Finally, an excuse to mention W. Somerset Maugham here - and the excuse is, as Aussie literary fiction followers will probably know, that Mirandi Riwoe's Stella shortlisted novella, The fish girl, is a response to (was inspired by) Maugham's short story "The four Dutchmen". I don't usually feel I need to read the original work … Continue reading W. Somerset Maugham, The four Dutchmen (#Review)
English writers
Jane Austen, The Watsons (Unfinished) Redux
Jane Austen fans, as you probably know, do a lot of re-reading. Given we only have six complete novels, plus her juvenilia and a couple of unfinished novels, we have little choice. Fortunately, it's not a chore! And so, having completed rereading all her novels over the last few years for their respective 200th anniversaries, … Continue reading Jane Austen, The Watsons (Unfinished) Redux
Caroline Moorehead, Dancing to the precipice (#BookReview)
Unusually, my reading group read two biographies about non-Austrian women this year, Jane Fletcher Geniesse's book on Freya Stark (my review) in January and now, this month, Caroline Moorehead's book Dancing to the precipice: Lucie de la Tour du Pin and the French Revolution on the French aristocrat Henriette-Lucy, Marquise de La Tour-du-Pin-Gouvernet. Interestingly, Moorehead has … Continue reading Caroline Moorehead, Dancing to the precipice (#BookReview)
Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Vol. 2
I recently posted my thoughts on Volume 1 of Persuasion, which I read for my Jane Austen group's slow reading of the novel. This post, obviously, is on the second (and last) volume. As before, I'll be focusing on reflections from this read rather than writing a traditional review. And, again, just in case you need a refresher … Continue reading Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Vol. 2
Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Vol. 1
My Jane Austen group is reading Persuasion - eleven years since we last did it - because 2017 is the 200th anniversary of its publication. Of course I've read it several times, so, as you'll know from my other Austen re-reads, my aim here is to focus on reflections from this read rather than to … Continue reading Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Vol. 1
Emily Midorikawa and Emma Claire Sweeney, A secret sisterhood (Pt 1) (#Review)
Midorikawa and Sweeney's book, A secret sisterhood, published this month, is subtitled The hidden friendships of Austen, Brontë, Eliot and Woolf, by which you might guess why a copy came my way! And so, as homework for my Jane Austen group meeting this month, I've just read the first part, which is about Jane Austen and … Continue reading Emily Midorikawa and Emma Claire Sweeney, A secret sisterhood (Pt 1) (#Review)
Ian McEwan, Nutshell (#bookreview)
Like Carmel Bird's Family skeleton, which I reviewed recently, Ian McEwan's Nutshell has a narrator who won't appeal to those who don't like devices like skeletons in cupboards or babies in wombs. However, repeating what I said in my review of Bird's book, it all depends on the writer's skill, and McEwan, like Bird, is … Continue reading Ian McEwan, Nutshell (#bookreview)
Shakespeare’s Sonnets, app-style
Back in 2011 I wrote a post, a few in fact, on Touchpress's wonderful iPad app for TS Eliot's poem The wasteland. I love that app. It's an excellent example of how interactive digital media can enhance learning about or enjoyment of literature, for a start, though Touchpress has applied its approach to a wide range of scientific … Continue reading Shakespeare’s Sonnets, app-style
George Orwell’s Politics and the English language
I was reminded of George Orwell's rules for writing this weekend while reading an article about the German architectural historian, Nikolaus Pevsner (1902–1983). In her article, “New guides to Bath: Society and scene in Northanger Abbey”, Judy Stove-Wilson wrote that Pevsner noted the strong tendency of English towards monosyllables. He regarded this as symptomatic of ‘understatement, the … Continue reading George Orwell’s Politics and the English language
Northanger Abbey musings (2)
A month ago I posted some musings arising from the first part of my current slow read of Northanger Abbey with my Jane Austen group. In this post I'll share some reflections on the rest of the novel, Chapters 20 to 31, which is the part that encompasses our "heroine" Catherine's arrival in and departure from the Abbey. On the art of fiction … Continue reading Northanger Abbey musings (2)
Whispering Gums 