Melancholic Meanderings through 'The Vanished Land'

Richard Zachariah’s Vanished Land is an ode to what once was within the picturesque Western Districts of Victoria. His rich language frames anecdotes of rose-tinted childhood musings alongside despairing soliloquies on the modern state of the once majestic region. With a balance and pace that immerses the reader within the author’s thoughts and understanding, Zachariah opens up a world that has been lost. A keen July wind touches us. I’m standing at the entrance…

Low-angle shot of the Miles Franklin Award

The Miles Franklin announcement is not far away. This award is arguably the most important on the Australian literary scene. In his Brief Take on the Australian Novel, Jean François-Vernay structures his approach by borrowing from another popular art form: film. Here we have his 'Low-angle shot of the Miles Franklin Award'. In line with the wishes of Stella Franklin, who bequeathed almost all of her estate estimated at £8,996 to establish this literary prize, the Miles Franklin…

Flying our Aboriginal Flag

For NAIDOC Week, we are sharing this story from Phoebe and Savannah Brice, two of the many inspirational activists in Breaking the Boundaries. We live in South Australia in a small, close-knit community about 200 kilometres north of Adelaide. Phoebe Our story started in 2007 when our Mum explained to us what being Aboriginal meant. She told us we were different from other people. When we asked how, she said, ‘It’s simply because our skin colour is different and…

An introduction to Ashton's Hotel

Rhondda Harris came across something fascinating when researching in the State Records of South Australia at Gepps Cross for an archaeological dig at the old Adelaide Gaol: a long-lost journal written by the gaol's first governor, William Baker Ashton. But we'll let Rhondda introduce the journal herself through this short preamble from her book, Ashton's Hotel. This includes an excerpt from the journal itself which, yes, may contain some 'mistakes'. As Rhondda says in the book, 'I have turned off the autocorrect and…

Venetian Voices: Richard Wagner

Christine V. Courtney's Venetian Voices takes you on a stroll over bridges and under cloisters, following Venetian locals and visitors as they pass through centuries. On Saturday 24 June, Wakefield Press is joining with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra to launch Venetian Voices with a unique afternoon of music and poetry. Graham Abbott (ABC Classic FM) will be conducting members of the orchestra in a Venetian-inspired program, interspersed with readings from Christine. Tickets are $50 and include Coriole wine, Venetian antipasti…

Discovering Dobell: Helena Rubenstein

Opening this coming weekend, the Discovering Dobell exhibition at Tarrawarra – and its accompanying book – features the artist’s controversial and recognisable portraits of Joshua Smith, Dame Mary Gilmore and, as we see here, Helena Rubinstein, alongside other vital strands of his output, introducing the creative achievements of this great Australian painter for a new generation of art lovers. The cosmetics manufacturer Helena Rubinstein became an obsession for William Dobell. He fretted over her portrait for six years, producing many versions in an effort to…

On a Clare Day – Beef cheeks in red wine

On a Clare Day might be one of our favourite pun titles, but it's also a wonderful book, and is launching today as part of the Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend. Jeni and Burt Surmon's tale of leaving their city life to start a winery includes a number of delicious recipes, a few which of course incorporate some of their Mt Surmon wines! These beef cheeks sound like exactly the thing for an Autumn Sunday lunch. Beef…

Fifty – Australian Dance Theatre

It’s difficult to know how to begin talking about a book as beautiful as this. Tracing Australian Dance Theatre’s often tumultuous and always interesting fifty-year history, Fifty contains interviews, archival research, and stunning photography. Did you think I was exaggerating? Read an excerpt below, or find out more about the book here. The beginnings of Australian Dance Theatre were radical, daring and new. The company was created in Adelaide, South Australia in 1965 with a vision to…

The mysterious sands of Qatar

Sally van Gent has lived adventurously. She's dined with the Bedouin, dived deep into the Arabian Sea, and climbed aboard a tanker for a midnight rendezvous. Her latest memoir, The Navy-blue Suitcase, is a collection of stories from her travelling life told with 'optimism, humour, an indefatigable faith in a better future, and a powerful sense that life is what you make of it, no matter what cards you’ve been dealt' (ANZ LitLovers LitBlog). Today we're…

South Australia on the Eve of War

May marks the annual South Australia's History Festival. South Australia on the Eve of War was launched on Tuesday as part of the festival. Here we have an excerpt from book's introduction, written by Melanie Oppenheimer and Margrette Kleinig. Three individuals – David Unaipon, Catherine Helen Spence and Douglas Mawson – encapsulate the spirit of South Australia in the years between Federation in 1901 and the eve of war. All, too, have graced our paper currency at one point…