Near the end of her book True north about Mary and Elizabeth Durack, biographer Brenda Niall writes of Mary Durack's poem, "Lament for the Drowned Country", which she says "has been judged her finest poem". Of course, with such a statement, I had to read it. I could have Googled* it, but I decided to check my … Continue reading Dame Mary Durack, Lament for the drowned country (Review)
Australian literature
Monday musings on Australian literature: National Bookshop Day (Belated)
Saturday 11 August was National Bookshop Day here down under but I decided to delay writing about it until this week's Monday Musings as it seems a worthy subject. However, Lisa of ANZLitlovers and Louise of A Strong Belief in Wicker did their posts in a more timely way. National Bookshop Day is a new concept … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: National Bookshop Day (Belated)
Delicious descriptions from Down under: Mary Durack on Patrick White
I am slowly - very slowly - reading True North, Brenda Niall's biography of Mary and Elizabeth Durack. Life is rather getting in the way of reading at present so, contrary to my normal practice, I am going to post a Delicious Description from it before, rather than after, my review. For those of you … Continue reading Delicious descriptions from Down under: Mary Durack on Patrick White
Monday musings on Australian literature: Some favourite Aussie film adaptations (1)
In support of Australia's National Year of Reading the National Film and Sound Archive is, later this year, holding an exhibition on film adaptations. And that made me think about my favourite film adaptations, which in turn made me think it might be a good Monday Musings topic. So, here I am. This post will … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some favourite Aussie film adaptations (1)
Melissa Lucashenko, The silent majority (Review)
I have reviewed many individual short stories by Americans (through the Library of America), but not by Australians. Time to rectify that a little, and why not with a short story by Melissa Lucashenko, an Australian writer of European and indigenous Australian heritage. She is an award-winning novelist and an essayist, but I hadn't read … Continue reading Melissa Lucashenko, The silent majority (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: It’s all about sport, or is it?
I've written previous Monday Musings on themes and motifs in Aussie literature - like the lost child, the beach, mountains and even sheep - so, with the Olympics now on, it seemed appropriate to add sport to this list. Whether we all like it or not, Australia has somewhat of a reputation for being a … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: It’s all about sport, or is it?
Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2012
Last year I attended and reported on the post-announcement panel for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards, held at the National Library of Australia. I attended again this year and, since it occurred today, Monday, I've decide to devote this week's Monday musings to it. First, the winners: Fiction: Gillian Mears' Foal's bread (My review) Poetry: Luke … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2012
Monday musings on Australian literature: The sheep’s back
As a baby-boomer, I grew up knowing that Australia "rode on the sheep's back", that our economy, in other words, was based on the wool trade. It's not quite so now - though wool is still an important product - but I was reminded of the saying last weekend as we were introducing a young … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The sheep’s back
Monday musings on Australian literature: Who is Colin Roderick?
Regular readers here will know that a couple of recent Monday musings were based on two books written in the late 1940s surveying Australian literature. At the time of writing those posts, I'd never heard of the man behind those books, one Colin Roderick. I soon learnt, though, that he was a somewhat significant figure in 20th … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Who is Colin Roderick?
Australian Women Writers 2012 Challenge completed
I am not a blogger who takes part in challenges, until, that is, this year when Elizabeth Lhuede set up her Australian Women Writers 2012 Challenge. It didn't take me long to break my non-challenge rule, because this challenge focuses on my two main reading passions: Australian Literature and Women Writers. This was the challenge … Continue reading Australian Women Writers 2012 Challenge completed
