Two weeks ago I wrote a Monday Musings post on HarperCollins' new prize for unpublished manuscripts, the Banjo Prize - and this week I saw the announcement of the winners of another new "prize", the Wheeler Centre's Next Chapter initiative. It's a very different kettle of fish but is another program offering opportunities to writers … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The Next Chapter
Six degrees of separation, FROM The outsiders TO …
Woo hoo, tomorrow Daylight Savings starts here in eastern Australia and I can't wait. I love the longer nights, and not being woken by the birds so early in the morning. But that's tomorrow, today is Six Degrees of Separation day. Most of you know by now what that means, but for those who don't, Six … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM The outsiders TO …
HC Gildfind, The worry front (#BookReview)
The first thing to note about HC Gildfind's short story collection, The worry front, is its striking, inspired cover. Designed by Susan Miller, it features a weather map which captures the central motif of the title story, but it also suggests the unsettled lives which characterise the book. Gildfind, however, writing a post on the … Continue reading HC Gildfind, The worry front (#BookReview)
Monday Musings on Australian literature: the Australasian Home Reading Union (1)
Reading Groups, U3A branches, Probus clubs, etc. These are just a few of groups around today in which people come together, formally or informally, to further their intellectual interests. What did people with such interests do in, say, late nineteenth century Australia? Well, one option was to join or form an AHR circle. Have you … Continue reading Monday Musings on Australian literature: the Australasian Home Reading Union (1)
Telling and writing the story: Richard Fidler’s Seymour Biography Lecture
On Friday night I went to my fourth consecutive Seymour Biography Lecture at the National Library of Australia. A highlight on the Library's calendar, it's an annual lecture devoted to life-writing, and was endowed by the Seymours in 2005. This year's speaker, Richard Fidler, was, at first glance, a surprising pick - but a very popular one. He … Continue reading Telling and writing the story: Richard Fidler’s Seymour Biography Lecture
Horne Prize – the “political correctness” controversy
Dare I step into the breach? I think I will. Let me start by saying I'm a strong supporter of political correctness, though I hate the term itself and the way it is bandied about with little thought or nuance. To me, political correctness fundamentally means respect for and sensitivity to the feelings and place … Continue reading Horne Prize – the “political correctness” controversy
Monday musings on Australian literature: The Banjo Prize
I have just caught up with a new literary prize - the Banjo Prize - which is not to be confused with the Banjo Paterson Writing Awards I guess it's to be expected that one of Australia's favourite bush poets might be honoured by more than one award being named for him. Before I get … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The Banjo Prize
Robyn Cadwallader, Book of colours (#BookReview)
What makes historical fiction worth reading for me is the exploration of universal ''truths". Fortunately, Robyn Cadwallader's second novel, Book of colours, does this, albeit I wish that some of the universals - gender inequity, class (meaning social and economic inequity), and fear of foreigners - were no longer universal! The book explores other more general universals, … Continue reading Robyn Cadwallader, Book of colours (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Writing NSW
Today's Monday Musings is the fifth in my little series on Australia's writers centres, and it's New South Wales' turn. Originally called the NSW Writers Centre, it was renamed this year as Writing NSW. Writing NSW was founded (under its original name) in 1991, as a not-for-profit organisation providing services to writers. On its Our … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Writing NSW
Vance Palmer, Battle (#Review)
Vance Palmer's short piece "Battle" is the first piece in this special Meanjin anthology. Meanjin is one of Australia's longest lasting literary journals. It was founded by Clem Christesen in 1940. As publisher Melbourne University Press says, it has, since then, "documented both the changing concerns of Australians and the achievements of many of the … Continue reading Vance Palmer, Battle (#Review)
Whispering Gums 