Friedrich Gerstäcker's Australia: A German traveller in the Age of Gold was first published in its original German, as Australien, in 1854. Gerstäcker did prepare, at that time, an English language version of his travels, but the section on Australia, at least, was much shorter than his German edition, and is all English readers have been able to … Continue reading Friedrich Gerstäcker, Australia: A German traveller in the Age of Gold (Review)
Travel writing
Monday musings on Australian literature: Arnold Haskell on the Arts (1)
A couple of months ago I wrote a post on British dance critic Arnold Haskell's book, Waltzing Matilda: a background to Australia (published in Australia in 1944). I said then that I'd come back to it, so here I am, focusing this time on his chapter on "The Arts". It comprises 22 pages covering, according to … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Arnold Haskell on the Arts (1)
George Augustus Sala, The tyranny of pie (Review)
When I decide to write about a Library of America (LOA) Story of the Week it is usually because it's by a favourite author (like Willa Cather, Kate Chopin, or Edith Wharton), or by an author I want to read but haven't yet (like John Updike or Washington Irving) or on a topic that interests me … Continue reading George Augustus Sala, The tyranny of pie (Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: 19th century travellers in Australia
I'm a bit of a sucker for 19th century travellers. The one who started it all was Flora Tristan with her Peregrinations of a pariah (1838). Yes, I know, she was a Frenchwoman travelling in South America, so she's not actually relevant here. And yet, before I get to travellers in Australia I must mention other works I've dipped into: Washington … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: 19th century travellers in Australia
Monday musings on Australian literature: Arnold Haskell’s Australia
Who is Arnold Haskell you are probably asking, if you are anything like me. The answer will probably surprise you: he was a British dance critic, who wrote many books on ballet, and was, in fact, involved in the development of the Royal Ballet School. But, he also visited Australia a couple of times, first in 1936, as … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Arnold Haskell’s Australia
Emma Ayres, Cadence: Travels with music (Review)
Although Emma Ayres' memoir Cadence had been passed around my reading group with much enthusiasm over the last year or so, I wasn't intending to read it - not because I wasn't interested, but because there were other books I wanted to read more. However, when I found the audiobook at my aunt's house while … Continue reading Emma Ayres, Cadence: Travels with music (Review)
William Gilpin, Jane Austen and the picturesque
I was introduced to William Gilpin by Jane Austen. Well, not by her so much as by her brother, Henry, who told us* that she was "enamoured of Gilpin on the Picturesque at a very early age". This month my local Jane Austen group decided to look a little more deeply at Gilpin, his Picturesque, … Continue reading William Gilpin, Jane Austen and the picturesque
Delicious descriptions from Downunder: Isabella Bird on Nikkō in Japan
This is one of those Delicious Descriptions that is from Downunder but is not of Downunder, if you know what I mean. It's actually of Japan - as you observant readers will already know given the title of this post - and it comes from Isabella Bird's Unbeaten tracks in Japan to which I referred in … Continue reading Delicious descriptions from Downunder: Isabella Bird on Nikkō in Japan
Whispering Gums on Deformed Pines
I am slowly but surely working my way through Isabella Bird's Unbeaten tracks in Japan. While we were still in Japan, and enjoying its wonderful gardens, I came across the following passage from early in Bird's travels: After running cheerily for several miles my men bowled me into a tea-house, where they ate and smoked … Continue reading Whispering Gums on Deformed Pines
Monday musings on Australian literature: Travel writers on Australia
Don't panic, I told myself, the universe with still continue if I miss one week's Monday musings. You see, after having been in Japan for over two weeks now, my thoughts have strayed rather far from Australian literature. But then, necessity being the mother of invention, an idea came to me. While I've been travelling, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Travel writers on Australia
Whispering Gums 