Culture
Books
From the Voice to the word, John Farnham tells his own story
At long last the singer, now free from cancer, is writing his memoir.
- by Jason Steger
Latest
At its heart, Bruce Pascoe’s Black Duck is a love story of both people and Country
Author Tony Birch reviews a deeply philosophical book by Pascoe and his partner Lyn Harwood about their personal growth and the need to live humbly with the land.
- by Tony Birch
Opinion
WordPlay
When it comes to catchphrases, this film goes straight to the poolroom
No other movie matches this local classic’s linguistic legacy.
- by David Astle
There are books and films about grief but in the end, it was up to me
Amid the bewilderment of loss, art helps us navigate a way forward.
- by Nova Weetman
She turned David Bowie into Ziggy Stardust. It changed her life forever
Suzi Ronson was working in a hair salon in London when she gave Mrs Jones’ son the look that defined an era.
- by J.P. O'Malley
The drug that let the imperialists have their way in India and China
The British forced open trade with China by getting the population addicted to opium.
- by Richard Pennell
What have the Simpsons got to do with a Nobel laureate’s latest novel?
A strange presence in Jon Fosse’s latest short novel is a tantalising invitation to curiosity and doubt.
- by Bram Presser
A powerful argument for the natural existence of transgender people
Judith Butler points out that the word gender has, in some parts of the world, become a matter of extraordinary alarm.
- by Miriam Cosic
Is Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez’s posthumous offering a feminist novel?
For the first time, the great Colombian novelist has a woman as the central protagonist of one of his novels.
- by Roy Boland
This festival nurtured a generation of talent. Now it’s on life support
For two decades the National Young Writers’ Festival has been a crucible for Australian literary talent, but its future is now in doubt.
- by Nell Geraets
Is this debut novel a sly satire, or just an earnest train wreck?
Bri Lee’s debut is easy to mock, but it certainly isn’t a boring read.
- by Beejay Silcox