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DON'T EVER LET THEM GET YOU! BOOK LAUNCH AND CONCERT HELD AT CHAPEL OFF CHAPEL, PRAHRAN, MELBOURNE The launch of George Dreyfus’ book on Sunday 14 March was held to great success. An audience of over one hundred and sixty enjoyed the musical performances and theatrical improvisation of both George, his talented musician son Jonathan and Kay Dreyfus, who gave a very witty launch speech. ‘A book about the Holocaust, reconciliation and faith in the face of commercial pressures. George Dreyfus writes about his survival as a composer during half a century of serious—and not-so-serious—music-making in Australia.’ PROGRAMME Theme from Rush The Adventures of Sebastian the Fox (narrated by Jonathan Dreyfus) Larino Safe Haven (Chamber Music) Jonathan Dreyfus introducing Kay Dreyfus Kay Dreyfus launch speech Selections from The Sentimental Bloke (with original cast members) Encore: Finale from The Box Hill Gloria GEORGE DREYFUS, AUTHOR OF DON'T EVER LET THEM GET YOU! INTERVIEWED ON THE JON FAINE CONVERSATION HOUR Composer George Dreyfus, author and subject of Don't Ever Let Them Get You! was interviewed on The Conversation Hour with Jon Faine on Thurs 4 March on Radio 774 ABC - the episode can be heard on the website currently and will then be moved to the ABC online archive section. ![]() George Dreyfus, Valanga Khoza and Emma Ayres ‘A celebration of music from two Australians who came here as refugees. South African born Valanga Khoza now calls Victoria home. He brought in his kalimba for a live performance to showcase how he blends the traditional music of his childhood with modern life. He's performing as part of Moomba’s new Cultural Quarter this long weekend in Melbourne's Alexandra Gardens. The irrepressible composer George Dreyfus arrived in Australia from Nazi Germany on his 11th birthday. Now 81, music is still his passion. Don't Ever Let Them Get You! is a book of essays by or about George, published by Black Pepper. Jon’s Co-host, Emma Ayres, is the breakfast presenter on ABC Classic FM.’ WIMMERA BY HOMER RIETH ON ABC1 TV LANDLINE - 'HOMER'S EPIC', REPORTER TIM LEE The ABC1 TV Landline website has it’s episode of 21 February 2010 featuring Homer Rieth’s Wimmera on its Archive (February 2010) under the title ‘Homer’s Epic’. DEBORAH MASEL AT THE PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS MONDAY 7 DECEMBER 2009 9.30-11 AM Deborah Masel featured at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne (2009). The Torah through Paintings and Poetry
2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne Victor Majzner, Helen Light, Deborah Masel, Rosemary Crumlin, Room 218 Artistic Performance and Panel Discussion ‘For the first time in the history of art, all of the 54 parshot (weekly readings) of the Torah have been depicted visually from a specifically Jewish perspective. Victor Majzner accomplished this feat with his exhibit at the Australian Jewish Museum in Melbourne in July 2008. This illustrated lecture on Majzner’s work will be divided into three parts. First, Majzner will discuss a number of paintings from this series and illuminate their ‘Jewish’ content. He will also discuss some comparisons between his Jewish imagery and Christian images of similar subject matter. Second, poet Deborah Masel will read poems she has written based on the same sections of the Torah. Masel has recently published a book entitled In the Cleft of the Rock. The third part will be devoted to a panel discussion with Victor Majzner, Deborah Masel, Rosemary Crumlin and Helen Light focusing on the visual depiction of the Torah.’ DEBORAH MASEL TO BE INTERVIEWED ON ABC RADIO NATIONAL THE SPIRIT OF THINGS PROGRAMME RESCHEDULED, DETAILS TO BE PROVIDED The Spirit of Things Interview by Rachael Kohn
Sunday 6pm, repeated Tuesday 1pm and Wednesday 2am MELBOURNE LAUNCH OF WIMMERA The Melbourne launch of Homer Rieth’s Wimmera was held on 13 October 2009 at the North Fitzroy Arms (296 Rae St, North Fitzroy 3068) by Dr Brian Edwards, editor of Mattoid, poet and critic (Theories of Play and Postmodern Fiction, All in Time and The Escape Sonnets). In launching the book he declared that it was ‘an historical day in Australian literary history’. Homer Rieth has received an Australia Council grant to proceed with his new epic, The Garden of Earthly Sorrows. This one, just to raise the degree of difficulty, is to be accompanied with a full piano score. LOCAL LAUNCH HELD FOR HOMER RIETH’S WIMMERA The local launch of Homer Rieth’s Wimmera attracted interest in his home town of Minyip, Victoria and featured prominently in the Wimmera Mail Times. The launch took place at Hooz on Main on a Friday evening and was a great success. On the following Sunday the Lutheran pastor, Harry Ludwig, held up a copy of Wimmera to his congregation and said ‘I shall now read from the sacred text’. Indeed he did, from page 71. CLIVE JAMES REVIEWS HISTORY OF THE DAY IN THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT Read Clive James’ review of he History of the Day on 11 September 2008. HOMER RIETH ON THE CONTEMPORARY EPIC Read excerpts from Homer Rieth’s Ph.D Exegesis on the Wimmera page, now available. DEBORAH MASEL’S IN THE CLEFT OF THE ROCK LAUNCHED AT THE AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR JEWISH CIVILIZATION Deborah Masel’s In the Cleft of the Rock; Writings on the Five Books of Moses was launched at the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation at Monash University by Sam Lipski AM and Dr Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg on 23 August. Deborah Masel is to be interviewed on Radio National’s The Spirit of Things, in a program to be broadcast shortly after the launch. DAVID COHEN APPEARS IN READINGS AND WRITINGS COLLECTION Readings and Writings; 40 Years in Books (edited by Jason Cotter and Michael Williams), a collection of new Australian short stories from writers who have been involved with Readings over the years, includes a story by David Cohen, author of Fear of Tennis. JENNIFER HARRISON’S ESSAY ON MIND, PHRASE AND FABLE See our Opinion page for Jennifer Harrison’s essay (given at Melbourne University) on poetry and fable. RADIO NATIONAL BROADCASTS WAYNE MACAULEY STORY FROM HIS FORTHCOMING COLLECTION OTHER STORIES ‘The Hair of the Dog’ from Other Stories by Wayne Macauley was podcast on 26 July 2009 on Radio National’s SundayStory, read by William Zappa. MICHELLE CAHILL ON HISTORY OF THE DAY ‘Recently, I’ve been dipping into the elegance and precision of Stephen Edgar’s new collection History of The Day. It’s wonderful for its lyrical and tonal control, challenging and graceful in its syntactical complexity.’ From her website .michellecahill.com. GLASS CATHEDRALS – THE POETRY OF NICOLETTE STASKO ‘Glass Cathedrals – the poetry of Nicolette Stasko’ will be presented on Poetica, ABC Radio National, hosted by Brent Clough and Mike Ladd, at 3.05 PM on Saturday 19 September 2009 (repeated 3.05 PM Thursday). JORDIE ALBISTON BROADCAST ON RADIO NATIONAL POETICA Jordie Albiston talks about her about her writing with Anna Messariti and reads a selection of her poems on Poetica, ABC Radio National, on 30 May 2009 (podcast available). ‘MUSE OF A GODDESS - VITALINGUS’ BLOGSITE COMMENTS ON BLACK PEPPER PUBLISHING From Vitalingus, the very popular blogsite: BLACK PEPPER PUBLISHING WELL VERSED IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Vitalingus.com 12 May 2009 Black Pepper publishing has arrived at Vita in 2009, with juicy stories, wild and very well placed voices. Black Pepper is the absolute ultimate of what one understands to be genuine brave visionary behavior.. A commitment that is unsurpassed in the publishing world. They are so across loving who they are and so very dedicated to loving what they create, and supporting the writers they have given us. They are sublime and well versed in all that truly matters... and of course all things publishing, profound yet amusing... The Black Pepper publishing team always give their fullness of spirit and love to and for the other. They are impeccable, in their attention to poetry and prose, at this extraordinary publishing house. An Australian publishing journey that now spans two centuries... We must commend and appreciate how far Black Pepper Publishing have come in their journey from the late part of the 20th century into the 21st century. This small publishing venture is based in North Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia, and is dedicated to nurturing the ‘new flowers’ of Australian prose and poetry writing. See their range of brilliant prolific and tenacious writers and ALL the many successes of the Black Pepper Publishing team... Snuggle down with a Black Pepper Publication, join their mailing list and be with us at the cutting edge of independent publishing in Australia. Support the Australian independent publishing world NOW! Don’t forget to smell the Gardenia, the scent of Black Pepper’s books. THE HANGING OF JEAN LEE TO BE BROADCAST ON RADIO NATIONAL POETICA SATURDAY 11 APRIL 2009 AFTER 2 PM NEWS Poetica is to broadcast Andrée Greenwell’s composed work in full, with libretto by Jordie Albiston and Abe Pogos, based on Jordie Albiston’s book of poems of the same name about the last woman hanged in Australia. STEPHEN EDGAR LAUNCHES PERSONAL WEBSITE Acclaimed poet Stephen Edgar has launched his personal website located at stephenedgar.com.au STEPHEN EDGAR INTERVIEWED BY PAUL STEVENS Paul Stevens of The Chimaera interviewed poet Stephen Edgar (February 2009). Also included are poems from Edgar and an audio reading (the audio reading is located towards the bottom of The Chimaera webpage) from Edgar’s CD Photography for Beginners. CLIVE JAMES ON ‘MAN ON THE MOON’ FROM OTHER SUMMERS Clive James’ essay on this poem from Stephen Edgar’s recent collection (click on link to left) is insightful and informative. The review appeared in Poetry (Chicago) in January 2009. LAUNCH OF POSING IN VAST SPACES Peter Murk’s novel Posing in Vast Spaces was launched by Julian Burnside, President of Liberty Victoria and author of Wordwatching: Fieldnotes of an Amateur Philologist on 13 September 2008 at Claypots Seafood Restaurant in St Kilda. ![]() Peter Murk at Claypots
NEW SHELTON LEA INSPIRED TITLE Eaglemont Press held a successful launch of All Travellers We; Poems for Shelton Lea, a collection of tribute poems on the author of Nebuchadnezzar. The large audience listened to readings by contributors and music by Lauren Williams (singing poems by Shelton Lea), which added to the special flavour of the night, held at Dante’s bar in Fitzroy on 21 August 2008. Black Pepper is distributing All Travellers We (RRP $AUD20.00)
JORDIE ALBISTON SHORTLISTED FOR BEST MUSIC THEATRE SCRIPT IN VICTORIAN PREMIER’ S LITERARY AWARDS 2008 Jordie Albiston, together with Andrèe Greenwell and Abe Pogos, have been shortlisted for The Hanging of Jean Lee, based on the book published by Black Pepper in 1998. PETER MURK’S POSING IN VAST SPACES THE AGE PICK OF THE WEEK Posing in Vast Spaces joins Blueprints for a Barbed-Wire Canoe and The Invention of Everyday Life as an Age Pick of the Week. ALAN LONEY ON RADIO 2SER Alan Loney discussied The printing of a masterpiece with Benedict Taylor on Monday July 14 on ‘Final Draft: Books and Writing’, NSW Radio 2SER (podcast here). PETER MURK ON RADIO 3RRR AND 3CR Peter Murk discussed Posing in Vast Spaces with: Jan Goldsmith on June 19, at 11.30 am on ‘Published... or not,’ Radio 3CR and Alicia Sometimes on June 25, at 1.40pm on ‘Aural Text’, Radio 3RRR. WAYNE MACAULEY ON RADIO NATIONAL’S BOOK SHOW Wayne Macauley appeared on The Book Show on the 10am Tuesday 17 June session talking about his essay on publishing, ‘The Other Way,’ which is available on the Black Pepper website as part of a new feature on Black Pepper Opinion. The podcast can be located at: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow/stories/2008/2278159.htm 3CR RADIO INTERVIEW WITH ALAN LONEY (THE PRINTING OF A MASTERPIECE) Alan Loney was interviewed about The printing of a masterpiece on Radio 3CR on 5 June 2008 at 11.30 am on ‘Published... or not’. THE PRINTING OF A MASTERPIECE BOOK LAUNCHES Alex Selenitsch, architectural designer and art critic, launched The printing of a masterpiece at the Leigh Scott Room (featuring Robert Menzies’ library) in the Bailleu Library of the University of Melbourne. A New Zealand launch was also held on 20 May 2008 at Parson’s Bookshop, Auckland. Alan Loney was introduced by speaker Peter Simpson (Director, The Holloway Press, University of Auckland). ADRIENNE EBERHARD’S ‘MADONNA’ APPEARS IN SEE THE VIRGIN BLEST ‘Madonna,’ from Agamemnon’s Poppies by Adrienne Eberhard, has appeared in Barry Spurr’s new book, See the Virgin Blest; The Virgin Mary in English Poetry (Palgrave Macmillan, 2007). The full excerpt can be found on our Agamemnon’s Poppies webpage. DREAMING TRANSPORTATION PARTS ONE AND TWO ON POETICA (RADIO NATIONAL) Radio National Poetica (www.abc.net.au/rn/poetica/index WAYNE MACAULEY’S CARAVAN STORY CITED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR (2007) IN READINGS MONTHLY My
discovery of the year was Brunswick author Wayne Macauley. For anyone
who thrills to a hypnotic prose style and incisive social satire, I
would urge you to discover his work! His most recent novella is Caravan Story.
Martin Shaw, Readings Monthly, December 2007-January 2008
DAVID COHEN’S FEAR OF TENNIS AND STEPHEN EDGAR’S OTHER SUMMERS CITED AS BOOKS OF THE YEAR (2007) West Australian writer David Cohen offered a sprightly, original novel titled Fear of Tennis
(Black Pepper), in which a mild-mannered courtroom sound recordist and
sports-hater gets enmeshed in high-tech athleticism as an act of
atonement for a wrong he committed a dozen years before.
Les Murray, The Age, 8 December 2007
and The West Australian In Other Summers (Black Pepper), Stephen Edgar’s poems match sumptuous images with steely technique to bring us pleasure on every page. Michelle de Kretser, The Age, 8 December 2007
PHILIP GRUNDY DECLARES JOHN VASILAKOS’ THE SET-UP AN AUSTRALIAN MASTERPIECE IN A FORTHCOMING NEOS KOSMOS ISSUE Read the article on The Set-Up, ‘Sounding the Depths.’ DAVID COHEN’S FEAR OF TENNIS CITED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR (2007) IN THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT David Cohen’s Fear of Tennis (Melbourne,
Black Pepper) stood out among the novels I read. A sports-hating
courtroom recordist enmeshes himself in high-tech athleticism to atone
for an old wrong, and the rabbinical underpinnings of the original tale
are discreetly conveyed.
BLACK PEPPER MAIL OUTLes Murray, The TLS, 1 December 2007
Black Pepper has a regular mail-out for events and launches, both by email and snail mail. If you are interested please contact us and we will add you to the list. RECENT REVIEWS Australian Book Review and The Weekend Australian on Wimmera Australian Book Review, Critical Survey and The Weekend Australian on Fuel Mascara, Australian Book Review and The Canberra Times on History of the Day The University of Queensland Library, Parenthesis, Newsletter of the NSW Guild of Craft Bookbinders Inc. and SHARP News on The printing of a masterpiece The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on Posing in Vast Spaces Neos Kosmos on The Set-Up The Australian and Wet Ink on The Invention of Everyday Life Westerly on Fear of Tennis Australian Book Review, The Canberra Times and The Age on Caravan Story Blue Dog, Blast and Wet Ink on Folly & Grief Five Bells, Blue Dog and Critical Survey on Other Summers |