It is (almost) a truism that librarians harbour a secret (or not so secret, as the case may be) desire to be writers. It is, similarly, (almost) a truism that keen readers desire to be writers. Now, I am a librarian (retired) and a keen reader but I have never really had a desire to … Continue reading Librarians as writers
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, Appetite
"Appetite" is a short story by Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, an American-born author of Iranian descent. It was recently published in The New Yorker, and you can read it here. It is, I have to say, a strange little story. The 25 year-old first-person narrator is a cook in a restaurant where he has been working since leaving school. … Continue reading Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, Appetite
How to write a (book) review!
If you go looking for advice on how to write a book review on the web, you won't be looking for long. There are hundreds of sites which provide such advice or offer courses on how to do it. Reviewing 101 is alive and well out in cyberspace. Much of the advice, though, is step-by-step … Continue reading How to write a (book) review!
Alan Bennett, The lady in the van
It is a truism that truth is stranger than fiction, and Alan Bennett's The lady in the van is one work that proves it. It is strange - and wonderful - that a woman could have lived the way the eponymous lady did for as long as she did, and it is equally strange - … Continue reading Alan Bennett, The lady in the van
Longlist for 2010 Miles Franklin Award announced
Without further ado, here are the twelve who've made it to the 2010 Miles Franklin Award longlist: Allington, Patrick Figurehead Carey, Peter Parrot and Olivier in America Castro, Brian The bath fugues Doust, Jon Boy on a wire Foster, David Sons of the rumour Foster, Deborah The book of Emmett Guest, Glenda Siddon Rock Hartnett, … Continue reading Longlist for 2010 Miles Franklin Award announced
Dorothy Porter, The bee hut
The most powerful presence is absence (from "Egypt") The above lines open Australian poet Dorothy Porter's The bee hut, a collection of poems mostly writen in the last five years of her life. The lines are prophetic ... and they appropriately open a collection which deals very much, though not exclusively, with the tension between life … Continue reading Dorothy Porter, The bee hut
A light interlude, but will Desert Book Chick approve?
I have nearly finished my next book/s and so a review will be coming up any moment now, but in the meantime I thought I would post this photo: Now, the thing is, Desert Book Chick recently wrote a post on the Five Things that turn her off (some) book blogs - and one of them … Continue reading A light interlude, but will Desert Book Chick approve?
Richard Appleton, Appo: Recollections of a member of the Sydney Push
I wanted to start my review of Richard Appleton's memoir, Appo: Recollections of a member of the Sydney Push, with a mention of its evocative cover, but I now see that my friend Lisa, at ANZLitLovers, has already done this, so I'll start more boringly with definitions instead! According to Wikipedia, the Sydney Push was a left-wing intellectual … Continue reading Richard Appleton, Appo: Recollections of a member of the Sydney Push
Kate Chopin, A respectable woman
Besides Jane Austen's works, there are only a few novels that I have read more than once. One of these is Kate Chopin's The awakening. I was trying to think of an adjective to describe it or my feelings upon reading it, but couldn't think of anything that wasn't clichéd. The best way to convey … Continue reading Kate Chopin, A respectable woman
A Day on the Green, with Diana Krall (et al)
Last night was my second "A Day on the Green" concert held at the beautiful Centennial Vineyards in Bowral. The first was January 2009 when I attended the stupendous - there's no other word for it - Leonard Cohen concert. That really was a concert to end all concerts. Last night's concert though was no … Continue reading A Day on the Green, with Diana Krall (et al)
Whispering Gums 