It's some months since I wrote a "living under COVID-19" post, as things have been pretty much pottering along here in the Australian Capital Territory, but I've decided it's time to do an update (for posterity if for no other reason.) COVID-normal There's been much talk about living under COVID-normal, though what that means is, … Continue reading Living under COVID-19 (4)
Monday musings on Australian literature: “You don’t walk away until the work is done”
This is a different type of Monday Musings, but its relevance will become apparent, I promise you! It's inspired by Julia Baird's Phosphorescence which I read a couple of weeks ago. In my review, I mentioned that one of the book's four main sections is devoted to failure and imperfection, but I didn't share much … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: “You don’t walk away until the work is done”
Six degrees of separation, FROM The bingo palace TO …
Two months into spring here down under, and we are enjoying a wetter spring than usual. I don't love rain, but my has it resulted in lovely spring blossoms, and we do need our dams to be filled - which they are! Now though, onto today's business, this month's Six Degrees of Separation meme. As … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM The bingo palace TO …
Monday musings on Australian literature: Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
Yes, you read right. This week's Monday Musings on Australian Literature focuses on an award established by the Swedish government, but it is an international award. Established in 2002 to honour the Swedish children's author Astrid Lindgren (as you'll have guessed), the prize is five million SEK, making it, says Wikipedia, the richest award in children's literature and one of … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
Yarra Valley Writers Festival 2020 (Online): New Release Sundays: Robert Dessaix
Back in May, I attended several sessions of the Yarra Valley Writers Festival (YVWF), a COVID-19 bonus, as most of you know. The Festival also runs two regular events, a weekly New Release Sundays and a monthly Bookclub. I haven't managed to attend any, until today, which involved Festival Ambassador Michael Veitch speaking with Australian … Continue reading Yarra Valley Writers Festival 2020 (Online): New Release Sundays: Robert Dessaix
Julia Baird, Phosphorescence (#BookReview)
Much as I love watching Julia Baird on The Drum, and much as Mr Gums and I worried about her multiple cancer diagnoses and her extended journey to recovery over recent years, I'm not sure I would have read her book, Phosphorescence: On awe, wonder and things that sustain you when the world goes dark, … Continue reading Julia Baird, Phosphorescence (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Supporting genres, 2: Short stories
When I started this little sub-series, I wondered how to describe it - genres or forms or genres and forms? In the end, I chose "genres" on the assumption that we could define it very loosely to include forms. I hope this works. After all, the content is more important than the name! I decided … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Supporting genres, 2: Short stories
Book (Re)Launch: Sara Dowse’s West Block
Way back when, I read Sara Dowse's debut 1983-published novel West Block. It ticked all the boxes - it was by a woman, by a feminist, was set in Canberra (a rare thing), and was about the Public Service within which I also worked. I enjoyed it immensely and have often wanted to re-read it. … Continue reading Book (Re)Launch: Sara Dowse’s West Block
Delicious descriptions: Gay Lynch on place, in colonial South Australia
In my recent post on Gay Lynch's historical fiction novel, Unsettled, I spent so much time writing about it, that I didn't share any quotes as I usually do, so I'm using a Delicious Descriptions post to share just a couple of descriptions of the setting, which is around Gambierton/Mt Gambier in South Australia. In … Continue reading Delicious descriptions: Gay Lynch on place, in colonial South Australia
Monday musings on Australian literature: Modern sensibilities and Historical fiction
Following last week's Monday Musings, and my recent review of Gay Lynch's historical novel, Unsettled, I thought it might be worth teasing out the fraught issue of "modern sensibilities" in this genre. By teasing out, I mean that this will not be a thorough analysis of the topic so much as my sharing a few … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Modern sensibilities and Historical fiction
Whispering Gums 