I took me a long time to read Jess Hill's 2020 Stella award-winning See what you make me do, partly because I bought the e-book version which I read in fits and starts and partly because of its content. As the Aussies among you will know, Hill's book is an intense, thorough discussion of domestic … Continue reading Jess Hill, See what you made me do (#BookReview)
Author: Whispering Gums
Bernard Cronin, The last train (#Review, #1954Club )
Bernard Cronin (1884-1968) has featured in this blog a couple of times, but most significantly in a Monday Musings which specifically featured him. He was a British-born Australian writer who, in his heyday in the 1920s to 40s, was among Australia's top 10 most popular novelists. And yet, along with many others of his ilk, … Continue reading Bernard Cronin, The last train (#Review, #1954Club )
Monday musings on Australian literature: 1954 in fiction
Some of you know that Karen (Kaggsy's Bookish Rambling) and Simon (Stuck in a Book) run "reading weeks" in which they choose, somewhat randomly, a year from which "everyone reads, enjoys, posts and shares wonderful books and discoveries from the year in question". The next one is 1954, and is happening this week, 18-24 April. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: 1954 in fiction
Margaret Atwood, Dearly (#BookReview)
Earlier this year, I decided to try audiobooks more regularly - and thought short stories would be a good way to go. Julie Koh's Portable curiosities was my choice. It was, overall, a positive experience. Then I thought poetry might be worth trying given it's such an aural form. I chose Margaret Atwood's latest collection … Continue reading Margaret Atwood, Dearly (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Bibliomemoirs
At the end of my post on Gabrielle Carey's Only happiness here, I mentioned that Brona (This reading life) had described it as a bibliomemoir, which was a new term for me. As it turns out it is a reasonably new term, full stop. Readings Bookshop says that defined by Joyce Carol Oates in the New … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Bibliomemoirs
A little note on dark literature
I ended my post on Gabrielle Carey's Only happiness here: In search of Elizabeth von Arnim with Carey's point that, although at her death there was a belief that von Arnim's work would live on, “her style of conventionally plotted novels, however rebellious, insightful or entertaining, soon went out of literary fashion”. This was because, … Continue reading A little note on dark literature
Elizabeth von Arnim, Vera (#BookReview)
After a run of tough reads in 2021, my reading group wanted something gentler, so I suggested that for our "classic" we do a novel by Elizabeth von Arnim, whose works I've loved for their pointed wit, delightful humour, and astute commentary on marriage and the relationship between men and women. As is my wont, … Continue reading Elizabeth von Arnim, Vera (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Sources for early Australian Women Writers
As I think you know, Elizabeth Lhuede (founder of the Australian Women Writers Challenge), Bill Holloway (The Australian Legend), and I, are behind the re-framed Challenge. Our focus is early Australian Women Writers, by which we mean women writers from the nineteenth and early-to-mid twentieth centuries. We are particularly interested in those women writers who … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Sources for early Australian Women Writers
Six degrees of separation, FROM Our wives under the sea TO …
It's April down under. Actually, it's April everywhere - I know that - but, down under, April is autumn, not spring. All those Easter cards with baskets of pretty flowers, not to mention eggs with their hints of fertility and birth, have always seemed out of place. Gradually, though, we are making this time our … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Our wives under the sea TO …
Stella Prize 2022 Shortlist announced
The 2022 Stella Prize shortlist was announced, yesterday. But, as I had just posted my review of Gabrielle Carey's Only happiness here, I decided to hold my announcement post over for a day. Those of you keenly interested will have seen it, but at least I will have it for my records. Just to remind … Continue reading Stella Prize 2022 Shortlist announced
