He leaps through centuries, tears apart myths, and reassembles them in his own way. These words that are said of one of the characters in Arnold Zable's Sea of many returns could just as easily be said of Zable himself - not only of this book, but of his earlier ones such as Cafe Sheherazade. Zable … Continue reading Arnold Zable, Sea of many returns
Author: Whispering Gums
Jessica Anderson, The commandant
When I first read about Sydney University Press's Australian Classics Library, the book I really wanted to read was The commandant by Jessica Anderson. It's her only historical novel, but its subject matter doesn't stray much from what she told Jennifer Ellison in an interview many years ago, "I was very much, and always have been, preoccupied with people who … Continue reading Jessica Anderson, The commandant
Markus Zusak, The book thief
In one moment, there was great kindness and great cruelty, and I saw it as the perfect story of our humans are. (Zusak on the Random House website) Zusak could hardly have chosen, for The book thief, a better setting to explore the best and worst of humanity than Germany during the Holocaust. The book … Continue reading Markus Zusak, The book thief
The magnificent River Red Gums
River Red Gums, or Eucalyptus Camaldulensis, are among our most ubiquitous of gum trees, but that doesn't mean they're a boring tree. As their name implies they grow along watercourses - including ones that are very very dry such as those you find in Central Australia. They are also a significant part of what makes … Continue reading The magnificent River Red Gums
The boys are back
I would like to say that the real star of Scott Hicks' latest movie, The Boys are Back, is the Fleurieu Peninsula because it is absolutely stunning. The rolling hills, the waving golden grasses, the glimpses of blue sea, not to mention wonderful stands of gums are enough to entertain even if the rest of … Continue reading The boys are back
Were you an Argonaut?
Before the sun and the night and the blue sea, I vow to stand faithfully by all that is brave and beautiful; to seek adventure, and having discovered aught of wonder, or delight; of merriment or loveliness, to share it freely with my comrades, the Band of Happy Rowers. (from The ABC Weekly, 28 Dec … Continue reading Were you an Argonaut?
On the literary road, in Gippsland
The Gippsland area of Victoria is a particularly rich one in terms of Australia's literary history. It is also an area I've never visited before and so this week we decided to return home from Melbourne via the less common path, that is via Gippsland. Unfortunately our trip through the region was a quick one, … Continue reading On the literary road, in Gippsland
On the literary road
Back in the mid 1990s I bought The Oxford literary guide to Australia. Having not looked at it for a few years, I decided to take it on our current little road trip. Two days ago, for example, we drove through Gundagai and Tarcutta, both of which appear in the guide. Gundagai, NSW Most Australians … Continue reading On the literary road
Jennifer Forest, Jane Austen’s sewing box
...and so the current Jane Austen juggernaut rolls on. The latest that has come to my attention is Canberra writer Jennifer Forest's book Jane Austen's sewing box. Must admit that I was a little sceptical when I first heard of it, but I saw it, bought it, and was pretty impressed. It's a nicely produced book … Continue reading Jennifer Forest, Jane Austen’s sewing box
Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, 2009
Nam Le's The boat has won the fiction category in the Prime Minister's Literary Awards. Much deserved too I say! Interestingly, the non-fiction prize was shared by two books: Evelyn Juers' House of exile, and Marilyn Lake and Henry Reynolds' Drawing the global colour line. Lisa, at ANZLitLovers, recently wrote about Juers' book - you can … Continue reading Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, 2009
Whispering Gums 