Top posts for 2014 According to my tags and categories, my most popular posts according to WordPress still relate to Australian literature, Women writers, Australian writers, 21st century literature and Review-Novels. However, as in 2013, my most "hit" post* for 2014 was a short story by an English woman, Virginia Woolf's "The mark on the wall" (reviewed in March … Continue reading Blogging highlights for 2014
Reading highlights from 2014
Unlike last year when I crammed all my highlights into one post, this year I'm returning to the two-post approach. This keeps the posts shorter, which better suits this lazy time of year (southern hemisphere speaking anyhow!) So, this post will focus on literary/reading highlights, and the other will share my blogging highlights (such as they are!) Literary event … Continue reading Reading highlights from 2014
Annie Parker, Passages in the life of a slave woman (Review)
I have, this year, reviewed a couple of Library of America's (LOA) stories about slavery in the USA, one being Harriet Ann Jacobs' "The lover", and the other William Wells Brown's, Madison Washington. I've always been interested in slavery in the US, so when Annie Parker's "Passages in the life of a slave woman" appeared in my inbox, I of … Continue reading Annie Parker, Passages in the life of a slave woman (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian Women Writers’ Challenge 2014
As I've done over the last two years, I'm devoting my last Monday Musings for the year to the Australian Women Writers Challenge. This challenge, which most of you probably know by now, was instigated by Elizabeth Lhuede in response to concerns in Australian literary circles about the lack of recognition for women writers. I am one … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian Women Writers’ Challenge 2014
Thea Astley, Drylands (Review, of sorts)
I read Thea Astley's Drylands many, many years ago now, so what I'm going to share here - inspired by my post earlier this year on confronting Australian novels - are the notes I made when I read it. They are not particularly well-formed, because I wasn't planning a review at the time, though I must admit … Continue reading Thea Astley, Drylands (Review, of sorts)
Books given and received for Christmas
Here at the Gums, we like of course to give and receive books for Christmas. Like you, I'm sure, I love choosing books for those I love, albeit tinged with a little anxiety. Have they read it? Will they like it? That doesn't stop we readers giving it a go though does it? Anyhow, just … Continue reading Books given and received for Christmas
Monday musings on Australian literature: The challenge of literacy
Today's topic may be a bit serious for Christmas week, but I've decided to go with it anyhow. I was inspired to write it by an article in the online journal, The Conversation. The article, by Deakin University academic Lyn McCredden, was itself inspired by the Prime Minister's Literary Awards at which one of the winners, Richard Flanagan, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The challenge of literacy
Morris Lurie, Hergesheimer in the present tense (Review)
Well, well, well, I got to the end of Morris Lurie's quirky last novel (if that's what it is), Hergesheimer in the present tense, and laughed. The final paragraph, which seemed to come out of left field, concerns Dostoyevsky's contract with a "scurrilous publisher" to deliver a novel - The gambler - on an impossible schedule. It … Continue reading Morris Lurie, Hergesheimer in the present tense (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: RN presenters’ pick reads of the year
I was going to write my Case for post this week, but I think now that I'll leave it to January. Life is a bit too busy right now to put proper thought into presenting my case (though I've pretty much decided which book it will be!) So, instead, since various media outlets are starting … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: RN presenters’ pick reads of the year
The Griffyns end the year on, hmm, a macabre note
Only the Griffyn Ensemble could put together a concert that included Arvo Pärt and Bob Dylan, that started with eerie sounds from a tape and ended with mysterious knockings and bumpings from who knows where to the strains of Silent Night. Intrigued? Then read on ... This year the Griffyns' theme has been Fairy Stories - loosely … Continue reading The Griffyns end the year on, hmm, a macabre note
