Earlier this month, I wrote a Monday Musings on Poetry Month, at the end of which I asked readers to name their favourite poem. Poetry Month finished yesterday, 31 August, so I thought I'd close out the month by listing the nominated poems, alphabetically by poet. I should add that some commenters cheekily named more … Continue reading Poetry Month 2021: Your favourite poems
Commentary
Monday musings on Australian literature: a “grim continent”?
These are grim times, so you might have assumed that our current predicament is today's topic, but no, we are going back to 1929. My, if there was a grim time, 1929 heralded such a one. However, it's not the Depression I'm going to either. In fact, the article I found in Trove, which inspired … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: a “grim continent”?
Monday musings on Australian literature: Miles Franklin Award, the fourth decade (1988-1997)
Miles Franklin, c. 1940s (Presume Public Domain, via Wikipedia) This is my fourth post in a little sub-series looking at the Miles Franklin Award by decade. As with the first three, written back in 2016, I don't plan to list all the decade's winners, as you can find them on the Award's official site. Instead, I'll share some interesting snippets, inspired … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Miles Franklin Award, the fourth decade (1988-1997)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading and publishing, pandemic-wise
In his 1946 essay, "The prevention of literature", George Orwell named "the unwillingness of the public to spend money on books" as one of the threats to literature. I commented in my post that I didn't know how that stood now in England, but that I thought Australians were currently buying books. The week's Monday … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading and publishing, pandemic-wise
Vale my dear old Dad (1920-2021)
If it was my Mum who introduced me to Jane Austen and the classics of English literature, together with a love of language (and thus Scrabble and cryptic crosswords), it was my Dad who introduced me to Australiana, starting in my youth with the verse (as the poet himself called it) of Banjo Paterson. The … Continue reading Vale my dear old Dad (1920-2021)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Political biography
With the US election going, going ... but not quite gone it seems ... and with a new biography of President-elect Joe Biden, Joe Biden: The life, the run, and what matters now by Evan Osnos, hitting the bookstands, I thought it might be apposite to consider the political biography in Australia. By "political biography", … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Political biography
Living under COVID-19 (4)
It's some months since I wrote a "living under COVID-19" post, as things have been pretty much pottering along here in the Australian Capital Territory, but I've decided it's time to do an update (for posterity if for no other reason.) COVID-normal There's been much talk about living under COVID-normal, though what that means is, … Continue reading Living under COVID-19 (4)
Talking with my Dad: Wattles and Jimmy Woodsers
As many of you know, my father turned 100 this year, and three weeks later, my mother died. Life is sad, but Dad and I are soldiering along - with support of course from Mr Gums, not to mention family elsewhere in Australia. What is amazing, though, is how often new little pieces of information, … Continue reading Talking with my Dad: Wattles and Jimmy Woodsers
Monday musings on Australian literature: Guest post from Michelle on our Brave New (online) World
Today, I present another Monday Musings guest post coordinated for me by Bill (The Australian Legend), this one from Michelle Scott Tucker, author of the wonderful Elizabeth Macarthur: A life at the edge of the world (my review). Thanks so much again to Bill and to Michelle for helping me out with my Monday Musings. Read on … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Guest post from Michelle on our Brave New (online) World
Vale my magnificent Mum (1929-2020)
Some of you already know, but most of you may be wondering about my recent silence. I am really too heartsore to write much now, but I feel all you lovely followers deserve to know whyfor this silence. On Friday, my dear 90-year-old Mum died peacefully, after a short illness that, coincidentally, aligned with the … Continue reading Vale my magnificent Mum (1929-2020)
