I came across Gwendolyn Brooks' 1953-published novella, Maud Martha, on JacquiWine's blog last year, and was confident it was a book for me - so I bought the e-Book version and read it slowly on my phone and iPad whenever I was out and about. This sort of reading doesn't work for all books, but … Continue reading Gwendolyn Brooks, Maud Martha (#BookReview)
20th century literature
D’Arcy Niland, The parachutist (#Review)
D'Arcy Niland has appeared in my blog before but not in his own right. He was the Australian-born husband of the New Zealand-born Australian writer Ruth Park. I have posted on their collaborative memoir, The drums go bang, and have written specifically about Ruth Park, but have never written specifically on Niland before. Niland is … Continue reading D’Arcy Niland, The parachutist (#Review)
Elizabeth von Arnim, Expiation (#BookReview #1929 Club)
I cannot remember when I last laughed out loud - a lot - when reading a book. The book that broke the drought is Elizabeth von Arnim's Expiation. Even in her darkest, grimmest novel, Vera (my review), Von Arnim managed to make me splutter several times, albeit ruefully. Expiation, though, caused no such qualms. I … Continue reading Elizabeth von Arnim, Expiation (#BookReview #1929 Club)
Frederic Manning, The middle parts of fortune, Ch. 1 (#Review, #1929 Club)
I had identified two novels for my 1929 read, M. Barnard Eldershaw's A house is built and another. With Lisa also considering A house is built, I decided to go for the other. I started it, and am loving it, but I won't finish it in time, so I thought I'd check my Australian anthologies … Continue reading Frederic Manning, The middle parts of fortune, Ch. 1 (#Review, #1929 Club)
Monday musings on Australian literature: 1929 in fiction
As many of you know by now, Karen (Kaggsy's Bookish Rambling) and Simon (Stuck in a Book) run "reading weeks" in which they nominate a year from which "everyone reads, enjoys, posts and shares wonderful books and discoveries from the year in question". The current year is 1929, and it runs from today, 24 October … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: 1929 in fiction
O. Henry, Conscience in art (#Review)
Followers of the short story form will probably know of O. Henry, the pen-name of American author William Sydney Porter (1862-1910). Although he also wrote poetry and non-fiction, Henry was best known for his prodigious short story writing. His legacy, as Wikipedia says, includes the O. Henry Award, which is an annual prize awarded to outstanding … Continue reading O. Henry, Conscience in art (#Review)
Ernest Hemingway, Cat in the rain (#Review)
As I often do with Library of America (LOA), I bookmarked their recent Story of the Week featuring Ernest Hemingway's short story "Cat in the rain" to read later. "Later" came today. I have no Hemingway on my blog, so this seemed a perfect opportunity, and I do like short stories anyhow. First ed. cover, from Wikipedia article. … Continue reading Ernest Hemingway, Cat in the rain (#Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Local colour, 1920-style
Back in June I wrote a post on the Australian Literature Society's Women's Night that they held in 1922. This Society, which was formed in Melbourne in 1899, has played an important role in supporting and promoting Australian literature for well over a century - first as itself, and then as part of the Association … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Local colour, 1920-style
Monday musings on Australian literature: The Australian girl’s annual
Some time ago I posted on an old School friend annual that I found during my decluttering. Today, I bring you a much older annual for girls, The Australian girl's annual. It came not from my childhood, but from my aunt's house when I was working on her estate, and it is undated. As far … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The Australian girl’s annual
Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1922: 6, Great Australian novel (again)
The things you find in Trove! As l was trawling Trove for my 1922-project earlier this year, I came across a reference to the Great Australian novel. Just one. So, I put it aside, thinking it would be a neat, quick little post for a busy week like this one. Little did I know ... … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1922: 6, Great Australian novel (again)
Whispering Gums 