This might be a first for me, an obituary-style post for an academic/literary scholar rather than for an author. However, this post seemed appropriate as, Elizabeth Webby, who died last month, is someone whom I've mentioned several times in my blog due to her having written in areas that are of interest to me. Specifically, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Elizabeth Webby (1941-2023)
Australian writers
Chris Flynn, Here be Leviathans (#BookReview)
I am not one of those readers who shun weird narrators. Indeed, you'll find several in this blog, including a skeleton, a dead baby, a foetus and a mammoth fossil. The critical thing for me is not who the narrator is, but whether that narrator is convincing and offers a perspective that engages my mind … Continue reading Chris Flynn, Here be Leviathans (#BookReview)
Debra Dank, We come with this place (#BookReview)
First Nations people are advised that this post contains the names of deceased people. It has been my reading group's tradition for some years now to read a book by a First Nations writer in July, the month in which NAIDOC Week occurs. Coincidentally, NAIDOC Week’s 2023 theme was “For our elders”, which worked beautifully with our … Continue reading Debra Dank, We come with this place (#BookReview)
Edwina Preston, Bad art mother (#BookReview)
Edwina Preston's Bad art mother was my reading group's June book, replacing our previously scheduled book because we'd heard Bad art mother was to be the featured book in the Canberra Writers Festival session, Canberra's Biggest Book Club. This suited me, as, coincidentally, I'd just started reading it! Bad art mother has been shortlisted for two … Continue reading Edwina Preston, Bad art mother (#BookReview)
Tuesday Atzinger, The River (#Review)
Back in January I reviewed two stories from Ellen van Neerven and Rafeif Ismail's anthology Unlimited futures: Speculative, visionary Blak+Black fiction for Bill's (The Australian Legend) Australian Women Writers Gen 5 Week. The stories I reviewed were the second and third in the anthology because they were the first two by Australians in it. The … Continue reading Tuesday Atzinger, The River (#Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Best Young Australian Novelists (5)
Okay, so last week I said that post would be the end of the current little run of awards posts - but then I saw the announcement of this year's Best Young Australian Novelists award, and decided we could cope with just one more. I really will try to offer something new (or, do I … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Best Young Australian Novelists (5)
Myra Morris, The inspiration (#Review, #1940 Club)
As I have done for some previous "year" reading weeks*, I decided for 1940 to read a short story by an Australian author. After a bit of searching I settled on Myra Morris, and her story "Inspiration", because ... let me explain. My last two Australian contributions for these reading weeks were works by men … Continue reading Myra Morris, The inspiration (#Review, #1940 Club)
Robert Drewe, Nimblefoot (#BookReview)
Nimblefoot is Robert Drewe's eight novel, but is the first of his that my reading group has done. Drewe is a prolific and versatile writer, having written memoir and other nonfiction, as well as short stories and novels, both. contemporary-set and historical. In other words, he is not easy to compartmentalise. He has appeared before … Continue reading Robert Drewe, Nimblefoot (#BookReview)
Eleanor Limprecht, The Coast (#BookReview)
I love to read Author's Notes, Afterwords, or whatever they are called, at the end of novels, and particularly so when the novel is historical fiction. This is because these notes will often explain the author's thought process, the line they have drawn between fiction and fact, the sources used, the level and type of … Continue reading Eleanor Limprecht, The Coast (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: A letter from Mary Gilmore
Gilmore, by May Moore, 1916 State Library of New South Wales (Public Domain) Mary Gilmore (1865-1962) is, I suspect, not well-known outside of Australia, but she was (is) a significant Australian poet - so significant that she earned herself a dame-hood! Wikipedia describes her as "an Australian writer and journalist known for her prolific contributions to Australian literature and … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: A letter from Mary Gilmore
Whispering Gums 