The Michael Crouch Award is part of the National Biography Award (NBA) suite of prizes. I have written about the NBA before, but have never specifically focused on the Michael Crouch Award. But first, a quick recap ... the National Biography Award has been going since 1996, and celebrates excellence in life writing, that is, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Michael Crouch Award
Autobiographies/Memoirs
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
Monday musings on Australian literature: Musician’s memoirs
I had been toying with a different topic for today's post, but Brian's (Babbling Books) comment on my post on Anna Goldsworthy's memoir, Piano lessons, sent me off in a different direction. Brian said that he was "interested in the lives of artists", that "there is something about the subject that is inherently fascinating". He … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Musician’s memoirs
Nadia Wheatley in conversation with Marion Halligan
Nadia Wheatley is, I fear, not as well-known in Australia's literary firmament as she should be because her credentials are excellent. Not only is there My place (1987) - a wonderful multi-award-winning children's book about the history of place - but her biography of Charmian Clift, The life and myth of Charmian Clift, has been … Continue reading Nadia Wheatley in conversation with Marion Halligan
Vale Jill Ker Conway
Just before Mr Gums and I set off for our Arnhem Land holiday in early July, I came across an obituary for the Australian-born academic, educator and writer Jill Ker Conway (1934-2018). She had died on June 1, but I hadn't heard. Why not? Her first memoir, The road from Coorain, was a best-seller, and … Continue reading Vale Jill Ker Conway
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian ghostwriters
If you've read my blog recently, you'll know exactly what inspired this post. Yes, Richard Flanagan's novel First person (my review), which was inspired by his experience of ghostwriting Australian fraudster John Friedrich's memoir. The book was called Codename Iago. You probably all know what a ghostwriter is, but just to make sure, here's the … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian ghostwriters
Unbreakable: Conversation with Jelena Dokic
If you are a fan of professional tennis you will probably have heard of Jelena Dokic who hit the world stage during the 1999 Wimbledon Championships. She was just 16 years old, and, as Wikipedia writes, "achieved one of the biggest upsets in tennis history, beating Martina Hingis 6-2, 6-0. This remains the only time … Continue reading Unbreakable: Conversation with Jelena Dokic
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)
Who me?: Robert Drewe’s Seymour Biography Lecture
One of the best parts of living in Canberra - and there are many best parts, despite what the politicians and media seem to say! - is that we have the National Library of Australia. It presents many literary events each year, to which I only ever manage to make a few. Some of them I've … Continue reading Who me?: Robert Drewe’s Seymour Biography Lecture
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literary autobiographies
I've written Monday Musings on autobiographies and memoirs by indigenous Australians, and I've reviewed biographies of Australian writers, like Mary Durack and Madeleine St John. However, I haven't written about what we might call literary autobiographies, that is, autobiographies by authors. So, today's the day. I have read several literary autobiographies, but few since I started blogging. Being a … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literary autobiographies
Whispering Gums 