Once again it's Karen's (Kaggsy's Bookish Rambling) and Simon's (Stuck in a Book) "Year Club" week. This week, it is 1970, and it runs from today, 14th to 20th October. As for the last 6 clubs, I am devoting my Monday Musings to the week. Despite the excitement and idealism of the 1960s, 1970 Australia … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: 1970 in fiction
Monday musings
Monday musings on Australian literature: Aussie Booker Prize listees
In terms of the Booker Prize, it's been a long time between drinks for Aussie writers. By this I mean that Charlotte Wood's shortlisting for the 2024 prize with Stone Yard devotional, breaks the longest drought Australian writers have had in terms of being listed for the prize since its commencement in 1969. It has … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Aussie Booker Prize listees
Finlay Lloyd’s 20/40 Prize 2024: Shortlist announced
And, the interesting literary awards keep coming. In November 2022, I announced the creation of the new 20/40 Publishing Prize by the local-to-my-region independent, non-profit publisher, Finlay Lloyd. A year later, in October 2023, I announced the inaugural shortlist, and soon after that, the winners, Rebecca Burton's Ravenous girls (my review) and Kim Kelly's Ladies’ … Continue reading Finlay Lloyd’s 20/40 Prize 2024: Shortlist announced
Monday musings on Australian literature: literary Magandjin/Brisbane
Last week I wrote a post on "literary outback Queensland", following the route of a trip we had just finished. That trip ended up in Magandjin (or Brisbane), which is very definitely not "outback" so I decided to hold over Brisbane fiction for another post. Concluding the Skylore drone show, 2024 Brisbane Festival Brisbane is … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: literary Magandjin/Brisbane
Monday musings on Australian literature: literary outback Queensland
I started writing this in late August, before we headed off on our outback Queensland trip, revisiting many places from my childhood, as well as seeing some new places. It was while living in Mt Isa, in northwest Queensland that I developed my love of Australian literature and of the Australian landscape. I was 11 … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: literary outback Queensland
Monday musings on Australian literature: A little Longreach interlude
I am still tripping through Queensland, and had planned a more in-depth post for today - in fact, I'd started working on it before I left Canberra on 31 August - but my energy levels have been sapped by having had COVID for the last week, not to mention by our busy touring schedule. Rather … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: A little Longreach interlude
Monday musings on Australian literature: A little note on the Kalkadoon (or Kalkatungu)
Tonight I am in Kalkadoon (Kalkatunga) country. The Kalkadoons were the first Indigenous Australian people I became aware of as a young pre-pubescent girl living in Mount Isa in the 1960s. What I remember being told is that they were "fierce warriors", but nothing much else, because we didn't learn this history of Australia back … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: A little note on the Kalkadoon (or Kalkatungu)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Nettie Palmer on Australian novels
Nettie Palmer has appeared a few times before on this blog, and is likely to appear again, because she was such an active member of Australia's early to mid-twentieth century literary community, and she was a keen supporter and promoter of Australian writing and writers. Three years ago, I wrote about an article she'd written … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Nettie Palmer on Australian novels
Monday musings on Australian literature: Best Australian books, 21st century (to date)
I do think it's jumping the gun, rather, to be listing best books of a century when that century is barely a quarter through! However, it seems that critics and reviewers around the world are giving it a go, including the esteemed New York Times, so who am I to quibble? Certainly Readings Bookshop and … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Best Australian books, 21st century (to date)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Short stories, revisited
I love short stories but, as Jason Steger, Literary Editor of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, wrote in one of his recent weekly emails, not everyone does. Indeed, he writes: I know quite a lot of people – people I would consider good readers of fiction – who find them unsatisfactory. Not enough … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Short stories, revisited
Whispering Gums 