In 2019, I wrote a detailed wrap-up of that year's Canberra Writers Festival, and I thought to do one this year, though I didn't have the fascinating stats I had in 2019. However, with this year's festival bumping up against November, which is a very busy month in the blogosphere, I've decided to scale down … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Final thoughts on Canberra Writers Festival 2024
Literary style
ChatGPT and Craig Silvey’s Jasper Jones
A few days ago, Lisa (ANZ LitLovers) wrote a post on ChatGPT, inspired by an article she'd read by Margaret Simons in Inside Story. She decided to test it by asking it to review a few books she'd bought and/or reviewed, including Jasper Jones. Do read what she did, and the ensuing conversation on her … Continue reading ChatGPT and Craig Silvey’s Jasper Jones
A little note on dark literature
I ended my post on Gabrielle Carey's Only happiness here: In search of Elizabeth von Arnim with Carey's point that, although at her death there was a belief that von Arnim's work would live on, “her style of conventionally plotted novels, however rebellious, insightful or entertaining, soon went out of literary fashion”. This was because, … Continue reading A little note on dark literature
Chrystopher J. Spicer: Cyclone country: The language of place and disaster in Australian literature (#BookReview)
I love thinking about place in literature, so I was intrigued when Chrystopher Spicer, cultural historian and adjunct senior research fellow at North Queensland's James Cook University, offered me his book Cyclone country: The language of place and disaster in Australian literature for review. Unfortunately, I've taken a while to get to it. Place can … Continue reading Chrystopher J. Spicer: Cyclone country: The language of place and disaster in Australian literature (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Birds in Australian fiction
This week in Australia, 18 to 24 October, is National Bird Week. According to BirdLife Australia, this week originated in the early 1900s when 28 October was designated by the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union as the first Bird Day. Now Bird Week, it is organised and promoted by BirdLife Australia, which is the Union's successor. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Birds in Australian fiction
Bill curates: What do I mean by spare?
Bill curates is an occasional series where I delve into Sue's vast archive, stretching back to May 2009, and choose a post for us to revisit. During this first year as a blogger (2009) Sue wrote an astonishing number of well-researched and interesting posts. Let's say 4 per week at around 600 words per post. … Continue reading Bill curates: What do I mean by spare?
George Orwell’s Politics and the English language
I was reminded of George Orwell's rules for writing this weekend while reading an article about the German architectural historian, Nikolaus Pevsner (1902–1983). In her article, “New guides to Bath: Society and scene in Northanger Abbey”, Judy Stove-Wilson wrote that Pevsner noted the strong tendency of English towards monosyllables. He regarded this as symptomatic of ‘understatement, the … Continue reading George Orwell’s Politics and the English language
Monday musings on Australian literature: Angela Savage and setting in fiction
I have several ideas for my next few Monday Musings, but another one popped up on the weekend as I was perusing my Twitter feed. I don't check Twitter regularly enough - it's impossible to keep up with all the social media sites don't you think? - but when I do I regularly find a … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Angela Savage and setting in fiction
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian writers, loquacious?
It's a brave person who tries to characterise a nation's literature. But this is apparently what Australian-French writer Jean-Francois Vernay has done in his book A brief take on the Australian novel (published this year by Wakefield Press). I haven't read the book, but Lisa (ANZLitLovers) is currently reading it, and she challenged me to write … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian writers, loquacious?
Ward Farnsworth, rhetoric and the modern politician
One of my favourite go-to bloggers, Stefanie (So Many Books), recently posted about a book by Ward Farnsworth titled Classic English rhetoric. (Her post, though, was titled for his second book, Classical English metaphor.) I was intrigued, particularly when she described the letter from the author himself that accompanied this second book. Stefanie writes: Also in the package … Continue reading Ward Farnsworth, rhetoric and the modern politician
Whispering Gums 