Spectrum
Opinion
Review
King-of-bright John Olsen reveals his dark and melancholy side
At 93, the artist’s latest works shows him brooding on his fading powers, coping with depression or lack of inspiration.
- by John McDonald
Latest
In lockdown, she collected autumn leaves and turned them into art
Artist Jennifer Keeler-Milne’s unusually quiet walks from her home in Glebe to her studio in Newtown last winter are the inspiration for a new show at Australian Galleries.
- by Robin Powell
Opinion
Review
Who’s the beautiful, brooding, man in Martin Eden? Meet Luca Marinelli
He won best actor at the Venice Film Festival with a mesmerising performance in a new film version of Jack London’s classic novel.
- by Paul Byrnes
Buckle up for a heart-stopping thriller
The action begins in the first few pages of this gripping novel about an airline pilot faced with an impossible choice
- by Susan Turnbull
Non-fiction reviews: Brat and other titles
Actor Andrew McCarthy’s memoir Brat is well written and entertaining.
- by Steven Carroll
Fiction reviews: Still Life and other titles
Sarah Winman’s Still Life is an act of homage to British novelist E.M. Forster.
- by Kerryn Goldsworthy
‘Extremely visceral’ novel about modern love is timely but lacks subtlety
Michael Mohammed Ahmad’s new novel is at times like Holden Caulfield meets Jean-Claude Van Damme at the local mosque.
- by Clinton Caward
Turning Pages: the darker side of the Durrells
The television series about the British family’s adventures in Corfu doesn’t reveal the whole truth of the troubled dynasty.
- by Jane Sullivan
Music reviews: Mykki Blanco, Daniel Barenboim and more
Miriam Lieberman’s Just Transforming, Mykki Blanco’s Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep, John Sangster and Alan Lee’s Double Vibes/Hobbit and Daniel Barenboim’s Beethoven Complete Piano Sonatas.
- by Jessie Cunniffe, Kish Lal, John Shand and Barney Zwartz
A celebration of trees through stories and science
Two new books continue our recent fascination with trees.
- by James Bradley
Opinion
WordPlay
It haunts me still. I had helped our family’s real estate man to fib
When my brother-in-law wanted another word for opulent, I offered palatial. Am I now implicated in his trade’s jiggery-pokery?
- by David Astle