NAIDOC Week 2026 finished yesterday, but, as I sometimes do, I am bookending the week with NAIDOC-dedicated Monday Musings. For this year's concluding one, I'm sharing the reading list selected by Magabala to support this theme. They wrote on their Facebook Page that the theme: marks a significant milestone: five decades of strength, Culture, resilience … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Magabala’s reading list for “50 Years Deadly”
Stella Prize
Monday musings on Australian literature: First Nations children’s picture books
NAIDOC Week 2026 started yesterday, and as has become my tradition, I am devoting my NAIDOC Week Monday Musings to celebrating First Nations writers in some way. Each year has a theme, and for 2026 it is "50 Years Deadly", celebrating five decades in which NAIDOC Week has celebrated the voices of First Nations communities. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: First Nations children’s picture books
Stella Prize 2026 Winner announced
The event opened with a Welcome to Country given by Aunty Kathryn Fisher, a First Nations elder from Magandjin (Meanjin). She was born and grew up on Cherbourg Aboriginal Reserve, and is linked to the Turrbal People through kinship ties. She talked about our shared histories and, interestingly, quoted Albert Einstein's statement that "The world … Continue reading Stella Prize 2026 Winner announced
Stella Prize 2026 Shortlist announced
Past performance, they say, is no indicator of future performance, but when it comes to me, past performance is often a very good indicator. What I mean is that once again I have not done well at having read the Stella Prize shortlist at the time of its announcement. In recent years, the most I've … Continue reading Stella Prize 2026 Shortlist announced
Stella Prize 2026 Longlist announced
As I say every year, I don't do well at having read the Stella Prize longlist at the time of its announcement. In recent years the most I've read at the time of the announcement has been two (in 2019). Last year I'd read one. I have read 9 of the 13 winners to date, … Continue reading Stella Prize 2026 Longlist announced
Monday musings on Australian literature: Collaborative story-telling between First Nations Australian and white writers
National NAIDOC Logo (2025) NAIDOC Week 2025 started yesterday, and as I have done for many years now, I am devoting my NAIDOC Week Monday Musings to celebrating First Nations writers in some way. This year is a particularly special year because it marks NAIDOC Week's 50th anniversary, 50 years it says, "of honoring and … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Collaborative story-telling between First Nations Australian and white writers
Stella Prize 2025 Winner announced
The 2025 Stella Prize winner was announced tonight at a special event at the Sydney Writers' Festival, and the winner is ... Michelle de Kretser's Theory & practice How happy am I that a book I reviewed only last week won the award! It is a provocative and thoroughly engrossing book in all the ways. … Continue reading Stella Prize 2025 Winner announced
Monday musings on Australian literature: Stella Prize Shortlist 2025
I missed reporting on the Stella Prize shortlist when it was announced in April, which is unusual for me, but it was a busy time and I just didn't get to it. It was well reported at the time, so I'm sure those who wanted to know didn't miss the news. Consequently, my aim here … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Stella Prize Shortlist 2025
Stella Prize 2025 Longlist announced
Last year the Stella Prize longlist announcement took place on a Monday, gazumping that week's Monday Musings. This year it's a Tuesday, and it was again streamed online from the Adelaide Festival Writers Week ... As I say every year, I don't do well at having read the Stella Prize longlist at the time of … Continue reading Stella Prize 2025 Longlist announced
Monday musings on Australian literature: First Nations Australian short story collections
NAIDOC Week 2024 National Logo NAIDOC Week 2024 finished yesterday, but, as I often do, I am bookending the week with Monday Musings posts. Last week, I posted on First Nations Australian Stella listees. This week I'd like to highlight some recent (meaning 21st century) short story collections. In my admittedly limited experience, First Nations … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: First Nations Australian short story collections
Whispering Gums 