I have passed up reading and/or posting on so many Library of America (LOA) Story of the Week offerings over the last months - sadly, because there have been some excellent selections chosen for their political relevance. However, when I saw a sentimental favourite, Gene Stratton-Porter (1863-1924), pop up, I knew I had to break the drought. … Continue reading Gene Stratton-Porter, The last Passsenger Pigeon (#Review)
20th century literature
Wendy Scarfe and Allan Scarfe, A mouthful of petals: Three years in an Indian Village (#BookReview)
Husband and wife writers, Wendy and Allan Sharfe, first published A mouthful of petals, the story of their three years in the remote Indian village of Sokhodeora, in 1967. It is not, however, their only book. Wendy Scarfe has written poetry and several novels, two of which I've reviewed here, Hunger town and The day … Continue reading Wendy Scarfe and Allan Scarfe, A mouthful of petals: Three years in an Indian Village (#BookReview)
Bill curates: M.L. Skinner’s The hand
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 the latter part of January we will look at some of Sue’s older posts which have relevance to my Australian Women Writers Gen 3 Week, Part II,17-23 Jan, 2021. Mollie Skinner … Continue reading Bill curates: M.L. Skinner’s The hand
Bill curates: Monday musings on Indigenous Australian writers
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. The feature of Whispering Gums that we all most look forward to is Monday Musings. But when did they start? It took me a while to locate - WordPress … Continue reading Bill curates: Monday musings on Indigenous Australian writers
Bill curates: Favourite writers, no. 2
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. We discovered in August that Thea Astley is Sue's #3 favourite writer. We've always known that Jane Austen (here) is #1. So I thought we should check out # … Continue reading Bill curates: Favourite writers, no. 2
Thea Astley, An item from the late news (#BookReview)
Set in the satirically named town of Allbut, whose nearest large town is the equally satirically named Mainchance, Thea Astley's An item from the late news is framed by the story of a man who comes to the town, fearful of "the atom bomb", and wanting to live a quiet - sheltered, you might say … Continue reading Thea Astley, An item from the late news (#BookReview)
Bill curates: Thea Astley, Drylands
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. I selected Drylands because a) this is ANZLL Thea Astley Week; and b) I have just reviewed it myself. Sue apologizes that she relied on "not well-formed" notes, but … Continue reading Bill curates: Thea Astley, Drylands
Bill curates: Favourite writers: 3, Thea Astley
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. Lisa's ANZLL Thea Astley Week runs from 17 - 25 August so I thought it would be timely to skip ahead a bit as we make our way through … Continue reading Bill curates: Favourite writers: 3, Thea Astley
Bill curates: Imre Kertesz’s Fateless or Fatelessness
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. Sue reads some striking books and writes some (many!) striking reviews, of which this is one. I'm not sure I agree with her about Holocaust fiction, but I do … Continue reading Bill curates: Imre Kertesz’s Fateless or Fatelessness
Bill curates: Elizabeth Jolley’s My father’s moon
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. Elizabeth Jolley is one of the greats and I am sorry that I have only read her in fits and starts. I have had, unread, Brian Dibble's biography of … Continue reading Bill curates: Elizabeth Jolley’s My father’s moon