It's odd, don't you think, that a poem by Thomas Hardy is used to introduce a book titled Australia's remarkable trees? The poem, "Throwing a tree", starts with a line that leaves you in no doubt as to the poet's sympathies: The two executioners stalk along over the knolls ... and concludes with the poignant, … Continue reading Richard Allen and Kimbal Baker, Australia’s remarkable trees
Willa Cather, The sentimentality of William Tavener
Last week's Library of America story was Willa Cather's "The sentimentality of William Tavener" (1900). I can't resist blogging about this one because it's by the wonderful Willa, to whom I was introduced when I first lived in the US in the early 1980s. I have read only three of her novels (My Antonia, The … Continue reading Willa Cather, The sentimentality of William Tavener
Ruth Park, Swords and crowns and rings
Note to self: never again "read" an audiobook over a long period, such as, say, 5 months! This is how I read Ruth Park's engrossing 1977 Miles Franklin award-winning novel, Swords and crowns and rings. It was not hard to keep up with the plot as it's pretty straightforward - and powerful. It is hard, … Continue reading Ruth Park, Swords and crowns and rings
Helen Simonson, Major Pettigrew’s last stand
If you like warm-hearted novels with a positive ending you may like this. If you like such novels with a touch of social commentary you will probably like this. If you like books like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Miss Garnet's angel, then this is definitely for you. But if you … Continue reading Helen Simonson, Major Pettigrew’s last stand
Alexander McCall Smith, Tea time for the traditionally built
Alexander McCall Smith said at the literary event I attended recently that if he achieves nothing else in his life he is glad he introduced the concept "traditionally built" because it has brought such comfort to many women (particularly, he says with a twinkle in his eye, in America!). Tea time for the traditionally built … Continue reading Alexander McCall Smith, Tea time for the traditionally built
Edith Maude Eaton, Mrs Spring Fragrance
This week's Library of America short story offering is "Mrs Spring Fragrance" by Chinese American author Edith Maude Eaton (1865-1914) who wrote under the pen name of Sui Sin Far. She had an American father and a Chinese mother and, according to the notes which accompany the story, was apparently the first person of Chinese … Continue reading Edith Maude Eaton, Mrs Spring Fragrance
Conversing with “a slightly shambolic dandy”
"A slightly shambolic dandy" is how journalist Elizabeth Grice described novelist Alexander McCall Smith in Britain's Telegraph newspaper. Shambolic works to some degree, but dandy? That's not quite how I would describe him after tonight's literary event in which he "conversed" with Colin Steele, retired university librarian, long-term bibliophile, and reviewer for The Canberra Times. … Continue reading Conversing with “a slightly shambolic dandy”
Martin Boyd, A difficult young man
Difficult but handsome (Courtesy: Sydney University Press) I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I certainly wasn't expecting the delightful sly wit I found in Martin Boyd's A difficult young man, which, I understand, is the second book in the "Langton Quartet". This novel though can clearly stand on its own - otherwise, why … Continue reading Martin Boyd, A difficult young man
ABR’s Favourite Australian Novel poll
Back in October I wrote about the Australian Book Review's poll to find our favourite Australian novel (not Australia's favourite novel!). Well, the result has just lobbed into my email inbox: it's an interesting list. No great surprises, and it's certainly pretty acceptable even though one can always find something to argue about when the … Continue reading ABR’s Favourite Australian Novel poll
Bran Nue Dae
You could hardly get two more different films than Warwick Thornton's Samson and Delilah and Rachel Perkins' Bran Nue Dae. Both are directed by indigenous Australians and both address indigenous Australian issues but, wow, how differently they do it. While Samson and Delilah is spare and almost without dialogue, Bran Nue Dae is exuberant and … Continue reading Bran Nue Dae
