Now I admit, right up, that this post is very much a toe-in-the-water sort of post. I know very little about the topic, but what I've come across I've found interesting and decided to share it. The thing is, we Aussies - those of us born here of Anglo parentage anyhow - tend to be monolingual. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literature in China
Modern short stories, 1929-style
As I continue to clear out my aunt's house, I keep finding little treasures. Most I move on. There are only so many little treasures, after all, that you can dwell on, let alone keep, but an old book of short stories? Of course, that captured my attention. Titled Modern short stories, it was my aunt's school text … Continue reading Modern short stories, 1929-style
Mark Twain, A presidential candidate (Review)
Towards the end of his life, Mark Twain wrote, the Library of America (LOA) says, The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are an entire banquet. I'm not sure the US had/has a monopoly on this. However, let me get to the point. LOA published Twain's column, … Continue reading Mark Twain, A presidential candidate (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Contemporary thoughts on Elizabeth Harrower
Contemporary is an odd word isn't it? I like using it, but worry about ambiguity, given it can mean either "living or occurring at the same time" or "belonging to or occurring in the present". So, when I say "contemporary thoughts on Elizabeth Harrower", how do you know which meaning I intend? Well, to put … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Contemporary thoughts on Elizabeth Harrower
My literary week (4), or, not a page read
Would you believe that today is the first time in a week that I have opened my current novel? Terrible! But it's just been one of those weeks of being driven by other things, so much so that reading time has taken a big hit. There have, however, been a few literary moments which I … Continue reading My literary week (4), or, not a page read
Monday musings on Australian literature: Looking back, looking forward
As some of you know, I have been involved recently in looking after my aunt's estate. This weekend, my cousin and I checked out, again, the bookcase that contained old books, books that had belonged to my grandparents. One of the books that came to my attention was The golden treasury of Australian verse (e-version). … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Looking back, looking forward
Helen Garner on writers and writing (in Everywhere I look)
As I promised in my main review of Helen Garner's engaging book of essays and jottings, Everywhere I look, I am here doing a little follow-up post on her discussions of other writers. I enjoyed reading her thoughts about specific writers, but even more I liked that in talking about these writers she gave away her own writing preferences. So, what did I know … Continue reading Helen Garner on writers and writing (in Everywhere I look)
Helen Garner, Everywhere I look (Review)
I was very sad to come to the end of Helen Garner's latest essay collection, Everywhere I look. It was such a joy - such a joy - to read. Garner ranges across a wide variety of subjects from a kitchen table to Russell Crowe, from some of the darkest things humans do to each other to … Continue reading Helen Garner, Everywhere I look (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Annual anthologies
This post would possibly be better done at the end of the year given that its subject - annual anthologies - relates most commonly to end-of-year publishing. However, not all such anthologies are published at year's end, and, anyhow, I was inspired to write this post because my reading group is about to do one … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Annual anthologies
Edith Wharton, Writing a war story (Review)
"Writing a war story" is quite different to the Edith Whartons I've read to date, and it was clear from the opening sentence - "Miss Ivy Spang of Cornwall-on-Hudson had published a little volume of verse before the war". It was the comic tone that did it. All the previous works of hers I've read, several novels and … Continue reading Edith Wharton, Writing a war story (Review)
Whispering Gums 