My reading group's last book of the year, Holly Throsby's third novel, Clarke, was a popular end-of-year choice. It's a straightforward but compelling read that was inspired by a story we were all across, the Lynette Dawson story. Inspired, though, is the operative word, as Clarke is not Lynette Dawson's story. For a start, while … Continue reading Holly Throsby, Clarke (#BookReview)
Women writers
Margaret Atwood, The Labrador fiasco (#Review)
Although I am an Atwood fan from way back, I haven't, to date, taken part in Marcie's (Buried in Print) MARM (Margaret Atwood Reading Month) event. But I promised her I would this month, albeit with just one little short story probably, this one. I have had The Labrador fiasco on my "little book" TBR … Continue reading Margaret Atwood, The Labrador fiasco (#Review)
Kim Kelly, Ladies’ Rest and Writing Room (#BookReview)
Early in the month I reviewed the first of the two winners of Finlay Lloyd's inaugural 20/40 Publishing Prize, Rebecca Burton's Ravenous girls (my review). It was set in Sydney in the 1980s. Now, as promised, I bring you the other winner, Kim Kelly's Ladies' Rest and Writing Room. It is also set in Sydney, … Continue reading Kim Kelly, Ladies’ Rest and Writing Room (#BookReview)
Shirley Hazzard, The picnic (#Review, #1962 Club)
As I have done for most "year" reading weeks*, I decided for 1962 to read a short story by an Australian author. I read two, in fact, and may post on the second one later. Today's story, though, is Shirley Hazzard's "The picnic" which I found in an anthology edited by Carmel Bird, The Penguin … Continue reading Shirley Hazzard, The picnic (#Review, #1962 Club)
Susan Glaspell, A jury of her peers (#Review)
One of my retirement activities is to co-ordinate a little band of volunteer indexers at the National Film and Sound Archive. Not only do we do useful work for the Archive, but we get to socialise a little with our peers, meaning we talk about what we are watching, listening to, and reading. Recently, one … Continue reading Susan Glaspell, A jury of her peers (#Review)
Carmel Bird, Love letter to Lola (#BookReview)
In her prose piece, "Ocean of story" (my post), Christina Stead wrote that It is only when the short story is written to a rigid plan, or done as an imitation, that it dies. It dies when it is pinned down, but not elsewhere. It is the million drops of water that are the looking-glasses … Continue reading Carmel Bird, Love letter to Lola (#BookReview)
Mary TallMountain, Snatched away (#Review)
Mary TallMountain's "Snatched away" is the ninth story of fourteen in the anthology, Great short stories by contemporary Native American writers, that I've been working through this year. It, like the previous three, was published in the 1980s, in 1988 in this case. Mary TallMountain Anthology editor Bob Blaisdell provides minimal information about her. He … Continue reading Mary TallMountain, Snatched away (#Review)
Shelley Burr, Ripper (#BookReview)
When I started reading Ripper, Shelley Burr's follow-up novel to her bestselling award-winning debut novel Wake (my review), I thought about crime novels, about how they are often written in series and how I am not a big series fan. Ripper looked to me like a stand-alone novel - and it is, somewhat! I say … Continue reading Shelley Burr, Ripper (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Elizabeth Webby (1941-2023)
This might be a first for me, an obituary-style post for an academic/literary scholar rather than for an author. However, this post seemed appropriate as, Elizabeth Webby, who died last month, is someone whom I've mentioned several times in my blog due to her having written in areas that are of interest to me. Specifically, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Elizabeth Webby (1941-2023)
Pat Barker, The women of Troy (#BookReview)
I shocked my reading group last week when I announced during our discussion of Pat Barker's novel, The women of Troy, that I was tiring of feminist re-imaginings of historical women. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the novel, and it is definitely not to say that I am not interested in … Continue reading Pat Barker, The women of Troy (#BookReview)
Whispering Gums 