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- Article Title: Advances - November 2008
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Jonathon Otis – a true believer
The winner of the 2008 ABR Reviewing Competition is Jonathon Otis for his review of Julian Barnes’s memoir, Nothing to Be Frightened Of. Mr Otis receives $1000 and future commissions in the magazine. Second prize, valued at $250, goes to Elizabeth Campbell for her review of Brook Emery’s poetry collection Uncommon Light. Third prize, a set of Black Inc. books, goes to Alexis Harley for her review of Janet Frame’s novel Towards Another Summer.
The competition attracted 150 entries – a forty per cent increase from 2005. The selection of subjects under review was impressively vast, ranging from national and international fiction to ethics, the economy and even gastronomy. Religion, notably, was a popular subject; we received numerous reviews of Christopher Hitchens. There were multiple reviews of Ian McEwan and J.M. Coetzee. Interestingly, death was a popular subject.
Peter Rose judged the competition with Rebecca Starford. The Editor remarked: ‘This competition gets better and better. I’m pleased we attracted more entries, but the main purpose of this competition is to foster greater interest in the art of reviewing, to encourage new reviewers and to replenish the ranks of Australian critics. The standard this year was markedly higher than in previous years; the long list was extensive. We have identified about two dozen new reviewers for ABR. We’ll certainly present this award again in 2009.’
Jonathan Otis, a Melbourne-based writer with an abiding interest in genre, had this to say on learning of his win: ‘I feel a quiet, comforting elation. I am a true believer in literature’s life-affirming qualities. For me, ABR exemplifies vigilance through art in Australia. I am thrilled to have won the competition and for the opportunity to contribute to such an esteemed literary review.’
Jonathon Otis’s review appears on page 42. He will write for us again in 2009.
Peter Rose judged the competition with Rebecca Starford. The Editor remarked: ‘This competition gets better and better. I’m pleased we attracted more entries, but the main purpose of this competition is to foster greater interest in the art of reviewing, to encourage new reviewers and to replenish the ranks of Australian critics. The standard this year was markedly higher than in previous years; the long list was extensive. We have identified about two dozen new reviewers for ABR. We’ll certainly present this award again in 2009.’
Jonathan Otis, a Melbourne-based writer with an abiding interest in genre, had this to say on learning of his win: ‘I feel a quiet, comforting elation. I am a true believer in literature’s life-affirming qualities. For me, ABR exemplifies vigilance through art in Australia. I am thrilled to have won the competition and for the opportunity to contribute to such an esteemed literary review.’
Jonathon Otis’s review appears on page 42. He will write for us again in 2009.
That very vast sea
Brian Matthews – the award-winning author of Louisa (1987) and A Fine and Private Place (2000), and a long-time ABR contributor – will deliver the 2008 Australian Book Review/Flinders University Annual Lecture. His theme is ‘Journeying across “That Very Vast Sea”: Scenes from the Life of Manning Clark’. Professor Matthews will deliver the Lecture in Canberra on December 3, and in Adelaide on December 7. Full details appear on page 22. ABR will publish the Lecture early next year. Brian Matthews’s much-anticipated biography of Manning Clark is published this month. Stuart Macintyre reviews it on page 15.
HRC Seymour Lectures in Biography
What an honour it is for ABR to be able to publish Richard Holmes, the great Romantic biographer – and intrepid balloonist. When he wasn’t floating above our cities during his September tour of Australia, Richard Holmes delivered the 2008 HRC Seymour Lecture in several of them. This month we publish an edited version of his lecture: ‘Biography: The Past Has a Great Future’. We will review his new book, The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science (HarperCollins), in the summer issue. Already it has one prime ministerial admirer. Kevin Rudd, in between discovering the beauty and terror of world finances, praised the book while presenting the 2008 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science.
Meanwhile, last year’s Seymour Lecturer, Jill Roe, has published her long-awaited biography of Miles Franklin (with Fourth Estate). In coming months we will review the biography and publish Professor Roe’s Seymour Lecture.
Peter Porter in Oz
The renowned Australian poet Peter Porter is back in Australia, to deliver guest lectures at the National Library of Australia and for the Australian Academy of the Humanities – at the Sydney Opera House (rather fittingly for such an operamane). He will also give a number of readings, including one – with poet and memoirist Craig Sherborne – at fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, at 6 p.m. on Monday, November 10. Peter Porter’s new collection, Better Than God, will appear early next year. With a title like that, it is bound to be banned in several American states. There is a rumour that Peter Porter will turn eighty in February, but we refuse to believe it.
John Button Readers’ Award
Clearly, ABR readers are a reflective lot. Votes in the inaugural John Button Readers’ Award have begun to arrive, but not in big numbers yet. This award will be presented to the author of the most popular article of the year, as voted by readers of ABR. We have postponed the deadline to December 31. You can now select your favourite article from December 2007–January 2008 to December 2008–January 2009. The winner will be announced in February 2009. Don’t forget, if you annotate the voting form, stating your reasons for nominating the particular contributor, you will be in the running to win a copy of The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (worth $399). Download the voting form which is available on our website, and fax or send it to us; or contact Lorraine Harding on (03) 9429 6700 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and she will send you a copy of the form.
The Calibre Prize
Happily, we were inundated with entries in the last few weeks and received a record number of entries – 75 more than we did last year. Judging has begun, and we look forward to announcing the winner, and publishing the winning essay, in the February 2009 issue. We will also be presenting the winner with a cheque for $10,000, courtesy of the Copyright Agency Limited.
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