What is your favourite thing about living and working in Tasmania? I’ve never lived or worked anywhere else for more than a few months, so it’s a hard one to answer. Don’t tell them all how great it is here, Kate, they’ll all want to move here! I like the… Continue reading
The shortlist for the 2019 Hazel Rowley Fellowship is: Maggie Tonkin (South Australia) for a biography of renowned Australian choreographer Meryl Tankard Brigitta Olubas (NSW) for a biography of writer Shirley Hazzard Eleanor Hogan (Northern Territory) for her project on the friendship between Ernestine Hill and Daisy Bates Stephenie Cahalan… Continue reading
Calla Wahlquist, The Guardian, 31st Jan 2019 The winner of Australia’s richest literary prize did not attend the ceremony. His absence was not by choice. Behrouz Boochani, whose debut book won both the $25,000 non-fiction prize at the Victorian premier’s literary awards and the $100,000 Victorian prize for literature on… Continue reading
Gay Alcorn, 21st Sept 2018, ‘The Guardian’ “I have something to say first,” says Gerald Murnane, to around 250 people who have come to hear Australia’s difficult literary genius in a rare outing. “You people here tonight can count yourselves fortunate … because this is going to be my last… Continue reading
ENTER A STORY Have you made a film or documentary, produced an audio feature or written a story about Tasmanian people or places recently? If yes, ‘Stories in September’ would love to hear from you. Enter your story now for a chance to be part of the ’30 Stories in… Continue reading
(By Richard Orange, The Guardian, 12th June 2018) The accusations led to a split in the Swedish Academy, the institution that awards the Nobel prize in literature, over its handling of the allegations, and in particular over whether Arnault’s wife, the poet Katarina Frostenson, should continue to be a member.… Continue reading
(By Ellen Coulter, ABC News) A Tasmanian illustrator and writer has been inundated with messages and emails from the United States after receiving a Hollywood shout-out on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. During an interview on the program, Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway told host Ellen DeGeneres she wanted to give her a… Continue reading
A. E. Houseman memorably said: I could no more define poetry than a terrier can define a rat. It’s not an easy matter to justify one’s decisions when faced with numerous poems from which to make a limited selection. There’s no programmatic guide to what makes a poem successful although… Continue reading
(Richard Flanagan, National Press Club address) Indigenous Australia has, after great thought and wide discussion, asked that it be heard, and that this take the form of an advisory body to parliament – a body that would be recognised in the constitution. Indigenous Australia wasn’t even recorded as a general… Continue reading
Emmett Stinson, The Guardian, Thursday 5th April, 2018 Murnane is a deeply eccentric character; as he told the Times, “I think you can probably see that I’m sane, but I say and believe things that insane people believe.” After the death of his wife of 43 years, he moved to… Continue reading