What most struck me as I got into the flow of Darren Rix and Craig Cormick's book Warra Warra Wai: How Indigenous Australians discovered Captain Cook, and what they tell about the coming of the Ghost People was that I was reading something that felt like a model for a new way of telling Australia's … Continue reading Darren Rix and Craig Cormick, Warra Warra Wai
Reading
Niall Williams, This is happiness (#BookReview)
It was while my reading group was discussing Niall Williams' This is happiness that a certain penny finally dropped, and it happened like this. My reading group's practice is to start our meetings with each of us sharing our first impressions of the chosen book. The first three at this meeting said they had trouble … Continue reading Niall Williams, This is happiness (#BookReview)
Claire Keegan, Antarctica (#BookReview)
I promised in my post on Claire Keegan's novella Small things like these, that a review of Antarctica would be coming soon, and I like to keep my promises, so here it is. First, though, I must say I'm thrilled to have had this unexpected opportunity to spend time with Keegan whose So late in … Continue reading Claire Keegan, Antarctica (#BookReview)
Claire Keegan, Small things like these (#BookReview)
Very occasionally my reading group makes a book-scheduling boo-boo, and it happened this year when we chose Irish writer Claire Keegan’s So late in the day: Stories of women and men for our May read. This book, which comprises three of Keegan’s short stories, “So late in the day”, “The long and and painful death”, and … Continue reading Claire Keegan, Small things like these (#BookReview)
Maxine Beneba Clarke, Beautiful changelings (#BookReview)
Maxine Beneba Clarke's latest book, Beautiful changelings, is the first poetry collection scheduled by my reading group in our 38 years, and it went very well. I should clarify, lest you think we are poetry-avoiders, that we have read some verse novels and we've had a couple of poetry evenings where we've shared favourite poems, … Continue reading Maxine Beneba Clarke, Beautiful changelings (#BookReview)
Ann Patchett, Tom Lake (#BookReview)
I have not read Ann Patchett for a long time. In fact, I've only read one novel, Bel Canto, way before blogging, and one nonfiction piece, “The bookshop strikes back” (my review). So, when I saw all the love her latest novel, Tom Lake, was getting in 2023's end-of-year lists (including Kate's annual compilation), I … Continue reading Ann Patchett, Tom Lake (#BookReview)
Samantha Harvey, Orbital (#BookReview)
Samantha Harvey's Booker Prize-winning novella, Orbital, is one of those novels you want to keep by your side after you've finished it, hoping that its calm beauty and quiet provocations will stay with you just that little bit longer. And here, in this opening sentence, I am channelling the "you" voice that she slips into occasionally … Continue reading Samantha Harvey, Orbital (#BookReview)
Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton (#BookReview)
My reading group has a tradition of choosing a "big" book for our January read. We also like to do a classic each year. This year the two coincided when we chose Elizabeth Gaskell's first novel, Mary Barton, as our 2026 starting book. I have read several Gaskell novels and stories - plus Nell Stevens' … Continue reading Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton (#BookReview)
Reading highlights for 2025
Here we are at my annual highlights time, which for me means posting my reading highlights on December 31, and blogging highlights on January 1. I do my Reading Highlights on the last day of the year, so I will have read (even if not reviewed) all the books I’m going to read in the … Continue reading Reading highlights for 2025
My reading group’s favourites for 2025
Once again, I am sharing my reading group's top picks for the year, because I think, like me, many of you enjoy hearing about other reading groups. I'll start by sharing what we read in the order we read them (with links on titles to my reviews): Andrew O’Hagan, Caledonian Road: novel, Scottish author Andra Putnis, Stories … Continue reading My reading group’s favourites for 2025
Whispering Gums 