I just came across this astonishing passage, quoted by John Fiske in Understanding Popular Culture. It's from the Ladies Guide in Health and Disease by John Harvey Kellogg (yes, of Corn Flakes fame), published in 1882. There are also chapters on 'marriage', 'personal beauty', 'diet', clothing', and, ah, 'criminal abortion'. He says: 'The reading of … Continue reading Reading fiction is addictive and unhealthy, says Corn Flakes guy
Month: September 2011
Between worlds: Dominic Smith on Bright and Distant Shores
Allen & Unwin, 9781742374161, 2011 (Aus paperback, ebook + US/Kindle) Bright and Distant Shores is hugely imaginative historical fiction. It’s set just before the dawn of the 20th century in Chicago and the South Pacific. Owen Graves is sent by Hale Gray, the president of Chicago First Equitable, to collect some ‘special items’ to … Continue reading Between worlds: Dominic Smith on Bright and Distant Shores
Extrapolations: stories re-imagined from the tangible, a guest post by Kent MacCarter
By Kent MacCarter In the preface on page six of Dupain’s Sydney, an art book featuring photographic plates of cityscapes, city dwellers and urban whatnot by acclaimed photographer Max Dupain, there is a photograph of the artist fussing with the aperture on his 4x5 large-format camera perched on a fully extended tripod. You can detect … Continue reading Extrapolations: stories re-imagined from the tangible, a guest post by Kent MacCarter
20 Classics in 2011 #7: Death on Tiptoe by RC Ashby
I’m reading 20 classic, modern-classic or cult books in 2011. Read more about this project here. Why did I want to read it? In The Children’s Bookshop in Edinburgh, I discovered a wall of yellow books with purple pinstripes: rediscovered, republished books by women. There were all kinds of stories, but the fact that Death on Tiptoe was … Continue reading 20 Classics in 2011 #7: Death on Tiptoe by RC Ashby
Guest review: Rachel Edwards on Bearings by Leah Swann
Affirm Press, 9780980790429 (Aus) Reviewed by Rachel Edwards Australia has seen an increase in the publishing, and the recognition of, short stories and their authors over the last few years. Cate Kennedy and Nam Le set the bar high, and Affirm Press are presenting reading audiences with some refined new voices through their innovative publishing of the … Continue reading Guest review: Rachel Edwards on Bearings by Leah Swann
The big bucks: Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2011
Last night I went along to the 'streamlined' Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, run by the Wheeler Centre. The awards took place in the grand Plaza Ballroom (part of the Regent Theatre), built in 1929. The decadent entrance and room is apparently in the Spanish Rococo style, but it seemed very eclectic to me: nouveau flourishes, … Continue reading The big bucks: Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2011
Review of :etchings 9 – Love & Something on Cordite
I recently reviewed issue nine of the journal :etchings for Cordite Poetry Review. The focus of the review is the issue's poetry, as that is Cordite's focus, but I mention the fiction and nonfiction also. It begins: 'Love & Something is the sub-header of :etchings 9, and the something seems to stand for the multitudinous meanings the … Continue reading Review of :etchings 9 – Love & Something on Cordite
Read just now: Re: Reading the Dictionary by Tim Sinclair
Spent the morning writing and editing. Checked my email. Read a press release on Tim Sinclair's new poetry book Re: Reading the Dictionary. Clicked the link. Bought it. Downloaded it. Read it from A to Z. Loved it. Wanted to tell you about it right away. Each piece from 'Afflatus' to 'Zombie, Philosophical' takes a … Continue reading Read just now: Re: Reading the Dictionary by Tim Sinclair
