Over the years, the Library of America's (LOA) Story of the Week has published seven short stories by Kate Chopin, and I've posted on four of them. Now comes my fifth. It was actually published in February. I noted it, printed it out, but have only now found time to sit down and read it, and of … Continue reading Kate Chopin, A pair of silk stockings (Review)
Women writers
Charlotte Wood, The natural way of things (Review)
Well, I wrote this week's Monday musings on Australian dystopian fiction as a lead in to my review of Charlotte Wood's award-winning The natural way of things, but I wasn't expecting to get the perfect intro for my review! In the post's comments, author and publisher Anna Blay pointed us to an article by Maria Popova in … Continue reading Charlotte Wood, The natural way of things (Review)
Sonya Hartnett, Golden boys (Review)
Although Sonya Hartnett has written a large number of books, for children, young adults and adults, I've never read her, which is something I've been wanting to rectify. My opportunity came in May when my reading group scheduled her latest novel, Golden boys, for discussion. It was shortlisted for several awards last year, including the Miles Franklin Award - … Continue reading Sonya Hartnett, Golden boys (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Spotlight on Charlotte Wood
This is the third in my occasional series of Spotlight posts inspired by Annette Marfording's Celebrating Australian Writing: Conversations with Australian Authors. (See the end of this post for links to the first two.) Since Charlotte Wood won this year's Stella Prize, the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction (NSW Premier's Literary Awards), and has just been shortlisted for … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Spotlight on Charlotte Wood
Bidda Jones and Julian Davies, Backlash: Australia’s conflict of values over live exports
When co-author and publisher Julian Davies sent me Backlash to review, he described it as "our latest and perhaps most ambitious book so far - non-fiction". Hmm, I thought, that's quite something from the publisher of some very interesting and, it seems to me, ambitious books. But now, having read Backlash, I understand what he … Continue reading Bidda Jones and Julian Davies, Backlash: Australia’s conflict of values over live exports
Jane Jose, Places women make (Review)
"Places", Jane Jose writes in her book Places women make, "can lift our spirits and be inclusive, and add surprise, excitement, wonder or some beauty to day-to-day life in the city." These sorts of places, which are essential to making our cities liveable, rarely just happen. They take planning, and who does this planning? Men. At … Continue reading Jane Jose, Places women make (Review)
Frederick Law Olmsted, Trees in streets and in parks (Review)
I last came across the American landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, a few years ago when I was doing some freelance research for a Canberra 2013 centenary project. This was because Olmsted, who designed New York's Central Park with Calvert Vaux, inspired Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahoney Griffin, the original designers of Canberra. Now, it just … Continue reading Frederick Law Olmsted, Trees in streets and in parks (Review)
Sarah Kanake and Down syndrome in literature
In the media release accompanying my copy of Sarah Kanake's Sing fox to me (my review), we are told not only that Kanake's brother has Down syndrome but that she has a PhD in creative writing from the Queensland University of Technology "on the representations of Down syndrome in Australian literature". As far as I know her … Continue reading Sarah Kanake and Down syndrome in literature
Sarah Kanake, Sing fox to me (Review)
Back in late 2011, I wrote a Monday Musings post on 19th century Australian Gothic. I've always intended to post more on the topic, including one on Tasmanian Gothic. Well, here's a start, because Sarah Kanake's debut novel, Sing fox to me, is a good example of modern Tasmanian Gothic. I wrote in my first post that … Continue reading Sarah Kanake, Sing fox to me (Review)
Stella Prize 2016 Winner Announced
Just a short post for those of you who read my Stella Prize longlist and shortlist posts and haven't heard the news - which would primarily be you readers from lands other than mine! The winner was not a surprise, as you may know if you read my response to BookerTalk's question on my shortlist post. It's … Continue reading Stella Prize 2016 Winner Announced
Whispering Gums 