AustLit

'What if we thought of creative writing practice and its resultant contribution (to knowledge, to arts practice, to the public good) as a means for sustaining an ethics of life?...'  (Publication abstract)

'Over the last decade cultural policy-makers have dramatically tested the Australian literary sector. In addition to the challenges and opportunities posed by digital disruption, and the ongoing uncertainty around the Covid pandemic, cultural policy in Australia has been out in the cold for the best part of a decade. Which is to say: there is no cultural policy, really. During the last ten years advocacy for local books and writing has been everything from organised and passionate to reactive, emotive and haphazard. In the face of the ongoing challenges facing our sector now, how might we open a broad and accessible discussion about the public value of local books and writing? And what effect, if any, might such a discussion be expected to have on the future of Australian literature?' (Introduction)

'I first came across the cultural policy work of Julian Meyrick and Tully Barnett through their provocatively titled scholarly article in Cultural Trends, ‘Culture Without “World”: Australian Cultural Policy in the Age of Stupid.’ I found the authors’ clear-eyed assessment of recent problems with Australian arts and cultural policy provocative, courageous and intelligent. Julian Meyrick’s background as an Australian theatre professional, coupled with his cultural policy expertise, compliments Tully Barnett’s expertise in digital humanities and literary studies well: the result is literate, inventive and energetic scholarly work. I wanted to read more like it.' (Introduction)

'It is peak hour in the City of Light. A woman cycles backwards up a steep incline. The woman might be travelling home or to work. Other commuters flash past her on the busy city cycle path. There are black swans on the river. A train passes on a nearby bridge.' (Introduction)

'Why do we tell stories, and how are they crafted? In this series, we unpick the work of the writer on both page and screen.' (Introduction)

'Stephanie Bishop’s latest novel, Man Out of Time (Hachette, 2018), is a disturbing read. It is also a sophisticated work, particularly in terms of the way the author has managed narrative temporality – that is, the relation between story and time. Other novelists and aspiring writers would do well to look closely at what Bishop has achieved here.' (Introduction)

'This is compelling memoir combined with rigorous thinking and analysis that prompts questions about how we live.

'The concerns of philosophy are important to us all, yet the voices and thoughts of women have often been missing from the conversation. In this extraordinary new book, award-winning Australian writer Julienne van Loon addresses the work of leading international women thinkers. She discusses friendship with pre-eminent philosopher Rosi Braidotti, wonder with cultural historian Marina Warner, play with celebrated novelist Siri Hustvedt, love with cultural critic Laura Kipnis, work with socialist feminist Nancy Holmstrom, and fear in relation to the work of Helen Caldicott, Rosie Batty and Julia Kristeva.

'By constantly linking the personal and the political, and prompting insightful questions about how we live today, van Loon invites us into a lively exchange of ideas with these remarkable women. This deeply thoughtful book urges readers to look anew at the question of what it means to live a good life.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Enza Gandolfo’s second novel has been many years in the making, but it has been well worth the wait. This is an ambitious, multi-generational story from a skilled writer. Diving into the almost four-hundred-page novel, I was promptly absorbed by its carefully layered plot, its significant cast of troubled characters, and Gandolfo’s strong loyalty to a representation of recent local history that takes in the union movement, post-war European migration to the city of Melbourne, and the very real struggles of raising a family, both with and without the support of extended family.' (Introduction)

'It is always interesting to look at the cPanel stats provided by our excellent webhost, Netregistry. They show, for example, that ten years ago, in October 2008, TEXT had 2397 unique visitors who accessed on average 3.2 pages (i.e. 3 articles) in the month.' (Introduction)