I was lying in front of a sunny window reading my current novel this afternoon when an urge came upon me to write about one of my favourite poems. It's one of the few I can recite from heart. The poem is "Spring and Fall" by Gerard Manley Hopkins, and it goes like this: To … Continue reading Autumn and a favourite poem
Review
Dorothy Johnston, The house at number 10 (Review)
Dorothy Johnston's The house at number 10 has one of the cheekiest opening sentences I've read for a long time ... but I'm not going to tell you what it is. If you are interested you'll have to find out for yourselves - and tell me if you agree. I decided to read this novel … Continue reading Dorothy Johnston, The house at number 10 (Review)
Courtney Collins, The burial (Review)
I became aware of Courtney Collins' The burial when it was longlisted for the Stella Prize. It has since been shortlisted for the Stella, shortlisted for the new writing award in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, and longlisted for the Dobbie Literary Award for new writing. It had previously been shortlisted for the 2009 Australian/Vogel … Continue reading Courtney Collins, The burial (Review)
Helen Trinca, Madeleine: A life of Madeleine St John (Review)
Madeleine (Courtesy: Text Publishing) I wanted to read Helen Trinca's biography Madeleine for several reasons. First, of course, being a reader, I'm interested in biographies and autobiographies of writers. Secondly, Madeleine St John belongs to that group of Australians, half a generation or so older than I am, that has made quite a mark on … Continue reading Helen Trinca, Madeleine: A life of Madeleine St John (Review)
The Griffyn Ensemble explores Water with the Swïne
Before the concert, at the Belconnen Arts Centre Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink (from The rime of the ancient mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge) I suppose it could be seen as clichéd to hear these words in a concert called "Water" but when the performers are the Griffyn Ensemble, cliché would … Continue reading The Griffyn Ensemble explores Water with the Swïne
Irma Gold (ed), The invisible thread (Review)
I even get nervous when I open a book, you know, for the first time. It's the same thing, isn't it. You never know what you'll find, do you? Each person, each book, is like a new world ... (from Mark Henshaw's Out of the line of fire, in The invisible thread) At last, you … Continue reading Irma Gold (ed), The invisible thread (Review)
Goddess (Movie review)
Will I, won't I, will I, won't I, has been running around my head over the last week since I saw the recent Australian movie Goddess. In the end I've decided, obviously, that I will - will, that is, write a post on it because I do like to raise a little awareness about Australia's … Continue reading Goddess (Movie review)
Christos Tsiolkas in Meanjin’s The Canberra Issue
I indicated in my recent review of Meanjin's special Canberra issue that I would write another post or two on the issue. This is one of those posts. It may, in fact, be the only one, for who knows where the spirit will lead me next? Right now though, I want to devote a post … Continue reading Christos Tsiolkas in Meanjin’s The Canberra Issue
Meanjin’s The Canberra Issue (Review)
Zora Sanders writes in her Editorial for Meanjin's Canberra Issue that Canberra has (or, is it had) a reputation for being The National Capital of Boredom. This is just one of the many less-than-flattering epithets regularly applied to Canberra: A Cemetery with Lights, Fat Cat City, and the pervasive, A City without a Soul. For me … Continue reading Meanjin’s The Canberra Issue (Review)
Graeme Simsion, The Rosie project (Review)
While I go to films fairly regularly, I rarely think of adapting books to film when I am reading. However, I was only a few pages into Graeme Simsion's The Rosie project when it occurred to me that it was perfect film material. The feeling got stronger - and then around a third of the … Continue reading Graeme Simsion, The Rosie project (Review)
