Reviewed by Richard Tutin How many times have we heard people say that they “could not sing for peanuts”? When it comes to using the musical instrument called our voice the outcomes are mixed. Some people can hold a note beautifully while others can’t seem to hit any note let alone the right one. Yet,
Reviewed by Richard Tutin The word “Immortal” is an interesting one. It is used to describe those who might live forever. They inhabit folk stories and, in modern times, action movies. It is also used to describe those who have excelled in a particular field. Various sports, for example, have honoured those whom they regard
Reviewed by Norrie Sanders COVID, it seems, is back on the political agenda. The Australian government in September 2023 announced an “independent” and ”eminent” panel to review the Commonwealth’s handling of the recent pandemic. Hot on those heels is the release of a book which assesses in depth the totality of Australia’s COVID response. The
Reviewed by Gerard Healy This a handy guide for those fortunate enough to be expecting or already have grandchildren. It covers a comprehensive range of topics and is written in a clear manner by an experienced adolescent psychologist, Michael Carr-Gregg. The book is well structured with sequential chapters focusing on a child’s development. We go
Reviewed by Richard Tutin Have you ever visited a place where, on arrival, you feel completely at home? If so, then you could be said to have become grounded. The idea of finding a place or places where the busyness of everyday life can be put to one side in favour of some quiet solitude
Reviewed by Clare Brook When it comes to extreme sports there are those who dare, and willing to die daring, such is their addiction to adrenalin, and those of us who are mesmerised by such audacious deeds. Of all the extreme sports there is none more spectacular than big-wave surfing. Witnessing someone ride down an
Reviewed by Norrie Sanders Barbara Baird has published extensively on the history of abortion, and this book came about because: “..while I knew a lot about the law, the politics and how we think about the issue, I knew very little about the provision of abortion services” [p1]. She seems to be posing a question
Reviewed by Richard Tutin Have you ever wondered, as you do your current DIY project, about how nails were made? The same question could be asked about screws and string that we often use but don’t think about how they came to be part of our arsenal to make things or do running repairs. Award
Reviewed by Richard Tutin Rugby League legend, the late Jack Gibson, possessed a large overcoat made of kangaroo fur. He wore it to many a football match and then it mysteriously disappeared, its whereabouts unknown. For the purposes of this book Glen Humphries has used the legend of the missing coat as a starter to
Reviewed by Richard Tutin We often forget that recorded history has many dimensions. While many complain that they have only be taught or shown one side of historical events – usually that of the winners – it doesn’t take long before other stories begin to emerge. Some of these other stories are very serious and
Reviewed by Richard Tutin Every year the hills around Bathurst in country New South Wales come alive to the sound of revving engines – lots of revving engines. The city’s famous Mt Panorama race circuit holds various events – some of which are eagerly anticipated by motor racing fans from all over Australia and the
Reviewed by Richard Tutin All humans know that at some point we will die and no longer walk this earth. This does not mean that we go around ready to embrace it. It is more the opposite. We spend a lot of time trying to avoid it as much as possible. Then comes the time
Reviewed by Norrie Sanders Energy is a hot topic and the world is moving so fast that most of us can’t keep up. Our news feeds are crammed with battery technology, electric vehicle sales graphs, fuel cells and even different colours of hydrogen, but how do we know which ones will rule the future? We
Reviewed by E. B. Heath I am not a fan of dystopian literature, but the title implied the genre: Trump’s Australia. I stared at the book’s cover: the outline of that head, with its yellow hair and orange face, and the map of Australia for a mouth. Non-fiction Noir. How might another Trump Presidency, a
Reviewed by Gerard Healy Gideon Haigh could theoretically open the batting for Australian cricket writers and the bowling for the English cohort, he’s that good. He’s also a very versatile writer full stop. In this collection of writings about the cricket tests between Australia and England starting in 1882, he covers an eclectic range of