Poems by Lily Brett includes two recently published collections, In Her Strapless Dresses, published in 1994, and Mud in My Tears, published in 1997. As with Brett’s fiction, both of the poetry books concentrate on the Holocaust, both Brett’s own experiences of fascination and obsession – the daughter of Holocaust survivors, and her parent’s firsthand experiences. There are also poems about love, death, parenting, growing up, vanity, and pain.
The Harry Potter Novels
There have been books that appealed to all ages. There have been books meant for adults that have become, often in an edited form, classics for children. Within the genre of fantasy there have been a few books that have…
A review of Tom Keneally’s Bettany’s Book
Bettany’s Book has just been released in paperback. The generosity of Bettany’s Book leads us to not only follow the strivings of the Bettany family and those whose paths they cross, such as Sharif and Felix, the “Europeanised, educated natives”,…
Interview with Tom Keneally
The fascinating and very eloquent author Tom Keneally drops by to talk about his novel Bettany’s Book
A Review of The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra
Mishra oversimplifies his characters till they remain nothing but poorly illustrated cardboard cutouts. Samar’s character emerges slowly and painfully from the murky undergrowth of the meagre plot. And most of his personality remains obscured by the slime he insists on…
A Review of Louis de Bernieres’ Red Dog
The cute little red book has 15 sweet and poignant stories based on the real life of a well known dog whose bronze statue appears in Karratha, a Western Australia mining town. Aside from the evil wind which Red Dog…
A Review of Nadine Gordimer’s The Pickup
Nadine Gordimer has written over 25 books, and has won the Booker and Nobel Prizes. The Pickup is her 13th novel, and perhaps, at 77 years of age, she no longer feels the need to pander to an audience. The Pickup certainly raises questions…
A Review of E M Forster’s A Room With A View
I found A Room with a View to be, if not in the absolute top rank, nevertheless a very worthwhile piece of literature. Aside from being a sensitive study of a woman who often doesn’t know herself well enough, it is a…
Interview with Tim Winton
Tim Winton talks about his latest novel, Dirt Music, Australian literature, the films of his work, the writing process, and more. Interview by Magdalena Ball Magdalena: How did Dirt Music come about? Tim: Like all books, I guess by accident. I…
A Review of Tim Winton’s Dirt Music
Dirt Music is one of those books that gets under your skin. Comes into your bed with you; changes your dreams; travels with you throughout the mundane details of everyday life. Winton’s descriptive prose works both externally in its depiction…