Greetings! Werte!
It’s been heartening in recent weeks to be joined by so many local readers at Red Kangaroo Books—not to mention our many interstate visitors who are eager to learn about the country we live in: its history; its art and culture; its environment and its peoples. Again, it has been great to see the support that has been given to local writers and artists. Our readers really are the lifeblood of support to our local creators.
Happy reading!
Bronwyn, John, Stephanie, Jo, Thor, Kelly Lee & Bernadette
Are we there yet?
Beloved children’s author and illustrator Alison Lester is responsible for books such as Kissed By the Moon, Noni the Pony and Are We There Yet? The latter has been turned into a concert work by composer David John Lang for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Both were guests on Radio National’s “The Music Show” last week to talk about adapting books for the stage, and discuss music and literacy in schools, and writing for the world’s toughest critics: children.
Well worth a listen … would be fabulous to get the performance to Mparntwe/Alice Springs.
Sorry Day and the 1967 Referendum celebration
This week sees two important dates, which are reflected in a number of books at Red Kangaroo Books. The two dates are closely linked.
Sorry Day on 26 May has been held since 1998, one year after the Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Parliament. The Bringing Them Home report is a result of the Government Inquiry into the past policies which caused children to be removed from their families and communities in the 20th century. Evidence collected in the Northern Territory was crucial to the understanding of this history, not to forget the The Going Home/Stolen Generation Conference, held in Darwin in October 1994.
The 1967 Referendum, marked on 27 May marks a critical date in Australian history in which over 90% of Australians voted to give the Commonwealth government powers to legislate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and for them to counted in the census as members of the Australian community.
Often forgotten in what was one of the most successful political campaigns in Australian history were the NT links in the lead up to the vote: the 1965 Freedom Ride in NSW led by Arrernte/Kalkadoon leader who grew up in Mparntwe/Alice Springs: Charles Perkins; and the impact of the strike staged by Gurindji and others in the Wave Hill Walk Off in 1966—the latter which will be marked by its 55th anniversary in August this year..
This week - Book Launch!
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Author talk, reading and signing ... Inga Simpson will visit our store this week - Tuesday 25th May, 10.30am We are thrilled to have her in-store to celebrate the release date of her delightful new children's book, The Book of Australian Trees. You can RSVP via the Facebook Event Page or via email to redkanga@bigpond.com This event is open to all ages! |
Let's Get Botanical!
Apologies to Olivia Newton-John, but central Australia is not just about gym exercise and walking the Larapinta Trail! It’s about the wonderful country we live in.
Next Sunday marks the annual Botanic Gardens Day, and both the Olive Pink Botanical Garden and the Alice Springs Desert Park are among more than 100 botanical gardens around the nation that are members of Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand. So! Think about some of the books that celebrate and describe our local region, visit them both, and have a cup of tea there!
Of course, as we have mentioned, Olive Pink will be the venue for this year’s NT Writers festival 26-29 August.
Miles Franklin Literary Award longlist
The Miles Franklin Literary Award was established by feminist and author of My Brilliant Career, Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin. First presented in 1957, the Award celebrates novels of the highest literary merit that tell stories about Australian life, shining a light on some of the country’s most talented writers. The 2021 Miles Franklin Literary Award longlist is:
Amnesty (Aravind Adiga, Picador)
The Rain Heron (Robbie Arnott, Text)
At the Edge of the Solid World (Daniel Davis Wood, Brio)
Our Shadows (Gail Jones, Text)
Infinite Splendours (Sofie Laguna, A&U)
The Labyrinth (Amanda Lohrey, Text)
The Animals in That Country (Laura Jean McKay, Scribe)
Lucky’s (Andrew Pippos, Picador)
Stone Sky Gold Mountain (Mirandi Riwoe, UQP)
The Fifth Season (Philip Salom, Transit Lounge)
Song of the Crocodile (Nardi Simpson, Hachette)
The Inland Sea (Madeleine Watts, Pushkin Press).
