So now we are getting to the business end of Meanjin's tournament of books ... and it's getting exciting. Since I've been posting a little more frequently lately, I'll keep this one short and, hopefully, sweet ... after all, there's still more to come. Semifinal 1: Joan London's Gilgamesh defeated Kate Grenville's The secret river … Continue reading Meanjin’s Tournament of Books 2011, Semi-finals
Henry James, Paste
It's been a while since I've read any Henry James though, like many readers, I did a few years ago read Colm Toibin's The master and David Lodge's Author Author. I was pleased, therefore, to see James pop up as Library of America's author last week. The story is "Paste" and it is a bit of … Continue reading Henry James, Paste
Monday musings on Australian literature: the AWGIES (for film)
Last week I finally saw the (excellent) film adaptation of Patrick White's The eye of the storm (which I may - or may not - separately blog about). I was intrigued to notice that the scriptwriter was one-time actor, Judy Morris, and this reminded me of the AWGIE awards. The AWGIES are annual awards organised … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: the AWGIES (for film)
Nigel Featherstone, Fall on me
Fall on me bookcover (Courtesy: Blemish Books) Nigel Featherstone is nearly a local writer for me - he lives in the country town an hour down the road - but I haven't read him before, even though he has published a goodly number of short stories and short fiction. How does this happen? Anyhow, Fall on me is … Continue reading Nigel Featherstone, Fall on me
Kyung-Sook Shin, Please look after mother (Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize 2011)
Two of the Man Asian Literary Prize team have cheated! They read and reviewed Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin before our team was formed, and are showing me up big-time. I bear no grudge though and happily point you to their reviews. We are, as they say, on our way! Matt's review at … Continue reading Kyung-Sook Shin, Please look after mother (Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize 2011)
Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize, 2011
This week, to whet your appetite (unbeknownst to you!), I focused my Monday Musings on Asian Australian writers ... What, do you say, was I whetting your appetite for? Well, for a plan to review the longlist for this year's Man Asian Literary Prize, which is an annual literary award given to the best novel* by an … Continue reading Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize, 2011
Howard Jacobson, The Finkler question
Whispering Gums, as you would expect, writes erudite marginalia and so you'd be in for a treat if you ever obtained my copy of Howard Jacobson's 2010 Booker award winning novel, The Finkler question. The margins are peppered with my reactions, like, you know, "Ha!" and "Oh dear". Riveting stuff ... and yet, what comments … Continue reading Howard Jacobson, The Finkler question
Monday musings on Australian literature: Asian Australian writers
Australia is an immigrant country, with the first immigrants, the original Aboriginal Australians, believed to have arrived 40-60,000 (there are arguments about this!) years ago via the Indonesian archipelago. They established what is now regarded as one of the longest surviving cultures on earth. Today, though, I'm going to write on some of our more recent … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Asian Australian writers
Vale Sarah Watt
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
