I love to read Author's Notes, Afterwords, or whatever they are called, at the end of novels, and particularly so when the novel is historical fiction. This is because these notes will often explain the author's thought process, the line they have drawn between fiction and fact, the sources used, the level and type of … Continue reading Eleanor Limprecht, The Coast (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (3), Novel reading and health
My second post in this Trove Treasures subseries shared some arguments against novel reading. I do have a pro-novel-reading post, but today I thought I'd go a bit lighter - I think it's lighter! - and some of the ideas I came across discussing the impact of novel reading on health. Novel-reading disease I found … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (3), Novel reading and health
John M. Oskison, The singing bird (#Review)
From Zitkala-Ša's 1901-published "The soft-hearted Sioux", Great short stories by contemporary Native American writers jumps a quarter of a century to 1925, and John M. Oskison's "The singing bird". John M. Oskison Again, anthology editor Bob Blaisdell provides a brief intro to the author, but it's Wikipedia that is able to provide more detail. John … Continue reading John M. Oskison, The singing bird (#Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (2), Anti novel reading
Recently, I started a new Monday Musings sub-series, Trove Treasures. That first post concluded on a rear-admiral reading novels while waiting for a court martial, and I said that my next post "might be one on novel reading and men". I still plan to do that, but I've decided to first share some of the … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (2), Anti novel reading
Zitkala-Sa, The soft-hearted Sioux (#Review)
Zitkala-Ša's "The soft-hearted Sioux" is the second story in the anthology, Great short stories by contemporary Native American writers, sent to me by my American friend. I posted on the first one, Pauline Johnson's "A red girl's reasoning", a couple of weeks ago. Zitkala-Ša As he does for all the stories, anthology editor Bob Blaisdell … Continue reading Zitkala-Sa, The soft-hearted Sioux (#Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: A letter from Mary Gilmore
Gilmore, by May Moore, 1916 State Library of New South Wales (Public Domain) Mary Gilmore (1865-1962) is, I suspect, not well-known outside of Australia, but she was (is) a significant Australian poet - so significant that she earned herself a dame-hood! Wikipedia describes her as "an Australian writer and journalist known for her prolific contributions to Australian literature and … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: A letter from Mary Gilmore
Six degrees of separation, FROM Passages TO …
I may as well continue my practice of talking about the weather! Here down under, autumn has started, and we in the nation's capital at least have had a beautiful start with the warm, mild days we love autumn for. May it continue for some weeks given our non-summer. Now, to this month's Six Degrees. … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Passages TO …
Robbie Arnott, Limberlost (#BookReview)
Where should I start my discussion of Robbie Arnott's third novel, Limberlost? Perhaps with the epigraph. It's by Gene Stratton Porter, and says, "In the economy of Nature, nothing is ever lost". I have posted on Porter - on her essay, "The last Passenger Pigeon". She was, says Wikipedia, an author, nature photographer, naturalist and … Continue reading Robbie Arnott, Limberlost (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1923: 4, Austra-Zealand’s best books and Canada (2)
Last week I wrote about Canadian librarian, George Locke, commissioning Australian critic and journalist AG Stephens to compile the "best 100 imaginative Australian and New Zealand books" to be sent for exhibition in Toronto's public library". I ended on the commission having been completed, but I did not include his list because, not only had … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: on 1923: 4, Austra-Zealand’s best books and Canada (2)
Pauline Johnson, A red girl’s reasoning (#Review)
As some of you know, I have a close American friend, Carolyn, with whom I correspond weekly. We met in the early 1990s when I was living in California. During that time we started a reading group, so you won't be surprised that our correspondence always includes reference to what we are - or are … Continue reading Pauline Johnson, A red girl’s reasoning (#Review)
Whispering Gums 