I was unsure about whether to make this post part of my Trove Treasures or Forgotten Writers series, but Wikipedia tells me that in 2006, the historian John Hirst, writing in The Monthly, included this author's book, The colonial Australians, in a brief list of the best Australian history books of all-time. That probably means … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (12), A rare humorous novel
Shankari Chandran in conversation with Karen Viggers
Shankari Chandran's conversation with Karen Viggers is the second Meet the Author event I've managed to attend this year, and it reminded me how much I wish I could get to more of these sessions. This one featured Shankari Chandran, author of the Miles Franklin winning novel, Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens (my review), in … Continue reading Shankari Chandran in conversation with Karen Viggers
Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading groups aka bookgroups
Many litbloggers, I know, also belong to reading groups or bookgroups. (I use the terms interchangeably.) Jonathan (Me fail? I fly!) regularly writes engaging posts about his groups and their discussions, such as this most recent one on Paul Murray's The bee sting. And I often refer to mine, though not with the same detail … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Reading groups aka bookgroups
Anna Funder, Wifedom (#BookReview)
Anna Funder's Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's invisible life is a book with a mission, a mission that is implied in its full title. That mission is to examine the notion of "wifedom", and the way patriarchy works to construct it, through the example of the invisible - or, as Funder also calls it, erased - life … Continue reading Anna Funder, Wifedom (#BookReview)
Fifteen Year Blogiversary Giveaway Winners
As promised, I drew the two winners of my fifteen year blogiversary giveaway today, May 10. There were 4 entries in the non-Australian draw and 12 in the Australian draw. I used the random number generator at mathgoodies.com, and it generated 3 in the non-Australian draw, and 8 in the Australian draw. The winners are: … Continue reading Fifteen Year Blogiversary Giveaway Winners
Monday musings on Australian literature: Stella Prize 2024 Winner
The 2024 Stella Prize winner was announced last Thursday, the 2nd of May, but that was the also the day my blog turned 15, and I didn't want to flood cyberspace with too many posts. Then this weekend was the SixDegrees meme which meant another post coming at you. So, I decided to do my … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Stella Prize 2024 Winner
Six degrees of separation, FROM The anniversary TO …
And so my life settles into its new routine, bouncing between the land of the Wurundjeri Wandoon people of the Greater Kulin Nation (my part of Melbourne) and, where I am this weekend, my home in Ngunnawal/Ngambri country (or Canberra). Autumn is rapidly coming to an end, and it has been mostly a lovely one, … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM The anniversary TO …
Fifteen Year Blogiversary for Whispering Gums, with a Giveaway
At the auspicious time of 1.18pm on 2 May 2009, Whispering Gums was born. I knew nothing about scheduling then because if I had I might have thought to published it at a more precise time. Anyhow, the point is that today, my blog turns 15. I found it hard enough to believe when the … Continue reading Fifteen Year Blogiversary for Whispering Gums, with a Giveaway
Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 4, Kate Helen Weston
In 2021, I started my Monday Musings sub-series on forgotten Australian writers, with posts on Helen Simpson and Eliza Hamilton Dunlop. This year I added Marion Simons, who was my first post on the Australian Women Writers (AWW) blog this year. As I explained then, Elizabeth Lhuede and I have decided to focus this year … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 4, Kate Helen Weston
Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (Vol. 2)
Mansfield Park book covers As I wrote last month, my Jane Austen group is doing a slow read of Mansfield Park this year, meaning we are reading and discussing the novel, one volume at a time, over three months. This month was Volume 2 (that is, chapters 19 to 31). It starts with the return … Continue reading Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (Vol. 2)
Whispering Gums 