Writer
With the upcoming referendum in Australia regarding the Voice to Parliament, I have been thinking a lot about voices. Although the polls suggest it is unlikely to pass, I can’t imagine why anyone would vote for someone else’s voice to continue to be unrepresented and unheard. Growing up in Australia I heard few indigenous voices. … Continue reading But What If No-one Listens
I grew up near Readings Bookshop in Hawthorn. Receiving a Readings voucher was by far my favourite gift to receive. I would wander the shop, reading blurbs, and take forever to make a decision about how to spend my cherished book money. I have many wonderful memories of Readings, but by far the most vivid … Continue reading American Psycho
Indulge me, if you will... Imagine I am a school librarian, in Des Moines, Iowa. I am slowly walking through the stacks, removing titles as I go. The Kite Runner, The Handmaid's Tale, Brave New World, The Colour Purple. You may picture me in a pencil skirt, with a fitted jacket, my hair in a … Continue reading The Rise of Banned Books
Here we are again on my least favourite, quippy-acronym day of senseless tokenism. I mean, RUOK Day? We can't even spell it correctly. It might make it too real. A day of corporate yellowness and box ticking, self-congratulatory, fake altruism and empathy. Actually, in fairness, I must concede to the fact RUOK Day has raised … Continue reading Is it ok to not be ok?
Today, 31st August, is officially We Love Memoirs Day. Personally, I love memoirs everyday. In fact, I love all kinds of books, every day of the year. However, I do particularly love memoirs. Especially if I have recently read other books of fiction by the same author. It's fascinating to see the differences and similarities … Continue reading We Love Memoirs Day
It's the beginning of 2021 and Melbourne is in a lull between two COVID lockdowns. I have been writing a blog for six years and decide I would like to improve my writing. I happen across a Reflective Writing Course on a local Facebook group. It is partly funded by a government grant and sounds … Continue reading Impostor Syndrome
Going to bookshops is one of my favourite things to do. I am sure no-one is surprised by this. Last week I wandered into Dymocks and was immediately drawn to one of the end shelves. The book displayed on the top shelf and the accompanying signage was covered in cherry blossom. Cherry blossom is another … Continue reading At the Foot of the Cherry Tree
Regular readers, friends, and family, will know I am an enthusiastic fan of the State Library in Melbourne. As a teenager, I was often found ditching school to study in the hallowed Dome. Luckily, not often found out. Sorry Mum and Dad. I was quite sure I would be a successful autodidact, a self-learner, with … Continue reading State Library of BRICKtoria
I think I’ve always been cognisant of the life learning available through reading. Reading books about people’s experiences of adversity and challenge can offer opportunity to understand hardship and to discover empathy and compassion. It allows the reader to take emotional risks without any actual risk. Recently I’ve been reading quite a lot of historical … Continue reading The Gift of Books
Tomorrow is the 10 year anniversary of my late-husband, Michael's, death. Anniversaries of this kind are often really difficult times to 'survive.' They can bring to the surface feelings which we are too busy in our day-to-day lives to acknowledge. The first few years of birthdays, anniversaries, and other times of celebration were dire. The … Continue reading The Anniversary
Kylie Eklund-Denman 