Writing biographies for young children - like, for example, Deborah Hopkinson and Qin Leng's Ordinary, extraordinary Jane Austen - is an interesting concept. Interesting, but not new. So, when I was given this gorgeous Jane Austen one for Christmas, I decided to research the topic - and what I discovered is that the picture book biography … Continue reading Deborah Hopkinson, Ordinary, extraordinary Jane Austen (#BookReview)
Literature by period
Jennifer Down, Pulse points (Guest post by Amanda) (#BookReview)
Amanda is on a roll, reading several Aussie women writers, so when she offered me a review of Jennifer Down's collection of short stories, Pulse points, of course I said yes. I love her opening explanation of why she loves short stories - I couldn't have said it better myself. Amanda's review I love short … Continue reading Jennifer Down, Pulse points (Guest post by Amanda) (#BookReview)
Capel Boake: Three short stories
Having written about Capel Boake in my last Monday Musings, I couldn't resist checking out some of her short stories. Bill's AWW Gen 2 Week concluded yesterday, but I hope he'll accept this post as a contribution. Boake's stories are easily accessible in Trove. In fact, I was spoilt for choice, so just picked three at random. … Continue reading Capel Boake: Three short stories
Louise Mack, Girls together (#BookReview)
Well, that was, surprisingly, genuinely enjoyable. Louise Mack's Girls together is a sequel to her novel Teens (see Bill's review), and features protagonist Lennie (Elinor) Leighton. It shouldn't have been a surprise, given I know something about Mack, through my Monday Musings on her and my review of her debut novel The world is round, but it was, … Continue reading Louise Mack, Girls together (#BookReview)
Jamie Marina Lau, Pink Mountain on Locust Island (Guest post by Amanda) (#BookReview)
Late last year I hosted a review of Maria Tumarkin's Axiomatic by Amanda who had responded to my call on the Australian Women Writers Challenge for reviews of it and Jamie Marina Lau's Pink Mountain on Locust Island, which won the 2018 Melbourne Prize for Literature’s Readings Residency Award, and was shortlisted for the Readings Prize for … Continue reading Jamie Marina Lau, Pink Mountain on Locust Island (Guest post by Amanda) (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Capel Boake
This week Bill (The Australian Legend) is following up last January's Australian Women Writers Gen 1 Week with a Gen 2 Week, this one highlighting Australian women writers from 1890 to 1918. He takes his inspiration from HM Green's A history of Australian literature, which characterises 1890-1923 as a period of “Self-conscious Nationalism”, the time of … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Capel Boake
Maria Tumarkin, Axiomatic (#BookReview)
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a guest post by Amanda for Maria Tumarkin's book of essays, Axiomatic. At the time that post was negotiated, I had no immediate plans to read the book myself, but that changed when Brother Gums and family gave me a copy for Christmas ... Now, if you are … Continue reading Maria Tumarkin, Axiomatic (#BookReview)
Jarrah Dundler, Hey Brother (#BookReview)
Is she ever going to write another actual review you've been probably wondering but yes, I am - and it's for the young protagonist book I mentioned in my recent Reading Highlights post. The book is Jarrah Dundler's debut novel, Hey Brother, which was shortlisted for the The Australian/Vogel Upublished Manuscript Award in 2017 under … Continue reading Jarrah Dundler, Hey Brother (#BookReview)
Maria Tumarkin, Axiomatic (Guest post by Amanda) (#BookReview)
I am thrilled to host this post by Amanda who responded to my call on the Australian Women Writers Challenge for a review of Maria Tumarkin's Axiomatic, which won the Best Writing Award in this year's Melbourne Prize for Literature awards. However, Amanda does not have a place to post reviews on-line, so we agreed … Continue reading Maria Tumarkin, Axiomatic (Guest post by Amanda) (#BookReview)
Clare Wright, You daughters of freedom (#BookReview)
Well, that was a tome and a half! And in saying this I'm referring less to the length of Clare Wright's new history, You daughters of freedom: The Australians who won the vote and inspired the world, than to its depth and richness. There are, in fact, two main stories going on here - the story of … Continue reading Clare Wright, You daughters of freedom (#BookReview)
Whispering Gums 