Around this time of December, I have, for some years, shared favourite Aussie reads of the year from various sources. Those sources have varied a little from time to time. This year's are listed below. This is not a scientific survey. For a start, the choosers' backgrounds vary. Depending on the source, they may include … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2025, Pt 1: Fiction and Poetry
Australian literature
Kim Kelly, Touched (#BookReview)
In 2023, novelist Kim Kelly was one of the two winners of Finlay Lloyd's inaugural 20/40 Publishing Prize, with her 1920s-set historical novel, Ladies' Rest and Writing Room (my review). Publisher Julian Davies had hoped at the time to award one fiction and one nonfiction prize, but there was a dearth of good nonfiction entries. … Continue reading Kim Kelly, Touched (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: recent Australian creative nonfiction on my TBR
Brona (This Reading Life) recently announced her main reading project for next year, Reading Nonfiction 2026, in which she plans to read 24 nonfiction books from her TBR. She has written a few posts on the project, including on two nonfiction categories on her TBR shelves, Australian Lit Bios and Environment, Climate and Travel. If … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: recent Australian creative nonfiction on my TBR
Monday musings on Australian literature: Selected Australian doorstoppers
A week or so ago, I saw a post by Cathy (746 Books) that she was taking part in a Doorstoppers in December reading event. My first thought was that December is the last month I would commit to reading doorstoppers. In fact, my reading group agrees that doorstopper month is January, our Southern Hemisphere … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Selected Australian doorstoppers
Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (15), What Australia read in 1945
(Courtesy OCAL, via clker.com) Another post in my Monday Musings subseries called Trove Treasures, in which I share stories or comments, serious or funny, that I come across during my Trove travels. Today's story is longer than those I have mostly shared, but given it's an annual recap of 1945, exactly 80 years ago, I've … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (15), What Australia read in 1945
Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 16, Edna Davies
Of all the forgotten writers I’ve researched, Edna Davies proved by far the most difficult. Even AustLit had nothing on her besides a list of a few works, but she intrigued me so I soldiered on. This post, like most of my recent Forgotten Writers posts, a revision, with a little bit of added information, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 16, Edna Davies
Angus Gaunt, Anna (#BookReview)
Last month, I posted on the winners of the 2025 Finlay Lloyd 20/40 Publishing Prize, of which Angus Gaunt's Anna was one. I am thrilled with this prize, not only because I love the novella form, but because of the variety of stories we are seeing. So far the fiction winners have been an historical … Continue reading Angus Gaunt, Anna (#BookReview)
Helen Garner and Sarah Krasnostein in conversation with Beejay Silcox
Last night's ANU/Meet-the-Author event was a sold-out affair, in a 500-seat theatre. And why not? Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper, and Sarah Krasnostein are among Australia's top writers of narrative nonfiction, and they have just produced a book about the Leongatha mushroom murders. Indeed, it's only because they have written about it that I am interested … Continue reading Helen Garner and Sarah Krasnostein in conversation with Beejay Silcox
Monday musings on Australian literature: Canberra Writers’ Festival 2025 recap
Back in 2019, the Canberra Writers Festival sent subscribers a report on the event. I don't think they've done so since, which is a shame, as I loved reading (and writing about) it. This year, thanks to Colin Steele, who runs the ANU/Meet-the-Author series, I was able to see a report on the Festival that … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Canberra Writers’ Festival 2025 recap
Teffi, The examination (#Review, #1925 Club)
Mostly for the Year Clubs, I read an Australian short story, usually from one of my anthologies. However, for 1925, I couldn't find anything in my anthologies, so turned to other newspaper-based sources, including Trove, but I mainly found romances or works that were difficult to access. And then, out of the blue, I found … Continue reading Teffi, The examination (#Review, #1925 Club)
Whispering Gums 