Things have been looking up lately on the women writers front. Last year two women - Anna Funder (All that I am) and Gillian Mears (Foal's bread) - made an almost clean sweep of our major literary awards. This year women writers are again faring well, with the Miles Franklin shortlist comprising all women. The … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Miles Franklin Award shortlist and the woman question
Andrew Croome, Midnight empire (Review)
Andrew Croome's latest novel Midnight empire is yet another read this year that is outside my usual fare. I read it because of my reading group's focus this Centenary year on Canberra writers. It wasn't a big ask, though, because I had read and enjoyed his first novel, Document Z. While both deal with spies, … Continue reading Andrew Croome, Midnight empire (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Place
Place. It's a complex thing isn't it? Arti (Ripple Effects) commented on my recent post on Gerard Manley Hopkins' "Spring and Fall" that ... while spring may be a welcome sight, for some strange reasons, I miss winter’s snow. (not the temp. just the beautiful snow scenes). Would I miss winter and snow? Not on … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Place
Woven Words: What a night!
As we were driving home from Woven Words, the most recent event associated with The invisible thread anthology, it occurred to me that the evening, which blended words with music, was rather like a three movement musical composition. It went a bit like this: Sara Dowse's bright and slightly quirky allegro Alex Miller's intense adagio … Continue reading Woven Words: What a night!
Autumn and a favourite poem
I was lying in front of a sunny window reading my current novel this afternoon when an urge came upon me to write about one of my favourite poems. It's one of the few I can recite from heart. The poem is "Spring and Fall" by Gerard Manley Hopkins, and it goes like this: To … Continue reading Autumn and a favourite poem
Dorothy Johnston, The house at number 10 (Review)
Dorothy Johnston's The house at number 10 has one of the cheekiest opening sentences I've read for a long time ... but I'm not going to tell you what it is. If you are interested you'll have to find out for yourselves - and tell me if you agree. I decided to read this novel … Continue reading Dorothy Johnston, The house at number 10 (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Stella, Carrie and friends
For those of you who haven't yet heard the news, I'd better start with the announcement that last week Carrie Tiffany's novel, Mateship with birds, was announced the winner of the inaugural Stella Prize. Unfortunately, the book is still on my TBR but with its also being shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Award and … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Stella, Carrie and friends
Delicious descriptions from Down under: Courtney Collins and landscape
There was so much to write about Courtney Collins' novel The burial in my review this week that I couldn't share one of my favourite aspects - her gorgeous descriptions of the landscape. When I say gorgeous, I should clarify that the landscape itself isn't always gorgeous, but her descriptions, her ability to evoke the … Continue reading Delicious descriptions from Down under: Courtney Collins and landscape
Queensland Literary Awards … to continue in 2013
There's sometimes a fine line in the blogging world between promoting and supporting. I don't see my role being to promote particular authors or books, but overall I like to think that my blog supports literature in general, and Australian literature in particular. A by-product of that support is probably promotion, but that's not my … Continue reading Queensland Literary Awards … to continue in 2013
Courtney Collins, The burial (Review)
I became aware of Courtney Collins' The burial when it was longlisted for the Stella Prize. It has since been shortlisted for the Stella, shortlisted for the new writing award in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, and longlisted for the Dobbie Literary Award for new writing. It had previously been shortlisted for the 2009 Australian/Vogel … Continue reading Courtney Collins, The burial (Review)
Whispering Gums 