Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 1, Canberra’s Biggest Book Club

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A preamble The Canberra Writers Festival is back in 2023, with a new Artistic Director, the writer and critic Beejay Silcox. The Festival's theme continues to be "Power Politics Passion", which, for this year's Festival organisers, begs big questions: What do we value? Whose stories are heard? How do we reckon with the past and … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 1, Canberra’s Biggest Book Club

Jane Austen’s The Watsons in Trove: Finishing the unfinished

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While searching Trove recently for my Monday Musings 1923 sub-series, I came across some articles on Jane Austen's unfinished novel, The Watsons, and can't resist sharing them with you. I have written about unfinished books before, including on Jane Austen's unfinished novels, The Watsons and Sanditon. Unfinished books aren't to everyone's taste but, if you … Continue reading Jane Austen’s The Watsons in Trove: Finishing the unfinished

Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literary biographies (2, poets)

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Eight years ago, I wrote a Monday Musings on Australian literary biographies, but the main focus there was on novelists. With this month being National Poetry Month and with, coincidentally, this year's National Biography Award going to a biography of a poet, it seemed a match made in heaven. In other words, it seemed appropriate … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literary biographies (2, poets)

Monday musings on Australian literature: Poetry Month 2023

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This year Red Room Poetry is running their third annual National Poetry Month. How excellent is that? I don't know how successful it is at reaching its goal of increasing "access, awareness and visibility of poetry in all its forms and for all audiences" but sometimes you just have to hang in there and build … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Poetry Month 2023

Monday musings on Australian literature: Miles Franklin Award 2023 Shadow Jury

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Some of you have probably heard of "shadow juries". I took part in one a decade ago, for the now defunct Man Asian Literary Prize. It was great, but I haven't taken part in any blogger-inspired shadow juries again because of the time commitment needed. If I was already impressed by the work of literary … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Miles Franklin Award 2023 Shadow Jury

Debra Dank, We come with this place (#BookReview)

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First Nations people are advised that this post contains the names of deceased people. It has been my reading group's tradition for some years now to read a book by a First Nations writer in July, the month in which NAIDOC Week occurs. Coincidentally, NAIDOC Week’s 2023 theme was “For our elders”, which worked beautifully with our … Continue reading Debra Dank, We come with this place (#BookReview)