Local writer Andra Putnis' book, Stories my grandmothers didn't tell me: Two women's journeys from war-torn Europe to a new life in Australia, was my reading group's February read. Not only was it highly recommended by two members who had read it, but we were told the author would be happy to attend our meeting … Continue reading Andra Putnis, Stories my grandmothers didn’t tell me (#BookReview)
Literature by period
Lisa Kenway, All you took from me (#GuestThoughts)
With my Review TBR pile teetering on the brink, I decided to call in a favour from Mr Gums, and handed him Lisa Kenway's debut novel, All you took from me, thinking it might be up his alley. Now, a word about Mr Gums. He is an engineer by training, and not the world's biggest … Continue reading Lisa Kenway, All you took from me (#GuestThoughts)
Melanie Cheng, The burrow (#BookReview)
You may have heard the announcement by Sean Manning, of Simon & Schuster’s flagship imprint in the US, that he will “no longer require authors to obtain blurbs for their books”. Australian media academic Julian Novitz discussed the decision in The Conversation in a piece titled "Brilliant, moving, thought-provoking! Simon & Schuster is dispensing with book … Continue reading Melanie Cheng, The burrow (#BookReview)
Frank Dalby Davison, Dusty (#BookReview)
It's a strange coincidence that my second review for Bill's Gen 1-3 Aussie male writers week is for a novel titled Dusty, when my first was for a short story titled "Dust". One of those funny little readerly synchronicities. The title, however, is about the only synchronicity because, although both stories allude to the dusty Australian landscape, … Continue reading Frank Dalby Davison, Dusty (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Summer Reading List, 2024
In early December last year, I started looking out for the Grattan Institute's Prime Minister’s Summer Reading List for 2024. But somehow, although it was published on their website on 9 December, I missed it. I have no idea how, because I went to their website, but maybe I was a day or two too … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Summer Reading List, 2024
Andrew O’Hagan, Caledonian Road (#BookReview)
When my reading group started back in 1988, most of us were time-poor mothers so we had a rule-of-thumb that our books could not be longer than 350 pages. Those days, however, are long gone, and some time ago we agreed that our January (aka summer) read could be a BIG book. Last year, for … Continue reading Andrew O’Hagan, Caledonian Road (#BookReview)
Alice Ruth Moore, A carnival jangle (#Review)
Over the last two years I worked my way through the anthology Great short stories by contemporary Native American writers that was sent to me by my American friend Carolyn. It introduced me to many writers I hadn't read before, and, valuably, to the issues and concerns facing some of America's first peoples. Many of … Continue reading Alice Ruth Moore, A carnival jangle (#Review)
Gavin Casey, Dust (#Review)
I have had to put aside the novel I was reading for Bill's Gen 1-3 Aussie male writers week, as my reading group book called. I will get back to it, and post on it later, but in the meantime, I wanted to post something in the actual week. So, I turned, as I have for other … Continue reading Gavin Casey, Dust (#Review)
Gideon Haigh, My brother Jaz (#Review)
When I posted my first review of the year - for Marion Halligan's Words for Lucy - I apologised for starting the year with a book about grief and loss. What I didn't admit then was that my next review would also be for a work about grief and loss, Gideon Haigh's extended essay, My … Continue reading Gideon Haigh, My brother Jaz (#Review)
Marion Halligan, Words for Lucy (#BookReview)
For my reading group's tribute to Marion Halligan last year, I had planned to read one of her older novels, Wishbone, which I did (my review), and her last book, the memoir Words for Lucy, which I didn't. But, I have now. I guess a book born of a mother's grief for a daughter who … Continue reading Marion Halligan, Words for Lucy (#BookReview)
Whispering Gums 