Lee Lai's second graphic novel, Cannon, won this year's Stella Prize, and so, while I'm not a graphic novel aficionado, I was intrigued to read this one. I'm not embarrassed to admit how surprised I was by how completely I was drawn into Cannon's world, and how much I felt for her predicament. How did … Continue reading Lee Lai, Cannon (#BookReview)
Review
Merlinda Bobis, In the name of the trees (#BookReview)
In July, Philippine-born Merlinda Bobis' latest novel, In the name of the trees, won the ACT Literary Awards prize for fiction, and in August it was shortlisted for the Prime Minster's Literary Awards. But then, Merlinda Bobis is no stranger to awards, in Australia and her country of birth, the Philippines, as you will see … Continue reading Merlinda Bobis, In the name of the trees (#BookReview)
Darren Rix and Craig Cormick, Warra Warra Wai
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
Corey Tutt and Irma Gold, with Jessica Tedim, Come home Bigibila (#BookReview)
The recently published children's picture book, Come home Bigibila, is a gorgeous book for several reasons, but the most important of these is that it's a good read. If it weren't that, the other reasons would fade away! So, let's start there. Come home Bigibila tells the story of Bigibila, a baby echidna who is … Continue reading Corey Tutt and Irma Gold, with Jessica Tedim, Come home Bigibila (#BookReview)
Shaun Micallef, De’Ath takes a holiday (#BookReview)
This book is bonkers, but that's mainly its point of course. It has other points too, and I'll get to those, but first I'll introduce it more formally. De'Ath takes a holiday is billed by its author, Australian comedian and satirist Shaun Micallef, as "the origin story of the first real vampyre (not Dracula)", which … Continue reading Shaun Micallef, De’Ath takes a holiday (#BookReview)
Alan Fyfe, The cross thieves (#BookReview)
Publisher Transit Lounge introduces Alan Fyfe as "a maker of stories and poems who lives on unceded Noongar country". His first novel, T, was listed for the West Australian Premier’s Award for an Emerging Writer, and his first poetry collection, G-d, sleep, and chaos, won The West Australian Premier’s Award for Poetry and the overall West Australian Book … Continue reading Alan Fyfe, The cross thieves (#BookReview)
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)
Becky Manawatu, Auē (#BookReview)
2019 First ed. Becky Manawatu's debut novel Auē won two Ockham New Zealand Book Awards and Best Crime Novel at the Ngaio Marsh Awards. She is of Māori and Pākehā* background, as are Keri Hulme and Alan Duff with whose novels, The bone people and Once were warriors, Auē has been compared. These books address the intergenerational … Continue reading Becky Manawatu, Auē (#BookReview)
Whispering Gums 