Jenny Doran

We visited the Yayoi Kusama exhibition on the 18th of March. It's been amazingly popular and very crowded which is great for the gallery but perhaps a trial for viewers. We attended a special members viewing so it was not crowded at all - NGV membership is really worthwhile. We've seen a lot of her work but some of this was new. Especially her … [Read more...] about Yayoi Kusama (TBC)

For my birthday this year we travelled to Dunkeld for dinner at Wickens restaurant. The room is quite lovely, tables set out overlooking the bush seen through the full windows to the side - it was hard to photograph as you can see. But you got to see wallabies feeding outside. Here is the interior; carpeted floor, elegant lighting. Guests … [Read more...] about Wickens

This Is Happiness, Niall Williams I read this book a long time ago and the only thing I could remember about it was that I'd loved it - as I noted here. The author is back on the publicity trail with a second book set in the same village and including some of the same characters. He was speaking at the State Library which, being too late for … [Read more...] about Books: February – March 2025

 Bitter Lemons of Cyprus, Laurence Durrell I really enjoyed this. He’s a beautiful writer and I loved his Alexandria Quartet. I knew nothing about yprus and the period covered here which was what he describes as the troubled years of 1953-6. This was when disputes between Greece and Turkey over the island was acute causing much … [Read more...] about Books Read January 2025

These are all the books I read in 2024 - in separate catagories but in order of recommendation - so my very own Best Books List! Best Fiction Praiseworthy, Alexis Wright Bee Sting, Paul Murray The House of Doors, Tan Twan Eng The Arch of Triumph, Eric Maria Remarque The Empusium, Olga Tocarczuk Second Best Fiction Black … [Read more...] about Books Read 2024

Kingmaker: Pamela Churchill Harriman’s astonishing life of seduction, intrigue and power, Sonia Purcell I am becoming wary of best book lists! This one was listed on the ten best books of 2024 by The Economist. They called it a romp - but I found the romping all a bit much! I had bought and read it before that list came out because I'd … [Read more...] about Books December 2024