In 1548 Martin Guerre left his wife, left his son, and left the village of Artigat in southwest France. 12 years later, “Martin” returned. Many people may be familiar with Martin Guerre’s story from various creative works, including a film with Gerard Depardieu from 1982. For those who aren’t, it’s a fascinating story of how … [Read more…]
Re-posting a blog I wrote in 2014. As adult ballet becomes more popular around the world, I’ve seen an increasing amount of gatekeeping on the word “ballerina” and a claim from some that it’s the exclusive domain of professionals. It’s not. Ballerina baləˈriːnə A female ballet dancer. Origin: late 18th century: from Italian, feminine of ballerino ‘dancing master’, … [Read more…]
My pointe shoes are healing. Mindful. I take them out of their bag (pink mesh, tied with a ribbon), feeling the cool satin, and move the ribbons to each side of the shoe, smoothing them out to make sure they’re not twisted. I adjust the seam of my tights so it doesn’t cut into my … [Read more…]
Asking the question, What if Hillary Rodham hadn’t married Bill Clinton?, Rodham speculates a future for Hillary and explores what contemporary politics in the US could look on the other side of a sliding doors moment. This is one of those rare books where if you’re not feeling it at the start, it’s worth persevering. … [Read more…]
A “summer reading list” is a list of wishful thinking. A pipe dream of lazy summer days by the beach or the pool, or even on the couch with a cold beer. The reality? More of the same we’ve had for the rest of the year, just hotter (and in 2020, less covid lockdowns). But, … [Read more…]
This is my non-entry in the Townsville City Council Short Story Competition on the theme “My life in the North”. Just because I’m not eligible to enter doesn’t mean I can’t write something. The fan whirred. Click. Click. It’s uneven. A wobble each rotation. I can’t remember the last time I slept in silence. A … [Read more…]
This book deserves more attention. The concept is excellent. A fictional artist, Edna Cranmer, and her unnamed biographer, alternating time periods to tell their interwoven lives. It subtly tackles class boundaries, the status of women, and the complex relationship between memory, legacy, and truth. The way the story moves and flows and drops hints, then … [Read more…]
If you toss an unbiased coin, the chance of landing tails each time is 50%. But, if you toss an unbiased coin 12 times, the chance of landing tails every time is 0.02%. That’s a bit like what lockdown has been like for me. On a given weekend, it’s not unusual for me to spend … [Read more…]
It’s challenging, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s a great read. For some reason I thought it was a memoir. I have no idea why I thought that, so I was fully expecting to not like it when it was announced as the FALS Book Club book for July. (Read the blurb? Or course I didn’t read … [Read more…]
I was expecting a complex book with nuanced characters who made me question right and wrong. I was looking forward to being morally challenged about the ethics of hitting the child. I got none of the above. Instead, I got shallow characters obsessed with sex, drugs and being horrible to each other, who made me … [Read more…]