Back in 2019, the Canberra Writers Festival sent subscribers a report on the event. I don't think they've done so since, which is a shame, as I loved reading (and writing about) it. This year, thanks to Colin Steele, who runs the ANU/Meet-the-Author series, I was able to see a report on the Festival that … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Canberra Writers’ Festival 2025 recap
Monday musings
Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 15, Tarella Daskein
I first came across Tarella Daskein back in 2021 when Bill (The Australian Legend) wrote a post about her as the result of her coming up in discussions and reading about Katharine Susannah Prichard. She then slipped my mind until a couple of months ago when I was searching around for a subject for my … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 15, Tarella Daskein
Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1925: 2, fostering Australian sentiment
During 1925, two sets of articles appeared which discussed the issue of fostering "Australian sentiment". Australian literature and labour John Mckellar, 1929Herald (Melbourne), 27 November 1929, p 16 During the year, John McKellar (1881-1966) gave lectures on topics relating to literature and labour or the working class. On February 12, a newspaper titled Labor Call … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1925: 2, fostering Australian sentiment
Monday musings on Australian literature: 1925 in fiction
Once again it's Karen's (Kaggsy's Bookish Rambling) and Simon's (Stuck in a Book) "Year Club" week. This week, it is 1925, and it runs from today, 20 to 26 October. As for the last 8 clubs, I am devoting my Monday Musings to the week. The 1920s were wild years, at least in the Western … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: 1925 in fiction
Monday musings on Australian literature: Quiet achievers 2, Barry Scott of Transit Lounge
Back in August, I wrote the first post in my Monday Musings sub-series on Quiet Achievers in Australia's literary landscapes, meaning people like publishers, for example. My first post was on Terri-ann White from Upswell Publishing. Of course, most of these people aren't really Quiet Achievers. Those in the industry will know them, often well. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Quiet achievers 2, Barry Scott of Transit Lounge
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian writers and AI
Today I saw an Instagram post promoting the latest interview on Irma Gold and Karen Viggers' podcast, Secrets From the Green Room. The interview was with Emily Maguire, and the promo shared this: Other people of my age who've been working at something for as long as I've been working at writing - they have … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian writers and AI
Monday musings on Australian literature: Creative Australia Awards in Literature
Creative Australia is the - how shall we say it - rebranded Australia Council for the Arts / Australia Council. Under whatever name it has, this is the body that serves as the major arts funding and advisory body for the Australian Government. You can read its history on Wikipedia if you are interested. The Australia Council … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Creative Australia Awards in Literature
Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (14), Louise Mack, the “colonial”
(Courtesy OCAL, via clker.com) Early in 2023, I created a Monday Musings subseries called Trove Treasures, in which I share stories or comments, serious or funny, that I come across during my Trove travels. Having posted on her two sisters the last two Mondays, I thought it might be fun to round off the series with … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (14), Louise Mack, the “colonial”
Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 14, Gertrude Mack
Gertrude Mack is the third of the Mack literary sisters, and by far the least known, though at the time she was well-recognised, with her activities and thoughts frequently reported in the newspapers. Her "disappearance" from view is most likely because, unlike her sisters, all her writing was for newspapers and magazines. She did not … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 14, Gertrude Mack
Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 13, Amy Mack
In the first decades of the 20th century, a family of sisters made some splash on Australia's literary scene. I have already written about the eldest of them - Louise Mack - but there were also Amy (this post's subject) and Gertrude, all of whom appeared in newspapers of the time as writers of interest. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 13, Amy Mack
Whispering Gums 