If you have read Carmel Bird, and particularly if you have read her bibliomemoir Telltale (my review), you will know that she has a whimsical turn of mind. You will also know that she can turn her hand to most forms of writing, including children's picture books. Her latest outing, Arabella, proves the point. Arabella … Continue reading Carmel Bird and Jace Rogers, Arabella (#BookReview)
Author: Whispering Gums
Monday musings on Australian literature: Blak and Bright, 2024
Eight years ago, I wrote a post about a new festival called Blak and Bright, which was described at the time as "the debut event of the Victorian Indigenous Literary Festival". I am thrilled to find that eight years later, this festival is still going strong. So often festivals, and literary initiatives in general, appear … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Blak and Bright, 2024
Karen Viggers, Sidelines (#BookReview)
I don't usually start a book review by relating its content to my own experience, but local author Karen Viggers' latest novel Sidelines invites exactly this. Sidelines is about children's sport and what happens when the competitiveness gets out of hand. It was largely inspired by Viggers' own experience as the mother of sporty children, … Continue reading Karen Viggers, Sidelines (#BookReview)
Stella Prize 2024 Longlist announced
As has happened in the past, this week's Monday Musings has been gazumped by the announcement this evening of the Stella Prize longlist. I attended the online streamed announcement from the Adelaide Festival Writers Week As I say every year, I don't do well at having read the Stella Prize longlist at the time of … Continue reading Stella Prize 2024 Longlist announced
Richard Flanagan, Question 7 (#BookReview)
Question 7 is the fifth book by Richard Flanagan that my reading group has done, making him our most read author. That surprised me a little, but he has produced an impressive body of work that is hard to ignore - and, clearly, we haven't. We always start our meetings with sharing our first impressions. … Continue reading Richard Flanagan, Question 7 (#BookReview)
Six degrees of separation, FROM Tom Lake TO …
Last #SixDegrees I was in the land of the Wurundjeri Wandoon people of the Greater Kulin Nation, that is in my part of Melbourne, but this month, I'm home in Ngunnawal/Ngambri country. Where will I be next month? Time will tell - and do you care? So let's get to the meme. If you don't … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Tom Lake TO …
Monday musings on Australian literature: Stella Book of the Month
Most readers here know the origins of the the Stella Prize. I have written about it many times before, but it was in my post on the inaugural longlist in 2013 that I described its origins and goals in a little detail. I wrote then that: The award was created by a group of 11 … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Stella Book of the Month
Karen Viggers in conversation with Alex Sloan
When Colin Steele emailed out the schedule, to date, for this year's Meet the Author series, I immediately marked in my calendar those events I could attend. There weren't many, as life is busy with yoga, tai chi, reading group and concert subscriptions, but the first I could attend was local author Karen Viggers (who … Continue reading Karen Viggers in conversation with Alex Sloan
Vale Marion Halligan (1940-2024)
Such sad news. I have just heard that Marion Halligan, one of Australia's literary treasures, died yesterday. She has been frail for some time, but the last time I saw, and spoke briefly to, her was at the 2023 ACT Book Awards in December. She was her usual engaged self, though also frustrated with the … Continue reading Vale Marion Halligan (1940-2024)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Lothian Book Publishing Company
As I research for my 1924 Monday Musings series, I am coming across articles that don't neatly fit into 1924-dedicated posts but that I want to document. The most recent one concerned the Lothian Book Publishing Company. It was about a specific initiative, which I will discuss at the end of this post, but I … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Lothian Book Publishing Company
