Readings.com.au: Sophie Cunningham

Melbourne

Read our Q&A with Sophie Cunningham about Melbourne.

Sophie Cunningham writes a year in the city’s life, a year that takes us from the heatwave that culminated on Black Saturday when temperatures soared to 47 degrees to the destructive deluge of a hailstorm.

She walks through Melbourne’s oldest suburb to its largest market, she goes to the footy and to the comedy festival, she talks publishing and learns how to use a letterpress. Along the way she journeys deep into her own recollections of the city she grew up in, and tells stories from its history: the theft of Picasso’s Weeping Woman, the Hoddle Street massacre, William Barak’s trek from Healesville, the Westgate Bridge Disaster, the high drama of the 1970 and 2009 AFL grand finals and the Market Murders of the sixties.

She strolls by Melbourne’s rivers and creeks while considering the history of the wetlands and river that sit at Melbourne’s heart. She clambers through the drains that lie beneath. For it is water – the corralling of it, the excess of it, the squandering of it, the lack of it – that defi nes Melbourne’s history, its present and its future.

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Jane Gleeson-White ponders the power of storytelling traditions from Homer to Alexis Wright and Richard King rethinks Shakespeare’s sonnets and speculations of love. In a special ten-thousand word essay, novelist Charlotte Wood considers the ethics of using other people’s lives in fiction and interviews writers – Robert Drewe, Helen Garner, Tegan Bennett-Daylight and Malcolm Knox – who’ve also waded these murky waters. Ben Eltham puts himself in the thick of the Australian Arts Festival scene, Ian Syson gives us the lowdown on the history of soccer in Australia and Stephen Downes serves it up to the restaurant reviewing industry.

In other essays Mel Campbell examines Michael Jackson’s public image and its unsayable paradoxes, David Hansen explores the art of portraiture through the work of W.H. Chong, Jim Guida rides with the early skateboarders and follows the rise of urban antics, Helen Barnes-Bulley takes a look at meaning behind fashion and clothes in film and literature, Sarah Kanowski goes to the Malaysian state of Kelantan to witness the prohibited art of shadow puppetry and Claire Scobie writes on the repatriation of Aboriginal remains in English museums back to Australia.

Sophie Cunningham speaks to novelist Eva Hornung, and Mandy Ord and Kate Fielding conclude their stunning graphic history, 'Their hooks find hold deep in our flesh'. In fiction, we have new writing by Patrick Allington, Morris Lurie, Maya Linden, Clinton Caward, Nicola Redhouse and N.K Mara, as well as the next instalment of Caroline Lee’s moving novel, Stripped. The winner of the 2009 Dorothy Porter Prize will also be announced.

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In the winter edition of Meanjin, Katherine Wilson opens the velvet curtains onto the world of steampunk, Guy Rundle considers the state’s relationship to culture and the implication of that for artists, Kate Crawford retracts from the overwhelming hum of the digital age and Michael Green brings to life the painful but constructive dialogue that is taking place between coal workers and the Greens in the Latrobe valley. Sophie Cunningham talks to graphic designer Alex Stitt about his iconic ‘Life. Be in it’ and ‘Slip Slop Slap’ campaigns, and Bob Charles and Oslo Davis collaborate on a tender, illustrated piece about the calamities of love and life-threatening illness. And, as part of the Meanland project, Sherman Young tells us why he thinks digital books are here to stay but why that won’t change much at all.

In other essays, Virago founder Carmen Callil tells how she came to defend a young woman accused of inciting her husband to jihad, Catherine Strong tackles Triple J’s Hottest 100 and looks at the reasons why men with guitars came to dominate the rock canon, and Clare Wright and Alex McDermott remember the women of the Ned Kelly legend. Ben O’Mara works through the anxieties of being a (semi) professional writer, Helen Walpole investigates the science of sleep and Ella Mudie discovers the strange, industrial beauty of Walter Burley Griffin’s Willoughby Incinerator. Anne Myers takes a tough look at her series of miscarriages, Meera Atkinson is Waiting For Her Father and Richard King considers C.P. Snow’s lecture ‘The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution’ fifty years after its presentation.

In fiction, Zoe Dattner writes of being fourteen and trying to fit in where you don’t really belong and Chris Flynn imagines a future for Melbourne that is both prehistoric and new. We have stories by Karina Barker, Kay Rozynski and David McLaren, as well as Ruby Murray’s Alan Marshall Short Story Prize winner and the final instalment of Caroline Lee’s powerful novel, ‘Stripped’. June also features poetry by Mark Tredinnick, Jill Jones, Craig Powell, Shari Kocher, Les Wicks and many talented others.

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THE MARCH EDITION OF MEANJIN LOOKS AT CHARISMA: OF RELIGION, OF SCIENCE, OF TEACHERS.

We also launch Meanland, an exciting new collaboration with Overland (www.meanland.com.au) with an article by McKenzie Wark on copygift and why information needs to be freed.

John Potts considers how religious impulses are still mirrored in our secular beliefs and Jeff Sparrow questions where New Atheism will lead us. Phil Brown remembers being taught by one of the greats, the poet Bruce Dawe, Jane Grant explores the cult of the brilliant academic and writer, Sam Goldberg, and in the first of our Rewind series we publish Goldberg’s 1957 Meanjin essay ‘The Poet as Hero: A.D. Hope’s “The Wandering Islands”’. Paul Mitchell examines the presence of God in Australian literature from Tim Winton’s Breath to Tsiolkas’s Dead Europe, Helen Barnes-Bulley asks if atheists can truly enjoy religious art and Carol Major looks at the ways in which the church has informed our adoption practices.

In other essays, Lorin Clarke takes the pulse of contemporary Australian theatre and David Astle helps us celebrate Meanjin’s 70th birthday with a cryptic crossword. Eleanor Whitworth discovers both natural and scientific wonder on a trip to the Arctic, Toni Tapp Coutts recalls living through the wet in the Northern Territory, Maurilia Meehan tells us what it’s like to be a flying school dropout, Stella Glorie describes growing up in a strict Catholic family, Terin Tash Miller remembers meeting the Dalai Lama and Sophie Cunningham speaks to Steven Amsterdam about survival.

In fiction, Fiona McGregor watches as bitterness, sex and self-discovery come together at a suburban dinner party and Jennifer Mills imagines a mysterious transgression in a recently militarised state. We publish new writing by Sue Booker, Philip Canon and Bronwyn Mehan, as well as the final instalment of Caroline Lee’s powerful novel Stripped and a recent graphic story by Bruce Mutard. There is also poetry by Geoff Page, Roberta Lowing, Mark Tredinnick, Anthony Lawrence and Eileen Chong, as well as many talented others.

Read an extract of Sophie Cunningham's interview with Steven Amsterdam from this edition of Meanjin.

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In our penultimate 70th birthday edition, Meanjin wonders what it takes to make a city: Dianna Wells visits Melbourne’s ever-shifting outer edge; David Nichols and Mia Schoen walk through the early housing commission suburb of Doveton; Elizabeth Glickfeld reflects on the politics behind Melbourne’s latest logo; and Rachael Weaver reminds us that, not so long ago, morgues were a place where the town’s citizens went to be entertained.

Michael Harden examines the impact of liquor licensing laws on Melbourne’s bar, restaurant and music culture; Ben Eltham meets the tenants of the Nicholas Building, the city’s informal artistic hub; Chris Womersley considers the role of place in fiction; and Tanya McIntyre and Clinton J. Walker revive the punk scene of the 1970s through a candid photoessay.

As part of our CAL/Meanjin series, Paul Daley reveals some of the darker truths about the Anzac Day myth, while Jeremy Fisher surveys ebooks and Australian publishing for Meanland. In other writings, Matthew Ricketson considers long form journalism and the legacy of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood; Nonie Sharp looks at the legend of The Little Wanderers; Anthony Macris pays tribute to that great film, All About Eve; and Brian McFarlane celebrates the work of three Australian women directors – Sarah Watt, Rachel Ward and Ana Kokkinos. George Dunford diagnoses Second Novel Syndrome; Maria Takolander comes to understand the lessons she’s learnt from literature; John Potts defends the book from declarations of death; Peter Mitchell recalls a painful and uncertain AIDS diagnosis and Rachel Buchanan tries to fall in step with her rapping brothers, ‘da xxxclusiv brevrin’.

In conversation, Sophie Cunningham talks to the great travel writer, William Dalrymple, and we publish fiction by Jennifer Mills, Simone Lazaroo, Catherine Cole, Natalie Sprite and Belinda Rule, as well as Alison Sampson’s crossword challenge winner. September also features poetry by Ali Alizadeh, John Kinsella, Mike Ladd, Jillian Pattinson, Tracy Ryan and many talented others.

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This December, Meanjin turns seventy. As Australia’s second oldest literary journal, it has helped our nation develop a cultural identity, critiqued that identity and, more recently, saw globalisation threaten Australia’s newfound sense of self. A list of the contributors over the years is like a roll call of Australian literature and, to celebrate, we will republish some favourites alongside current commentators.

In colour, we feature a striking illustrated history of Victoria’s little magazines, from Meanjin (1940) to Is Not (2005). In other contemporary essays, Jane Gleeson-White looks back at the history of the book while Hilary McPhee revisits A.A. Phillips’ ‘The Cultural Cringe’ (which we’ll reproduce) and Marcus Westbury considers the value of city thinking locally, not globally.

We republish founding editor Clem Christesen’s first foreword (1940) and Vance Palmer’s thoughts on what it meant to go to war (1942), as well as Geoffrey Serle’s tribute to the writers and intellectuals of the 1956 Hungarian revolution and Gerald Murnane’s reflections on a life in print (1994). Jim Davidson (1979) interviews Dorothy Hewett, while Helen Garner (2002) considers the use of ‘I’ in her work and M.J. Hyland (2004) writes an elegy to the asylum that once held her. Christos Tsiolkas (2006) undergoes some emotional archaeology to describe the perfect mixed tape, McKenzie Wark (1993) threshes out diagrams of desire in popular media, Elizabeth Jolley (1987) talks about her knickers and Wendy Harmer (1986) stands up for herself. Michael Kirby (2007) reflects on years of shame and phobia when it comes to same-sex law reform, Graham Little (1985) asks if Bob Hawke is in trouble, Catherine Duncan (1968) reports back from the May riots in Paris and Brian Matthews visits a very different Northern Ireland in 1979. Meaghan Morris (1990) considers the future of Australian studies, Fiona McGregor (1996) tells us why she’s queer, not lesbian, Gillian Whitlock (1989) recalls accusations of plagiarism between the work of Lucy Maud Montgomery and Colleen McCullough, and Tony Birch (1992) looks at the making and unmaking of Aboriginal culture.

We include fiction by Alex Miller, Beverley Farmer, Peter Carey, Tim Winton, Elizabeth Smither, Tim Richards and Dal Stivens, as well as poetry by Judith Wright, Chris Wallace-Crabbe, A.D. Hope, Dorothy Porter, John Tranter, Judith Beveridge, Lisa Bellear, John Forbes, Antigone Kefala and many more.

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In the March edition of Meanjin, Lorin Clarke investigates whether the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is as funny as it could be, Kate Holden considers the relationship between sex work and feminism, Laurie Steed tells us why YouTube is no longer the bad arse of the digital world and Ben O’Mara hangs out with Billie-Anne Baird, one of the few female drivers on Victoria’s drifting circuit.

On the body and mind, Bob Charles takes us deep into the hurricane that is his daily struggle with anxiety and depression, Jacinda Woodhead casts a frank eye over the difficult territory of abortion, Mischa Merz fights her way into a late-blooming boxing career and Colin Nettelbeck is forced by a broken kneecap to find zen in stillness. In other essays, Mandy Brett breaks the circle of silence surrounding the work of fiction editors, Melissa Bellanta looks at the showmanship and black humour behind Victorian Spiritualism, Kristel Thornell immerses herself in the ritual of vintage, Duncan Reid asks whether Bernhard Schlink should feel guilty, Morris Lurie writes on not writing and last, but not least, former Meanjin editor Jim Davidson wraps up our 70th birthday celebrations with his essay on literary journals and cultural change.

Sophie Cunningham talks to author Rupert Thomson about the pathology of constant travel while, in memoir, Bryony Cosgrove finds that a battle with breast cancer leaves her with an aversion to pink, Sonya Voumard recalls her teenage self as provocateur during an interview with Jennifer Byrne and Angelina Mirabito compares the world of bay-side Chelsea, where she grew up, to the hallowed grounds of Parkville.

We include new fiction by Michelle Murray, Melissa Beit, Ryan O’Neill, Linden Hyatt and Miriam Sved, as well as poetry by Bruce Dawe, Michael Farrell, Mran-Maree Laing, Cassandra O’Loughlin and many talented others.

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Sophie Cunningham is Meanjin’s new (and eighth) editor but the footsteps that will take Meanjin forward are those laid down by Clem Christesen, the journal’s founding editor, in 1940. Christesen once said he wanted Meanjin to ‘make clear the connection between literature and politics’. So does Cunningham: ‘Let’s see where those footsteps take us next.’

In the September edition of Meanjin, Georgia Blain talks about life-writing, Joseph Pearson considers Don Watson’s American Journeys in light of the USA primaries, Mel Campbell buys a leather jacket, book editor Andrea McNamara tells us why AFL is her first and greatest sporting love, and book designer W.H. Chong give us six great cover ideas. David Nichols defends the suburbs, Anthony Macris describes his young son’s descent into severe autism, Lynne Spender states the case for the Copyleft movement and John Van Tigglen hangs with the twitchers up in Cooktown. Fiction includes the extraordinary newcomer Abigail Ulman; Luke Stickels, Sandra White, Mark Dapin and one from the master: Alex Miller. We continue with the serialization of Caroline Lee’s novel Stripped and Kate Fielding’s graphic history, Their Hooks Find Hold Deep in Our Flesh.

Sophie Cunningham has been an editor and publisher for over 16 years. Working for well-known publishing companies such as McPhee Gribble/Penguin and Allen & Unwin, she has worked with prominent Australian writers including Tim Winton, Dorothy Hewett, Richard Flanagan and Luke Davies. Cunningham has also held positions as a Creative Writing lecturer and tutor and has been a mentor to young and emerging Australian writers. Her first novel, Geography was published in 2004. Her second, Bird, was published in June this year.

Geography

Geography travels widely across our planet while exploring the extremes of relationships, and it is the juxtaposition of these that makes for compelling reading. Sophie Cunningham describes the powerlessness of extreme desire and the obsession of a sexual relationship that never develops into a cerebral love. Catherine spends years of her life yearning for the love of Michael who is incapable of commitment. The tyranny of distance means that the times they are physically together are frenetic, and when apart she fills the void with waiting for phone calls and emails. She waits aimlessly and ultimately realises she has wasted the most productive years of her life. She recounts her story to Ruby who she meets while travelling in Sri Lanka. Catherine’s healing of her body and her mind is taking place in a country that has extreme contrasts of beauty, violence and spirituality. While Geography is graphic in exploring the sexuality of Catherine, for me it is her physical and spiritual journeys that shine.

Alexa Dretzke is from Readings Hawthorn

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The June edition of Meanjin includes Sian Prior on shyness; Rachel Buchanan on the impact of seeing the work of artist, Len Lye, when she was still a child and Marcus Westbury on the ways in which funding bodies shape our cultural lives. Mark Dapin, still in recovery from interviewing Gordon Ramsay a year ago, writes on the perils of the celebrity feature; Kath Wilson tells the story behind her recent hoaxing of Keith Windshuttle; Nonie Sharp gives a moving account of the relationship between Judith Wright and Nugget Coombs; Michael Williams interviews Christos Tsolkas while Mark Mordue gives us an overview of the work of Nick Cave; Colette Vella describes the evolution of the relationship between book editors, agents and authors; Noni Sharp investigates the long and passionate friendship between Judith Wright and Nugget Coombs; Lynne Spender asks whether intellectual property can be owned; Joseph Pearson explores online identity; Craig McGregor remembers what it was like to live in Harlem in the sixties; Ross Gibson gives us a fresh take on Patyegarang and William Dawes, and. Includes fiction by Bruce Pascoe, Mark O’Flynn, Paul Mitchell, Kristen Thornell and Caroline Lee.

Sophie Cunningham has been an editor and publisher for over sixteen years. Working for well-known publishing companies such as McPhee Gribble/Penguin and Allen & Unwin, she has worked with prominent Australian writers including Tim Winton, Dorothy Hewett, Richard Flanagan and Luke Davies. Her first novel, Geography, was published in 2004. Her second, Bird, was published in June 2008.

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The latest edition of the new-look Meanjin looks to be another cracker. David Astle describes the white noise in his head and how he turned that into a career constructing cryptic crosswords; James Bradley shares his passion for Battlestar Galactica; and Sophie Cunningham interviews Morris Gleitzman about his Holocuast novels Once and Then and the dark side of writing for kids. Features new fiction from Caroline Lee, Damon Young and more.

Geography

Catherine is a travel agent. The world is at her disposal. Her family is scattered around the globe. She's never settled. She never falls in love with anyone in the place in which she lives, a quirk that seems romantic to her and her friends. Then she meets and falls in love with Michael, who lives in Los Angeles, and builds what she calls a relationship and others call an obsession.

Catherine's world is soon defined by postcards, e-mail, books, movies, all of which have meaning only because of their connection to Michael. And then there are the media events which seem to effect, or follow, her affair: the Rodney King Trials, Waco, the LA Earthquake of 1994, the Sydney bushfires of 1994, the New York Blizzard of 1996, Princess Diana's death.

Increasingly Catherine can't tell the difference between what is happening to her and what is happening around her. She lives her life like a romantic heroine. She throws her money, her energy, a lot of words and even years of her life, on a man she doesn't know. Her obsession becomes more and more debilitating as her life becomes increasingly virtual.

Geography is about distance and desire. It's about the illusion of choice. And about how long it can take to figure out what the words love, and home, actually mean.

Bird

To her lovers and friends, Anna Davidoff was a mystery. Beautiful, charismatic, irresponsible yet disarming; famous, in a way, but ultimately unknowable. To her daughter, she is no less an enigma even now, thirty years after her death. Of course Ana-Sofia knows the stories of Anna’s unlikely transformations. How the young post-war refugee from a devastated Soviet Union became a Hollywood starlet, a muse to jazz greats, a friend of the Beats— and along the way a heroin addict. How later, ordained as a Buddhist nun, she died alone in a Himalayan cave at the age of forty-three. The stories, too, are famous.

But now Ana-Sofia is the same age Anna was when she died. Successful, content, single in New York City and hopeful of new love. And Anna has begun to haunt her.

Sophie Cunningham’s compelling new novel sets an exquisite depiction of the equivocal bond between mother and daughter against the traumas and social upheavals of the mid-twentieth century.