Created this jpg this morning as the thought has been running around in my head for a while now and its become my personal motto!
(C) T. Altman 2017
novel
What Inspires Me: Quote by Walt Whitman
This quote prefaced in Whitman’s ‘Leaves of Grass” sings to me….
“This is what you shall do; Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body.”
2017 Reading Challenge
Taken from the Modern Mrs Darcy website I took up the following challenge for 2017 and here is my completed list:
A book you chose for the cover:
A Vocation and a Voice: Stories by Kate Chopin
A book with a reputation for being un-put-down-able:
Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
A book set somewhere you’ve never been but would like to visit:
History of Ancient Egypt by Erik Hornung
A book you’ve already read:
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
A juicy memoir:
Of Ashes and Rivers that Run to the Sea by Marie Munkara
A book about books or reading:
The Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250-1918 by Arthur Quiller-Couch
A book in a genre you usually avoid:
Meditations on First Philosophy by Rene Descaties
A book you don’t want to admit your dying to read:
The Feminist Manifesto by Mina Loy
A book in the backlist of a new favorite author:
Transformations by Anne Sexton
A book recommended by someone with great taste:
The Yellow Wallpaper; The Wallpaper Replies by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
A book you were exited to buy or borrow but haven’t read yet:
Collected Poems: 1969-1999 by John Forbes
A book about a topic or subject you already love:
See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt
Melbourne Writers Festival 2017
The Melbourne Writers Festival is happening in Melbourne, Australia from 25 August till 3 September.
Victoria’s premier annual literary event. The Festival connects writers and stories to celebrate a world of literature, explore universal ideas, and inspire a global community of readers.
This year’s Festival theme is exploring the theme of revolutions past, present and future, it’s revolutionary ideas and fresh new voices that will power this year’s Festival – and invigorate everyone who reads.
For all sessions and workshops check out their website here:
Melbourne Rare Book Week & Rare Book Fair
Melbourne Rare Book Week commenced in 2012 as a partnership between ANZAAB, the University of Melbourne and eight other literary institutions. In 2015, over 44 free events were held at libraries, literary and historical societies and bookshops throughout Melbourne, attracting local, national and international visitors. Melbourne Rare Book Week is now well established in the City of Melbourne’s event calendar. It is a major attraction for book collectors, librarians and all who have a love of words, print on paper and literary heritage.
The Melbourne Rare Book week in 2017 is from 30th June to the 9th of July:
The Melbourne Rare Book Fair in 2017 is from July 7-9, 2017.
For more info go to their website by following this link:
Emerging Writers Festival
The Emerging Writers Festival is happening in Melbourne, Australia next month.
The Emerging Writers’ Festival is a not-for-profit organisation whose foundations are built on supporting emerging writers. They are a place where creativity and innovation is celebrated, where new talent is nurtured and where diverse voices from across Australia are represented.
For all sessions and workshops check out their website here:
What inspires me: Margarett Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale
I have always been inspired by stories of and by women. I recently re-read “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood.
I have to start off by saying this book was recommended to me by a friend and I am glad she did as its become one of my favorite all time books.
The scary thing is that our current political climate can potentially lead to this dystopian world where women’s rights and reproduction are controlled by men in power and with that in mind its quite a thought provoking read.
This book has had a deep impact on me and my personal connection to feminism and the resulting treatment of women and their bodies.
Hulu has created a tv series based on the books airing in March and I look forward to seeing this great novel on the small screen…until then:
“Nolite te bastardes carborundorum”
Don’t let the bastards grind you down!
Flaneusing In Another City
In December, I went on a trip to Brisbane for a conference and took some extra days off either side, to be able to further acquaint myself with the city.
Even though I’d been to Brisbane a few times before, it had been years and the city has changed into a sprawling modern metropolis with more things to do and see.
I found my time being spent walking around the city most mornings before the mercury got too high. I would then retreat to the comfort of my hotel room in the afternoon to read and write.
During one of my daily flaneusing trips, I came across the “Literary Trail” scattered throughout Brisbane which I thought was quite beautiful and a great tribute to the city’s poets:
These walks were just what I needed to reinvigorate me with my passion for poetry and short story writing.
(c) T. Altman 2017
The Flaneuse (Female Walker Writer)
Up until recent years, I used to walk around the city, alone – all the time.
I used to work in the CBD (Central Business District) and other than walking to and from my office building, I would spend lunchtimes and after business hours walking around the streets of Melbourne.
I was engaged in the city whilst observing it – two polarities joined.
Sometimes I felt like the untethered explorer, whilst other times I felt a foreboding danger and retreated to the safety of a heavy populated cafe or shopping district.
During these times I would sometimes jump on and off trams and trains to see what I could find. Sometimes, I would discover some well known artist’s graffiti on a brick wall or an independent retailer selling exotic homemade wares and even a budding musician busking in a underground train-station.
Now, I make an effort to go into the city and visit certain landmarks with purpose. I am more aware of my surroundings as I take precaution whilst observing as much as I can take in, for inspiration. I never knew how important it was for me to walk, observe and use that to fuel my imagination until I stopped and then went back to it. I didn’t realise that like some of my favourite authors, I am a Flaneuse and my hometown is my muse.
(c) T. Altman 2016
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