This will probably be my only review for the 1937 Year Club but I am thrilled to do it, because it is by Marjorie Barnard, an author whom I have mentioned many times, but have not yet managed to review here. My post is on a short story from her collection, The persimmon tree and … Continue reading Marjorie Barnard, The lottery (#Review, #1937 Club)
Monday musings on Australian literature: 1937 in fiction
Once again it's Karen's (Kaggsy's Bookish Rambling) and Simon's (Stuck in a Book) "Year Club" week. This time the year is 1937, and it runs from today, 15th to 21st April. As I've been doing for a while now, I am devoting my Monday Musings to the week. If the 1960s, from which our last … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: 1937 in fiction
Thomas King, Borders (#Review)
Thomas King's "Borders" is the eleventh of fourteen stories in the anthology, Great short stories by contemporary Native American writers. Like the previous story by Duane Niatum, it was also written in the 1990s. Thomas King Anthology editor Bob Blaisdell provides some basic information about King, but I am supplementing that with information from Wikipedia … Continue reading Thomas King, Borders (#Review)
Shankari Chandran, Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens (#BookReview)
Shankari Chandran's Miles Franklin Award winning novel, Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens, was my reading group's March book. Unfortunately I was out of town at the time of the meeting, but of course I wanted to read it - and I did, finally! Like many people, I think, when I first saw the book, I … Continue reading Shankari Chandran, Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: News on two awards
Originally this post was going to be about South Australia's reframed literary awards, but then I saw some news on another award, and decided to do a little consolidated post. Here goes... South Australian Literary Awards Some of you might be aware that in my sidebar I have a widget (or whatever it's now called) … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: News on two awards
Six degrees of separation, FROM Rough guide to Japan TO …
I am back in the land of the Wurundjeri Wandoon people of the Greater Kulin Nation, that is, in my part of Melbourne, because not only was it Easter last weekend, but we wanted to take my Californian friend on a road trip through some of New South Wales and Victoria. We saw some great … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Rough guide to Japan TO …
Stella Prize 2024 Shortlist announced
For what it's worth, given I've not read any of them, here is the Stella Prize shortlist. The announcement I received via email this morning describes it as comprising: a diverse mix, featuring novels, memoir and an essay collection. Three of these works are by debut authors, showcasing fresh voices in Australian literature. To summarise … Continue reading Stella Prize 2024 Shortlist announced
Monday musings on Australian literature: The mysterious 6×8
In a long past Monday Musings I mentioned the names of several people who had commented on the state of Australian literature. Many of these were pseudonyms, including the intriguingly named "6x8". I decided to dig further, and back in 2015, I pretty quickly discovered that his "real" name was Dick Holt. (It's not always easy to track down … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The mysterious 6×8
Sigrid Nunez, The vulnerables (#BookReview)
Sigrid Nunez has been on my radar for a long time. So, why now? I blame Jonathan (Me Fail? I Fly!), since it was his post on Nunez's latest novel, The vulnerables, that captured my attention and encouraged me to make now her time. What an intriguing book! I have no idea whether it is … Continue reading Sigrid Nunez, The vulnerables (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Vale Yasmine Gooneratne (1935-2024)
It was through the Jane Austen Society of Australia's (JASA) newsletter, Practicalities, that I learned of the death of Yasmine Gooneratne, a woman with whom I have crossed paths - one way or another - three times. She was an academic at Macquarie University, where I did my undergraduate degree; she wrote a novel, A … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Vale Yasmine Gooneratne (1935-2024)
Whispering Gums 