Andrew Miller: The Crossing

Corset shmorset: Sally is as mad as hell

Gert has had a lot on her mind recently. In particular, she’s been asking herself,
“What’s the difference between a waist-cincher and a corset?”

Catholic troublemakers

How interesting that the Pope in his address to Congress singled out Thomas Merton as one of his “favourite Catholic troublemakers”.

Sunjeev Sahota: The Year of the Runaways .

Gerard Hoffnung: The Bricklayer’s Lament

Gert recently rediscovered this classic piece of comedy from Gerard Hoffnung more than 50 years old now but still a masterpiece of comic timing. Hoffnung’s early death at 33 in September 1959,only a year after this recording, deprived us of a great comic and musical talent.

September: Jacques Réda’s Elegaic Calendar

The Running of the Wieners

Pamplona has the Running of the Bulls, Melbourne has the Running of the Wieners. Yesterday, September 19th, saw the inaugural Running of the Wieners in central Melbourne, with more than 50 dachsunds, some dressed as dressed as ballerinas, bikies and surf lifesavers, competing for the title of fastest sausage dog. And, unlike Pamplona, no testosterone-charged youths leapt out to outrun the dachsies and there were no fatalities. Just as much fun as Melbourne’s other major sporting event, the Formula 1 Grand Prix but much cheaper, quieter and far less smelly. As with the Grand Prix, hotels will be booked out well in advance for the event next year, so get in now with your bookings. And if you have a dachsund, get him in training.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-19/running-of-the-wieners-sausage-dogs-dachshund-race-in-melbourne/6789074

https://pixabay.com/en/saesoe-dachshund-pet-crazy-dog-682107/

Tove Jansson: The True Deceiver, Art in Nature

 
How delightful to find two books of Tove Jansson’s writing for adults.

Czeslaw Milosz – And yet the books

Clive James: Unreliable Memoirs

Now that Clive James, poet, critic, raconteur is coming to the end of his days, it’s worth celebrating his marvellous memoir with this favourite episode, in which young Clive in his billy-cart, a fruit box mounted on old pram wheels, wreaks havoc on the prized garden of Mrs Branthwaite, the terror of Irene St and famous for her poppies.