With this weekend in Australia being a long weekend for Australia Day (or, Invasion Day), I decided that the best thing I could do would be to write a post promoting historical fiction by First Nations Australian writers. While there are First Nations historians writing histories, I figure more people read historical fiction, given I'd … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Historical fiction by First Nations writers
Monday musings
Monday musings on Australian literature: Vale SPN or?
Late last year I went looking for the 2024 winner of the Small Press Network’s Book of the Year (BOTY) Award, originally called the MUBA (Most Underrated Book Award). It is/was an annual award highlighting ‘authorial and publishing excellence by small and independent publishers’, and is/was open to any book released by an SPN member … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Vale SPN or?
Monday musings on Australian literature: Bill’s Australian White Men Gen 1-3
For several years now, Bill (The Australian Legend blog) has run a week dedicated to "generations" in Australian literature, focusing until this year on Australian Women Writers. This year, however, he has changed tack, and decided to look at Australia's early male writers - who were, of course, in that colonial landscape, mostly white. He … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Bill’s Australian White Men Gen 1-3
Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2025
For some years now, my first Monday Musings of the year has comprised a selected list of new Australian book releases for the coming year. And, for many years, the bulk of this post came from a comprehensive list prepared by Jane Sullivan for the Sydney Morning Herald. However, this year's SMH's list, prepared by … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2025
Monday musings on Australian literature: Some little recaps (2)
Last year, my last Monday Musings of the year fell on Christmas Day, so I did what I called a little recap post. This year, my last Monday Musings occurs the day before my big two end-of-year posts - Reading Highlights and Blogging Highlights - so I've decided to do another little undemanding Recap Post. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some little recaps (2)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 9, Dulcie Deamer
Dulcie Deamer, like my most recent Forgotten Writer, Jessie Urquhart, has retained some level of recognition - or, at least notability, with there being articles for her not only in Wikipedia and the AustLit database, but also in the Australian dictionary of biography (ADB). I have briefly mentioned her in my blog before, in Monday … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 9, Dulcie Deamer
Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite fiction 2024
Around this time of December, I have, for a few years now, shared favourite Aussie reads of the year from various sources. The specific sources have varied a little from time to time. Last year, a significant source - The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age - became unavailable to me as it is now paywalled, and … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite fiction 2024
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australia’s bestsellers, Black Friday week 2024
With thanks to Colin Steele - Canberra’s wonderful Meet The Author convenor, who is also one of my major sources of literary news - I have another list for you, this one of the top selling books in this year's Black Friday sales. Black Friday is a post-Thanksgiving Day sales event with a long and complicated … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australia’s bestsellers, Black Friday week 2024
Monday musings on Australian literature: Books set at the beach
Summer has formally started here in the Southern Hemisphere, and in Australia that means (for most people), the beach. We have gorgeous beaches here - not that they are my go-to place - so I thought to share some books set at the beach, by the sea. Some of these may also be "beach reads" … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Books set at the beach
Monday musings on Australian literature: Writers in the news (1)
Australian writers have been capturing attention - here and overseas - in the last few months. I've been noting these stories as they've popped up, and kept planning to post on them, but somehow, time just slipped by and more stories kept coming. Consequently, most Aussie readers here will know most of these news items … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Writers in the news (1)
Whispering Gums 