Monday musings on Australian literature: Realism and Modernism

/ Whispering Gums / 26 Comments

Now that's an aspirational title for you, and one that I will not live up to in terms of expectations. However, I wanted to write something for Bill (The Australian Legend)'s AWW Gen 3 Week (Part 2). As its focus is, primarily, Realism and Modernism in Australian literature from post-WW1 to 1960, and, as my … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Realism and Modernism

Bill curates: Monday musings on Australian literature: The future of Australian literature

/ Whispering Gums / 15 Comments

Bill curates is an occasional series where I delve into Sue’s vast archive, stretching back to May 2009, and choose a post for us to revisit. During the latter part of January we will look at some of Sue’s older posts which have relevance to my Australian Women Writers Gen 3 Week, Part II,17-23 Jan, 2021.  Gen 3 … Continue reading Bill curates: Monday musings on Australian literature: The future of Australian literature

Jasmine Seymour and Leanne Mulgo Watson, Cooee mittigar: A story on Darug songlines (#BookReview)

/ Whispering Gums / 18 Comments

Recently, on a bit of a whim, I bought two books from the Indigenous Australian publishing company, Magabala Books. They were the younger readers-young adult novel, Black Cockatoo (my review), which had been shortlisted for a few awards, and this picture book, Cooee mittigar, which had just won the 2020 Prime Minister's Literary Award for … Continue reading Jasmine Seymour and Leanne Mulgo Watson, Cooee mittigar: A story on Darug songlines (#BookReview)

Monday musings on Australian literature: Selected early high country history

/ Whispering Gums / 21 Comments

As some of you know, I am currently having a little summer break in Australia's high country, based in Thredbo in Kosciuszko National Park. This is an annual trek for Mr Gums and me, and I have written about it occasionally before. I thought I'd do so again for this week's Monday Musings, from an … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Selected early high country history

Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler, Black cockatoo (#BookReview)

/ Whispering Gums / 12 Comments

Black cockatoo is a young adult novel written by Indigenous Australian author, Carl Merrison, and his non-Indigenous collaborator, Hakea Hustler, and illustrated by Indigenous Australian illustrator, Dub Leffler. It is a beautiful, little (in size, not value) book that made quite a splash when it was published. It was shortlisted for several children's literature awards … Continue reading Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler, Black cockatoo (#BookReview)

Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2021

/ Whispering Gums / 29 Comments

For some years now, I've made my first Monday Musings of the year, a "new releases" post. As in previous years, my list is mostly drawn from the Sydney Morning Herald, whose writers do a wonderful job of checking out publishers large and small, but I have found a couple of extras on my own! Also, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2021

Blogging highlights for 2020

/ Whispering Gums / 34 Comments

Finally, the last of my traditional and very self-indulgent year-end trifecta (which includes my Australian Women Writers' Challenge wrap-up and Reading highlights posts). But, before I launch into my usual analysis, I must send a huge shout-out to Bill (The Australian Legend) for the astonishing effort he put in this year to help me keep my blog going … Continue reading Blogging highlights for 2020