Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This middle grade graphic novel by Jason Pamment is the second featuring Ember, a very kind and very tiny boy as he follows his emotionally tricky path on the way to adulthood. This is the third book produced by the South Australian author and illustrator. His debut graphic novel, Treasure in
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve One hunderd years ago, scientists thought that their equations explained the world of physics. These were simple and elegant and science believed they provided a description of the world that surrounds us. They recognised gravity, magnetism and electricity and thence their effect. In the twentieth century, the development of quantum physics
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve Joanna Jenkins’ first two crime novels were very well received. Her first, How to Kill a Client, was set in her familiar territory, Brisbane, and the second, The Bluff had a small outback town as its setting. Bad Neighbours has the beauty and changing mood of Sydney Harbour, and a stunning
Reviewed by Gayle Williams If you’re expecting Good Witch by Lucianne Tonti to have anything to do with Glinda from The Wizard of Oz, think again. Tonti’s focus is far more expansive. The book’s central premise is captured in its subtitle, In Search of Our Lost Feminine Power, and much of the discussion revolves around
Reviewed by Ian Lipke Adam Ouston’s novel Mine is a remarkable work of contemporary Australian fiction. It is “remarkable” not only because of its literary presentation with its unusual sentence construction but because of the tight control the author maintains over the writing. Ouston does this by balancing formal constraint with thematic depth. He achieves
Reviewed by Ian Hamilton It would be an interesting exercise to ask one hundred randomly selected Australians this question: “Has Australia ever been a participant in the slave trade?” If the interviewees had any knowledge of Ryan Butta’s book, then they would answer, hopefully with regret, “yes”. Butta writes a helpfully succinct paragraph towards the
Reviewed by Clare Brook Dan Chung’s reportage from North Korea reveals breathtaking cruelty and suffering on a national scale perpetrated by the ruling Kim dynasty. Millions of North Koreans are traumatised from birth to death, suffering starvation and physical abuse resulting in daily anxiety and fear. Crossing Borders NK, a Christian organisation co-founded by Dan
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke Amy Remeikis is the Chief Political Analysist at The Australian Institute and contributing editor for the New Daily. She was a former political reporter for The Guardian Australia and has been celebrated for her powerful writing on gender, politics and social justice. However, her work has also generated reactions from those
Reviewed by Ian Lipke The book, Alice’s Dreaming, is a composite production consisting of seventy-seven pages written by Alice Moncton Duncan-Kemp while still in her thirties, and Tom Griffiths, Emeritus Professor of History at the Australian National University in Canberra. Kemp’s work is exceptionally lucid allowing for the heavy hand of an editor prior to
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke The Frock Shop is the eighth novel by Australian writer, Sophie Green. It is another human-interest story of women of various ages, who are linked by a common interest. All her stories have characters who are returning to Australia or moving to another area where they find a supportive group of
Reviewed by E.B. Heath The profound genetic unity of species underscores the fact that all life is connected by a shared genetic heritage. Not so long ago Adrian Woolfson’s On the Future of Species would be classified as science fiction, but here we are, facing ‘a second Genesis’ in real time. This is essential reading.
Reviewed by Rod McLary Musicians who have great success with their first album often say that creating their sophomore album is the more challenging. How do you replicate the success of the first without replicating the content? If that holds true for writers as well, then Alex Dook has managed it very well. His sophomore
Reviewed by Clare Brook In our brave new high tech world things are rarely what they seem to be. In The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI – How to Think About Artificial Intelligence Before It’s Too Late Cory Doctorow sorts the reality from the hype. Doctorow’s title is adapted from automation theory: a
Reviewed by Norrie Sanders It’s hard to disagree that good eating goes hand in hand with good health. And that, for many people, inflammation is the enemy of good health. Whether it’s arthritis, irritable bowel or asthma, inflammation seems to be the root cause of so many annoying and painful symptoms. Lee Holmes’ latest book
Reviewed by Ian Lipke An analysis of The Fatal Island: Bullets, Magic and Power in Timor demands a recognition of its dual nature: it is simultaneously a rigorous piece of investigative journalism by Walkley Award-winner Paul Toohey and a deep, narrative work of true crime. Centred on the volatile early years of an independent East