Books
Bobby Brown laments mistakes with Whitney Houston, Bobbi Kristina in book
Maria Puente 9:53am Bobby Brown, the R&B; singer and ex-husband of the late Whitney Houston, father of the late Bobbi Kristina Brown, laments his mistakes with both in his new memoir, Every Little Step: My Story.
Book reviews: City of Mirrors, Sunlight Pilgrims, The Fireman
Colin Steele 11:45pm Fiction with Colin Steele
The City of Mirrors review: Justin Cronin's brilliant trilogy reaches its climax
Michaela McGuire The Passage spans almost 100 years, The City of Mirrors a thousand more - it is the culmination of an epic saga, built on a mythology.
Turning Pages: The problem of Shakespeare and the young
Jane Sullivan Over and over again, the essayists lament how boring and baffling it was to read Shakespeare in the classroom.
Eileen review: Ottessa Moshfegh's disappointing follow-up to her fine debut
Kevin Rabalais Eileen thrives on awkward and uncomfortable juxtaposition. It progresses through tensions that perch on the horizon, with Ottessa Moshfegh working like a magician.
A Hero in France review: Alan Furst's spy thriller of clandestine operations
Cameron Woodhead Alan Furst is renowned for his spy thrillers that are set during World War II and are thorughly researched and imagined.
Akram's War review: Nadim Safdar's unconvincing look at the birth of a terrorist
Cameron Woodhead Forsaking grievance for martyrdom, Akram Khan decides to become a suicide bomber, planning to detonate himself among crowds on Armistice Day.
The Auctioneer review: Simon de Pury's journey through the art world's glamour
Steven Carroll Most of us just know the art works themselves; Simon de Pury moves in the kind of smooth, rich circles that buy and sell the stuff.
Bookmarks: News and views from the book world
JASON STEGER The small but influential publisher Sleepers is winding up its operations.
How author Aaron Blabey found happiness through greedy and selfish Pig the Pug
MICHAEL EVANS As a successful actor, he hated acting. A career in advertising left him sitting in tears under 'the sobbing tree' near his office. But now Aaron Blabey is savouring the success of two runaway children's book series.
Book review: See you at Breakfast by Guillermo Fadanelli
Geoff Page See You At Breakfast. By Guillermo Fadanelli. Translated by Alice Whitmore. Giramondo Publishing. pp 162. $19.95
Book review: Shakespeare and Me. Edited by Susannah Carson.
Peter Wilkins Shakespeare and Me. Edited by Susannah Carson. Foreword by Harold Bloom. Oneworld Publications. $21.99.
Canberra literary news and events: poetry prizes, Batemans Bay Writers Festival and more
RON CERABONA Guests at the Batemans Bay Writers Festival will include former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer, Dr Leah Kaminsky and many more.
How The Sex Lives of Australians upset a PM and the PM's Literary Awards
Colin Steele A former judge, Colin Steele, reveals another instance of the political interference that has afflicted the Prime Minister's Literary Awards.
Kevin Rudd overturned decision on Prime Minister's Literary Award, say judges
MICHAEL KOZIOL Judges of the prestigious Prime Minister's Literary Award say then prime minister Kevin Rudd overruled their decision on the 2013 history prize.
The Prime Minister's Literary Awards 2007-16: an uneasy mix of politics and culture
Colin Steele Colin Steele
Katie Rowney: books that changed me
Katie Rowney is a communications wizard and recovering journalist. She grew up on Tamborine Mountain, Queensland, and made it as far as Brisbane before settling down with her husband, two dogs and two cats. Her new debut novel, Front Page News, was selected from Penguin's open submissions pile.
Lindy West says fat is still a feminist issue in her memoir Shrill
Bethany Jean Clement The Seattle native is a crusader against the notion that the shape of your body dictates the worth of your being.
Lessons in word play for the work-experience kid
David Astle My son was a lawyer for a week. By that I mean he shaved each morning, he wore a tie and he caught the early bus. To be honest he seemed more the accused than the intern. But still, Finn fetched briefs and coffees for the week, he photocopied transcripts, ghosted the courts.
Canberra Writers' Festival announces more authors
April Dudgeon Former Senator and Greens leader, Bob Brown, and bestselling author and former Canberran, Sarah Wilson, are among the big names announced to headline Canberra's inaugural writers' festival.
What's on at a writers' festival near you
SUSAN WYNDHAM Writers' festival round-up; tiny publishers come and go; 2015 winners and losers in the US book industry
The Gustav Sonata review: Rose Tremain on childhood friendship and betrayal
Brenda Niall The interplay of character and place is skilfully and movingly managed in Rose Tremain's latest novel.
Shelter review: Jung Yun's fine drama about a family's different generations
Cameron Woodhead The reversal of fortunes in Jung Yun's Shelter leads to dramatic revelations.
The Boy on the Tricycle review: Marcel Weyland's memoir of wartime escape
Steven Carroll Marcel Weyland's memoir is about wartime escape and the emergence of an artistic spirit.
Code of Silence review: Colin Dillon's account of revealing police corruption
Steven Carroll Colin Dillon's simple, but dramatic, tale of police corruption in Queensland.
The Dry review: Jane Harper's hot crime debut is mythic and valiant
Sue Turnbull The Dry is a story about heroism, the sins of the past, and the struggle to atone. And it is a quintessential Australian story beautifully told.
Dying & In Gratitude review: Two writers come to terms with their looming deaths
Drusilla Modjeska Cory Taylor and Jenny Diski write about their terminal illnesses in different but beautiful ways.
The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones review: Rich Cohen's ravishing riff
Anson Cameron At last there's a book about the Rolling Stones with writing that matches their extraordinary talent.
Before the Fall review: A pacey thriller by the man who wrote Fargo for TV
Cameron Woodhead A plane crash plus sinister secrets result in Noah Hawley's suspenseful thriller.
How To Be a Writer review: The John Birmingham way to improve your skills
Steven carroll John Birmingham offers practical advice for anyone who wants to make a go with their writing.
BookShots: James Patterson pushes reading 'revolution' for smartphone generation
Karen Heller James Patterson doesn't write his books - and his newest readers don't read.
Three generations of Sydney women finalists for the 2016 Kibble Literary Award
SUSAN WYNDHAM Australia's oldest awards for women's writing see a rise in historical novels, thrillers, memoirs and "sick lit".
Publisher to book industry: we have a price problem
LINDA MORRIS An Australian publishing insider says overpriced books are bigger threat to Australian writers than open market.
Bestsellers: Dominic Smith tops the independent bookshop charts
A novel that spans Holland, New York and Sydney and follows the mystery of a replica of a 17th-century painting and the original is delighting buyers at independent bookshops.
Hermione Granger
J.K. Rowling hits out at 'racists' after Harry Potter play casts black Hermione
J.K. Rowling has slammed as a "bunch of racists" online critics who complained about the casting of a black actor to play Hermione.
The Big Issue: Making a difference for 20 years
Thuy On Every vendor has their own story. In their yellow hi-vis vests and dotted like fluoro mushrooms around city and major regional centres of Australia, they position themselves and prepare for another day of hustling for custom.
The Big Issue: a magazine and much more
Thuy On The Big Issue is Australia's longest-standing and most successful social enterprise.
Turning Pages: The joy to be discovered in the boom in art books
Jane Sullivan If you've ever worried that young people don't go for books any more, here was evidence that many of them love books with anything to do with art and design.
Chasing Asylum review: Eva Orner's account of making her refugee documentary
Deborah Zion The ability to look closely and constantly at suffering is one that takes an immense toll, and Eva Orner manifests this steadfastness in relating story after story.
How to Vote Progressive in Australia review: principles instead of power
Fiona Capp What these essays reveal is widespread desire for a reinvigorated political system.
The Grass was Always Browner review: a new style of memoir – the aspirational
Fiona Capp A new form of writing focuses on the ordinary.
The Patch of Wasteland: A Poem by Long Quan
Long Quan Long Quan's poem imagines a couple's long relationship with their home and the land.
Heartlines review: The joy and angst of reconnecting with your birth mother
Dianne Dempsey Susannah McFarlane and Robin Leuba and Robin tell their story through emails and text messages they sent each other during 2015.
Bookmarks: News and views from the book world
JASON STEGER The power of the Miles Franklin and the odds on the Miles Franklin.
Election 2016: Labor pledges $60 million to ABC, but won't rule out changes to copyright
ANDREW TAYLOR Labor has promised more than $140 million in additional spending on arts funding and the ABC, but it has not ruled out changes to copyright laws.
Sue Williams: books that changed me
Sue Williams has a PhD in marine biology and has worked as a science writer and chartered accountant.
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