Exploring 'The Rhythm of the Words'

 

“Ithink with all my books, language has been their subject as much as anythingelse. Language can elide or displace or sideline whole groups of people. Youcan't necessarily change the way language is used, but if it becomes somethingyou're conscious of... that gives you a certain power over it.”– Kate Grenville
Born on Oct. 15, 1950 Australia's Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Grenville has authored 15books – including fiction, non-fiction, biography and books about the writingprocess.  Along the way, she's won both the CommonwealthWriters’ Prize and the Orange Prize, two of the writing world's top awards.  
 Grenville’s career startedin film before she wrote a collection of highly regarded short stories in theearly 1980s.  Her 1985 novel Lilian’s Story established her reputationas one of Australia’s leading fiction writers. That multiple award-winning book also was made into a successful movie. 
Grenville's writing has exploredAustralia’s colonial past and relationships among its peoples, especially in her acclaimed booksThe Secret River, The Lieutenant and Sarah Thornhill.      Also a writing teacher, shehas written or co-written several widely used books about the writing process.  
“I read a lot of poetry, and I lovewhat it does with language,” Grenville said.  “I love music, too, and I think there'sprobably no coincidence there, that the rhythm of the words is almost asimportant as the words themselves.”