Whispering Gums

Books, reading and more … with an Australian focus … written on Ngunnawal Country

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Review – Theatre

The Story of the Oars

September 21, 2025September 22, 2025 / Whispering Gums / 16 Comments

Back in 2018, I wrote a post on local author Nigel Featherstone's first theatrical work, an art-song piece titled The Weight of Light. Seven years later, his second work of theatre, The Story of the Oars, has just finished its short season at The Street Theatre. Having just got back from Japan on Friday afternoon, … Continue reading The Story of the Oars

A lovely night out … at the theatre

March 7, 2018September 21, 2025 / Whispering Gums / 14 Comments

You know the year has really started when the concerts and shows start up again - and for us they've started with a bang. We had three events in four days: A Pacifist's Guide to the War on Cancer (Playhouse) on Saturday night, The Weight of Light (Street Theatre) late Sunday afternoon, and the first … Continue reading A lovely night out … at the theatre

My literary week (8), a cultural life

June 17, 2017April 14, 2018 / Whispering Gums / 27 Comments

There's always something going on here in the nation's capital, besides politics that is and despite the belief in some circles that it is a soulless place! In fact, it's so busy here - so packed full of things to do - that my reading has been pretty slow of late. However, I have been … Continue reading My literary week (8), a cultural life

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Recent Whisperings

  • George Kemp, Soft serve (#BookReview)
  • Monday musings on Australian literature: Supporting genres, 10: Graphic novels
  • Geraldine Brooks, Memorial days (#BookReview)
  • Stella Prize 2026 Winner announced
  • Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (17), Women readers (1)

Latest comments

  1. Whispering Gums's avatar
    Whispering Gums on George Kemp, Soft serve (#BookReview)May 24, 2026

    They do Pam, though for much of this novel they are the backdrop. The fire does, though, play a significant…

  2. TravellinPenguin's avatar
    TravellinPenguin on George Kemp, Soft serve (#BookReview)May 24, 2026

    I think I'd enjoy this book too. Though fires always make for a tense read.

  3. Whispering Gums's avatar
    Whispering Gums on George Kemp, Soft serve (#BookReview)May 24, 2026

    Thanks Kimbofo … it is a very good read. I felt for all the characters. But, good question. I can’t…

  4. kimbofo's avatar
    kimbofo on George Kemp, Soft serve (#BookReview)May 24, 2026

    I like the sound of this, Sue. I don’t know how true this is, but I don’t think there are…

  5. Whispering Gums's avatar
    Whispering Gums on Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (17), Women readers (1)May 23, 2026

    A pleasure. It’s certainly confusing isn’t it.

Past Whisperings

Recently Popular Whisperings

  • Charlotte Wood, Stone Yard devotional (#BookReview)
  • Claire Keegan, So late in the day (#BookReview)
  • George Kemp, Soft serve (#BookReview)
  • Elizabeth Strout, Olive Kitteridge (#BookReview)
  • Barbara Kingsolver, Demon Copperhead (#BookReview)

Australian Literary Awards for (mostly) Fiction, 2026


The Age Book of the Year:
ALS Gold Medal:
Australian Book Industry Award (Literary Fiction):
Barbara Jefferis Award:
Indie Book Awards (Fiction):
Miles Franklin Award:
NSW Premier's Literary Award (Christina Stead Prize):
Patrick White Award:
Prime Minister's Literary Award:
Queensland Literary (Fiction) Award:
South Australian Literary Awards:
Stella Prize:
Victorian Premier's Literary (Fiction) Award: Omar Musa, Fierceland
Western Australian Premier's Book of the Year Award:

Acknowledgement of Country

I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of the nation in which I live, of land that was never ceded. I honour and respect their cultural heritage, customs and beliefs, and am truly thankful for their ongoing care of this country.

Copyright on my content

This work by Whispering Gums is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareALike 4.0 International

Copyright on images used in this blog

I am careful about the images I use in this blog. Some of them are my own, some I've specifically obtained permission to use from an owner, and some book cover thumbnails are used under fair use provisions. However, I have used others under Creative Commons (and similar licences) when the owners have indicated on their sites/pages that they release their material under such licences. Where possible, I have tried to properly attribute the owners/creators of uploaded images. If you think I have breached your copyright in any way please let me know. Any photos not attributed to others or to public domain are mine. Unless otherwise specified, you are welcome to use them under the Creative Commons license described under Copyright on my content above.

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