnt country" but this is ridiculous. Anyhow, the tournament's semi-finals have been played and the best short stories (sorta) have won. Here they are: Semi-final 1: Thea Astley's 'Hunting … Continue reading Meanjin’s Tournament of Books 2012 (2013), Semi-finals
David Foster Wallace, Federer as religious experience (Review)
David Foster Wallace's essay "Federer as religious experience" is several years old now. I did plan to read it a couple of years ago when I first came across it but, somehow, I didn't. However, this week, Lisa at ANZLitLovers reviewed a David Foster Wallace essay collection which includes this essay*. She decided not to … Continue reading David Foster Wallace, Federer as religious experience (Review)
Frank Moorhouse, Cold light (Review)
As I reached around the two-thirds point in Frank Moorhouse's Cold light, the third tome in his Edith trilogy, I wanted to cry out "Enough already"! It's not that I wasn't enjoying (most of) it, and it's not that it's a bad book, but it does go on - and on. It's a book, I … Continue reading Frank Moorhouse, Cold light (Review)
Happy 200th birthday to Pride and prejudice
It is a truth ... no, I can't go there but, just in case you haven't caught up with the news, I'm here to tell you that today, January 28, is the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's most popular novel, Pride and prejudice. And so I've decided to give Monday Musings a break this week … Continue reading Happy 200th birthday to Pride and prejudice
Suzanne Edgar, The love procession (Review)
Amongst the madness of last year's silly season was a little oasis, namely the launch of local poet Suzanne Edgar's latest collection, The love procession. It was an oasis not only because the launch was for a book of poetry, but also because it took place in the peace of a garden. Poetry and gardens … Continue reading Suzanne Edgar, The love procession (Review)
Whispering Gums 