I'm reading Northanger Abbey and while looking up pictures of the Pump Room (trying to remember if we visited it in Bath) I came across this great blog for Austen and history enthusiasts. It has an enormous amount of info, links and pictures. Just mind the Downton Abbey spoilers.
Commentary
Two literary TV shows I’m excited about in 2012
Parade's End Ford Madox Ford has not yet made it from the to-read list to my eyeballs, but from what I've heard, he's magnificent. That's one reason I'm excited about the BBC/HBO co-production of Parade's End, based on Ford's 1920s four-part novel about a complex relationship and the madness of war (and undoubtedly much more). The … Continue reading Two literary TV shows I’m excited about in 2012
‘Sh*t Book Reviewer’s Say’ by Ron Charles
'Hilarious and bold' - LiteraryMinded
Happy 200th birthday Charles Dickens
What better way to celebrate than by downloading all of his books (via The University of Adelaide)? You might also like to read 'A Letter to Charles Dickens on his 200th Birthday' by Dickens biographer Claire Tomalin. I've also loved pottering about lately on Dickens Journals Online which I was introduced to by Whispering Gums, who reviewed Margaret … Continue reading Happy 200th birthday Charles Dickens
Varuna’s writer-a-day project: a short extract from my work
My contribution to Varuna's writer-a-day project is now up on the Varuna blog. It's an extract from my novel-in-progress Not Like Sensation (working title). You can listen to me reading it (only 2.5 mins) or just read the text, here. I was at Varuna Writers House in 2008, as a recipient of Peter Bishop's Pathways … Continue reading Varuna’s writer-a-day project: a short extract from my work
New ejournal: Review of Australian Fiction
I've just sampled the first issue of a new ejournal called Review of Australian Fiction, which will publish a short story by one established and one emerging author each issue (fortnightly). You can subscribe to all six issues in Volume One for $12.99, or buy them individually. There will be four volumes each year. Info … Continue reading New ejournal: Review of Australian Fiction
The best books I read in 2011, as told to the Australian
This first appeared in the Australian over the weekend of 24 & 25 December, 2011. Thanks to Stephen Romei for seeking my contribution. In 2011 I caught up on some classics: I enjoyed being isolated with aging actor/director Charles Arrowby in Iris Murdoch’s The Sea, The Sea. I took to sea with Gulliver on his … Continue reading The best books I read in 2011, as told to the Australian
2012: National Year of Reading & my reading challenges
Despite the fact that I am still working through 2011's challenge (20 classics) I am going to add books by Australian women (for reasons laid out in the Australian Women Writers 2012 Reading & Reviewing Challenge page, here) to my 'challenges' for 2012. 2012 also happens to be the National Year of Reading in Australia. I've … Continue reading 2012: National Year of Reading & my reading challenges
Abstract extracts from my travel journal: June to August 2011
This is cross-posted from Southerly, where I've been blogging in December. This post is partly a peek into my process. If you read more of my writing you may notice thoughts, imagery, themes popping up that originated from this trip and my recordings. But I like to think these carefully chosen ‘abstract extracts’ – deliberately taken … Continue reading Abstract extracts from my travel journal: June to August 2011
Reviewing books
This is cross-posted from Southerly, where I am blogging in December. I thought, for this post, that I would share some of my own personal mantras/guidelines for reviewing books. I’ve been reviewing books for about 4.5 years. That means, really, I’m still pretty new at it. I started out with LiteraryMinded and mini-reviews in Bookseller+Publisher magazine. I have now … Continue reading Reviewing books
LiteraryMinded 