Have you ever heard of the Ern Malley affair? Or of Helen Demidenko? Or what about Mudrooroo? These are just three of Australia's literary controversies involving false identities. Why are Miles Franklin and Henry Handel Richardson perfectly acceptable pseudonyms, while Helen Demidenko, for example, is not? Aye, there's the rub... It seems to have something to do … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Literary hoaxes and identity scandals
Australian literature
Monday musings on Australian literature: Twenty Australian novelists in 1947
My Monday Musings of two weeks ago was about the first book in a series of four books on Australian fiction. The books were written by Colin Roderick and published by Angus and Robertson. The second book, which is today's topic, was published in 1947, two years after the first, and was titled Twenty Australian novelists. The novelists … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Twenty Australian novelists in 1947
Susan Johnson, Life in seven mistakes (Review)
By coincidence, really, my local reading group finally got around to reading Susan Johnson's Life in seven mistakes just as her next novel, My hundred lovers, is to be published. Johnson has written several novels now, though I'd only read one, The broken book based on the life of Charmian Clift, before this. I loved … Continue reading Susan Johnson, Life in seven mistakes (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Patrick White (would be) 100 (today)
I had planned to follow up last week's Monday musings with another post on Colin Roderick's mid-twentieth century series of books on Australian prose, but I hadn't remembered then that today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Patrick White, Australia's only Nobel Laureate for Literature*. Colin Roderick will therefore have to wait for the man who … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Patrick White (would be) 100 (today)
Prime Minister’s Literary Awards Shortlist, 2012, announced: Fiction
I don't announce all shortlists and awards but I do like to follow the Prime Minister's Literary Awards so am announcing its shortlist for fiction for 2012: All That I Am by Anna Funder Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville Foal's Bread by Gillian Mears (My review) Autumn Laing by Alex Miller Forecast: Turbulence by Janette Turner Hospital … Continue reading Prime Minister’s Literary Awards Shortlist, 2012, announced: Fiction
Monday musings on Australian literature: The Australian Novel, 1945 style
Every now and then I like to delve into the newspapers digitised by the National Library of Australia and made available via its website. Last week, I was pottering around researching another topic for Monday Musings (for which you'll now have to wait) when I came across an article written in 1945 about a series of … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The Australian Novel, 1945 style
Peter Carey, The chemistry of tears (Review)
It may sound strange, but when I think of Peter Carey, I also often think of Margaret Atwood. Their works and concerns are very different, I know, but the thing is that both produce highly varied oeuvre. They take risks; they try new forms, voices and genres. This is not to say that I only … Continue reading Peter Carey, The chemistry of tears (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Writers from New South Wales
I've almost finished my Monday musings round-up of writers from the different states and territories of Australia, but have been putting off doing New South Wales because it's a bit scary to confront. New South Wales is Australia's most populous state. It is also, in terms of white settlement in Australia, our oldest state. And, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Writers from New South Wales
Monday musings on Australian literature: The other David Campbell and the sin of misattribution
Much to my chagrin, the "other" poet named David Campbell drew to my attention recently to the fact that I had twice, in my blog, (mis)attributed a poem he'd written to the wrong David Campbell. The poem is "The Last Red Gum" and I first wrote about it in my post on The magnificent River … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The other David Campbell and the sin of misattribution
Delicious descriptions from Down Under: Willa Cather’s landscape
In my review earlier this week I mentioned that Willa Cather's description of pioneer life in My Ántonia could apply pretty closely to Australia, but I didn't say that her description of the landscape could too. Again, the details are different, but the sense is the same. The expansive blue skies and the preponderance of yellows … Continue reading Delicious descriptions from Down Under: Willa Cather’s landscape
Whispering Gums 