What I love about José Saramago is he takes surreal premises and writes them in a matter ... Read the full article
The harshness of Ann Weisgarber’s frontier setting is matched in the fierce spirit of this historical novel’s central protagonist. A truly decent book of Mormon.
The portrayal of women in fiction is usually either sexual cardboard cutouts or bland nothings. The world of a best-selling French author particularly attests to that fact.
‘Zebra’ is a collection of feelings, and narrative, linked by an obvious truth: Debra Adelaide is a deft author worthy of our national acclaim.
Gabino Iglesias is a man of hustle and naked invention. We spoke to him about his new book ‘Coyote Songs’, his process, and the genre he established for himself.
The Lonesome Bodybuilder is a walk through the underworld of the strange. Buckle up!
Michael Wilson’s peerless salute to those who made it (and those who didn’t) deserves to be consumed in one sitting, and plays best with wine and tissues handy.
James Reich’s trip through the underworld of our psyche is painted with ornate tableau, a gallery that that allows the reader to fill in the blanks. Read it.
Brian Alan Ellis’ book is a retelling of a comedy career formed on Twitter, stapled into a manuscript. His cynical tone allows you to make up your own mind, primarily on who is the real punchline.
Tombland is a bold concept crippled by its subject matter. That being said, if history is your thing, wade into the mire, my love.
Daniel Mason transports us back to the time where the world came under the heel of war. Detailed romance backdropped by universal ugliness is difficult to pull off, but Mason nails it.
Ever wondered why your child insists on reading the same book over and over and over again? Well, this is why.
Two lost brothers are reunited by desperation and a new life of crime in Kelby Losack’s towering book. More than anything, it is that empathy that grabs you.
We asked author, editor, journalist and friendly neighbourhood spider-dude Robert Whyte to tell us about some of the books that inspired him to become a writer.
The trope of the regional Australian town has been done to death. Rosalie Ham’s “The Year of Farmer” stands well above the malaise.
Destroy All Monsters is an island powered by its own high-concept vibrancy. Jeff Jackson should be saluted and castigated in even measure.
We asked Indigenous leader and former national president of the Australian Labor Party Warren Mundine to tell us about five books that have inspired and motivated him.
Michael Mohammed Ahmad talks to The Big Smoke about his book, The Lebs, racism, Islamophobia, misinformation, paranoia and the power of art.
In Deep Time Dreaming, Billy Griffiths examines Australia’s coming-to-terms with its Indigenous past. Hyperbole aside, it is the most important analysis of who we were in a very long time.
George Christie’s version of his life as charter president of the Hells Angels is as verbally grandiose as it is proudly grim. Consider it a literary chain across one’s face.
Don’t be fooled by the cover, Megan Abbott’s book is a true powerhouse, flitting between two vivid timelines. Go read it.
In a time of heightened racial division, we need examples that can bring us together. I feel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ should be immediately fetched off the shelf for a refresher.