As has happened in the past, this week's Monday Musings has been gazumped by the announcement this evening of the Stella Prize longlist. I attended the online streamed announcement from the Adelaide Festival Writers Week As I say every year, I don't do well at having read the Stella Prize longlist at the time of … Continue reading Stella Prize 2024 Longlist announced
Book lists
Monday musings on Australian literature: My favourite (Australian) fictional character(s)
Over the last twelve months or so, The Conversation has published occasional articles titled "My favourite fictional character". In each article the writer names a character and justifies their choice. As far as I can tell, there have been six so far, and most have chosen non-Australian characters. The choosers and their choices have been: … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: My favourite (Australian) fictional character(s)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2024
This year we start with my first Monday Musings post appearing on Tuesday! This is due to conflicting new year traditions - my Blogging Highlights post on 1 January, and my first Monday Musings being New Releases for the coming year. When 1 January is a Monday, I'm in trouble! I could have left this … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Some New Releases in 2024
Reading highlights for 2023
With the year's end, we come to annual highlights posts - my reading highlights post which I like to do on December 31, and my blogging highlights one on January 1. I do my Reading Highlights on the last day of the year, so I will have read (even if not reviewed) all the books … Continue reading Reading highlights for 2023
Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2023
Over recent years, I've shared favourite Aussie reads of the year from various sources, with the specific sources varying a little from time to time. This year, a significant source - The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age - is unavailable to me as it is behind a paywall, and at this time of year I just … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Favourite books 2023
My reading group’s favourites for 2023
As I've done for a few years now, I am sharing my reading group's top picks of 2022. This is, after all, the season of lists, but also, I know that some people, besides me, enjoy hearing about other reading groups. I'll start, though, by sharing what we read in the order we read them … Continue reading My reading group’s favourites for 2023
Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Summer Reading List, 2023
December is when I start my round of regular end-of-year posts, and a new one I'm adding to the fold is the The Grattan Institute's annual Prime Minister's Summer Reading List. The institute is an Australian non-aligned, public policy think tank, which produces readable, reasoned reports on significant issues, like, most recently, the role of … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Summer Reading List, 2023
Monday musings on Australian literature: Henry Mayer Book Prize
This last week I have become aware, via two different paths, of the Henry Mayer Book Prize. I feel I've seen it referenced before, but it hasn't fully registered. I certainly haven't written about it before, so, now's the time. I'll start by introducing the person for whom the prize is named, Henry Mayer (1919-1991). … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Henry Mayer Book Prize
ACT Book of the Year Award 2023 shortlist and winner
This year I attended, for the first time, the announcement of the ACT Book of the Year award, which was held at the Woden Public Library. For some reason our award doesn't get the media recognition or attention that it deserves. Sure, it is not one of the wealthiest literary prizes in the country, and … Continue reading ACT Book of the Year Award 2023 shortlist and winner
Monday musings on Australian literature: 2023 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award shortlist
Occasionally, as you know, I use my Monday Musings post to make awards announcements, particularly if the announcement is made on Monday, as this award usually is. And so it happened again today, a Monday, that the shortlist for this award was announced. I have written about it before and so if you are interested … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: 2023 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award shortlist