Cindy Solonec's Debesa is one of those curious hybrid biography-memoirs that are appearing on the scene. Its subtitle describes it as The story of Frank and Katie Rodriguez, implying biography, but in fact, Frank and Katie are Solonec's parents and so the book also incorporates some of her own story as part of the family. … Continue reading Cindy Solonec, Debesa: The story of Frank and Katie Rodriguez (#BookReview)
Author: Whispering Gums
Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2022
For several years now, my first Monday Musings of the year has focused on "new releases". As before, it is mostly drawn from the Sydney Morning Herald. Their writers do a wonderful job of surveying publishers large and small, but I have found a few more on my own! Also, remember, this is Monday musings on … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2022
Blogging highlights for 2021
Finally, the last of my traditional, self-indulgent year-end trifecta (which includes my Australian Women Writers' Challenge wrap-up and Reading highlights posts). But, like last year, before I launch into my usual analysis, I must send another big shout-out to Bill (The Australian Legend) who continued to curated his Bill curates series of reblogged posts from my blog's early … Continue reading Blogging highlights for 2021
Six degrees of separation, FROM Rules of civility … TO …
I started last January's Six Degrees with "Woo hoo! A New Year at last after what has really been a doozy for us all, in one way or another. So glad to see the back of it". Little did we know - still, there was no harm in hoping for better. Regardless of what the … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Rules of civility … TO …
Reading highlights for 2021
Regulars know that my annual Reading Highlights post is my version of a Top Reads post. It's my way of sharing highlights from my reading year without actually ranking books or nominating a "best" which I just can't do. I don't, as I say each year, set reading goals, but my "rules of thumb" include … Continue reading Reading highlights for 2021
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian Women Writers Challenge 2021
For the last time, I am devoting my last Monday Musings of the year to the Australian Women Writers Challenge ( in its current form at least, see below). What a couple of years we've had. It's hard to know whether it has affected the challenge or not but, anecdotally, our numbers did not increase over … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian Women Writers Challenge 2021
My year in books 2021
I did this meme last year but wasn't really thinking of doing it this year. However, here I am on Christmas morning with, for the first time in decades, nothing much to do until we head out to lunch, so why not? The thing about these memes is that they remind us of some of … Continue reading My year in books 2021
Alison Croggon, Monsters (#BookReview)
Alison Croggon's Monsters: A reckoning is a demanding but exhilarating read, demanding because it expresses some tough feelings, and exhilarating because of the mind behind it, the connections it makes and the questions it asks. Coincidentally, it has some synchronicities with my recent read, Sarah Krasnostein's The believer. Both talk about "uncertainty", and both conclude … Continue reading Alison Croggon, Monsters (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2021, Part 2: Nonfiction and Poetry
Last week, as most of you will know, I shared the favourite Aussie fiction books named by writers in the Sydney Morning Herald's Books we loved in 2021 and ABR's Books of the Year 2021. This week, as promised, I'm sharing the nonfiction and poetry favourites. Again, I'm only including Australian titles (as this is … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2021, Part 2: Nonfiction and Poetry
Novel-in-stories, Tara June Winch’s Swallow the air
This is my third post inspired by Reading like an Australian writer, and it involves two First Nations writers, Ellen van Neerven on Tara June Winch's award-winning debut novel Swallow the air. I chose van Neerven's essay for my next post, because, coincidentally, I'd just read Winch's story "Cloud busting" in Flock, an anthology, edited … Continue reading Novel-in-stories, Tara June Winch’s Swallow the air
