This weekend I attended a delightful event run by the National Library of Australia's bookshop. It was an afternoon of author readings to celebrate the 10th anniversary of independent small publisher Finlay Lloyd, which is based in Braidwood, about an hour's drive from here. It is run by two men, author Julian Davies and artist Phil Day. … Continue reading Finlay Lloyd: Celebrating 10 Years of Publishing
National Library of Australia
Monday musings on Australian literature: Save Trove
I don't make a practice of discussing politics in my blog, though regular readers are sure to have picked up my pro-social-justice values (which is why I love writers like, say, Thea Astley). My reason for being politics-lite here is that politics is a divisive game, and my aim here is to be inclusive. However, I do want … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Save Trove
Author Talk with Kate Llewellyn, Barbara Hill and Ruth Bacchus
Having attended Robert Drewe's Seymour Biography lecture at the National Library of Australia last week, I was thrilled to see another event come up this week. It was billed as an author talk with Kate Llewellyn, and with Barbara Hill and Ruth Bacchus who edited First things first, the collection of Llewellyn's letters which I reviewed a … Continue reading Author Talk with Kate Llewellyn, Barbara Hill and Ruth Bacchus
Who me?: Robert Drewe’s Seymour Biography Lecture
One of the best parts of living in Canberra - and there are many best parts, despite what the politicians and media seem to say! - is that we have the National Library of Australia. It presents many literary events each year, to which I only ever manage to make a few. Some of them I've … Continue reading Who me?: Robert Drewe’s Seymour Biography Lecture
Monday musings on Australian literature: Gap-filling and Wish-lists
Are you a book collector? If so, it probably means you have a wish list of books you want, like Pam at Travellin' Penguin who lives in Tasmania and collects vintage Penguins or Lisa at ANZLitLovers who collects first edition Miles Franklin Award Winners. Pam lists what she has and what she's looking for on … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Gap-filling and Wish-lists
Winter Solstice: New Lights and Dark Chords
While Hobartians are enjoying a full-on festival - Dark Mofo - to celebrate the Winter Solstice, we here in the national capital have had our little celebration. Or, at least, Mr Gums and I attended one. There might be others going on that I know nothing about. Winter Solstice: New Lights and Dark Chords was, … Continue reading Winter Solstice: New Lights and Dark Chords
Monday musings on Australian literature: Writing the Australian landscape
This weekend just gone I had the privilege - well, I paid to go, but still it was a privilege - to attend a conference at the National Library of Australia titled Writing the Australian landscape. You can see why I had to go ... wild brumbies couldn't keep me away. But if, perchance, the … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Writing the Australian landscape
Monday musings on Australian literature: Helen Garner on writing about self
I have mentioned Helen Garner several times in this blog, and the word I tend to use about her is "honest". Her fiction is very much about "self". And in her non-fiction that I've read - Joe Cinque's consolation and The first stone - her "self" is an integral part. She is not what you'd … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Helen Garner on writing about self
Monday musings on Australian literature: My literary home, more or less
Once again Mr Gums and I have left daughter and dog at home in order to hit the road - well, in this case, the skies as by the time this is published we will be in Hong Kong. My posting and commenting will consequently somewhat sporadic for the next week...and so I decided to … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: My literary home, more or less
Whispering Gums 