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
Author: Whispering Gums
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)
Barbara Baynton, A dreamer (Review)
Finally, having reviewed three stories in Barbara Baynton's collection Bush studies, I start at the beginning with the story "A dreamer". This story is a little different to the three* I've reviewed to date, primarily because men do not play a significant role in the action or denouement of the plot. The plot is a … Continue reading Barbara Baynton, A dreamer (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Patrick White and those Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock
A change of pace for this week's Monday Musings to give you a bit of a rest after my few rather lengthy posts of late. Enjoy! I have already mentioned Patrick White a few times this month. One was my reference to his calling himself a "painter manque" in my review of his debut novel, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Patrick White and those Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock
Rod Howard, A forger’s tale: The extraordinary story of Henry Savery, Australia’s first novelist (Review)
"Name Australia's first published novelist" is, I think, a question that would trick most Australians at a trivia night. Rod Howard, who wrote the biography, A forger's tale, about this writer would agree, as would the writer in the West Australian in 1950 to whom I referred a couple of months ago. Henry Savery, in … Continue reading Rod Howard, A forger’s tale: The extraordinary story of Henry Savery, Australia’s first novelist (Review)
Meanjin’s Tournament of Books 2012 (2013), Round 2
Methinks our Meanjin Tournament of Books judges partied a little too much over the silly season because it has taken a few weeks for the second round to be judged. However, the judging has now concluded and the eight stories have been reduced to four, as follows: Round 2 Match 1: Thea Astley's 'Hunting the … Continue reading Meanjin’s Tournament of Books 2012 (2013), Round 2
Monday musings on Australian literature: Capital women poets
Since Australia's capital, Canberra, is celebrating its centenary in 2013, it seems timely to devote a few Monday Musings posts - scattered throughout the year - to its literature. Comparatively speaking, Canberra is a small city, but it is rich in poets, past and present, female and male, so I've decided to make my first topic … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Capital women poets
