Last week's post focused on attitudes to writing about the war during the interwar period, particularly in relation to the realism of books like Erich Maria Remarque's All quiet on the western front. This post continues the discussion, but will share some specific war writing from the article that inspired this series. But first, a … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Writing about the war between the wars (2)
Monday musings
Monday musings on Australian literature: Writing about the war between the wars
By accident, really, I came across an article from the 1930s in Trove about war novels. However, with Anzac Day coming up here in Australia next weekend, it seemed apposite to follow up. So, I did - and was somewhat surprised by what I found. Not surprisingly, World War 1 was still fresh in people's … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Writing about the war between the wars
Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 1, Helen Simpson
Do you often wonder how many of the writers we love now will still be read a few decades on? How good are we at identifying those who will continue to be read? So-so, I think you'll agree if you've noticed the many unfamiliar, but well-regarded-at-the time, names amongst the authors mentioned in my various … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 1, Helen Simpson
Monday musings on Australian literature: 1936 in fiction
As some of you will know Karen (Kaggsy's Bookish Rambling) and Simon (Stuck in a Book) have been running for some time "reading weeks, which involves their choosing, 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 1936, and … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: 1936 in fiction
Monday musings on Australian literature: Expressing the zeitgeist
At the end of last week's Monday Musings, I asked whether "saying something" was important to you, meaning, really, is it a top criterion when you choose what to read or when you talk about what you've read? For me, it is, as you can probably tell from the sorts of reviews I write. So, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Expressing the zeitgeist
Monday musings on Australian literature: Peril, and Asian Australian literature
A decade ago, I wrote a Monday Musings post on Asian-Australian literature, in which I named, as I often do in such posts, 5 Asian Australian writers. Given the increasing problems of discrimination faced by Asian communities in western countries alongside, perhaps paradoxically, the increased visibility of Asian Australian writing here, I thought an update … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Peril, and Asian Australian literature
Monday musings on Australian literature: A view from 1930
Today, another post in my occasional series of posts about Australian literature from the 1920s to the 1940s, this one featuring two critics of the time, HM Green (1881-1962) and Nettie Palmer (1885-1964). To do this, I'm using, primarily, a 1930 review in The Adelaide Advertiser of HM Green's book, An outline of Australian literature, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: A view from 1930
Monday musings on Australian literature: Commonwealth Writers Prize (now defunct)
March 8 this year is a packed one. Of course, it is always International Women's Day, but the second Monday in March is also Canberra Day here in the ACT, Labour Day in Victoria, and Commonwealth Day in, yes, the Commonwealth. It is not a public holiday in most places, but I decided it could … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Commonwealth Writers Prize (now defunct)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Mining in Australian fiction
I was inspired to write this post by Bill's (The Australian Legend) post on Catherine Helen Spence's novel Clara Morison whose subtitle is "a tale of South Australia during the gold fever". Mining is one of Australia's biggest industries. Iron, copper, coal, silver, gold, zinc, bauxite and opals have all played significant roles in Australia's … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Mining in Australian fiction
Monday musings on Australian literature: World Radio Day
2021 marks the tenth anniversary of World Radio Day. Hands up if you knew that? I didn't, even though I like listening to the radio, and do in fact listen to it most days. Some background An initiative, apparently, of the Spanish Radio Academy, World Radio Day was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2011, and was … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: World Radio Day
