Do you like writing challenges? Last year I started a Monday Musings sub-series on Australia's state writers centres. So far I've written on four, and I should be getting on with it. However, I can't resist returning, today, to the Queensland Writers' Centre (previous post) to share a wonderful campaign they ran late last year. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: #8wordstory
Monday musings
Monday musings on Australian literature: Novels retelling other literary works
Those who read my blog regularly will guess what inspired this post - Mirandi Riwoe's The fish girl (my review), which is her response to W. Somerset Maugham's short story "The four fat Dutchmen" (my review). It got me thinking about how many other Australian novelists have done this sort of thing ... However, when … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Novels retelling other literary works
Monday musings on Australian literature: Some Australian adventurers (1)
Hands up who likes to travel? And keep your hands up if you like to read travel writing! This post is especially for you. I've numbered it (1), because I'm drawing primarily from a book, which I think could warrant a few posts. The book I'm using is another of those that I retrieved from … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some Australian adventurers (1)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Mollie Skinner and DH Lawrence
I promised this post in yesterday's review of Mollie Skinner's short story, "The hand", but have since been reminded that Bill (The Australian Legend) has already written about Skinner's relationship with Lawrence. I've decided to continue with my plan, not only because it interests me, but because I hope to add to the discussion. So, I suggest that you … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Mollie Skinner and DH Lawrence
Monday musings on Australian literature: Contemporary Australian literary translators
Today's Monday Musings was inspired by the shortlisting for the 2018 Stella Prize of Iranian-born Australian-based writer Shokoofeh Azar's The enlightenment of the greengage tree. I first came across this book when Lisa (ANZLitLovers) reviewed it last August, commenting in her opening paragraph that the novel "is an exciting development in Australian publishing" because it was written in … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Contemporary Australian literary translators
Monday musings on Australian literature: Young Writers Awards
Yesterday's post on young writer Ben Smith Noble's prize-winning short story, "The sands of time" inspired today's post. I've written about several prizes over the years - the big ones, and the more targeted ones - but not prizes for Young Writers. It's a tricky topic to write about. There's the definition of "young" and … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Young Writers Awards
Monday musings on Australian literature: Aurealis Awards for Speculative Fiction
Those of you who know my lack of interest in science fiction might be surprised to see a post dedicated to the genre here. However, I do like to be more representative in my Monday Musings series. If that means sometimes moving into areas that are out of my comfort zone, then so be it. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Aurealis Awards for Speculative Fiction
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australia’s most successful writer, ever
The obvious question to ask when someone makes a "best ever" claim is by what criteria? The easiest way to justify "best" is with numbers. And so it is here, as it's with numbers that Australian publisher Allen & Unwin's blog, Things Made From Letters, suggests that Morris West is "Australia's most successful writer, ever." … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australia’s most successful writer, ever
Monday musings on Australian literature: Jane Austen and the Stolen Generations
Yes, you read right, this very brief Monday Musings post is about what Jane Austen might have said - did say in her way - about the Stolen Generations. What makes great literature great is its timelessness. By this I mean the fact that what is said in, say 1815, is still relevant in, say, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Jane Austen and the Stolen Generations
Monday musings on Australian literature: AusLit Women Academics on Colonial Women Writers
Over January, some of us Australian litbloggers - as the result of Bill's (The Australian Legend) AWW Gen 1 Week - have been talking about early Australian women writers. It's a topic of great interest to me, ever since the 1980s when I became interested in these writers. There seemed to be a flurry, at … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: AusLit Women Academics on Colonial Women Writers
