I’ve never read a book quite like Melissa Lucashenko’s Mullumbimby. With most books I read, there are aspects which will remind me of something else I’ve read, or make me think of another author I’ve read. And it could just be that because I’m still working my way through the millions of published books which…
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If a stranger were to follow you around for a day, how would they describe your life? Do you imagine a twenty-first century styled gossip columnist approach or could you, like author Carrie Tiffany, produce an account of people’s habits, whether good, bad, disturbing or tragic, with the same detached interest of a bird-watcher? Tiffany’s…
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Neil Gaiman has been the latest person in the writing industry to speak out about the future of the book. As the article states, the audience at the London Book Fair weren’t all that happy about what he had to say. From my perspective, I feel as though finally, somebody well-known and established within the…
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Floundering is the debut novel of Melbourne writer Romy Ash, and is a powerful story of a tragic family reunion in an Australian outback setting. It is a tale of a loss of innocence as a wayward mother with no plan, direction or destination, seeks to reclaim her two children. Narrated by the younger brother,…
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I can only vaguely remember the first time I flew on a plane. I had just turned five, and I was flying to Darwin with my Mum and my brother. I remember being so excited about flying on a plane for the very first time, but that’s about it. I can’t remember anything of the…
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Reconstructing Amelia is a mystery thriller by new author, Kimberly McCreight. It opens with tragedy. High achiever, Amelia Baron, has thrown herself off the roof of her elite Brooklyn private school, Grace Hall, after being accused of plagiarising an assignment. Her mother, though, is convinced that Amelia did not take her own life (and didn’t…
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‘Dear fingernails…I’m sorry it took me so long to realise your cracks and peels were beautiful and alive. I’m still coming to realise that my cracks and imperfections are beautiful, too.’ This is an excerpt from Attention: People with Body Parts, a collection of words offered by various contributors to the project, now published in…
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I feel privileged to review this unassuming little gem of a chapbook. It’s a debut collection from a young poet and, as such, it has received reviews that are positive while at the same time mildly condescending, with some reviewers noting that the poet’s voice ‘is still developing’. I’m sure the same could be said…
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The 2009 documentary The September Issue explored the creation of US Vogue’s biggest issue ever. The magazine’s creative director, Grace Coddington, was memorable as a measured counter to Anna Wintour, its enigmatic, ice queen editor. Sadly, the insight into Coddington’s character offered in Grace: A Memoir is far less endearing. The memoir was an opportunity to…
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Next week, on Tuesday 16 April 2013, the winner of the inaugural Stella Prize, the award that celebrates women’s contribution to Australian literature, will be announced. The shortlist is as follows: The Burial by Courtney Collins (Allen & Unwin) Questions of Travel by Michelle de Kretser (Allen & Unwin) The Sunlit Zone by Lisa Jacobson…
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McEwan is among my favourite writers. I first came across him through his novel Atonement (2001), which I found profoundly touching. I then watched the very good film adaptation of this novel directed by Joe Wright and fell even more in love with the story. However, what I didn’t know about McEwan was that his…
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Everybody knows that age-old cliché, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’. It’s a well-meaning expression. Yes, we should probably take a closer look at the book before deciding whether or not to read it. Yes, it’s better to get to know a person rather than forming opinions based on their appearance. And yes, Lizzy…
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Sonia Ocampo had the misfortune of being born on the wrong day. Now she’s her village’s local saint, and every day people come to her with their prayers or her blessing. The constant weight of her people’s hopes and wishes is dragging her down, and she longs for something more for herself and her impoverished…
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Last week, Penguin Books Australia launched the ‘Pink Popular Penguins‘ to raise money for breast cancer research. One dollar from the sale of each of the hot pink editions goes towards the McGrath Foundation. The McGrath Foundation aims to provide McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities around Australia, while raising awareness of the risk of breast cancer in young…
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