Regular readers here know by now that I only do one challenge, and that's the Australian Women Writer's Challenge. As in previous years, I signed up for the top level: Franklin-fantastic. This required me to read 10 books and review at least 6. I have now exceeded this. I will continue to add to the challenge, as … Continue reading Australian Women Writers 2014 Challenge completed
Literary awards
Monday musings on Australian literature: Emerging or debut writer awards
Almost as important for emerging writers as the unpublished manuscript awards, about which I wrote recently, are the awards devoted to new, mostly defined as debut, writers. That is, these awards are for writers lucky enough to have been published - and who knows, some may have won an unpublished manuscript award to get published - … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Emerging or debut writer awards
Miles Franklin Award 2014 Longlist
Earlier today Miles Franklin Literary Award's Trust Company announced the longlist for this year's award. As usual, it includes the full gamut - expected titles, along some surprise inclusions and omissions. One of the interesting exclusions would have to be, I think, Christos Tsiolkas' Barracuda (my review). It certainly deals with "Australian life in any of its … Continue reading Miles Franklin Award 2014 Longlist
Monday musings on Australian literature: Unpublished manuscript awards
I've recently reviewed a couple of books which have won unpublished manuscript awards: Hannah Kent won the inaugural Writing Australia Unpublished Manuscript Award in 2011 for Burial rites (my review), and Margaret Merrilees won the Unpublished Manuscript Award at the Adelaide Writer's Week in 2012 for The first week (my review). Now, I've discussed awards a few … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Unpublished manuscript awards
Monday musings on Australian literature: Pascall Prize
The Pascall Prize is one of those under-the-radar sorts of awards, that is, one that tends not to get much general press. However, that doesn't mean it's not significant. In fact, I've had it in my list of topics for a couple of years but, having mentioned in my David Malouf birthday post last week … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Pascall Prize
Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, 2014
As you know, I don't report on every literary award announced throughout the year in Australia. There are way too many. But I did want to announce the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, partly because they are only awarded biennially. They were established in 1986. The fact that they are awarded biennially means of course … Continue reading Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, 2014
Stella Prize 2014 longlist
I'm not going to write a long post on the Stella Prize longlist because Paula Grunseit has written a good rundown of the books on the Australian Women Writers' challenge website. Do check it out if you are interested to know more about the books (which I'll list below). The Stella Prize, regular readers here … Continue reading Stella Prize 2014 longlist
Eleanor Catton, The luminaries (Review)
Now here's the thing ... I don't make a practice of reading mysteries. I really don't care about who dunnit. When Mr Gums and I watch television crime shows, I rarely concentrate enough to work out the plot intricacies, but I do watch the characters. I'm always interested in the detectives and their relationships. I … Continue reading Eleanor Catton, The luminaries (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Here come the men!
Women really have dominated the literary awards season in Australia over the last two years. In 2012, the majority of the awards were won by Anna Funder with All that I am and Gillian Mears with Foal's bread. Last year it was mostly Michelle de Kretser with Questions of travel and Carrie Tiffany with Mateship … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Here come the men!
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australia Council Award
Last month the Australia Council announced this year's Lifetime Achievement Award for Australian Literature. This award used to be called the Writer's Emeritus Award, which I have written about before. Lifetime Achievement Award sounds better don't you think? After all, "emeritus" implies retirement but most winners never really retire - at least as far as … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australia Council Award
