Culture
Books
If Siri and Alexa replace Margaret and Judy, I fear for the inner world of the next generation
Will artificial intelligence replace books as the firm friends and keepers of secrets of tomorrow’s children?
- by Annie Flynn
Latest
‘You have to fight for it’: the power that Nancy Pelosi wields like a knife
Susan Page’s examination of the force that is Nancy Pelosi reveals she was immersed in politics at an early age.
- by Bruce Wolpe
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, writes children’s book based on Harry and Archie
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is to publish a children’s book called The Bench, publisher Random House Children’s Books said on Tuesday.
Mobile phones, bushfires and COVID-19: How Ginger Meggs has evolved with the times
Changes are made gradually, but the Ginger Meggs of 2021 has a racially diverse group of friends and speaks like a modern Australian kid, rather than using catchphrases like “ripper!” and “you beaut!“.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
How these six authors got their books published – in the hardest of times
Six authors tell of their journey to publication. Before it all fell flat due to the pandemic. Their fairy godmother moment: a debutante ball at the Sydney Writers’ Festival.
- by Melanie Kembrey
Australia tops US and UK in keeping bookshops alive, says legendary author
David Malouf describes reading as an ‘experience akin to dreaming’, but says bookshops are still being taken for granted.
- by Helen Pitt
The heartbreak that inspired Melanie Blake to dig out the book she abandoned at 18
The two-time bestselling writer discusses her upbringing, career, and the men who influenced her, including Michael Michael Hutchence.
- by Robyn Doreian
I’m writing the biography of a once-feared man. Who should be more worried?
There was a time when people would react with some level of disapproval when you mentioned his name. “A thug.” “A dangerous fellow.”
- by Anson Cameron
A blueprint for Australia and the brightest of futures
In his sequel to Superpower, Ross Garnaut sets out a vision for the country that could prove highly influential.
- by Kurt Johnson
Opinion
WordPlay
Let’s get fizzical about the word fizgig
What’s all the fuss about fizzy words asks David Astle.
- by David Astle
A forest of one’s own: why even Virginia Woolf was felled by trees
Majestic yet vulnerable, trees are an enduring source of inspiration.
- by Janine Burke