Funny how things go sometimes. I may not have read Sue Milliken's memoir, Selective memory, had the publisher, Hybrid Publishers, not noticed my rather particular interest in film via my recent review of Margaret Rose Stringer's And then like my dreams. I'm glad they did because this book took me down memory lane ... Sue Milliken is … Continue reading Sue Milliken, Selective memory: A life in film (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Capital women novelists
Hmmm ... it's taken me a while to get back to my so-called series on Canberra's writers. Over a year ago I wrote posts on Capital women and Capital men poets, and fully intended to write about the fiction writers last year too, but somehow the year got away from me. However, today is Canberra … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Capital women novelists
Neomad: A Yijala Yala Project
First up, I have to admit that I'm rather challenged when it comes to e-book apps. I did love The Wasteland app which I reviewed a couple of years ago, but it was clearly designed for a, let us say, more staid demographic. Neomad, "a futuristic fantasy" in three episodes, is another matter. Consequently, my … Continue reading Neomad: A Yijala Yala Project
Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, 2014
As you know, I don't report on every literary award announced throughout the year in Australia. There are way too many. But I did want to announce the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, partly because they are only awarded biennially. They were established in 1986. The fact that they are awarded biennially means of course … Continue reading Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, 2014
Angela Savage, The dying beach (Review)
When I received Angela Savage's novel The dying beach out of the blue last year as a review copy, I didn't put it high in my list of reading priorities. I had - and still have - a pile of books waiting patiently, and I rarely (never say never) read crime novels. However, two things … Continue reading Angela Savage, The dying beach (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Confronting Australian novels
Recently I wrote a post about reading difficult novels and proposed categories for different sorts of "difficulties". One of those categories was "emotionally confronting", but I realise now that a better category would have been "emotionally and/or intellectually confronting". By intellectually confronting I don't mean challenging in terms of style, language, structure, but in terms … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Confronting Australian novels
Christos Tsiolkas, Barracuda (Review)
The best way I can describe Christos Tsiolkas' latest novel Barracuda is to liken it to what Tsiolkas would define as a "good man", tough on the outside, but tender within. I don't know how Tsiolkas does it, but he manages to reach into your heart while at the same time confronting you to your … Continue reading Christos Tsiolkas, Barracuda (Review)
Christos Tsiolkas on success and failure
I will soon post my review of Christos Tsiolkas' latest novel Barracuda, which is about a young man who fails in his quest to become an Olympic swimmer. It tears him apart. In tonight's news, here in Australia, we heard that one of our successful Olympic swimmers is going into rehab for addiction to Stillnox. … Continue reading Christos Tsiolkas on success and failure
Monday musings on Australian literature: The Bread and Cheese Club, again
I promise that this, my third post on Melbourne's now defunct Bread and Cheese Club will also be my last, but it was such an interesting club that I can't resist one more post. Just to remind you, it was formed in 1938, with the following goals: To promote mateship and fellowship among persons of mutual interests, to … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The Bread and Cheese Club, again
The Griffyns launch 2014 with The Lost Mapmaker
Parrot tapestry, NLA foyer You have to be hardy to be a follower (or subscriber) of Canberra's chamber group the Griffyn Ensemble, about whom I've written several times before. Take, for example, the opening concert of their 2014 season. It was held at the National Library of Australia to coincide with the Mapping Our World … Continue reading The Griffyns launch 2014 with The Lost Mapmaker
