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
Australian literature
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)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Regional literary festivals
With the Sydney Writers' Festival kicking off today, I thought it might be interesting to turn our thoughts briefly to the regions. We (well, Aussie readers anyhow) know the big well-established city festivals, in particular Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, but there are also many smaller festivals, some rural, some suburban. In this post I plan to … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Regional literary festivals
Mary Grant Bruce, The early tales (Review)
Around a month ago I wrote a Monday Musings post on the Juvenilia Press, and said that I would read and post on some of its publications. Well, here is the first of those posts. While I discovered the press through its Jane Austen juvenilia, the books I ordered were those for juvenilia by Australian authors. … Continue reading Mary Grant Bruce, The early tales (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Non-fiction literary awards
This will probably be my last post on specialised literary awards, but it is an important one to cover, not least because while I was away a non-fiction work, Clare Wright's The forgotten rebels of Eureka, won the Stella Prize in its second year. This is notable because while most awards seem to be specially … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Non-fiction literary awards
Monday musings on Australian literature: If I were going to the Sydney Writers Festival
I'm afraid I don't have a real Monday musings today. I'm in the process of packing up to leave Toronto later today, so thought I'd just share with you the program from this year's Sydney Writers Festival. Once again, I don't expect that I'll manage to attend. Its timing is always slap-bang in the middle … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: If I were going to the Sydney Writers Festival
