Culture
Books
Salman Rushdie’s memoir is the work of a supreme storyteller
The novelist’s account of the brutal attack on him and how he survived is moving, ghastly and full of self-scrutiny.
- by Peter Craven
Latest
Alice Munro, Nobel winner, revered short story master dies, 92
Often ranked with Anton Chekhov, John Cheever and a handful of others, Munro achieved stature rare for an art form traditionally placed beneath the novel.
- by Hillel Italie
‘Red light and speed camera ahead’: The ambiguity of Google Maps
Are there two cameras, one for speeding and one for lights? Or just one camera? Voiced messages lack the punctuation to eliminate the doubt.
- by David Astle
On the road with the Blues Brothers and a mission from God
Journalist Daniel de Visé tells the story of the classic comedy starring Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.
- by Nathan Smith
Fiction is a sort of warning call, and we’re ignoring history
American writer Celeste Ng’s first two novels were realist domestic fiction, but her third was a more political creation.
- by Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen
What are the secret ingredients of the ‘romantasy’ genre? Sex and spice
The latest literature genre is a blend of romance and fantasy, and it’s proving to be a bestselling phenomenon.
- by Jane Sullivan
As a reporter, I sought out crime. But then crime found me
Writers K Patrick, Winnie Dunn, Jake Adelstein and Mirandi Riwoe on the theme of this year’s Sydney Writers’ Festival, Take Me Away.
Anna Funder on the ‘beautiful letters’ she received from men who read Wifedom
The Miles Franklin winner took on a “terrifying project” when she wrote about George Orwell and his oft forgotten wife.
- by Kerrie O'Brien
‘Copycat’ book bans: How US activists are impacting Australian libraries
Best-selling Australian author Amie Kaufman, whose books have been banned in the US, is warning against importing a culture war over literature.
- by Kerrie O'Brien
Opinion
WordPlay
When it comes to names, does Elon Musk have the X-Factor?
The decision to ditch a brand name that has become part of the vernacular has sparked lively debate on a social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
- by David Astle
The singular adult fantasy that is a Marian Keyes novel
The Irish writer brings one of the Walsh sisters back to Ireland after heartbreak in New York.
- by Jessie Tu