I call this sub-series "Forgotten writers" for a reason, which is, of course, that these writers have been forgotten. But some, dare I say, were more forgotten than others. Mina Gray is one of these. It has taken significant research to uncover even some basic life information for her. There are no entries for her … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 19, Mina Gray
Australian writers
Angela O’Keeffe, Phantom days (#BookReview)
Some readers do not like non-human narrators, full stop, but I am not one of them. Indeed, I have read some wonderful non-human narrators, including most recently, those created by Carmel Bird and Chris Flynn. What these narrators offer, when done well, is a different, unexpected perspective, and I find that exciting. So, I was … Continue reading Angela O’Keeffe, Phantom days (#BookReview)
Darren Rix and Craig Cormick, Warra Warra Wai (2, some literary connections)
Last month, I reviewed Darren Rix and Craig Cormick's book Warra Warra Wai: How Indigenous Australians discovered Captain Cook, and what they tell about the coming of the Ghost People, but I didn't say all I'd like to have said. And I won't achieve that here either, but I did want to focus on a … Continue reading Darren Rix and Craig Cormick, Warra Warra Wai (2, some literary connections)
Lee Lai, Cannon (#BookReview)
Lee Lai's second graphic novel, Cannon, won this year's Stella Prize, and so, while I'm not a graphic novel aficionado, I was intrigued to read this one. I'm not embarrassed to admit how surprised I was by how completely I was drawn into Cannon's world, and how much I felt for her predicament. How did … Continue reading Lee Lai, Cannon (#BookReview)
Merlinda Bobis, In the name of the trees (#BookReview)
In July, Philippine-born Merlinda Bobis' latest novel, In the name of the trees, won the ACT Literary Awards prize for fiction, and in August it was shortlisted for the Prime Minster's Literary Awards. But then, Merlinda Bobis is no stranger to awards, in Australia and her country of birth, the Philippines, as you will see … Continue reading Merlinda Bobis, In the name of the trees (#BookReview)
Darren Rix and Craig Cormick, Warra Warra Wai
What most struck me as I got into the flow of Darren Rix and Craig Cormick's book Warra Warra Wai: How Indigenous Australians discovered Captain Cook, and what they tell about the coming of the Ghost People was that I was reading something that felt like a model for a new way of telling Australia's … Continue reading Darren Rix and Craig Cormick, Warra Warra Wai
Corey Tutt and Irma Gold, with Jessica Tedim, Come home Bigibila (#BookReview)
The recently published children's picture book, Come home Bigibila, is a gorgeous book for several reasons, but the most important of these is that it's a good read. If it weren't that, the other reasons would fade away! So, let's start there. Come home Bigibila tells the story of Bigibila, a baby echidna who is … Continue reading Corey Tutt and Irma Gold, with Jessica Tedim, Come home Bigibila (#BookReview)
Shaun Micallef, De’Ath takes a holiday (#BookReview)
This book is bonkers, but that's mainly its point of course. It has other points too, and I'll get to those, but first I'll introduce it more formally. De'Ath takes a holiday is billed by its author, Australian comedian and satirist Shaun Micallef, as "the origin story of the first real vampyre (not Dracula)", which … Continue reading Shaun Micallef, De’Ath takes a holiday (#BookReview)
Alan Fyfe, The cross thieves (#BookReview)
Publisher Transit Lounge introduces Alan Fyfe as "a maker of stories and poems who lives on unceded Noongar country". His first novel, T, was listed for the West Australian Premier’s Award for an Emerging Writer, and his first poetry collection, G-d, sleep, and chaos, won The West Australian Premier’s Award for Poetry and the overall West Australian Book … Continue reading Alan Fyfe, The cross thieves (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 18, Bene Gibson Smyth
Bene Gibson Smyth is a little different from the writers I have researched for AWW over the last couple of years. This is partly because she was better known as a songwriter and composer than as a writer of stories or poetry, and what she did write was mostly for children. She is little known … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 18, Bene Gibson Smyth
