In my recent review of Fiona Wright's Small acts of disappearance, I focused on her analysis and her experience of anorexia, but, as I mentioned in the review, she was, already, a published writer. An award-winning poet for a start: her poetry collection, Knuckled, won the Dame Mary Gilmore Award for a first collection. Her … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Fiona Wright on writing and hunger
Delicious descriptions
Delicious descriptions: Helen Macdonald on nature
Before I share the couple of quotes I saved for this post, from my review of Helen Macdonald's H is for hawk, I want to mention one more idea that I considered including in my ever-lengthening review, and that's the idea of a journey. I'm mentioning it now because Claire (of Word by Word) mentioned … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Helen Macdonald on nature
Delicious descriptions: Gerald Murnane’s landscape and imagination
A couple of years ago I reviewed Gerald Murnane's The plains. I found it a mesmerising book, but a challenging one to fully get my head around, to grasp and hang onto what I'd grasped. Then a couple of days ago, I reviewed his memoir, Something for the pain: A memoir of the turf. It … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Gerald Murnane’s landscape and imagination
Delicious descriptions: Emma Ayres on music
If the bicycle trip gives Emma Ayres' travel memoir Cadence its chronological spine, it is music which provides its skeleton. However, before I discuss music, I need to respond to those commenters on my review who noted that "cadence" is also a cycling term. As I'd heard the book rather than read it, I couldn't quite recollect … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Emma Ayres on music
Delicious descriptions: Stephen Orr’s farm family
When I reviewed Stephen Orr's farm-set novel, The hands, last week, I didn't share many quotes as the post was getting rather long. I decided I'd use my Delicious Descriptions series instead! So, here are three excerpts to show you more of what I so enjoyed about Orr's writing. One aspect I really enjoyed was his dialogue, but it's tricky choosing … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Stephen Orr’s farm family
Delicious descriptions: Emily Bitto’s The strays
In my recent post on Emily Bitto's The strays I commented on the quality of the writing but didn't really exemplify it - so I'm doing so now. But just sharing without in-depth commentary, as I've been tied up this week with family matters. Here is a description of Evan Trentham, the leading artist in the … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Emily Bitto’s The strays
Delicious descriptions: Danielle Wood on mothering
In my post on Danielle Wood's Mothers Grimm I focused on how mothers feel about being mothers, but the book is also about the need to BE mothered. So, I thought I'd share a couple of short excerpts from the book about this aspect. It will also give you a better sense of Wood's wry but resigned … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Danielle Wood on mothering
Delicious descriptions: Kate Llewellyn on Aussie authors
Since I couldn't cover everything in my review of Kate Llewellyn's letters, First things first, edited by Ruth Bacchus and Barbara Hill, I decided that a follow-up Delicious Descriptions on a specific aspect of the book, her discussion of her reading, would be in order. I'm making the assumption that, like me, you're interested in what writers think about the work … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Kate Llewellyn on Aussie authors
Delicious descriptions – and other thoughts: Peter Carey’s Amnesia
One of the pleasures in reading Peter Carey's Amnesia comes from his language, so I do want to share examples of that, but first I want to say something about the style and structure because I didn't get to discuss it in my review. One of the criticisms I've heard about the book is that … Continue reading Delicious descriptions – and other thoughts: Peter Carey’s Amnesia
Delicious descriptions: Dymphna Cusack’s Sydney
I said in my recent review of Dymphna Cusacks' debut novel Jungfrau that I'd share some of her descriptions of Sydney because her evocation of the colours, the light, the sounds and the scent of the city are just gorgeous. Sydney, as you probably know, is regarded as one of Australia's most beautiful cities with its harbour, … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Dymphna Cusack’s Sydney
Whispering Gums 