When historian Desley Deacon offered me her biography of Dame Judith Anderson for review, I was a little reticent because my review copies were getting out of hand. Little did I know then what was in store for me, and just how much more behind I would become. However, finally, its turn came, and here … Continue reading Desley Deacon, Judith Anderson: Australian star, First Lady of the American stage (#BookReview)
Women writers
Bill curates: Favourite writers: 3, Thea Astley
Bill curates is an occasional series where I delve into Sue's vast archive, stretching back to May 2009, and choose a post for us to revisit. Lisa's ANZLL Thea Astley Week runs from 17 - 25 August so I thought it would be timely to skip ahead a bit as we make our way through … Continue reading Bill curates: Favourite writers: 3, Thea Astley
Bill curates: Jane Austen and the information highway
Bill curates is an occasional series where I delve into Sue's vast archive, stretching back to May 2009, and choose a post for us to revisit. Jane Austen comes up over and over in Sue's posts, and as I'm as fascinated by her as Sue is, that suits me fine. Here though we are not … Continue reading Bill curates: Jane Austen and the information highway
Emily Paull, Well-behaved women (#BookReview)
Well-behaved women is a debut collection of short stories by Western Australian writer Emily Paull. It is one of those collections that has a unique title, and what a perfect - and teasing - title it is for a collection of stories focused on women. It has, you won't be surprised to hear, the usual … Continue reading Emily Paull, Well-behaved women (#BookReview)
Bill curates: Elizabeth Jolley’s My father’s moon
Bill curates is an occasional series where I delve into Sue's vast archive, stretching back to May 2009, and choose a post for us to revisit. Elizabeth Jolley is one of the greats and I am sorry that I have only read her in fits and starts. I have had, unread, Brian Dibble's biography of … Continue reading Bill curates: Elizabeth Jolley’s My father’s moon
Helen Garner, Yellow notebook: Diaries, Volume 1, 1978-1987 (#BookReview)
The opening session of last November's inaugural Broadside Festival featured Helen Garner in conversation with Sarah Krasnostein about her recently published Yellow notebook, the first volume of her edited diaries. It was an excellent, intelligent conversation. Garner came across as the forthright writer she is, one who fearlessly exposes difficult and unpleasant things, alongside joys and triumphs. … Continue reading Helen Garner, Yellow notebook: Diaries, Volume 1, 1978-1987 (#BookReview)
Anne Tyler, Redhead by the side of the road (#BookReview)
In the last couple of months of my Mum's life I bought her a few novels that I thought would give her pleasure. Although we didn't know, then, how dire her health was, I did know that she was tired and needed good but not overly demanding or depressing reads. So, for Easter, I gave … Continue reading Anne Tyler, Redhead by the side of the road (#BookReview)
Favel Parrett, There was still love (#BookReview)
Favel Parrett's third novel, There was still love, is one of those novels in which not a lot happens but has a lot going on. Just the sort of novel, really, that I tend to like. (It all started with Jane Austen!) The novel revolves around the lives of two Czech sisters, one who ends … Continue reading Favel Parrett, There was still love (#BookReview)
Bill curates: Jane Austen’s letters, 1814-1816
Bill curates is an occasional series where I delve into Sue's vast archive, stretching back to May 2009, and choose a post for us to revisit. I said, when I introduced this series, that Sue began writing Whispering Gums in May 2009. It seems that once begun she could not stop. There are WG posts … Continue reading Bill curates: Jane Austen’s letters, 1814-1816
Bill curates: Eve Langley’s The pea pickers
Back in April, Karen of Booker Talk published a great series of posts on the A2Z of Bookblogging. One of those posts was on Updating Posts or, Breathing new life into old posts. Bill (The Australian Legend), as part of his generous plan to help me keep my blog alive during my time-challenged period, suggested … Continue reading Bill curates: Eve Langley’s The pea pickers
Whispering Gums 