Category: Uncategorized

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 1960s

As I noted at the start of this year, although I’m far from LA, I still keep one eye on the latest Angeleno developments. The Los Angeles Times is always a reliable source — a source, as I told my wonderful audience at the LA Times Festival of Books a week ago, which I’ve often plundered for epigraphs when writing poems about the city. Yesterday’s edition brought to light an incident that… well, I’ll let reporter Christi Carras tell it:

Molly Grant was enjoying the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s fifth symphony on Friday at the Walt Disney Concert Hall when she heard what she described as a “scream/moan” erupt from the balcony.

“Everyone kind of turned to see what was happening,” Grant, who was seated near the person who allegedly made the noise, told The Times on Sunday in a phone interview.

“I…

As some of you may know, the groundbreaking feminist publisher Virago Press is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary this week. Since 1973, Virago has been championing women writers, showcasing their voices to readers around the world with great success.

To mark the occasion, I’ve selected eight of my favourite Virago Modern Classics in their original green livery, complete with those gorgeous covers and iconic green spines. The VMCs were launched in 1978 with Antonia White’s Frost in May, so they too have a notable anniversary (at 45) this year.

The Soul of Kindness by Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor has become one of my very favourite writers over the last ten years, so much so that I could have quite easily filled all eight slots with her books. Nevertheless, I’m limiting myself to one book per author to highlight a range of women writers. Naturally, Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont

A random survey of self-portraits created by women through the centuries

Canadian painter and ceramist Bobs Cogill Haworth (1900-1988)

1. Self Portrait, 1940s / Oil on canvas / Art Windsor-Essex, Windsor, Ontario

2. Self Portrait, c.1936 / Oil on primed linen / Confederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

3. Self Portrait, ND / Oil on canvas / Private collection

4. Self Portrait, ND / Oil on canvas / Private collection

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If you need any proof that the most interesting books being published in Australia come from small publishers, look no further than Serengotti, by Eugen Bacon, a new release from Transit Lounge.  The striking cover design by Peter Lo is just the beginning…

Eugen Bacon is an African-Australian writer who has been attracting international attention for her powerful writing.  She is well-known for her award-winning fantasy and horror fiction, (see her website) but I did not discover her adventurous style until I came across her short fiction collection Danged Black Thing (2021, see my review).

Serengotti also showcases her playful side. I’m not sure, but the title is (I’m guessing) a play on words, one which sent me exploring online (perhaps as the author hoped it would).  The Serengeti is a geographical area of Tanzania, (which is where the author was born).  Its Wikipedia page has very little to…

Happy Tram Ride – John Peirson. 1994. Wikioo.

“I want to surround myself with people,
who know how to touch the hearts of people ….
People to whom the hard knocks of life,
taught them to grow with softness in their soul.”

Mario De Andrade.( Extract from poem:The Valuable Time of Maturity)

Who are the people who make you feel good? I can imagine that each person reading this will immediately be able to think of someone who has this wonderful capacity. There is usually at least one person in all our lives who makes us feel happier, more supported, appreciated, accepted.

• The Importance Of Support

The renowned Spanish poet, above, is referring to people who make him feel good, softer, more flexible people … and those are the people with whom he wants to ‘surround’ himself. This sounds almost like a protective shield of goodness and kindness, for such…