Hands up if you've read memoirs by First Nations writers, Immigrant writers, Gay writers, Transgender writers, Writers with a disability, and so on? I sure have, and have reviewed several on this blog - including ones by Archie Roach, Marie Munkara, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Alice Pung, Maxine Beneba Clarke, and Jessica White. Black Inc has … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Diversity and memoir
Six degrees of separation, FROM What are you going through TO …
Woo hoo! This last month, we in Canberra, New South Wales and Victoria came out of lockdown. Vaccination rates are high, and it is still spring (here down under) so things are looking good in our neck of the woods. I sure hope it is for all of you, too. But now, with the weather … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM What are you going through TO …
Nonfiction November 2021: Your year in nonfiction
While I've taken part in Nonfiction November before, I've never done it week by week right through the month. I may not this year, either, but I am starting off as if I mean to! Nonfiction November is hosted by several bloggers, with Week 1: (November 1-5) – Your Year in Nonfiction, hosted by Rennie … Continue reading Nonfiction November 2021: Your year in nonfiction
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian campus novels
Two recent articles in The Conversation inspired today's post, Lucas Thompson's "Liked Netflix’s The Chair? Here are 4 moving, funny novels set in English departments" (published 26 October) and Catharine Coleborne's "Beyond Oxbridge and Yale: popular stories bring universities to life — we need more of them in Australia" (published 5 October). Defining the term Wikipedia describes campus … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian campus novels
Consider Helen Garner’s Cosmo cosmolino
Commenting on my post on Helen Garner's One day I'll remember this, Bill (The Australian Legend) wrote that he'd hoped I'd mention Cosmo cosmolino (1992). It's one of the novels Garner was writing during the period covered by these diaries, and Bill had struggled with it. I don't blame him because, while I loved reading … Continue reading Consider Helen Garner’s Cosmo cosmolino
Sofie Laguna, Infinite splendours (#BookReview)
Those of you who know the subject matter of Sofie Laguna's latest novel, Infinite splendours, will not be surprised to hear that it drew a mixed reaction from my reading group, particularly coming on the heels of recent reads like Nardi Simpson's Song of the crocodile (my review) and Douglas Stuart's Shuggie Bain (my review). … Continue reading Sofie Laguna, Infinite splendours (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: The stories we want or, is it, need?
Back in 2019, I wrote a Monday Musings on the Stella judges' call for more "narratives from outside Australia". I teased out a little what that might mean, but, a couple of years down the track, I think it worth further exploring the questions it opens up. Commenting on that post, Lisa (ANZLitLovers) wrote: What … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: The stories we want or, is it, need?
Helen Garner, One day I’ll remember this: Diaries, Volume 2, 1987-1995 (#BookReview)
I loved volume 1 of Helen Garner's diaries, Yellow notebook (my review), last year, and equally enjoyed this second volume, One day I'll remember this. As with my first volume post, I plan to focus on a couple of threads that particularly interested me. First though, it's worth situating these diaries in terms of Garner's … Continue reading Helen Garner, One day I’ll remember this: Diaries, Volume 2, 1987-1995 (#BookReview)
Chrystopher J. Spicer: Cyclone country: The language of place and disaster in Australian literature (#BookReview)
I love thinking about place in literature, so I was intrigued when Chrystopher Spicer, cultural historian and adjunct senior research fellow at North Queensland's James Cook University, offered me his book Cyclone country: The language of place and disaster in Australian literature for review. Unfortunately, I've taken a while to get to it. Place can … Continue reading Chrystopher J. Spicer: Cyclone country: The language of place and disaster in Australian literature (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Birds in Australian fiction
This week in Australia, 18 to 24 October, is National Bird Week. According to BirdLife Australia, this week originated in the early 1900s when 28 October was designated by the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union as the first Bird Day. Now Bird Week, it is organised and promoted by BirdLife Australia, which is the Union's successor. … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Birds in Australian fiction
Whispering Gums 