I was introduced to William Gilpin by Jane Austen. Well, not by her so much as by her brother, Henry, who told us* that she was "enamoured of Gilpin on the Picturesque at a very early age". This month my local Jane Austen group decided to look a little more deeply at Gilpin, his Picturesque, … Continue reading William Gilpin, Jane Austen and the picturesque
Review
Sefi Atta, A bit of difference (Review)
Nigerian writer Sefi Atta was once an accountant. Interesting switch that, accountant to writer, but Atta seems to have made it with great success. Her first novel, Everything good will come, won the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa, and received an Honourable Mention in the Aidoo-Snyder Book Prize. Her short story collection, News … Continue reading Sefi Atta, A bit of difference (Review)
The Griffyns go Behind Bars
Before the concert The Griffyn Ensemble has done it again. They've presented a concert that moved, challenged, educated and entertained us. Behind Bars, which was performed last week in Melbourne, Bendigo and Canberra, was the third and final concert of their 2012 season. Like all their concerts it had a theme, this one being, obviously, … Continue reading The Griffyns go Behind Bars
Zane Lovitt, The midnight promise (Review)
Zane Lovitt's debut book, The midnight promise, is one of those books for which I can't decide how to start my review. I could go with the point, previously made in this blog, that I'm not a reader of crime and so cannot speak with authority on the subject. Or, I could write about the … Continue reading Zane Lovitt, The midnight promise (Review)
Paddy O’Reilly, The salesman (Review)
I've been wanting to read Paddy O'Reilly for the longest time but somehow haven't managed to get to her so, as is my wont, I decided to read a short story of hers in the Griffith Review. She made her name, I think, with her short stories, but has also written novels/novellas and a screenplay, … Continue reading Paddy O’Reilly, The salesman (Review)
Nancy Cato, All the rivers run, Book 1 (Review)
It's been a long time since I reviewed an audiobook or, more accurately, reviewed a book via its audiobook version. As I've said before, I don't listen often to audiobooks, but last month Mr Gums and I did a long drive and so decided to listen to Nancy Cato's All the rivers run. I referred … Continue reading Nancy Cato, All the rivers run, Book 1 (Review)
Karen Jennings, Finding Soutbek (Review)
Finding Soutbek (Courtesy: Holland Park Press) I don't, as a rule, accept review copies of books by non-Australian authors, but when New Holland Press offered me Finding Soutbek by South African writer, Karen Jennings, I was intrigued. Intrigued because of connections in our countries' respective histories, and because I've read several books set in South … Continue reading Karen Jennings, Finding Soutbek (Review)
Ruby Sparks (Movie)
Because I am a litblogger not a film blogger, I don't review all the movies I see. When I do review a movie it is usually an Australian one. However, because of a certain synchronicity and because of its subject matter, I can't resist writing a little about Ruby Sparks. The synchronicity comes from Anita … Continue reading Ruby Sparks (Movie)
Dorothea Mackellar, Elena Kats-Chernin and the Vienna Boys Choir
I'm guessing most of you have heard of the Vienna Boys Choir, but you may not, particularly if you're not Australian, have heard of Dorothea Mackellar and Elena Kats-Chernin. Mackellar (1885-1968) was an Australian writer, best known for her poem "My country". Kats-Chernin (b. 1957) is an Australian composer who was born in Tashkent (in what was … Continue reading Dorothea Mackellar, Elena Kats-Chernin and the Vienna Boys Choir
Toni Jordan, Nine days (Review)
Toni Jordan's latest novel, Nine days, is somewhat of a departure from her first two novels which are more in the chicklit vein, albeit chicklit with a difference. The thing is, I don't generally read chicklit, but I did enjoy Addition and Fall girl, so I was more than willing to read Jordan's next offering. I … Continue reading Toni Jordan, Nine days (Review)
