I don't really need to write a post today having written two in the last two days, but there are a couple of things I'd love to share with you, so here I am for the third day in a row. Reading group schedule First up is my reading group schedule for the first half … Continue reading My literary week (14), lists and a celebrity
Reading group book
Rebecca Skloot, The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks (#BookReview)
In her extensive acknowledgements at the end of her book, The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot thanks "Heather at The Book Store, who tracked down every good novel she could find with a disjointed structure, all of which I devoured while trying to figure out the structure of this book." Interesting that she looked … Continue reading Rebecca Skloot, The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks (#BookReview)
EM Forster, Howards End (#BookReview)
Where to start? Like all great classics, EM Forster's Howards End has so much to think and write about that it's difficult to know where to focus, not to mention what new angle I could possibly add. Perhaps I'll just start at the beginning - with its epigraph, "only connect..." That's a concept that's sure … Continue reading EM Forster, Howards End (#BookReview)
WG Sebald, Austerlitz (#BookReview)
For the first time in my reading group's 30-year history, we read a book recommended by a fictional character. It happened like this: after reading and discussing Rabih Alameddine's An unnecessary woman (my review) in January, we thought it would be interesting if we all nominated which book mentioned by the "unnecessary woman", Aaliya Saleh, that we'd … Continue reading WG Sebald, Austerlitz (#BookReview)
Michelle de Kretser, The life to come (#BookReview)
Michelle de Kretser's Miles Franklin shortlisted novel, The life to come, makes for great reading but difficult blogging because, like her Miles Franklin Award winner, Questions of travel (my review), it is big, and covers a lot of ground. Where to start is the problem. However, I'll give it my best shot, starting with its form. … Continue reading Michelle de Kretser, The life to come (#BookReview)
Randolph Stow, The merry-go-round in the sea (#BookReview)
Randolph Stow is a writer I've been meaning to read for the longest time - since, would you believe, the 1970s? Embarrassing, really, given his significance. My plan had always been to read his Miles Franklin award-winning novel To the islands first. However, the first I actually bought was The merry-go-round in the sea - back in … Continue reading Randolph Stow, The merry-go-round in the sea (#BookReview)
Richard Flanagan, First person (#BookReview)
Richard Flanagan's latest novel First person, which I did with my reading group, is a challenge to read. By this I don't mean it's "hard" to read but that it requires careful attention to pin down. On the surface, its subject is straightforward. It's the story of struggling as-yet-unpublished writer, Kif Kehlmann, who accepts the job … Continue reading Richard Flanagan, First person (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: My reading group does Garner
You are never too old to try something new - and so it was that my 30-year-old reading group tried something new for our April meeting. The idea was that we would all read Garner, but our individual choice of Garner. We've discussed five Garners over the years, and many had read other Garners besides … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: My reading group does Garner
Helen Garner, The last days of chez nous, and Two friends (#BookReview)
Helen Garner must have loved prize-winning book designer WH Chong's cheeky cypress-dominated cover for the Text Classics edition of her two screenplays, The last days of chez nous and Two friends. You'd only realise this, though, after reading her Preface, in which she explains that she had incorporated cypresses into her screenplay for their "freight of … Continue reading Helen Garner, The last days of chez nous, and Two friends (#BookReview)
Claire G. Coleman, Terra nullius (#BookReview)
Claire G. Coleman's debut novel, Terra nullius, was my reading group's third book for this year. The first two - An unnecessary woman (my review) and The sympathizer (my review) were well liked - but not so Coleman's book. In fact that I was the only one who liked it. So, instead of my usual review, … Continue reading Claire G. Coleman, Terra nullius (#BookReview)
Whispering Gums 