Faults notwithstanding, this is certainly an ambitious project, and where it works, it works powerfully. Naturally this kind of “assignment” will produce a large amount of subjective work, and the range of different voices and genres – the way in…
Category: Book Reviews
Book Reviews
A Review of Platypus by Ann Moyal
Moyal writes clearly and arranges difficult material with crisp authority. This is a perspicacious book. Moyal cares about her subject and has used it to express more than a simple chapter of zoology. She sees the platypus within a very…
A Review of Wild Surmise by Dorothy Porter
The power and beauty of Porter’s poetry takes the reader instantly deeper into the character than a more traditional narrative prose would. It skips the conjunction, the “dialogue” and the external world, and goes straight for the emotional response, revealing the story in the personal pain and longings of the characters inner voices.
A Review of Moorilla Mosaic, Edited by Robyn Mathison and Lyn Reeves
All of the authors in this collection are widely published, and many have become part of the Tasmanian literary canon. This book is indicative of the variety and detail of what modern Tasmanian authors have to offer the world, with…
A Review of Summerland by Michael Chabon
Chabon has fashioned from initially unpromising material and after a wobbly beginning a book that should appeal to every reader. How well it will thrive as a book labeled for young readers is another matter. It is unfortunate that it…
A Review of The Scar by China Mieville
Much of what makes Mieville’s work so appealing to readers not normally enamoured with fantasy literature is classic literary technique. His settings are very well mapped out, his characters are complex and, strong and very real, even when they are…
A Review of Baudolino by Umberto Eco
In this, his fourth novel, professional liar Umberto Eco spins the yarn of Baudolino, a fellow artificer hailing from Eco’s hometown of Alessandria and possessing more than a bit of the author’s personality. Like Eco, Baudolino is a master of…
A Review Of Harkening: A Collection Of Short Stories Remembered by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Carolyn Howard-Johnson has the magical way with words that makes her a great story teller. She has the talent and determination to succeed that all writers strive to achieve. Her descriptions of characters and places are so real that her…
A Review of Buongiorno by Norman Kolpas
Buongiorno is full of easy and delicious meals that make for a lovely family brekkie on the weekend, or something special and different for guests who like being entertained in the am (if you have young kids, its a lot more…
A Review of A Writer’s Guide to Queries, Pitches & Proposals by Moira Anderson Allen
If you have a serious piece of work like a novel to sell, The Writer’s Guide to Queries, Pitches & Proposals is a necessity in order to ensure you maximise your chances of getting your book read by an agent or publisher.…