I came across a reference to the Bush Book Club during my research for those 1922 posts I've been doing this year. I flagged it for a post in the series - but then discovered that the Club was founded in 1910. It's a fascinating project, and I haven't reached the end of it yet, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Bush Book Club (1)
Kim Vanessa Scott, Growing up … Katherine style (#BookReview)
Growing up .. Katherine style is the second self-published book I have reviewed from this Katherine-based artist and writer, the first being her book about some of Katherine's historical housing, Katherine's tropical housing precinct 1946-1956. There are a few reasons why I have broken my no-self-published-books rule. One is that both books had some Northern … Continue reading Kim Vanessa Scott, Growing up … Katherine style (#BookReview)
Tom Gauld, Goliath (#BookReview)
It's probably just me, but I hadn't heard of Tom Gauld until a member of my little volunteer indexing team sent me a link to some of his "cultural" cartoons in The Guardian. I was immediately enchanted. And then, he lent me one of Gauld's graphic novels, the above-named Goliath. Being primarily a textual person, … Continue reading Tom Gauld, Goliath (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Community novels
Recently, I came across a blogger discussing what she described as "community novels". The blogger is Liz Dexter at Adventures in reading, running and working from home, and the book she was discussing was an English novel, Small miracles by Anne Booth. It got me thinking, because I love community. Community, however, is a word … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Community novels
Six degrees of separation, FROM Notes on a scandal TO …
It might be spring but it's not a particularly appealing one here, with so much grey and rain, which is unusual for my corner of the world. But, Daylight Savings starts this weekend, which is always a plus, and the spring blossoms and bulbs are out which cheer up the grey. What also cheers up … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM Notes on a scandal TO …
Julian Barnes, Elizabeth Finch (#BookReview)
Julian Barnes’ Elizabeth Finch is a curious book. It’s my fourth Julian Barnes, and the third I've read with my reading group. In 1995 we read A history of the world in 10 1/2 chapters, and in 2012 it was his Booker Prize winning The sense of an ending (my review). (I have also read … Continue reading Julian Barnes, Elizabeth Finch (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: The Miles Franklin Rights Project
Some months ago, I became aware of The Miles Franklin Rights Project, and of course, it piqued my interest, so I flagged it for a future Monday Musings. The project apparently commenced in early 2021, and is still continuing. Before I describe the project, though, I need to explain for non-Aussie readers here that the … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The Miles Franklin Rights Project
O. Henry, Conscience in art (#Review)
Followers of the short story form will probably know of O. Henry, the pen-name of American author William Sydney Porter (1862-1910). Although he also wrote poetry and non-fiction, Henry was best known for his prodigious short story writing. His legacy, as Wikipedia says, includes the O. Henry Award, which is an annual prize awarded to outstanding … Continue reading O. Henry, Conscience in art (#Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Fremantle Press
Given I am currently in Fremantle, I felt it appropriate to give a little shout out to one of the first independent presses I became aware of, back in the 1980s, the Fremantle Press. Then it was called the Fremantle Arts Centre Press, and it published one of my favourite authors at the time, Elizabeth … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Fremantle Press
Monday musings on Australian literature: Introducing Rachel Henning
If you are an Aussie who was sentient in the 1950s and/or 60s, you have probably heard of Rachel Henning. If not, she may be new to you, though she does have something of a classic status in Australia. Let me explain. Rachel Henning (1826-1914) was an Englishwoman who came to Australia in 1854 with … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Introducing Rachel Henning
Whispering Gums 