Non-Australians may not be aware of Sarah Watt, unless they are interested in Australian film. Sarah Watt is an animator-writer-photographer-film director who made a small number of well-reviewed films, one of which, My year without sex, I reviewed on this blog. Sarah (aged 53) died on Friday from secondary bone cancer (diagnosed in 2009), having been originally … Continue reading Vale Sarah Watt
Meanjin’s Tournament of Books 2011, Round 2
For those interested in the continuing story of Meanjin's Tournament of Books, which I introduced in late October, Round 2 has now been played. Here are the results ... with a little additional commentary by me. Match 1, Joan London's Gilgamesh defeated Helen Garner's The children's Bach Oh, such a hard one. I feel for judge Michaela McGuire, a self-0uted Helen … Continue reading Meanjin’s Tournament of Books 2011, Round 2
On the titling of books
Forget about judging books by their covers, what about titles? How important are they to you? Do you ever decide to read a book based on the title alone? Do you always (never, sometimes) consider the title when thinking about the meaning of a book? It seems to be a fraught issue, this book titling … Continue reading On the titling of books
Monday musings on Australian literature: Christina Stead
I have mentioned Christina Stead several times on this blog - and yet she remains the guilty gap in my reading. I thought 2011 would be Stead year, but things have conspired to restrain the rate of my reading this year. Maybe 2012! I have also written several posts inspired by articles in The ABC Weekly, and I'm returning to this paper … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Christina Stead
Nettie Palmer on short stories
In a recent Monday Musings I mentioned Nettie Palmer who was part of one of Australia's famous literary couples. Her husband, Vance Palmer, wrote, in the late 1930s to early 1940s, a regular column for the ABC Weekly published by the then Australian Broadcasting Commission. Nettie Palmer also contributed to this paper, albeit less regularly. One of these contributions is a discussion, in … Continue reading Nettie Palmer on short stories
J. Herman Banning, The day I sprouted wings
There are a couple of reasons why I decided to read James Herman Banning's (1899-1933) short essay, The day I sprouted wings, which was this week's offering from the Library of America. Firstly, it is about the first male* African-American who achieved his pilot's licence, which ties in nicely with the novel, Caleb's Crossing, that I … Continue reading J. Herman Banning, The day I sprouted wings
Monday musings on Australian literature: Meanjin’s Tournament of Books
Many Monday musings ago I wrote about the reduced visibility of women writers in Australia. I wasn't the only one concerned and things have been afoot to up the ante for women writers. For example, a new award targeting women writers, the Stella Prize, was announced earlier this year. And now Meanjin, a longstanding literary … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Meanjin’s Tournament of Books
Nora Krouk, Warming the core of things
life wrapped in bundles of painful joy (from "Skies will be luminous") The reason I like to read poetry is the obvious one - the way poets can capture a feeling or idea in just a few carefully chosen words that are presented through a controlled rhythm. Nora Krouk fills this bill nicely! I hadn't … Continue reading Nora Krouk, Warming the core of things
Delicious descriptions from Down Under: Ada Cambridge on the “bare necessities”
In her novel Sisters, Ada Cambridge describes the plight of one sister who is suddenly left penniless (more or less) and has to move out of her home. The scene is set ... the character is packing to move, with the house and her life in disarray: Deb sat amid the ruins of her home. … Continue reading Delicious descriptions from Down Under: Ada Cambridge on the “bare necessities”
Monday musings on Australian literature: Ada Cambridge
It's time, methinks, for another Monday Musings post highlighting a specific writer - and this time I've chosen Ada Cambridge. I discovered Cambridge back in the late 1980s when there was a resurgence (in Australia anyhow) in recognition of women writers. What was great about this resurgence was that it not only saw increased publication of … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Ada Cambridge
Whispering Gums 