Back in 2012, I wrote three posts (here, here and here) sharing some of my favourite film and television adaptations of Australian novels and plays. With recent(ish) announcements about more adaptations in the offing, I thought it worth writing an updating post. To get us going, here are some of the adaptations that have been … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Screen adaptations, update
Australian literature
Steven Carroll, The lost life (#BookReview)
Last year, Mr Gums and I bought a new car to replace our loved but aging 15-year-old Subaru Forester. We've been keen to move into the hybrid world but wanted to stay with the SUV-style for various practical reasons, so, as soon as a reasonably-priced hybrid SUV appeared on the market here - the Toyota … Continue reading Steven Carroll, The lost life (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Literary series
Series and literary fiction are not, I'd say, common bedfellows, not the way, for example, that series and crime, or series and fantasy, or, even, series and children's/YA books are. However, there are significant literary fiction series, of which I've reviewed some of here - Willa Cather's Great Plains trilogy, Marilynne Robinson's Gilead trilogy, and Hilary … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Literary series
Angela Thirkell, Trooper to the Southern Cross (#BookReview)
Unlike many, I think, I have not read Angela Thirkell's Barsetshire novels which, I understand are very different to her only Australian-set novel, Trooper to the Southern Cross, which, in fact, she published under the male pseudonym of Leslie Parker. It has been on my TBR for some time, so I'm grateful that Bill's AWW Gen 3 … Continue reading Angela Thirkell, Trooper to the Southern Cross (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Christina Stead’s 1930s, Beauties and Bankers
Today's Monday Musings post is the second of two on Christina Stead that I promised for Bill's (The Australian Legend) AWW Gen 3 Week. These two posts - last week's and this - focus on contemporary Australian responses to her four 1930s-published books, based primarily on my research of Trove. Last week's post looked at The Salzburg tales … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Christina Stead’s 1930s, Beauties and Bankers
Ruth Park and D’Arcy Niland, The drums go bang! (#BookReview)
Volume 1 of Ruth Park's autobiography, A fence around the cuckoo, covers the period of her life up to when she lands in Australia to marry D'Arcy Niland. Not being sure, perhaps, that there'd be a sequel, Park concludes with: We lived together for twenty-five years less five weeks. We had many fiery disagreements but … Continue reading Ruth Park and D’Arcy Niland, The drums go bang! (#BookReview)
John Clanchy, In whom we trust (#BookReview)
My first question when I read a book of historical fiction is why? And so it was for John Clanchy's latest novel In whom we trust, which is set in Victoria around World War 1, albeit is not about the war. It is, in fact, about a Catholic home for orphaned children, St Barnabas, and three … Continue reading John Clanchy, In whom we trust (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Christina Stead’s 1930s, Salzburg and Sydney
My first Monday musings on Christina Stead (my posts on Stead) was barely introductory, so I'm planning two more to coincide with Bill's (The Australian Legend) AWW Gen 3 Week. These two posts - this week's and next - focus contemporary Australian responses to the four books she published in the 1930s. I'm keeping this focus tight … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Christina Stead’s 1930s, Salzburg and Sydney
Chloe Hooper, The arsonist: A mind on fire (#BookReview)
It may not have been the most sensible decision to read Chloe Hooper's book, The arsonist, during Australia's worst-ever bushfire week, but in fact I picked it up a few days before the crisis became evident, and once I started I couldn't put it down. The arsonist tells the story of the man arrested and … Continue reading Chloe Hooper, The arsonist: A mind on fire (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2020
It seems from my stats that people like my "new releases" post, so here is the 2020 version. As in previous years, my list is mostly drawn from the Sydney Morning Herald, and as it is a Monday musings on Australian literature post, it will be limited to Australian authors (listed alphabetically.) Do click on the … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2020
Whispering Gums 