Culture
Books
'What Julia Gillard endured was off the charts': Malcolm Turnbull talks women
The former prime minister and author discusses his childhood, career, gender-related issues in politics and the women who have influenced him.
- by Robyn Doreian
Latest
Literature
Children's author Jackie French and the little wombat that could
The young wombat, blackened by ash and charcoal, collapsed at her rural property during the bushfires. She became known as Fire Wombat.
- by Melanie Kembrey
Review
On a Barbarous Coast is shaped by real events and anecdotes
Harold Ludwick and Craig Cormick's story of the 1770 landing at Cooktown has two parallel narratives.
- by Jack Callil
Literature
Fiction reviews: Adania Shibli's Minor Detail and three others
Adania Shibli's dark novel takes as its starting point an atrocity in Palestine in 1949.
- by Cameron Woodhead
Bookmarks
All the presidents' books aren't this slow in appearing
Barack Obama has the finishing line in sight, but will he get there?
- by Jason Steger
Literature
Kate Grenville's first novel in a decade reinvents her pioneering heroine
The novel starts with a warning: Do not believe too quickly!
- by Melanie Kembrey
Review
Non-fiction reviews: Quarterly Essay and other titles
Historian Judith Brett examines the influence of the fossil fuel lobby over the government, in the new Quarterly Essay.
- by Fiona Capp
Review
Whale-centric book a marvellous work of haunted wonder
A lyrical examination of whales and their relationship with man.
- by Felicity Plunkett
WordPlay
Mary, Mary unsanitary, how does your playground grow?
Rules vary across playgrounds, yet the theme is constant: Games and rhymes often reflect what’s happening in society.
- by David Astle
Literature
The man from the right who dished the dirt on Trump
In the end Donald Trump was not hawkish enough for John Bolton, who held fire until his helping of revenge was cold and brutal.
- by Bruce Wolpe
Literature
The Wheeler Centre goes back to the future with new CEO
The woman who was supposed to be the inaugural director of the Wheeler Centre is named as Michael Williams' replacement.
- by Jason Steger