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)
Literary awards
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)
Prime Minister’s Literary Awards Shortlist, 2012, announced: Fiction
I don't announce all shortlists and awards but I do like to follow the Prime Minister's Literary Awards so am announcing its shortlist for fiction for 2012: All That I Am by Anna Funder Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville Foal's Bread by Gillian Mears (My review) Autumn Laing by Alex Miller Forecast: Turbulence by Janette Turner Hospital … Continue reading Prime Minister’s Literary Awards Shortlist, 2012, announced: Fiction
Julian Barnes, The sense of an ending (Review)
I should have known I wouldn't be the first to think of it, but during my reading Julian Barnes' Booker Prize winning novel, The sense of an ending, I was suddenly reminded of TS Eliot's The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock. It was the melancholic tone, the sense of life having passed one by, … Continue reading Julian Barnes, The sense of an ending (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: What value literary awards?
If you are an Australian reader, you have probably heard that the new Premier of Queensland, Campbell Newman, has abolished the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards. This was a shock as it had not been flagged during the election. His reason? To save some $250,000, as part of the Liberal National Party's promised cost-cutting drive! It was … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: What value literary awards?
Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, 2012
The Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature are biennial awards, coinciding, funnily enough, with the holding of the biennial Adelaide Festival. I understand, however, that from 2012 the festival will be an annual event. Presumably this means the literary awards will also be awarded annually from now on. If that's the plan, South Australia will finally … Continue reading Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, 2012
Kyung-sook Shin’s Please look after mom (or mother) wins the Man Asian Literary Prize, 2011
In late October last year, twelve books from across Asia were longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize, and in January, they were whittled down to an unusually long shortlist of seven. Today, one emerged the winner: And woo hoo! It's our Shadow team's pick, Kyung-sook Shin's Please look after mom (or mother). Image: Matt … Continue reading Kyung-sook Shin’s Please look after mom (or mother) wins the Man Asian Literary Prize, 2011
Amitav Ghosh, River of smoke (Review for the Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize, 2011)
I'm rather sorry that I haven't read Amitav Ghosh's Sea of poppies because, while River of smoke does work on its own, I think my experience would have been richer had I read the beginning of the trilogy. This shouldn't affect its Man Asian Literary Prize chances, but you never know. I loved that the … Continue reading Amitav Ghosh, River of smoke (Review for the Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize, 2011)
Whispering Gums 