Well, the Miles Franklin Award judges have announced the winner of the 2014 award, and it is Evie Wyld's All the birds, singing - the only shortlisted book I've read! How lucky am I? Check my review, if you are interested. I loved All the birds, singing, and agree with the judges that it is “spare, yet … Continue reading Miles Franklin Award 2014
Australian literature
Monday musings on Australian literature: Red Room Poetry Object Competition 2014
Just a quick Monday Musings today but an interesting one I hope. Red Room Poetry Object is a poetry-writing competition for Australian students in Years 3-10. It was created by The Red Room Company, which is a not-for-profit organisation that was established in 2003. It apparently grew out of the Red Room Radio Show. The company's aim is … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Red Room Poetry Object Competition 2014
Monday musings on Australian literature: Barbara Baynton
It's a while since I've devoted a Monday Musings to an individual author - my last being, I think, Jessica Anderson back in February 2012 - and so I thought it was high time for another one, if only to mix the series up a bit! My choice for today is - well, you know who it … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Barbara Baynton
On Howard Goldenberg writing about indigenous matters
It's funny how reviews go, at least how mine go anyhow. They sometimes head me off in a direction quite different to the one I started and I feel powerless* to change it. That happened with my recent review of Howard Goldenberg's novel, Carrots and Jaffas. I started by mentioning the issue of white writers … Continue reading On Howard Goldenberg writing about indigenous matters
Monday musings on Australian literature: Specialist literary festivals
Are you a reader of crime or science fiction or fantasy? Or, perhaps of poetry? A few weeks ago I wrote a post on regional literary festivals in Australia. I focused then on festivals for general and/or literary fiction. But, if you have specialist reading inclinations, there are also likely to be festivals for you. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Specialist literary festivals
Howard Goldenberg, Carrots and Jaffas (Review)
Howard Goldenberg, we are told in "About the Author" at the back of his debut novel Carrots and Jaffas, is the sole practitioner of a literary genre - the rhyming medical referral letter! Wouldn't I love to see some of those! Anyhow, you've probably guessed now that Goldenberg is a doctor, and you'd be right. But … Continue reading Howard Goldenberg, Carrots and Jaffas (Review)
Barbara Baynton, Bush church (Review)
"Bush church" is my sixth and last* story from Barbara Baynton's Bush studies, and it presented a rather pleasant change in tone from most of the others in the book. I'm sorry in a way that I read these stories quite out-of-order. "Bush church" is the fifth story in the collection, appearing after "Billy Skywonkie" … Continue reading Barbara Baynton, Bush church (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: ABR’s first laureate
While I was gallivanting in the northern hemisphere in April, ABR (the Australian Book Review) announced its first ever laureate. I missed it at the time, but heard of it soon after my return, and am now sharing it with you. For most Aussie readers, though, it's probably a bit old hat! ABR's concept of … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: ABR’s first laureate
Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading Matters’ ANZLitMonth
This is the third year that expat journalist Kim has hosted an Australian Literature month on her blog Reading Matters - except that this year, for the first time, she has included New Zealand literature in her scope. As she writes in her introductory post, her aim is to celebrate and "raise awareness of the amazing range of literature … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading Matters’ ANZLitMonth
Deborah Sheldon, 300 degree days & other stories (Review)
What I found particularly interesting about Deborah Sheldon's short story collection, 300 degree days & other stories, is that the stories deal almost exclusively with a particular type of family relationship, the one to do with children, parents and, sometimes, grandparents. I'm not sure I've read a short story collection before that has been quite so tightly focused, but … Continue reading Deborah Sheldon, 300 degree days & other stories (Review)
Whispering Gums 