It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up!
This month we begin with the classic teen novel, The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Maxine Beneba Clarke
Melbourne Writers Festival 2018 – the middle bits
I managed to get to three mid-week Melbourne Writers Festival events (honestly, my children thought I’d taken up residence at Federation Square…). Continue reading
Melbourne Writers Festival 2018 – the first weekend
I attended four sessions over the first weekend of the Melbourne Writers Festival. Continue reading
My Best Books for 2017
As I did last year, I’m paying less attention to four and five star ratings and more attention to the books that are still speaking to me. Continue reading
Melbourne Writers Festival 2017 – Day 3
My third day at MWF started with an incredibly impressive panel – Randa Abdel-Fattah, Maxine Beneba Clarke, AS Patrić and Alice Pung (chaired by Arnold Zable) – discussing the second-generation Australian experience and how it’s reflected in literature. Continue reading
Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts
01. Are we excited about the Man Booker 2017 longlist? I’ve read two (Exit West – didn’t like it much at all; Swing Time – loved some bits, other bits not so much) and have one more in the reading pile (The Underground Railroad). I’m intrigued by 4 3 2 1 and Lincoln in the Bardo. Tell me who you think will win and I’ll endeavour to read those before it’s announced so I can feel smug about being ahead of the curve 🙂 Continue reading
Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts
01. The Melbourne Writers Festival 2017 program was launched this week. I’m excited about Heather Rose, Jennifer Down, Christine Kenneally, Tracy Chevalier and Maxine Beneba Clarke. Also: Grenville, Tsiolkas, Laguna, Krien, Joosten. It’s going to be a busy ten days. Continue reading
The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke
In Maxine Beneba Clarke’s twitter bio, she says “I try to write beautifully, about ugly things.” And that’s precisely what she does.
The Hate Race is a stunning, devastating, and powerful memoir. Clarke tells of her ‘typical’ Australian childhood – there was just one major difference between her and the rest of her classmates – she has brown skin.
The most striking thing about The Hate Race is how similar Clarke and my childhoods were. And also how very, very different. Continue reading
The 2017 Stella Prize Shortlist
Ta da! The 2017 Stella Prize shortlist has been announced. Continue reading
The Stella Prize 2017 Longlist
I’ve been glued to Twitter all evening, busting to hear the Stella Prize 2017 longlist announcement. It’s here, so now I can relax (and start reading and predicting) – Continue reading