Regular readers of Monday musings will remember that a recent post in the series was inspired by the Qantas flight magazine, The Australian way. Well, I've been in the air again ... this time for a longer trip, as Mr Gums and I have again left daughter and dog in charge at home, and are … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Guest authors at the Sydney Writers’ Festival
Jay Griffiths, A love letter from a stray moon
I have always wanted wings. To fly where I belong, to become who I am, to speak my truths winged and moon-swayed. I'm not sure I can do justice to this poetic, passionate novella by Jay Griffiths. Titled A love letter from a stray moon, it's a first person outpouring in the voice of Mexican … Continue reading Jay Griffiths, A love letter from a stray moon
Talking with Alan Gould
Conrad, 1904, a favourite writer for Gould (Photo: George Charles Beresford, Presumed Public Domain, via Wikipedia) I didn't say in my recent review of Alan Gould's The lakewoman that Gould attended my reading group's discussion of his book. I had so much to say - so many thoughts - about the book, that I thought … Continue reading Talking with Alan Gould
Monday musings on Australian literature: Popular Penguins at a Perfect Price
You all know Penguin Books - and perhaps something about the company's origin. The story goes that Allen Lane, standing on a train platform in 1935 and not being able to find "something good" to read, decided that there existed "a vast reading public for intelligent books at a low price". He staked all he had, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Popular Penguins at a Perfect Price
Elizabeth Jolley, Diary of a weekend farmer
I took 2 valium and went to bed early (Monday 12th October, 1970) Elizabeth Jolley's Diary of a weekend farmer is one quirky memoir (if you can call it that). And yet it is, really, exactly what you might expect from a writer who rarely wrote the expected! It is a slim volume - illustrated … Continue reading Elizabeth Jolley, Diary of a weekend farmer
Alan Gould, The lakewoman: A romance
I'm a little embarrassed to say that until The lakewoman was shortlisted in the 2010 Prime Minister's Literary Awards, I only knew of Alan Gould as a poet. Turns out, though, that he has written several novels, of which this one is his most recent. It is, ostensibly, a war novel, in that much of it is set … Continue reading Alan Gould, The lakewoman: A romance
Monday musings on Australian literature: Literary Folk
As I attended my 13th or 14th (losing count now), National Folk Festival* this Easter weekend, I started to think about the relationship between folk music and literature. Some folk music is purely instrumental - think Celtic fiddling and bluegrass picking, for example - but, as a reader, it's the storytelling side of folk that … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Literary Folk
Stop Press: New writer Gretchen Shirm shortlisted
I haven't been reporting all the various Australian literary awards announcements here since Lisa at ANZLitLovers has been doing that so ably, but I have just noticed that Gretchen Shirm's collection of short stories, Having cried wolf, has been shortlisted for this year's UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards. … Continue reading Stop Press: New writer Gretchen Shirm shortlisted
Joyce Carol Oates, Beasts
If we wanted to be writers we must examine the world with fresh, sceptical eyes. Beasts is, I'm ashamed to say, my first Joyce Carol Oates. She's one of those writers who has kept crossing my path but whom I've never quite got to read. I bought Beasts a couple of years ago when I … Continue reading Joyce Carol Oates, Beasts
Monday musings on Australian literature: Reverse expats
Several months ago I wrote a Monday musings post on Australian expat novelists, so I thought it was only fair to write one on reverse expat novelists, that is, writers from elsewhere who have settled in Australia. Because, yes, some people DO come here as well as leave! For this post, I'm choosing a few … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Reverse expats
Whispering Gums 