A Journal of Australian & International Cultural Reviews, News and Criticism.
Kai Jensen was born in Philadelphia, USA; he lived from the age of five in Aotearoa/New Zealand, then moved to Australia with his Australian wife Rajni (Kathy) Troup in 2004, and is now learning to be Australian. Kai’s poems have appeared in most leading Australasian literary journals, and in many North American journals; his first book of poetry, The Zebra Path of Tree Light, was published by 5 Islands Press in May 2025.
Her new book is her best, bravest, and most ambitious work to date, a remarkable and many-sided achievement that elevates her work, thematically and aesthetically, to a new level.
This very beautiful book is a credit to the design flair of Gerhard Bachfischer and the editorial work and fine production values of Mark Tredinnick and Steven Meyrick at 5 Islands Press. It is itself a beautiful object and a triumph for Alison Gorman as her debut collection.
Aideen Henry is a poet, short story writer and dramatist. She completed an MA in Writing, NUI, Galway and has published 3 books of poetry with Salmon Poetry, Hands Moving at the Speed of Falling Snow, Slow Bruise and A Bloodless Field.
Paul Scully is a Sydney-based poet, an actuary by training and works part-time in finance. He holds a Masters in Creative Writing and is a Doctor of Arts from the University of Sydney. ‘The Literate Detective and Other Crimes’ is his fourth published poetry collection.
It seems to me that themes in this collection include medicine, reflecting Aideen’s work as a doctor; relationships, often bringing the sting of betrayal in their endings;
Allan Lake, originally from Canada, has lived on Cape Breton Island, Ibiza, Tasmania, Sicily and Melbourne. His latest chapbook of poems, My Photos of Sicily, was published by Ginninderra Press. Such journals as The Hong Kong Review, The American Writers Review, Tokyo Poetry Journal, The Antigonish Review, New Philosopher and The Fabians Review have published his poems.
What stands out for me in The Literate Detective is its sustained celebration of what it is to inhabit language, to become larger through breathing in this added dimension language gives us.
Mark O’Flynn has published seven collections of poetry, most recently Undercoat (Liquid Amber Press, 2022) and Einstein’s Brain (Puncher & Wattmann). His novels include The Last Days of Ava Langdon, (UQP, 2016), Grassdogs (Harper Collins, 2006) and The Forgotten World (HC, 2013).