Enough of the filler posts for a while! It's time for a review, and it's a special one because it's for a book about one of my favourite writers, Helen Garner. The book is Bernadette Brennan's A writing life: Helen Garner and her work. Described as a "literary portrait" rather than as a biography, it … Continue reading Bernadette Brennan, A writing life: Helen Garner and her work (#BookReview)
Australian writers
Amy Witting, Afterplay (#Review)
Amy Witting's first novel wasn't published until 1977, when she was 59 years old, which is why she appeared in my late bloomers post a few years ago. She went on to publish five more novels after that - two of which I read and enjoyed long before blogging - and she was an accomplished … Continue reading Amy Witting, Afterplay (#Review)
Betty McLellan, Ann Hannah, my (un)remarkable grandmother: A psychological biography (#BookReview)
Betty McLellan's Ann Hannah, my (un)remarkable grandmother: A psychological biography disconcerted me at first. I'd never heard of a psychological biography (which, I presume, is the same as psychobiography) so I was intrigued by McLellan's discussion in the Introduction of her decision to use this approach. I did feel, for a chapter or two that she was … Continue reading Betty McLellan, Ann Hannah, my (un)remarkable grandmother: A psychological biography (#BookReview)
Helen Garner, Why she broke: The woman, her children and the lake (#Review)
Three years ago I reviewed Helen Garner's This house of grief about Robert Farquharson who drove his car into a dam in Victoria, resulting in the deaths of his three sons. It's a grim grim story, so you might wonder why I am now writing about her essay "Why she broke: The woman, her children and … Continue reading Helen Garner, Why she broke: The woman, her children and the lake (#Review)
Stephanie Buckle, Habits of silence (#BookReview)
I have been champing at the bit to read local author Stephanie Buckle's debut short story collection, Habits of silence, ever since I attended its launch in August by John Clanchy at the Canberra Writers Festival. The readings that both Clanchy and Buckle herself gave from the book grabbed my attention and convinced me that … Continue reading Stephanie Buckle, Habits of silence (#BookReview)
Hoa Pham, Lady of the realm (#BookReview)
Hoa Pham was one of the participants at the recent Boundless Festival (my post), so it's rather apposite that her latest work, Lady of the realm, popped up as my next review copy. The very brief author bio on the Festival site describes the novel as "about a Buddhist clairvoyant in Vietnam". Well, it is, but … Continue reading Hoa Pham, Lady of the realm (#BookReview)
Stan Grant, Talking to my country (#BookReview)
History is, in a way, the main subject of my reading group's October book, Stan Grant's Talking to my country. I'm consequently somewhat nervous about writing this post, because discussions of history in Australia are apt to generate more emotion than rational discussion. I will, though, discuss it - through my interested lay historian's eyes. … Continue reading Stan Grant, Talking to my country (#BookReview)
Gabrielle Carey, Moving among strangers (#BookReview)
Emma's guest Monday Musings post last week on Randolph Stow provided the impetus for me to finally retrieve Gabrielle Carey's Moving among strangers: Randolph Stow and my family from my TBR pile. I've been wanting to read it for the longest time, but ... well, those of you with big TBRs will understand. Moving among strangers, whose … Continue reading Gabrielle Carey, Moving among strangers (#BookReview)
Carmel Bird (ed), The stolen children: Their stories (#BookReview)
Commenting on my post on Telling indigenous Australian stories, Australian author Carmel Bird mentioned her 1998 book The stolen children, describing it as her contribution "to the spreading of indigenous stories through the wider Australian culture". It contains stories told to, and contained in the report of, the National Enquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and … Continue reading Carmel Bird (ed), The stolen children: Their stories (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Guest post from ACT Lit-blogger Emma Gibson
With the ACT Lit-bloggers of the Future program in its closing months, I thought it would be lovely for you to hear directly from Emma and Angharad via a guest post, and they both agreed. First up is Emma - and she chose to write about ... The great Australian writer you’ve (possibly) never heard of: Randolph … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Guest post from ACT Lit-blogger Emma Gibson
Whispering Gums 