With this weekend in Australia being a long weekend for Australia Day (or, Invasion Day), I decided that the best thing I could do would be to write a post promoting historical fiction by First Nations Australian writers. While there are First Nations historians writing histories, I figure more people read historical fiction, given I'd … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Historical fiction by First Nations writers
First Nations Australia literature
Melissa Lucashenko, Edenglassie (#BookReview)
Broadly speaking, Melissa Lucashenko's latest novel, Edenglassie, does for southeast Queensland what Kim Scott's That deadman dance does for Noongar country in southwest Western Australia. Both tell of the early days of their respective colonies from a First Nations perspective; both are written in a generous spirit but with absolute clarity about the dispossession that … Continue reading Melissa Lucashenko, Edenglassie (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: First Nations Australian short story collections
NAIDOC Week 2024 National Logo NAIDOC Week 2024 finished yesterday, but, as I often do, I am bookending the week with Monday Musings posts. Last week, I posted on First Nations Australian Stella listees. This week I'd like to highlight some recent (meaning 21st century) short story collections. In my admittedly limited experience, First Nations … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: First Nations Australian short story collections
ALS Gold Medal for 2024 announced
It is some time since I wrote about the ALS Gold Medal. This is not because I don't think it's interesting or worthwhile, but because there are so many awards, and I just don't have the time to write up announcements for every award made each year. So, I pick and choose a bit, and … Continue reading ALS Gold Medal for 2024 announced
Monday musings on Australian literature: First Nations Australian Stella listees
NAIDOC Week 2024 National Logo Yesterday was the start of NAIDOC Week 2024. As has been my practice since 2013, I'm devoting this week's Monday Musings to the cause. NAIDOC Week's theme this year is Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud. Without specifically stating it, this theme responds, I'm sure, to the devastating … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: First Nations Australian Stella listees
Monday musings on Australian literature: Bundyi
Next week will be NAIDOC Week - with this year's theme being "Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud" - but I am jumping the gun a little with a post on a relevant publishing initiative that was announced earlier this year. This initiative comes from publisher Simon & Schuster, and is that they … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Bundyi
Monday musings on Australian literature: Blak and Bright, 2024
Eight years ago, I wrote a post about a new festival called Blak and Bright, which was described at the time as "the debut event of the Victorian Indigenous Literary Festival". I am thrilled to find that eight years later, this festival is still going strong. So often festivals, and literary initiatives in general, appear … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Blak and Bright, 2024
Melissa Lucashenko in conversation with Alex Sloan
I can't believe it's been a year since I attended an ANU/The Canberra Times Meet the Author event, but this year has been packed. Finally, though, we were free on at the right time - and the event happened to be one of high interest for me, Melissa Lucashenko being interviewed about her latest book, … Continue reading Melissa Lucashenko in conversation with Alex Sloan
Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 3, A Jewel of a Book
Which book you are presumably wondering? The session's subtitle will give you a hint: Debra Dank in Conversation with Evelyn Araluen. The book, then, is Debra Dank's We come with this place, which won a record four prizes in this year's NSW Premier's Literary Awards (as I described in my post). The session description commenced … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 3, A Jewel of a Book
Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 2, Celebrating the classics
When I saw the line-up for this session - Debra Dank, Evelyn Araluen, Ellen Van Neerven and Yasmin Smith - I was in. I have read and admired writing by three of these writers and was keen to attend that rare thing, an all First Nations panel. Its topic was described as follows: A new … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 2, Celebrating the classics
Whispering Gums 