Yesterday, as per my tradition, I posted my annual Reading highlights, which means tonight it's time for my Blogging highlights. This is of more interest to me, really, but being a librarian/archivist by training I love to keep records and my blog is the best place to keep my blogging records - duh! My main … Continue reading Blogging highlights for 2025
Reading highlights for 2025
Here we are at my annual highlights time, which for me means posting my reading highlights on December 31, and blogging highlights on January 1. I do my Reading Highlights on the last day of the year, so I will have read (even if not reviewed) all the books I’m going to read in the … Continue reading Reading highlights for 2025
Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2025, Pt 2: Nonfiction
Last Monday, I shared the favourite Fiction and Poetry books that had been chosen by various critics and commentators in a select number of sources. I haven't always shared the nonfiction choices, though I do think it's worth doing - so this year I am! I won't repeat the intro from last week, but I … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2025, Pt 2: Nonfiction
Books given in 2025
Over the years I have often listed the books I gave as Christmas gifts, though last year I shared the books I gave throughout the year - as Christmas, birthday and other gifts. I'm doing the same this year. Most, though not all, are Australian books. They are not necessarily my favourite reads - indeed, … Continue reading Books given in 2025
Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2025, Pt 1: Fiction and Poetry
Around this time of December, I have, for some years, shared favourite Aussie reads of the year from various sources. Those sources have varied a little from time to time. This year's are listed below. This is not a scientific survey. For a start, the choosers' backgrounds vary. Depending on the source, they may include … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2025, Pt 1: Fiction and Poetry
Kim Kelly, Touched (#BookReview)
In 2023, novelist Kim Kelly was one of the two winners of Finlay Lloyd's inaugural 20/40 Publishing Prize, with her 1920s-set historical novel, Ladies' Rest and Writing Room (my review). Publisher Julian Davies had hoped at the time to award one fiction and one nonfiction prize, but there was a dearth of good nonfiction entries. … Continue reading Kim Kelly, Touched (#BookReview)
My reading group’s favourites for 2025
Once again, I am sharing my reading group's top picks for the year, because I think, like me, many of you enjoy hearing about other reading groups. I'll start by sharing what we read in the order we read them (with links on titles to my reviews): Andrew O’Hagan, Caledonian Road: novel, Scottish author Andra Putnis, Stories … Continue reading My reading group’s favourites for 2025
Monday musings on Australian literature: recent Australian creative nonfiction on my TBR
Brona (This Reading Life) recently announced her main reading project for next year, Reading Nonfiction 2026, in which she plans to read 24 nonfiction books from her TBR. She has written a few posts on the project, including on two nonfiction categories on her TBR shelves, Australian Lit Bios and Environment, Climate and Travel. If … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: recent Australian creative nonfiction on my TBR
Colum McCann, Twist (#BookReview)
Colum McCann said during the conversation I attended back in May that books are never completed until they are in the hands of readers who tell back what a book is about. This is essentially reception theory, which, referencing Wikipedia, says that readers interpret the meaning of what they read based on their individual cultural … Continue reading Colum McCann, Twist (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Selected Australian doorstoppers
A week or so ago, I saw a post by Cathy (746 Books) that she was taking part in a Doorstoppers in December reading event. My first thought was that December is the last month I would commit to reading doorstoppers. In fact, my reading group agrees that doorstopper month is January, our Southern Hemisphere … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Selected Australian doorstoppers
Whispering Gums 