Publishing News

PUBLISHING NEWS from Bernard [ for The Blurb, June 8 Show.]

* Highlights from the latest ALR: What is modern poetry up to? [ Indeed.] Review of new book on canberra press gallery's late "Red Fox", Alan Reid. [ A lot of Australian Book Review can be accessed in-line. A great resource]

* I caught a DVD [ " Lulu on the bridge" from Geelong library] written and directed by Paulk Auster whose " The invisible' we reviewed set 09. Well worth a look - for William Dafoe's brilliant performance. Please tell me what it as all about!

* John Banville ["The Infinities" which we reviewed recently] was interviewed on ABC 22 Sunday 7.30: great stuff. you can probably find it via their on-line resources.

* The Monthly': latest is the best since new editor. [ Again lots of ' freebies' available on-line.] Don Watson on the Obama bio [ " The Bridge" ] I have been raving about.

* GRANTA....hmmmm: never take my word for it, but I feel this internationally-respected/quoted review is overrated. The theme for this one is "Sex". Available in the shops - and at your library.

* I caught " Sylvia" [ as in a film bio about Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes on midday TV lately. Interesting: Gwyneth Paltrow was an excellent Sylvia....The TH character [ 'can't remember his name] was miscast. It drove me back to her poems and " The Bell Jar"....so loved by secondary and other students in the 80s. Anyone any thoughts to share?

* Latest " Overland": timely article on the [ apparent] current god of the Canberra press gallery, Paul Kelly....Not all that positive; has been seduced by the Right?

* Have you been watching Simon Sharma's " The American Future" on TV Thurs nights? I think he is brilliant. You may pick up the accompanying book in p/b.

* Anna Funder's "Stasiland" which we celebrated last year [ her book on post-Communist east Germany] has been re-published in the UK. Good p/b price here.

* I relax with crime novels and read Michael Connolly's " the scarecrow" in which he resurrects McEvoy, the journo, from " The Poet". Worth a look. I find too many of the [ US} genre too formulaic altogether....And, ' researching" the popular Lee Childs, I discovered his latest " Jack Reader" is rather similar to the first, years ago. Hmmmm.