Brijbasi makes connections that have nothing do with sequence of events or prominence of character. It is, in fact, juxtaposition that rules. Nothing is placed next to another in the way that you would expect but each element is very…
Interview with Carole Waterhouse
The author of Without Wings talks about her book’s germination, her characters, the writing process, on teaching writing in a prison, on finding her publisher, her new book and lots more. Interview by Magdalena Ball Magdalena Ball: What inspired you to…
A review of An Angel in Australia by Tom Keneally
Although this is primarily a novel of plot – a fine story, rather than a difficult exploration of ideas, Frank’s attempts to reconcile a personal morality which makes sense in terms of his own experiences with the Church’s morality is…
A Review of Portraits in Fiction by A S Byatt
It is likely that, as an writer who works solely with words, however visually descriptive these words may be, Byatt is naturally biased. Portraits in Fiction is nevertheless, exactly what literary criticism should be, provocative, well researched, well written, enjoyable to read,…
A Review of Pasta e Sugo by Maria Ponte
If you are a beginning cook, and looking for a no-frills, easy to use cookbook with a number of well known pasta dishes, Pasta e Sugo might not be a bad choice, otherwise serious pasta lovers may be disappointed with the lack…
A review of Only Heaven by Ricky Ian Gordon
What really stands out though is the combination of the distinctive Gordon musical sound, the exceptional singers and the rich pathos of Hughes’ words. The music which is at once experimental and showtuney, innovative but accessible, has elements of Jazz,…
A review of Belief or Non-Belief: A Confrontation by Umberto Eco and Cardinal Martini
The book is worth reading for its philosophical insights and the beauty of its prose alone, but the very fact that a correspondence like this can take place is also meritous and powerful. In these times of fundamentalist ignorance and…
Imagination, or, The Delicate Art of Eric Kraft
The Delicate Art of Eric Kraft The cumulative effect of Kraft’s work is of a sober humor that refuses easy answers however much self-indulgence may appear on the surface. The latter becomes the lie of art by which we come…
A review of All I Ever Wanted Was A Window by John West
The poems in John West’s fourth collection of poetry are strong, stark, and filled with a very ordinary ennui and pain that most readers will be able to relate to. At 61 pages, this slim volume contains an equal number…
A review of Favourite Food by Jill Dupleix
The book celebrates traditional and classic recipes from around the world: “food that links us to the generations past; that has a sense of time and place; that has a reason to be; that gives us a sense of the…