A few days ago I reviewed Dymphna Cusack's A window in the dark, a sort-of memoir of her two decades as a teacher. As seems to happen more often than not, I found synchronicities between it and my previous read, Anita Heiss's Am I black enough for you? The main one relates to identity. I … Continue reading Identity … Cusack meets Heiss
Dymphna Cusack, A window in the dark (Review)
Dymphna Cusack's A window in the dark has been glaring at me from my TBR pile for many years now. Not being able to stand it any longer, I decided to sneak it in before my next reading group book, Michelle de Kretser's Questions of travel. Posthumously published by the National Library of Australia, A window … Continue reading Dymphna Cusack, A window in the dark (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Role of Aboriginal literature
Most keen readers have firm views about the value of reading to them. Some, I think, read mainly to escape. Others like to be opened to other ways of being and thinking. Others like the things they learn - yes, even from fiction! And still others love beautiful or interesting language. These aren't the only … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Role of Aboriginal literature
Two under-the-radar Australian literary awards announced
A couple of lesser known - but significant to me - literary awards were announced over the last week or so, one national and the other local. I'd like to tell you about them! ALS Gold Medal 2013 The ALS Gold Medal is awarded by the Association for the Study of Australian Literature. It doesn't usually … Continue reading Two under-the-radar Australian literary awards announced
Anita Heiss, Am I black enough for you (Review)
Anita Heiss's Am I black enough for you? is a challenge to categorise, so I'll start with writer Benjamin Law's description on the cover of my edition. He calls it "part family history, part manifesto" to which I'd add "part memoir" because "family history" does not really cover the self-description aspect of the book. For … Continue reading Anita Heiss, Am I black enough for you (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: BlackWords
NAIDOC Week, to which last week's Monday Musings was dedicated, officially finished yesterday, but I've decided to bookend it with another Monday Musings focusing on indigenous Australian literature. This post, in fact, also harks back to two Monday Musings ago which talked about the AustLit database - because I want to introduce you to one … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: BlackWords
Melissa Lucashenko, How green is my valley (Review)
Almost a year ago I reviewed a short story, "The silent majority", by Melissa Lucashenko. It was published in the Griffith Review of November 2009. I enjoyed the story and so, in honour of NAIDOC Week and ANZLitLovers Indigenous Literature Week, I thought I'd review another of her Griffith Review contributions. This one, "How green … Continue reading Melissa Lucashenko, How green is my valley (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Indigenous Australian memoirs
As Australians would know, this week - July 7-14 - is NAIDOC week. NAIDOC originally stood for an organisation - ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’ - but the acronym has now become the name of the week itself. Fascinating how acronyms can take on lives of their own, isn't it? Anyhow, the theme … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Indigenous Australian memoirs
Willa Cather, Peter (Review)
Surely a whole year can't have passed since I last wrote about a Library of America short story? But yes, it has. My last one was Robert Frost's "The question of a feather" in July last year. Many times I've chosen one to read, and many times I've let other things get in the way … Continue reading Willa Cather, Peter (Review)
Rachel Hennessy, The heaven I swallowed (Review)
It feels strange to be reviewing a Vogel Literary Award runner up, which Rachel Hennessy's The heaven I swallowed was in 2008, in a year when the judges decided not to award the prize because they didn't find ‘that special quality that a winning entry has’. C'est la vie I suppose, but what a shame … Continue reading Rachel Hennessy, The heaven I swallowed (Review)
