I do enjoy receiving books from non-profit independent publisher, Finlay Lloyd. Their books are physically distinctive, being longer and narrower than the norm, and they have a stylish, minimalist, design, which makes them lovely to look at and hold. They also appeal content-wise because Finlay Lloyd consciously, it seems to me, publishes books that regardless … Continue reading Sandy Gordon, Leaving Owl Creek (#BookReview)
Australian literature
Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1923: 1, Bookstall Co. (update)
Last year I wrote a series of posts about 1922, drawing primarily from Trove. I enjoyed doing it, and have decided to repeat the exercise this year, and perhaps continue annually, to build up a picture of the times. My first 1922 post was about the NSW Bookstall Company which was established in 1880, but … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1923: 1, Bookstall Co. (update)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2023
Maintaining tradition, my first Monday Musings of the year once again focuses on "new releases". As before, it is primarily drawn from the Sydney Morning Herald. Jane Sullivan and the team do a wonderful job of surveying publishers large and small, but I have added a couple of my own! Also, as this is Monday musings … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2023
Jessica Au, Cold enough for snow (#BookReview)
What did I say about mothers and daughters recently? Just when I thought I'd done with them for the year, along came another, Jessica Au's gorgeous novella, Cold enough for snow. However, before I get to that, let me describe the award it won, The Novel Prize. Cold enough for snow was the inaugural winner … Continue reading Jessica Au, Cold enough for snow (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian Women Writers Challenge 2022
For around 10 years I devoted my last Monday Musings of the year to the Australian Women Writers Challenge, which most of you will remember was instigated by Elizabeth Lhuede in 2012 in response to concerns in Australian literary circles about the lack of recognition for women writers. As I explained last year, it would be … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian Women Writers Challenge 2022
Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2022, Part 2: Nonfiction and Poetry
Last week, as most of you will know, I shared the favourite Aussie fiction books named by writers in the Sydney Morning Herald's Best Reads of the Year 2022, Readings Bookshop's Best Fiction, and the ABC RN's Bookshelf Panel's Books of the Year 2022. This week, as promised, I'm sharing their nonfiction and poetry favourites … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2022, Part 2: Nonfiction and Poetry
Nell Pierce, A place near Eden (#BookReview)
Nell Pierce's debut novel, A place near Eden, won the 2022 The Australian/Vogel Literary Award. It was my reading group's last book of the year, and it engendered a lively discussion, partly because our response was mixed and partly because its setting on the south coast of New South Wales is well-known to us. Part … Continue reading Nell Pierce, A place near Eden (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2022, Part 1: Fiction
Over recent years, I've shared favourite Aussie reads of the year from various sources, with the specific sources varying a little from time to time. This year, my main sources are The Sydney Morning Herald's Best Reads of the Year chosen by writers, Readings bookshop's Best Australian fiction, and ABC RN's Bookshelf panel. As last … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2022, Part 1: Fiction
Lucy Neave, Believe in me (#BookReview)
Mother-daughter stories - in fiction and nonfiction - seem to have been particularly popular in recent years. Lucy Neave's second novel Believe in me is one of these, but just this year I've read several others, including Larissa Behrendt's novel After story and Jane Sinclair's hybrid biography-memoir Shy love smiles and acid drops. Their trajectories … Continue reading Lucy Neave, Believe in me (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: First Nations Classics
Over the years I have written several posts on publishers who have made a commitment to publishing Australian classics, such as Text, Allen and Unwin and the Sydney University Press, to name a few. I was thrilled last week to come across another one, this time from UQP, the University of Queensland Press, which has … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: First Nations Classics
Whispering Gums 