Oxford Australia Blog

Sharing our love of education, language, and books

Category: Literature

  • What’s in a name? Charles Dickens born on this day

    Charles Dickens was born on 7 February in 1812. Author of more than a dozen novels, many short stories, plays and non-fiction pieces, Dickens is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. He was also active as a social critic and used his novels to highlight injustices and inequities suffered by the poor….

  • Born on this day: Virginia Woolf

    On this day in 1882 Virginia Woolf was born, Adeline Virginia Stephen. One of the foremost modernists of the 20th century, and considered a major innovator in the English language, Woolf’s works have been translated into over 50 languages. Woolf was closely connected to the literary and artistic heavyweights of the day. Her mother was the niece of…

  • Who said that? Answers to Friday book quotes quiz

    The wait is over! Following on from our quiz on Friday, here are the answers to the bookish quiz we set you. Who wrote the following words? “All books are either dreams or swords, You can cut, or you can drug, with words.” (a) Amy Lowell (b) J.R.R Tolkien (c) Hilda Doolittle (HD) ANSWER: Amy Lowell,…

  • Who said that? Quiz yourself with these bookish quotations

    It’s time to dust off your bookshelf and reacquaint yourself with your local library! We’ve gathered ten bookish quotes from the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations to test your knowledge. Do you know who said it?! Who wrote the following words? “All books are either dreams or swords, You can cut, or you can drug, with…

  • Jack Heath: An interview

    Australian author Jack Heath was born in 1986 and started writing his first novel in high school. It was published when he was 19. He has since written several books for teenagers, which are published all over the world. Heath has been shortlisted for Young Australian of the Year, the Nottinghamshire Brilliant Book Award and the…

  • Is one of your new year resolutions to read more literary classics in 2015?

    If your resolution is to read more classics this year, or maybe just to read more widely or more often, then check out our list of suggestions below. We have matched literary classics with popular modern genres to inspire your 2015 reading list. If you like folk tales and myths, try: Myths from Mesopotamia, Stephanie…

  • Jane Austen was born on this day

    Jane Austen was born 239 years ago today at Parsonage House of Steventon, Hampshire. The youngest daughter of a clergyman, Austen initially began writing for the entertainment of her family and close friends. Her family’s movements saw her relocate to Bath and Southampton, before settling in Chawton where Austen penned what would become some of…

  • Once upon a time: a short history of fairy tale

    Nicola Weideling, Marketing Operations Manager, reviews Once Upon a Time: A short history of fairy tale by Marina Warner Fairy tales are woven into the fabric of our childhood. Either being read to us or reading them to ourselves, the stories enchant us as children and stay with us as adults. Little Red Riding Hood, the…