Culture
Books
Opinion
WordPlay
Ignore that office block – the sunny room of your young romance exists
In lockdown, we roam our past and speculate our future. You can time travel in your mind.
- by David Astle
Latest
Literary prizes remain a lottery, but they’re still worth having
Prizes such as the Miles Franklin or the Booker are always divisive, but that doesn’t mean they should be abandoned.
- by Jane Sullivan
The idiosyncrasies, inspirations and horrors of Sinead O’Connor
The Irish singer tells her story of a life full of abuse, genius and struggles.
- by Michael Dwyer
A gripping father-and-son story simmers with brooding and dread
Mark Brandi’s third novel is an immaculately sustained mood piece, a grim story of survival.
- by Daniel Herborn
Tasmanian authors dominate line up for Age Book of the Year award
The judges have named a shortlist of seven as the prize makes its return after a nine-year hiatus.
- by Jason Steger
Can’t focus on a book? Audiobooks, with the right narrator, are the answer
We’re mentally bruised. We’re low on energy and patience. With endless hours to kill, the attention span seems to shrivel in fright. Happily, I think I’ve stumbled on a cure for this malaise.
- by David Free
Extract
Health
When burnout becomes a disease of civilisation across the globe
Why does burnout seem to be at an all-time high and what can we do about it?
- by Gordon Parker
A new plot twist for Melbourne’s city bookshops after lockdown
A new scheme offering discounts and supporting local authors aims to lift retail fortunes and attract readers back to the city.
- by Jason Steger
Vanessa Berry takes a diffident peek at the animal world and herself
The lack of human notation in her essays suggest a move away from anthropocentric readings of the landscape.
- by Declan Fry
Bleach and insurrection: The endgame of a beaten president
Two accounts shed light on the final, chaotic year of Donald Trump’s presidency.
- by Bruce Wolpe
Inspired by real events, Newcomer tells the story of a victim in the making
Laura Elizabeth Woollett’s third novel is compelling and unsettling at the same time.
- by Sue Turnbull