In terms of feminist argument, I'm not sure that Tara Moss told me anything I didn't already know or believe in her first work of non-fiction, The fictional woman, but that didn't stop me enjoying her take, her approach. Moss is an interesting woman. Her careers as a model and a crime writer meant she wasn't really on my … Continue reading Tara Moss, The fictional woman (Review)
Literature by period
Stella Prize 2015 Longlist
As a team-member of the Australian Women Writers' Challenge, I'm particularly interested in the Stella Prize, which, as you probably know, is a prize limited to Australian women writers. The great thing about it, though, is what it isn't limited to - and that is form and genre. The first winner in 2013 was a … Continue reading Stella Prize 2015 Longlist
John Clanchy, Six: New tales (Review)
John Clanchy, like Julian Davies whose Crow mellow I recently reviewed, is another Australian writer I'd heard of but not read until his piece in the Canberra centenary anthology, The invisible thread. What a treasure trove that has turned out to be! Anyhow, titled "The gunmen", Clanchy's contribution was an excerpt from his first novel, The life … Continue reading John Clanchy, Six: New tales (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Debating Australian literature in 1908
Browsing digitised papers via National Library's Trove yet again, I came across an intriguing 1908 article by Page Twenty-Seven columnist Norman Lilley. I gather that Lilley had made some pronouncements on Australian literature which had garnered some strong opinions. I haven't searched hard for the original statements but we don't necessarily need them to enjoy Lilley's report of the ensuing … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Debating Australian literature in 1908
Pulse: First 2014 (Review)
Now here's the thing. I'm a librarian by training, so I have certain expectations of how publications are titled, and Pulse, I must say, confused me. However, we librarians also know that publishers and writers don't care about our rules; they just do what appeals to them! Fair enough. They're the creators after all. Still, when I see … Continue reading Pulse: First 2014 (Review)
Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and punishment (Review, hmm)
Part way through my reading of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and punishment I wrote in my book - because, yes, I am a marginalia writer - "Who does Dostoevsky agree with?" It's a somewhat naive question, I know, because the author doesn't have to agree with anyone - and very often doesn't. You just have to look at Humbert … Continue reading Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and punishment (Review, hmm)
Delicious descriptions: Julian Davies on reading
A couple of weeks ago I reviewed Julian Davies' Crow mellow. It's an enjoyable and at times provocative read. I'd love to share many descriptions and scenes from it but, since this is a reader's blog, I've decided to share some thoughts relevant to my focus made by the main character, poet Phil Day. Much … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Julian Davies on reading
Julian Davies, Crow mellow (Review)
Julian Davies, author of Crow mellow and publisher at Finlay Lloyd, has written six novels, some of them short-listed for significant literary awards, but, embarrassingly, I only became properly aware of him through his inclusion in the two Canberra centenary volumes that I reviewed in 2013, The invisible thread and Meanjin's The Canberra Issue. It's the … Continue reading Julian Davies, Crow mellow (Review)
Anna Funder, Everything precious (Review)
I must thank John aka Musings of a Literary Dilettante for introducing me to this intriguing little e-work by Miles Franklin award-winner, Anna Funder. When John read it, back in October, it was in daily instalments, but when I clicked the link in his post I was offered several e-book versions, including for the Kindle and iPad, … Continue reading Anna Funder, Everything precious (Review)
Annie Parker, Passages in the life of a slave woman (Review)
I have, this year, reviewed a couple of Library of America's (LOA) stories about slavery in the USA, one being Harriet Ann Jacobs' "The lover", and the other William Wells Brown's, Madison Washington. I've always been interested in slavery in the US, so when Annie Parker's "Passages in the life of a slave woman" appeared in my inbox, I of … Continue reading Annie Parker, Passages in the life of a slave woman (Review)
Whispering Gums 