Back in 2013, I wrote about the Hazel Rowley Literary Fund which was set up in 2011 by Rowley's sister and friends, in association with Writers Victoria. Hazel Rowley was, as many of you will know, one of Australia's most respected biographers. Her subjects were diverse, and not exclusively Australian. Indeed, most were not Australian, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Hazel Rowley Fellowship
Biographies
Canberra Writers Festival 2025: 4, Finding Elizabeth Harrower
Susan Wyndham with Julieanne Lamond The program described the session as follows: A literary biography can be a truly fascinating exploration of the life of an author beyond their pages, and so it is with Susan Wyndham's Elizabeth Harrower: The woman in the watch tower. Harrower wrote some of the most original and highly regarded psychological … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2025: 4, Finding Elizabeth Harrower
Monday musings on Australian literature: Michael Crouch Award
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
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literary biographies (2, poets)
Eight years ago, I wrote a Monday Musings on Australian literary biographies, but the main focus there was on novelists. With this month being National Poetry Month and with, coincidentally, this year's National Biography Award going to a biography of a poet, it seemed a match made in heaven. In other words, it seemed appropriate … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literary biographies (2, poets)
Jacqueline Kent’s Seymour Biography Lecture
Last Thursday night we went to our fifth Seymour Biography Lecture at the National Library of Australia. We missed the last one in 2019 because we were travelling. Little did we know then that it would be three years before another one could be held. The Seymour Biography Lecture, which is one of the highlights on … Continue reading Jacqueline Kent’s Seymour Biography Lecture
Monday musings on Australian literature: Supporting genres, 3: Biography
Time for another in my little Monday Musings sub-series on "supporting" genres. I've chosen Biography for this one, since the 2021 National Biography Award winner will be announced this month. However, I have written quite a bit about Australian biography before: Australian Literary Biographies The Hazel Rowley Literary Fund Indigenous Australian biographies The National Biography … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Supporting genres, 3: Biography
Monday musings on Australian literature: Political biography
With the US election going, going ... but not quite gone it seems ... and with a new biography of President-elect Joe Biden, Joe Biden: The life, the run, and what matters now by Evan Osnos, hitting the bookstands, I thought it might be apposite to consider the political biography in Australia. By "political biography", … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Political biography
National Biography Award Winners, 2020
I've not posted on many awards this year, but have decided to post on the 2020 National Biography Award, partly because I attended events last year involving each of the winners. This Award was endowed in 1996 by Geoffrey Cains, and supported for many years by Michael Crouch, who died in 2018. It is now … Continue reading National Biography Award Winners, 2020
Monday musings on Australian literature: Indigenous Australian biographies
Yesterday was the start of Lisa's (ANZLitLovers) 2020 Indigenous Literature Week, and, as I have done for a few years now, I've decided to devote my Monday Musings to an Indigenous Australian literature topic. This year's topic is Indigenous Australian biography. I have previously written Monday Musings on Indigenous Australian autobiographies and memoirs. These have flourished in … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Indigenous Australian biographies
Monday musings on Australian literature: National Biography Award, 2019
It's been five years since I posted on the National Biography Award. Given that, and the fact that some changes have been made since last year, I figured it was worth reminding you (and me) of it. First, a recap: The National Biography Award was endowed in 1996 by Geoffrey Cains, and supported for many … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: National Biography Award, 2019
Whispering Gums 