In 2023, The New Yorker published a piece on Helen Garner. Written by Australian journalist, Helen Sullivan, its title, "The startling candor of Helen Garner", captures exactly what I like about Garner, as does this a little further on: Her writing is elegant but colloquial, characterized by an impulse to say and share things others … Continue reading Helen Garner, The season (#BookReview)
Australian writers
Monday musings on Australian literature: Vale Kerry Greenwood
I was sorry to hear a few days ago that the Australian writer Kerry Greenwood (1954-2025) had died on 26 March, at the too-young age of 70. Her death was only publicly announced week ago, which is fair enough. Families have a right to grieve their loved person in private if they so desire. It … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Vale Kerry Greenwood
Irma Gold in conversation with Karen Viggers
The Canberra launch of Irma Gold's latest book, her second novel Shift (my review), was a joyful affair that reminded me of other launches of books by Canberra writers, such as Karen Viggers' Sidelines and Nigel Featherstone's My heart is a little wild thing. Canberra is a comparatively small jurisdiction so when one of our … Continue reading Irma Gold in conversation with Karen Viggers
Irma Gold, Shift (#BookReview)
If Australian writer Irma Gold suffered from Second Book Syndrome while writing her second novel, it certainly doesn't show. Her debut novel, The breaking (my review), is well-written and a great read. However, in Shift, I sense a writer who has reached another level of confidence in fusing her writing, story-telling, and the ideals and … Continue reading Irma Gold, Shift (#BookReview)
Paddy O’Reilly, Other houses (#BookReview)
It's not totally coincidental that this week's Monday Musings post was about a publisher of realist or social novels, that is, of novels which aim to explore social problems of their time. My reading group's March book, Paddy O'Reilly's Other houses, belongs to this tradition. I have been wanting to read it since it was … Continue reading Paddy O’Reilly, Other houses (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 10, Ruby Mary Doyle
Unlike my last forgotten writer, Dulcie Deamer, today's writer, though a prolific contributor to newspapers in her day, has slipped into the shadows. Neither Wikipedia nor the Australian dictionary of biography (ADB) contain articles for her, but the AustLit database does. As with many of my Forgotten Writers articles, I researched and posted a versions … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Forgotten writers 10, Ruby Mary Doyle
Andra Putnis, Stories my grandmothers didn’t tell me (#BookReview)
Local writer Andra Putnis' book, Stories my grandmothers didn't tell me: Two women's journeys from war-torn Europe to a new life in Australia, was my reading group's February read. Not only was it highly recommended by two members who had read it, but we were told the author would be happy to attend our meeting … Continue reading Andra Putnis, Stories my grandmothers didn’t tell me (#BookReview)
Lisa Kenway, All you took from me (#GuestThoughts)
With my Review TBR pile teetering on the brink, I decided to call in a favour from Mr Gums, and handed him Lisa Kenway's debut novel, All you took from me, thinking it might be up his alley. Now, a word about Mr Gums. He is an engineer by training, and not the world's biggest … Continue reading Lisa Kenway, All you took from me (#GuestThoughts)
Author Talk: The season with Helen Garner
It is a measure of the love and respect readers have for Helen Garner that this event, held in the National Library of Australia's 300-seat theatre, had a 200-strong waiting list. And, it was well worth booking early for. The evening was emceed by Luke Hickey, the National Library's Assistant Director-General Engagement. He started with … Continue reading Author Talk: The season with Helen Garner
Melanie Cheng, The burrow (#BookReview)
You may have heard the announcement by Sean Manning, of Simon & Schuster’s flagship imprint in the US, that he will “no longer require authors to obtain blurbs for their books”. Australian media academic Julian Novitz discussed the decision in The Conversation in a piece titled "Brilliant, moving, thought-provoking! Simon & Schuster is dispensing with book … Continue reading Melanie Cheng, The burrow (#BookReview)
Whispering Gums 