01. First week of the German Film Festival – very much enjoyed Foreign Language (although the mix of German and French meant following what little I can in German was almost impossible). Continue reading
Tag Archives: Melbourne Writers Festival
Things That Are Making Me Happy This Week
01. Of course it’s the one I didn’t read (!) but yay for another year of the Stella Prize. Continue reading
Six Degrees of Separation – from Wild Swimming to Life and Loves
It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up. Continue reading
Sample Saturday – three memoirs
Sample Saturday is when I wade through the eleventy billion samples I have downloaded on my Kindle. I’m slowly chipping away and deciding whether it’s buy or bye. Continue reading
Antarctica by Claire Keegan
I was completely seduced by Claire Keegan’s novellas last year, so obviously I didn’t need much convincing to read her debut collection of short stories, Antarctica.
The titular story, Antarctica, is startling, and sets the tone for the rest of the collection. And I’d describe that tone as violent. The stories explore violence in what are predominantly domestic settings, and the focus is on women, and themes of fidelity and retribution. But before Antarctica takes its frightening turn, it begins with a brilliant first line –
Every time the happily married woman went away she wondered how it would feel to sleep with another man. Continue reading
Things That Are Making Me Happy This Week
01. I got back from my trip to Hawaii earlier in the week (more on that later) so the first think that made me happy (apart from seeing the family, obvs) was being back in my own bed. There’s nothing quite like your own bed. Continue reading
Things That Are Making Me Happy This Week
01. Succession S4 episode 3. Oh. My. God. It’s testament to just how good the script writing is that I didn’t even think of what unfolded as a possibility. Continue reading
Things That Are Making Me Happy This Week
01. A brilliant night at Denmark House for the Spirit of the North dinner (part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival). And no, wasn’t daunted by the many, many shots of akvavit that were paired with each morsel – totally took it in my stride 😀 Continue reading
Found, Wanting by Natasha Sholl
I recently did a Grief 101 session for colleagues, mostly to explain the types of grief other than that associated with bereavement. At the end, someone asked about further reading and without hesitation, I recommended Natasha Sholl’s memoir, Found, Wanting. The ‘without hesitation’ bit is noteworthy because I’m usually reluctant to hold up a memoir as a means of understanding grief in a text-booky-way, but Sholl’s writing is succinct and beautiful, compelling and devastatingly real and it would be hard not to identify with what she says in a helpful way. Continue reading
Things That Are Making Me Happy This Week
01. The weather wasn’t looking promising before the Hoodoo Gurus concert but it turned out to be a fine evening and when they played Good Times, I felt grateful to be able to go to such events again. Continue reading