As I've written before, Muse Canberra, a restaurant-cum-bookshop or vice versa, offers a wonderful program of book events, year after year. I don't get to many, but today I attended a conversation featuring Tasmanian author Heather Rose with local journalist Sally Pryor. The participants Heather Rose has written three children's books and five novels, of … Continue reading Heather Rose in conversation with Sally Pryor
Literary events
In conversation with Craig Silvey
I understand that literary conversation events in Canberra go best when the subject is political. I guess it's the nature of the beast - that is, of living in the national capital. But for me, it's the fiction writers that I want to see, and we do get some interspersed amongst the run of historians … Continue reading In conversation with Craig Silvey
Jacqueline Kent’s Seymour Biography Lecture
Last Thursday night we went to our fifth Seymour Biography Lecture at the National Library of Australia. We missed the last one in 2019 because we were travelling. Little did we know then that it would be three years before another one could be held. The Seymour Biography Lecture, which is one of the highlights on … Continue reading Jacqueline Kent’s Seymour Biography Lecture
Canberra Writers Festival 2022: (My) Session 3, Germaine Greer in conversation with Rick Morton
My third choice of sessions was also somewhat sentimental, because, with Germaine Greer now in her 80s, I wasn't sure how many more opportunities I'd get to see her in the flesh. But, I was disappointed because, the night before the event, the following email was sent out: Sadly, Ms Greer has had a fall … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2022: (My) Session 3, Germaine Greer in conversation with Rick Morton
Canberra Writers Festival 2022: (My) Session 2, Her last words: The inspiring life and legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
My second choice of sessions was, partly, sentimental, because Ruth Bader Ginsburg is such an inspiration for feminists like me and I also wanted to see ABC journalist Fran Kelly strut her stuff in person. I wasn't disappointed. The session was subtitled, Amanda Tyler In Conversation With Fran Kelly, and was framed as follows: Justice … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2022: (My) Session 2, Her last words: The inspiring life and legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Canberra Writers Festival 2022: (My) Session 1, Writing the precipice
A preamble After a long pandemic-caused hiatus during which it didn't, like many others, "pivot" to an online format, the Canberra Writers Festival is back. Unfortunately, it clashed with a time we could visit our Melbourne family, so the best I could do was reduce that trip by a day so I could at least … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2022: (My) Session 1, Writing the precipice
Monday musings on Australian literature: Poetry Month 2022 and Verse novels
Having launched their Poetry Month in 2021 which I wrote about at the time, Red Room Company (or, Red Room Poetry) clearly felt it was successful, because they are back again this year with another Poetry Month. Its aim is to "increase access, awareness and visibility of poetry in all its forms and for all … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Poetry Month 2022 and Verse novels
Book Launch of My heart is a little wild thing by Nigel Featherstone
A respite this week from Monday Musings because I did want to bring you the Canberra launch of Nigel Featherstone's My heart is a little wild thing, which happened on Saturday. Normally, I would have published the post on the weekend, but I was otherwise engaged, and so have decided to usurp Monday Musings to … Continue reading Book Launch of My heart is a little wild thing by Nigel Featherstone
Monday musings on Australian literature: The Red Witch
Last week, I attended the online launch of Nathan Hobby's biography, The red witch: A biography of Katharine Susannah Prichard. It was beautifully emceed by Lisa Hill, of ANZLitLovers, and involved three speakers, Karen Throssell, award-winning poet and the only grandchild of Prichard; Nathan Hollier, the publisher; and, of course, the author himself, Nathan Hobby. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The Red Witch
Sydney Writers Festival 2022, Live and Local (Session 1, and only)
This is the fourth year I've attended Sydney Writers Festival's Live and Local live-streamed events at the National Library of Australia. I nearly missed it this year because, somehow, I didn't see the usual advertising. However, I caught it just in time, and was able to attend an event that particularly interested me. For the … Continue reading Sydney Writers Festival 2022, Live and Local (Session 1, and only)
Whispering Gums 