Australian literature

Monday musings on Australian literature: Miles Franklin Award, the first decade (1958-1967)

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This month we expect to see the announcement of the Miles Franklin Award longlist. While it's no longer Australia's richest literary prize, it is still the best-known and, if you can measure such things, our most prestigious. It is managed by a Trustee using the estate left for that purpose by author Miles Franklin. It was first awarded … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Miles Franklin Award, the first decade (1958-1967)

Delicious descriptions from Elizabeth Harrower’s Circles

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In my recent review of Elizabeth Harrower's In certain circles, I focused on the book's form and overall themes, and warned that I'd produce a Delicious Descriptions to share some of her writing. So, here it is, organised by headings to keep it simple ... Gender I didn't focus on gender in my review, but this is Harrower, and it is one … Continue reading Delicious descriptions from Elizabeth Harrower’s Circles

Elizabeth Harrower, In certain circles (Review)

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There's an interesting story behind Elizabeth Harrower's last novel, In certain circles. It was all set for publication in 1971, following her very successful The watch tower (my review), when Harrower pulled it. Why? I wondered about this as I read it, and I have some ideas, but more on that anon. First, the story. … Continue reading Elizabeth Harrower, In certain circles (Review)

Debra Adelaide, The women’s pages (Review)

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When I started reading Debra Adelaide's latest novel The women's pages I thought, "Oh yes, here's another interesting story about women's lives, how their options are limited, etc etc. I'll enjoy this but I wonder why it was longlisted for the Stella?" And then, a few chapters in, I started to realise that behind this "interesting … Continue reading Debra Adelaide, The women’s pages (Review)

Monday musings on Australian literature: World Poetry Day

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Well, folks, Trove has let me down, which is a very rare occurrence when I'm doing historical research. I looked for the phrase "world poetry day" and I looked for all the words "world", "poetry" and "day", but nothing apparently relevant appeared. Hmmm, because ... Interestingly, a Google search did retrieve a photograph on flickr of a … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: World Poetry Day

Delicious descriptions: Fiona Wright on writing and hunger

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In my recent review of Fiona Wright's Small acts of disappearance, I focused on her analysis and her experience of anorexia, but, as I mentioned in the review, she was, already, a published writer. An award-winning poet for a start: her poetry collection, Knuckled, won the Dame Mary Gilmore Award for a first collection. Her … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Fiona Wright on writing and hunger

Fiona Wright, Small acts of disappearance (Review)

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It would be a rare person these days, from Western cultures anyhow, who didn't have some brush with an eating disorder, whether through a friend, a family member, or personal experience. And yet it is one of our most misunderstood afflictions, which is where Fiona Wright's Small acts of disappearance: Essays on hunger comes in. Wright, born in 1983, is a … Continue reading Fiona Wright, Small acts of disappearance (Review)

Monday musings on Australian literature: Save Trove

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I don't make a practice of discussing politics in my blog, though regular readers are sure to have picked up my pro-social-justice values (which is why I love writers like, say, Thea Astley). My reason for being politics-lite here is that politics is a divisive game, and my aim here is to be inclusive. However, I do want … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Save Trove