I didn't think I'd get to this session, but when my regular Thursday evening commitment was cancelled, I knew exactly what to do ... Navigating our future (Thursday 13 August 6-7pm) This intriguingly titled session was described as follows: Australian literature provides a means through which we might better understand ourselves, and our relationships with … Continue reading Melbourne Writers Festival 2020: Navigating our future
Author: Whispering Gums
Monday musings on Australian literature: Ten Year Anniversary, with a Giveaway
Today (well, yesterday actually, except yesterday wasn't a Monday) marks the 10-year anniversary of my Monday Musings series. When I came up with the idea, and wrote the first post back on 9 August 2010, I couldn't have imagined that I'd be here ten years later still blogging, let alone still posting weekly Monday Musings. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Ten Year Anniversary, with a Giveaway
Melbourne Writers Festival 2020: Let me be brief
I won't get to many Melbourne Writers Festival events, because those of most interest to me clash with other commitments and responsibilities. This is a shame given this year's extensive digital program would enable me to attend my first ever MWF. Never mind, there will be other years. Nonetheless, I was thrilled to find a … Continue reading Melbourne Writers Festival 2020: Let me be brief
Bill curates: Jane Austen and the information highway
Bill curates is an occasional series where I delve into Sue's vast archive, stretching back to May 2009, and choose a post for us to revisit. Jane Austen comes up over and over in Sue's posts, and as I'm as fascinated by her as Sue is, that suits me fine. Here though we are not … Continue reading Bill curates: Jane Austen and the information highway
Emily Paull, Well-behaved women (#BookReview)
Well-behaved women is a debut collection of short stories by Western Australian writer Emily Paull. It is one of those collections that has a unique title, and what a perfect - and teasing - title it is for a collection of stories focused on women. It has, you won't be surprised to hear, the usual … Continue reading Emily Paull, Well-behaved women (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Supermarket mini-collectables
Have you ever got caught up in those knicky-knacky promotional plastic toy campaigns that supermarkets often run to encourage you to buy at their store? You know, as in "spend $x and get a free y" with, usually, a new one every week for z weeks, encouraging you to get them all. I'm sure you … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Supermarket mini-collectables
Six degrees of separation, FROM How to do nothing TO …
I am so glad to see that two thirds of winter is officially over. It's been a horrible year, for all of us really, so a bit of warmth and spring rebirth (here down under) would be very welcome, eh? Meanwhile, I'll entertain myself with things like the Six Degrees of Separation meme. If you don't … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM How to do nothing TO …
Bill curates: What do I mean by spare?
Bill curates is an occasional series where I delve into Sue's vast archive, stretching back to May 2009, and choose a post for us to revisit. During this first year as a blogger (2009) Sue wrote an astonishing number of well-researched and interesting posts. Let's say 4 per week at around 600 words per post. … Continue reading Bill curates: What do I mean by spare?
Chris Flynn, Mammoth (#BookReview)
I am not a big fan of anthropomorphism and have read very few animal-narrated books. Animal farm is one, while Watership down, so enamoured by many of my generation, is not. However, I was intrigued by Chris Flynn's Mammoth, which is narrated by a 13,000-year-old American Mastodon fossil, and was glad when my reading group decided … Continue reading Chris Flynn, Mammoth (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Allen & Unwin’s House of Books
I have written a few posts over the years on the publishing of Australian classics, including one in 2014 in which I mentioned Allen & Unwin's Australian Classics series. That series seems to have disappeared, but the publisher does have another initiative, House of Books. Here is what Allen & Unwin say about this series … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Allen & Unwin’s House of Books
Whispering Gums 