"Exploring in the dark" is how David Malouf frames the process of writing. In other words, writing, he says, brings out what is within the writer but is not fully understood until the writing starts. Furthering this notion, he quoted Herman Hesse as saying that a writer needs to be "a sleepwalker with the absolute … Continue reading Breakfast with David, Malouf that is
Australian writers
Some Australian literary classics
Lisa at ANZ LitLovers referred yesterday to ABC Radio National's The Book Show program on Patrick White's The solid mandala. This is in fact part of weeklong series they are doing on Australian classics. They have chosen an intriguing - but not unappealing - list of works to discuss: Marcus Clarke's His natural life (which … Continue reading Some Australian literary classics
More Jolley
A decade or so ago my local reading group, with trepidation from some, decided to try a poetry night. The idea was that we'd all bring a favourite poem or two to share. What would I bring? I have some favourite poets from my student days - poets like Gerard Manley Hopkins, T.S. Eliot and … Continue reading More Jolley
Elizabeth Jolley, My father’s moon
'No one,' she says, 'can write anything till they've had experience. Later on perhaps. You will write later on.' (Elizabeth Jolley, My father's moon, 1989) Although fiction demands imagination, it must be based on some kind of genuine experience. (Elizabeth Jolley, "Only Connect", essay first published in Toads, 1992) My father's moon is the first … Continue reading Elizabeth Jolley, My father’s moon
J.M. Coetzee, Diary of a bad year
J.M. Coetzee is one of those rare novelists who pushes the boundaries of what a novel is. The progression from his mid-career novel, the spare but terrifying Disgrace (1999), through Elizabeth Costello (2003) to Diary of a bad year (2007) is so dramatic that there are those who question whether these last two are even … Continue reading J.M. Coetzee, Diary of a bad year
Toni Jordan, Addition
Addition Pb cover, Courtesy Text Publishing (SPOILERS: FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH) Looks like, feels like, is it? Chick lit, that is. Toni Jordan's first novel Addition has all the hallmarks of chick lit. The cover design with its line drawing of a female form invokes chick lit - albeit chick lit with an edge as … Continue reading Toni Jordan, Addition
Four time winner: Tim Winton wins 2009 Miles Franklin
Tim Winton's fourth Miles Franklin Award in 2009 for Breath means he has equalled Thea Astley's four awards.
Favourite writers: 2, Elizabeth Jolley
Not, unfortunately, being a time-traveller, I haven't managed to see or hear Jane Austen in person. I am, however, far more fortunate in this regard when it comes to the subject of my next favourite writers post - Elizabeth Jolley. I did get to see and hear her at a literary lunch at the height of … Continue reading Favourite writers: 2, Elizabeth Jolley
Steve Toltz, A fraction of the whole
I reckon the voters for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards inaugural People's Choice Award got it right when they chose Toltz's A fraction of the whole as the first winner. Not necessarily because it is the best book of the year, because I'm not sure that it is, but because it is such a life-writ-large … Continue reading Steve Toltz, A fraction of the whole
The Voss Journey
Apparently many of the attendees at the various Voss Journey events this weekend confess to having read "parts of Voss". I am intrigued by this because as an 18 year old in my last year of high school, nearly 40 years ago, I absolutely fell in love with Voss. Indeed, it set me off on … Continue reading The Voss Journey
Whispering Gums 