Nell Pierce's debut novel, A place near Eden, won the 2022 The Australian/Vogel Literary Award. It was my reading group's last book of the year, and it engendered a lively discussion, partly because our response was mixed and partly because its setting on the south coast of New South Wales is well-known to us. Part … Continue reading Nell Pierce, A place near Eden (#BookReview)
Australian writers
Lucy Neave, Believe in me (#BookReview)
Mother-daughter stories - in fiction and nonfiction - seem to have been particularly popular in recent years. Lucy Neave's second novel Believe in me is one of these, but just this year I've read several others, including Larissa Behrendt's novel After story and Jane Sinclair's hybrid biography-memoir Shy love smiles and acid drops. Their trajectories … Continue reading Lucy Neave, Believe in me (#BookReview)
Heather Rose in conversation with Sally Pryor
As I've written before, Muse Canberra, a restaurant-cum-bookshop or vice versa, offers a wonderful program of book events, year after year. I don't get to many, but today I attended a conversation featuring Tasmanian author Heather Rose with local journalist Sally Pryor. The participants Heather Rose has written three children's books and five novels, of … Continue reading Heather Rose in conversation with Sally Pryor
Frederic Manning, The middle parts of fortune, Ch. 1 (#Review, #1929 Club)
I had identified two novels for my 1929 read, M. Barnard Eldershaw's A house is built and another. With Lisa also considering A house is built, I decided to go for the other. I started it, and am loving it, but I won't finish it in time, so I thought I'd check my Australian anthologies … Continue reading Frederic Manning, The middle parts of fortune, Ch. 1 (#Review, #1929 Club)
Telltale, Carmel Bird and me
In my recent post on Carmel Bird's bibliomemoir, Telltale, I hinted that there could be another post in this book. There could, indeed, be many, but I must move on, and I must not spoil the book for others. However, given many blog-readers enjoy personal posts, I've decided to share a few of my particular … Continue reading Telltale, Carmel Bird and me
Carmel Bird, Telltale: Reading writing remembering (#BookReview)
Finally, I have found something to thank COVID for - Carmel Bird's Telltale. Best described as a bibliomemoir, Telltale may never have been written if Bird had not been locked down with her extensive library. What is a lively mind to do in such a situation? I can think of a few options, but what … Continue reading Carmel Bird, Telltale: Reading writing remembering (#BookReview)
In conversation with Craig Silvey
I understand that literary conversation events in Canberra go best when the subject is political. I guess it's the nature of the beast - that is, of living in the national capital. But for me, it's the fiction writers that I want to see, and we do get some interspersed amongst the run of historians … Continue reading In conversation with Craig Silvey
Kim Vanessa Scott, Growing up … Katherine style (#BookReview)
Growing up .. Katherine style is the second self-published book I have reviewed from this Katherine-based artist and writer, the first being her book about some of Katherine's historical housing, Katherine's tropical housing precinct 1946-1956. There are a few reasons why I have broken my no-self-published-books rule. One is that both books had some Northern … Continue reading Kim Vanessa Scott, Growing up … Katherine style (#BookReview)
Emma Viskic, Resurrection Bay (#BookReview)
Back in February, I said I planned to "read" more audiobooks this year, and slowly I'm achieving that goal with Emma Viskic's Resurrection Bay being my third for the year. In fact, it makes a particularly special contribution, because it is the first book I wanted to hear when we bought our new car with … Continue reading Emma Viskic, Resurrection Bay (#BookReview)
Nigel Featherstone, My heart is a little wild thing (#BookReview)
In late May, I reported on the Canberra launch of Nigel Featherstone's latest novel, My heart is a little wild thing - and now I bring you my thoughts on this finely-observed book about a man's reaching for his own life. I'm going to start with a reflection on a question authors of books like … Continue reading Nigel Featherstone, My heart is a little wild thing (#BookReview)
Whispering Gums 