It's clear why Affirm Press chose a comment by Raimond Gaita for the front cover of their latest publication, Michael Sala's autobiographical novel, The last thread. Gaita, for readers here who don't know, wrote an award-winning memoir, Romulus, My Father, about growing up as a migrant with mentally unstable parents. Sala's story is different but both … Continue reading Michael Sala, The last thread (Review)
Debut fiction
Jamil Ahmad, The wandering falcon (Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize 2011)
I'm not sure how to describe Jamil Ahmad's Man Asian Literary Prize novel, The wandering falcon. Is it a disjointed novel, a picaresque, or a collection of connected short stories? It doesn't matter greatly - it is what it is - but at least by raising the question I've given you a sense of how … Continue reading Jamil Ahmad, The wandering falcon (Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize 2011)
Marie Munkara, Every secret thing
They all nodded, not knowing what the hell curry* was but getting gist of the story all the same. Marie Munkara leads us a merry dance with Every secret thing, her first book, which won the David Unaipon Award for an unpublished Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander writer. What exactly is this "thing" she presents … Continue reading Marie Munkara, Every secret thing
Madeleine St John, The women in black
One thing mystified me as I started reading Madeleine St John's The women in black and that is why she would write a book in 1993 about 1950s? It seemed an odd choice. And then, as I read further, it started to become clear. The time period represents one of those cultural watersheds that nations … Continue reading Madeleine St John, The women in black
Helen Simonson, Major Pettigrew’s last stand
If you like warm-hearted novels with a positive ending you may like this. If you like such novels with a touch of social commentary you will probably like this. If you like books like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Miss Garnet's angel, then this is definitely for you. But if you … Continue reading Helen Simonson, Major Pettigrew’s last stand
Andrew Croome, Document Z
Truth, according to the dictionary, can mean several things including: the state of being the case, fact or actuality; and a transcendent or spiritual reality. Truth in all its variety and slipperiness is, I think, the fundamental theme of Andrew Croome's Document Z which won the 2008 The Australian/Vogel Literary Award. This book, which chronicles the … Continue reading Andrew Croome, Document Z
Toni Jordan, Addition
(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 the heels aren't quite high enough … Continue reading Toni Jordan, Addition
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
Whispering Gums 