Like Lisa, I'm a Stephen Orr fan, but for some reason it took me forever to finish his latest book, Sincerely, Ethel Malley, partly I think because while its characters are engaging, it's a novel that deserves concentration which I seem to have in shorter supply this year. This is not meant to discourage readers, … Continue reading Stephen Orr, Sincerely, Ethel Malley (#bookreview)
Author: Whispering Gums
Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1922: 4, Adventure novels
Continuing my 1922-themed posts, it became clear as I delved into Trove that certain genres or forms kept recurring in the reviews and articles I was reading about Australian literature. I plan to share them over the next few 1922 posts, starting with adventure in this post. You might remember that my first 1922-themed post … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1922: 4, Adventure novels
Leah Purcell’s The drover’s wife (#filmreview)
We have been talking about decolonising over at Lisa's blog, and it just so happens that last week I went to see actor-writer-director Leah Purcell's feature film The drover's wife: The legend of Molly Johnson. If you are Australian, or are knowledgeable about Australian literature, you will immediately guess that this would have been inspired … Continue reading Leah Purcell’s The drover’s wife (#filmreview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1922: 3, ALS Women’s Night
Continuing my 1922-themed posts, I was intrigued that, in 1922, the Australian Literature Society held a Women's Night. This Society was formed in Melbourne in 1899, with the aim of encouraging both the study of Australian literature and Australian authors. According to the National Library the Society: held regular meetings which included talks, recitations, readings … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1922: 3, ALS Women’s Night
Six degrees of separation, FROM Sorrow and bliss TO …
What a cold, cold start we've had to winter here in the nation's capital. We have already had a few maximums under 10°C, and winter has barely started. I hate it, but I am lucky to have a warm house, so I'll stop complaining and be grateful. And, anyhow, we have hope that our new … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Sorrow and bliss TO …
Damon Galgut, The promise (#BookReview)
Damon Galgut's Booker Prize winning novel, The promise, is one of those novels that grabbed me intellectually and emotionally from its opening pages. The plot, itself, is straighforward. It concerns a White South African family's promise to give a house on their property to their Black maid, whom their grandfather had acquired "along with the … Continue reading Damon Galgut, The promise (#BookReview)
Book Launch of My heart is a little wild thing by Nigel Featherstone
A respite this week from Monday Musings because I did want to bring you the Canberra launch of Nigel Featherstone's My heart is a little wild thing, which happened on Saturday. Normally, I would have published the post on the weekend, but I was otherwise engaged, and so have decided to usurp Monday Musings to … Continue reading Book Launch of My heart is a little wild thing by Nigel Featherstone
Ryan O’Neill, An Australian short story (#Review)
If you haven't heard of this story by Ryan O'Neill, you are in for a surprise. It was first published in The Lifted Brow, an online literary magazine, in 2012. Its title tells you nothing, but, before I tell you more, I should introduce Ryan O'Neill for those who haven't heard of him. I had … Continue reading Ryan O’Neill, An Australian short story (#Review)
Jane Austen, Sense and sensibility (Vol. 1, redux)
In 2011, my Jane Austen group started a slow read of her novels in chronological order of publication, which meant that we started with the 1811-published Sense and sensibility. By slow read, we meant that each month we'd read a volume of the chosen novel, given most novels in those times were published in three … Continue reading Jane Austen, Sense and sensibility (Vol. 1, redux)
Monday musings on Australian literature: The Red Witch
Last week, I attended the online launch of Nathan Hobby's biography, The red witch: A biography of Katharine Susannah Prichard. It was beautifully emceed by Lisa Hill, of ANZLitLovers, and involved three speakers, Karen Throssell, award-winning poet and the only grandchild of Prichard; Nathan Hollier, the publisher; and, of course, the author himself, Nathan Hobby. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The Red Witch
