Whispering Gums

Books, reading and more … with an Australian focus … written on Ngunnawal Country

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Alan Bennett

Alan Bennett, The uncommon reader

December 16, 2010June 26, 2011 / Whispering Gums / 11 Comments

Light with bite is how I would describe Alan Bennett's delightful novella The uncommon reader. But, before I explain that further, a quick plot summary for those few who haven't come across it. It explores what happens when Queen Elizabeth II stumbles across a mobile library on the palace grounds and becomes obsessed with books and … Continue reading Alan Bennett, The uncommon reader

Alan Bennett, The lady in the van

March 18, 2010January 27, 2020 / Whispering Gums / 15 Comments

It is a truism that truth is stranger than fiction, and Alan Bennett's The lady in the van is one work that proves it. It is strange - and wonderful - that a woman could have lived the way the eponymous lady did for as long as she did, and it is equally strange - … Continue reading Alan Bennett, The lady in the van

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Latest comments

  1. Whispering Gums's avatar
    Whispering Gums on Stella Prize 2026 Winner announcedMay 15, 2026

    Oh that’s right Melanie, I was so impressed that you tried … I am definitely planning to read it now!…

  2. Grab the Lapels's avatar
    Grab the Lapels on Stella Prize 2026 Winner announcedMay 15, 2026

    Oof, this was the one I tried to read but couldn't follow the author's choices for how to tag dialogue.…

  3. Whispering Gums's avatar
    Whispering Gums on Stella Prize 2026 Winner announcedMay 14, 2026

    Yes, and that might mean it won’t be over dinner time.

  4. kimbofo's avatar
    kimbofo on Stella Prize 2026 Winner announcedMay 14, 2026

    Thanks for your report of the event, Sue. I couldn't watch it because the timing coincided with my drive home…

  5. Whispering Gums's avatar
    Whispering Gums on Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (17), Women readers (1)May 14, 2026

    Yes, exactly … there are also those who just have to share the way they improved a recipe by adding…

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Australian Literary Awards for (mostly) Fiction, 2026


The Age Book of the Year:
ALS Gold Medal:
Australian Book Industry Award (Literary Fiction):
Barbara Jefferis Award:
Indie Book Awards (Fiction):
Miles Franklin Award:
NSW Premier's Literary Award (Christina Stead Prize):
Patrick White Award:
Prime Minister's Literary Award:
Queensland Literary (Fiction) Award:
South Australian Literary Awards:
Stella Prize:
Victorian Premier's Literary (Fiction) Award: Omar Musa, Fierceland
Western Australian Premier's Book of the Year Award:

Acknowledgement of Country

I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of the nation in which I live, of land that was never ceded. I honour and respect their cultural heritage, customs and beliefs, and am truly thankful for their ongoing care of this country.

Copyright on my content

This work by Whispering Gums is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareALike 4.0 International

Copyright on images used in this blog

I am careful about the images I use in this blog. Some of them are my own, some I've specifically obtained permission to use from an owner, and some book cover thumbnails are used under fair use provisions. However, I have used others under Creative Commons (and similar licences) when the owners have indicated on their sites/pages that they release their material under such licences. Where possible, I have tried to properly attribute the owners/creators of uploaded images. If you think I have breached your copyright in any way please let me know. Any photos not attributed to others or to public domain are mine. Unless otherwise specified, you are welcome to use them under the Creative Commons license described under Copyright on my content above.

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