Miles Franklin, c. 1940s (Presumed Public Domain, via Wikipedia) I have mentioned the new Stella Prize before but, for those of you who may not be across this new award on the Australian literary scene, here is a brief recap. It is named for Miles Franklin – her full name was Stella Maria Sarah Miles … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The Stella Prize longlist
Literary awards
MUBA and Patrick White awards for 2012 announced
I don't make a practice of reporting on awards - many of the big ones get pretty good media coverage anyhow - but every now and then something catches my fancy ... and so here I am today ... Most Underrated Book Award Apologies to those of you waiting on the edge of your seats … Continue reading MUBA and Patrick White awards for 2012 announced
Monday musings on Australian literature: Literary Awards for Short Stories
Since we've been currently talking about short stories - or, at least, I have been doing so here in my little corner of the litblog world - I though it might be a good time to list some of the literary awards dedicated to short stories in Australia. It's a bit of a lazy post … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Literary Awards for Short Stories
Monday musings on Australian literature: Some thoughts on specialised literary awards
Did you hear last week that the Man Group is, after the current award, withdrawing its support for the Man Asian Literary Prize? I heard it via a tweet from a member of our prize team for the 2011 prize. This, in the same year that the Queensland premier cancelled the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some thoughts on specialised literary awards
The Most Underrated Book Award 2012
A short post! I have just read on the SPUNC site that Kobo is sponsoring an award to highlight books that were released by independent publishers and members of the Small Press Network (SPUNC) and that did not receive wide recognition. The shortlist for the inaugural award was announced this week, and the titles are: The Dark … Continue reading The Most Underrated Book Award 2012
Queensland Literary (Fiction) Awards, 2012: Woo-hoo
Readers of this blog might remember that earlier this year the new premier of Queensland axed his state's Premier's Literary Awards ... to a great outcry from literary aficionados around the country. However, with a wonderful can-do attitude and the support of private sponsors, a group of volunteers revived the awards, rebadged as the Queensland … Continue reading Queensland Literary (Fiction) Awards, 2012: Woo-hoo
Anna Funder, Stasiland (Review)
Anna Funder's Stasiland, which won the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction, is one of those books that can be reviewed from multiple angles, and I know that when I get to the end of this review I'm going to be sorry about the angles I didn't get to discuss. But, I can only do what … Continue reading Anna Funder, Stasiland (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2012
Last year I attended and reported on the post-announcement panel for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards, held at the National Library of Australia. I attended again this year and, since it occurred today, Monday, I've decide to devote this week's Monday musings to it. First, the winners: Fiction: Gillian Mears' Foal's bread (My review) Poetry: Luke … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2012
Jeanine Leane, Purple threads (Review for Indigenous Literature Week)
Bookcover via University of Queensland Press* What I especially like about Jeanine Leane's book, Purple threads, is how well she draws the universal out of the particular. That she does this is not unusual in itself. After all, this is what our favourite books tend to do. The interesting thing about Purple threads, though, is … Continue reading Jeanine Leane, Purple threads (Review for Indigenous Literature Week)
Elizabeth Harrower, The watch tower (Review)
Cover for The watch tower (Courtesy: Text Publishing) Elizabeth Harrower's fourth and final novel, The watch tower, is a rather harrowing (couldn't resist that) read. It is also an astonishing read, and I wonder why it has had such little recognition over the decades or so since its publication in 1966. Thanks to Text Classics, … Continue reading Elizabeth Harrower, The watch tower (Review)