Al Campbell's debut novel, The keepers, is a complex and ambitious novel about parenting, specifically about parenting children who are deemed too difficult by society, leaving their mothers, or carers, to survive, or not, as best they can. It's confronting but, unfortunately, all too real. That this is its theme is obvious from the novel's … Continue reading Al Campbell, The keepers (#BookReview)
Australian writers
Holly Throsby, Clarke (#BookReview)
My reading group's last book of the year, Holly Throsby's third novel, Clarke, was a popular end-of-year choice. It's a straightforward but compelling read that was inspired by a story we were all across, the Lynette Dawson story. Inspired, though, is the operative word, as Clarke is not Lynette Dawson's story. For a start, while … Continue reading Holly Throsby, Clarke (#BookReview)
Finlay Lloyd 20/40 Publishing Prize 2023 Winning Books Launch with Conversation
I have written about Finlay Lloyd's 20/40 Publishing Prize a few times now, so I hope I'm not imposing too much on your precious time. However, this weekend was the launch here in Canberra, and it involved a conversation led by a favourite Canberra journalist, Virginia Hausseger, with the two winning authors. I had to … Continue reading Finlay Lloyd 20/40 Publishing Prize 2023 Winning Books Launch with Conversation
Chris Hammer in conversation with Jack Heath
Apologies for those of you expecting a Monday Musings. I did think about it, as this conversation turned out to be a bit of a Chris Hammer retrospective so it could have worked as one of my Monday Musings spotlight-on-an-author post. However, after considering my options, I decided to call this post what it is, … Continue reading Chris Hammer in conversation with Jack Heath
Hal Porter, Francis Silver (#Review, #1962 Club)
Introducing my first review for the 1962 Year Club - Shirley Hazzard's "The picnic" - I said I had read two short stories and might post on the second one. I am doing so now but, stupidly, I left the book back in Canberra and here I am in Melbourne, so my post will be … Continue reading Hal Porter, Francis Silver (#Review, #1962 Club)
Shirley Hazzard, The picnic (#Review, #1962 Club)
As I have done for most "year" reading weeks*, I decided for 1962 to read a short story by an Australian author. I read two, in fact, and may post on the second one later. Today's story, though, is Shirley Hazzard's "The picnic" which I found in an anthology edited by Carmel Bird, The Penguin … Continue reading Shirley Hazzard, The picnic (#Review, #1962 Club)
Kevin Brophy, The lion in love (#BookReview)
This year has been, for me, the year of the short story, partly because short stories have fitted in with the sort of year I've had, but also because short stories - individually, in anthologies, and in collections - have been coming my way in great number. This is fine, because I love a good … Continue reading Kevin Brophy, The lion in love (#BookReview)
Melissa Lucashenko in conversation with Alex Sloan
I can't believe it's been a year since I attended an ANU/The Canberra Times Meet the Author event, but this year has been packed. Finally, though, we were free on at the right time - and the event happened to be one of high interest for me, Melissa Lucashenko being interviewed about her latest book, … Continue reading Melissa Lucashenko in conversation with Alex Sloan
Carmel Bird, Love letter to Lola (#BookReview)
In her prose piece, "Ocean of story" (my post), Christina Stead wrote that It is only when the short story is written to a rigid plan, or done as an imitation, that it dies. It dies when it is pinned down, but not elsewhere. It is the million drops of water that are the looking-glasses … Continue reading Carmel Bird, Love letter to Lola (#BookReview)
Shelley Burr, Ripper (#BookReview)
When I started reading Ripper, Shelley Burr's follow-up novel to her bestselling award-winning debut novel Wake (my review), I thought about crime novels, about how they are often written in series and how I am not a big series fan. Ripper looked to me like a stand-alone novel - and it is, somewhat! I say … Continue reading Shelley Burr, Ripper (#BookReview)
Whispering Gums 