In her author's note at the end of her second Thomas Cromwell novel, Bring up the bodies, Hilary Mantel writes that: In this book I try to show how a few crucial weeks might have looked from Thomas Cromwell's point of view. I am not claiming authority for my version; I am making the reader … Continue reading Hilary Mantel, Bring up the bodies (Review)
Literary awards
Australian Women Writers 2013 Challenge completed – and Miles Franklin Award Winner 2013
As regular readers here know by now, last year I broke my non-challenge rule to take part in the Australian Women Writer's Challenge. It was so satisfying, I decided to do it again this year. After all, it's really the challenge I'd do when I'm not doing a challenge. Like last year, I signed up … Continue reading Australian Women Writers 2013 Challenge completed – and Miles Franklin Award Winner 2013
Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 shortlist
We have been waiting, waiting, waiting for the announcement of the shortlist for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards. The sudden resignation of the Minister for the Arts a couple of months ago seems to have caused a delay in this announcement, which was expected in May. It's one of my favourite awards on the Australian … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 shortlist
Carrie Tiffany, Mateship with birds (Review)
Carrie Tiffany is on a roll. Last month her second novel, Mateship with birds, won the inaugural Stella Prize, and this month it won the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction at the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards. It has also been shortlisted for the Miles Franklin award. Many bloggers* have already read and reviewed … Continue reading Carrie Tiffany, Mateship with birds (Review)
Michael Sala’s The last thread is 2013’s Pacific Region Winner of the Commonwealth Book Prize
I don't know about you but I find blogging a challenge when I'm travelling, as I have been for much of May. I love my iPad for staying in touch, but I don't find it easy to write blog posts on it - either via the WordPress app or the browser. And, our old PC … Continue reading Michael Sala’s The last thread is 2013’s Pacific Region Winner of the Commonwealth Book Prize
Monday musings on Australian literature: Miles Franklin Award shortlist and the woman question
Things have been looking up lately on the women writers front. Last year two women - Anna Funder (All that I am) and Gillian Mears (Foal's bread) - made an almost clean sweep of our major literary awards. This year women writers are again faring well, with the Miles Franklin shortlist comprising all women. The … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Miles Franklin Award shortlist and the woman question
Monday musings on Australian literature: Stella, Carrie and friends
For those of you who haven't yet heard the news, I'd better start with the announcement that last week Carrie Tiffany's novel, Mateship with birds, was announced the winner of the inaugural Stella Prize. Unfortunately, the book is still on my TBR but with its also being shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Award and … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Stella, Carrie and friends
Queensland Literary Awards … to continue in 2013
There's sometimes a fine line in the blogging world between promoting and supporting. I don't see my role being to promote particular authors or books, but overall I like to think that my blog supports literature in general, and Australian literature in particular. A by-product of that support is probably promotion, but that's not my … Continue reading Queensland Literary Awards … to continue in 2013
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australia’s major Literary Awards
This will be a short Monday Musings ... aren't you pleased! The literary award season for 2013 is hotting up with the most exciting thing on the horizon being the announcement of the inaugural Stella Prize due tomorrow, 16 April. In addition to this, though, we have also seen the announcement of longlists and shortlists … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australia’s major Literary Awards
The Stella Prize shortlist, 2013
Woo hoo ... The Stella Prize shortlist has been announced. I posted the longlist a few weeks ago before, but just to recap, the Stella Prize is a new award on the Australian literary scene. It is named for Miles Franklin and is “for the best work of literature (fiction and non-fiction) published in 2012 … Continue reading The Stella Prize shortlist, 2013
Whispering Gums 