Lisa at ANZ LitLovers referred yesterday to ABC Radio National's The Book Show program on Patrick White's The solid mandala. This is in fact part of weeklong series they are doing on Australian classics. They have chosen an intriguing - but not unappealing - list of works to discuss: Marcus Clarke's His natural life (which … Continue reading Some Australian literary classics
Author: Whispering Gums
Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards Shortlist
And so, as reported by Perry Middlemiss on his Matilda blog, it's pretty much the usual 2009 suspects that have been shortlisted for the Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction. They are: The pages by Murray Bail (Text) Dog boy by Eva Hornung (Text) The boat by Nam Le (Penguin) The slap by Christos Tsiolkas (Allen … Continue reading Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards Shortlist
Peter Godwin, When a crocodile eats the sun
[WARNING: SOME SPOILERS] We know it happens - is happening - but it is shocking to come face to face with it, that is, with the experience of living in a situation which was once ordered and safe but which, almost overnight, becomes chaotic and downright dangerous. This is the story Peter Godwin chronicles in … Continue reading Peter Godwin, When a crocodile eats the sun
Jim Crace, Being dead
The old "so many books, so little time" mantra means that I very rarely read a book more than once (other than my Jane Austens of course), but I have read Jim Crace's Being dead twice. I love this book. I know some find the subject matter unappealing but I find it not only fascinating … Continue reading Jim Crace, Being dead
Here come some gums
Actually, the terms "gum tree" and "eucalypt" are more complex than many of us, I think, realise. The trees I have habitually called Gums or Eucalypts actually come from three genera: Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophera. I was quite shocked when I discovered a few years ago that in the 1990s there had been a reclassification … Continue reading Here come some gums
Musica Viva concert: Steven Isserlis & Dénes Várjon
I haven't written about all the Musica Viva concerts I've attended this year because I don't really have any music review skills. However, I can't resist writing a little about this one. This is the third time we've seen the cellist Steven Isserlis, each time accompanied by a different pianist, and we've never been disappointed. … Continue reading Musica Viva concert: Steven Isserlis & Dénes Várjon
Why I link to Wikipedia
Those who regularly read my blog will have noticed that I link to Wikipedia more often than to other more seemingly appropriate sources. This is not necessarily because Wikipedia is the best source to link to for the item in question but because Wikipedia: usually provides a basic intro to/definition of the topic or term … Continue reading Why I link to Wikipedia
Home thoughts from abroad
Well, it feels like it's home thoughts from abroad as we've probably spoken to more non-Australians over the last ten days than Australians. And, interestingly, the highest proportion of those are not German as it seems to have been in the last decade or so but French. We spoke in more detail to one young … Continue reading Home thoughts from abroad
Climate change, ferals and Central Australia
While we generally prefer to go it alone, we did decide a few days ago, due to access challenges, to book onto an organised tour of Palm Valley. A good tour can work well and this one turned out to be one of the good ones – decent tour guide, uncrowded tour with congenial companions, … Continue reading Climate change, ferals and Central Australia
Some thoughts from Centralia
With daughter and dog minding the fort, Mr Gums and I headed out last weekend to Central Australia where we are spending ten or so days escaping the wintry south. It is an interesting place to visit, geologically, botanically and culturally; it is where we urban Aussies come across more indigenous people than we usually … Continue reading Some thoughts from Centralia
Whispering Gums 