A Question of Belief

Quarterly Essay, the Australian journal about politics and culture, has just hit a major milestone with the publication of QE100 - its 100th issue. Each issue features a single essay (about 20,000-25,000 words in length) written by some of Australia's leading thinkers and writers including David Marr, Don Watson, Laura Tingle, Margaret Simons, George Megalogenis and many more. 

I have been a subscriber for over a decade and, while some topics at first glance seem uninteresting I have always learned something. While I don't always blog about them, some essays have lingered long in my mind and among my favourites are:

• QE51 The Prince (2013) by David Marr
• QE52 Found in Translation (2013) by Linda Jaivin
• QE57 Dear Life (2015) by Karen Hitchcock
• QE83 Top Blokes: The Larrikin Myth, Class and Power (2021) by Lech Blaine
• QE92 The Great Divide (2023) by Alan Kohler

I was excited when I heard Sean Kelly was going to be writing QE100 as his book The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison (2021), one of the best political books I have read and I enjoy his articles in The Age/SMH. Plus, the subject of QE100 is The Good Fight: What Does Labor Stand For? - a topic worth exploring. 

One would expect the Labor party - that established Medicare and the NDIS - would be working hard on social equity. A huge part of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese narrative is growing up in council housing, having been raised by a single mother on a disability pension. Throughout his 30 years in Parliament he has always championed the working class. Albo's 'father figure' was Tom Uren, who served in the Whitlam and Hawke governments, and was a champion for social justice, civil rights, indigenous land rights and protection of the environment.

Kelly is clearly disappointed in the federal Labor party. They appear to be well positioned for success - a competent team in a majority government, without a viable opposition, and their party is in power in most states - but for whatever reason they seem tentative in their approach to governing. This should be a period for nation-building reform, so what is going on?

Rather than declaring a definitive stance of what it means to be Labor, the party have spent a long time defining themselves as what they are not.  They have positioned themselves in opposition to the Liberal/National Coalition. But the Coalition has lurched further to the right, and as the past few elections have shown, the Coalition appears to no longer have a defining ideology. How does Labor position themselves against something so ill-defined? 

Kelly points to the consensus making that has been a hallmark of Albanese's leadership. While it may seem like unity is a good way to govern, it can result in bad policy - aiming for safe rather than brave. Kelly writes (p17):

'how hard it can be to spot the distinction between cooperation and submission; between solidarity and insipid obedience. One might easily become the other, unnoticed until it is too late; one might even be both at once.' 

Albanese has had moments of political bravery. His efforts to establish a Voice to Parliament for our First Nations people was courageous, but ultimately unwise as there was not bipartisan support. He also backtracked on the Coalition's 'stage three tax cuts' which would have done little to help those struggling most with cost of living. But more often than not, Labor does not pursue policies that you would expect of them - on climate change, LGBTQIA+ discrimination, tax reform - preferring the 'path of least resistance' (p 33). Given Albanese's long-held desire for high speed rail, I figured that would be one of his nation-building projects but it is not on the agenda. It seems that Kelly reckons Jim Chalmers (like Paul Keating before him) may be the braver person on the front bench.

Kelly writes (p36)

'If you want the very best outcome - not simply the one which you can convince most people to support - then conflict is inevitable. You may not win, but that is not the same thing as deciding not to fight.'

I had expected Kelly to dig more into the behind-the-scenes of the modern Labor Party, especially given his past experience working in the Rudd/Gillard office. For example, the weird factions at play in the party room that led to the dumping of competent ministers (like Mark Dreyfus, Ed Husic) and of not making the most of talents like Tanya Plibersek.  

Ultimately, the picture painted of Albanese is one of beige blandness, playing it safe to stay in government as long as possible. You need an effective opposition to have a good government, and as the Coalition cannot decide on where they stand either, that currently seems a low prospect. I like Albo. He is a good bloke and means well. Here's hoping he reads QE100 and gives some thought to articulating a clear direction for our country, one beyond electoral cycles. Now's the chance to do something that makes a positive impact for generations to come. 

Balance of Power

It is hard to believe that Trump's second presidency is only six months old given the scale of change he has wrought upon the world. In pursuing his 'America First' ideology, Trump has upended the global order and turned his back on old alliances. Through punishing tariffs, drastic immigration crackdowns, and the withdrawal of American overseas aid, Trump has signalled a dramatic repositioning of America's place in the world. 

Hugh White's Quarterly Essay (QE98), Hard New World: Our Post American Future (2025) is a timely exploration of this new world order and the ways in which Australia needs to navigate the changing landscape. 

The Trump world is multipolar in which Russia's ambitions in Eastern Europe and China's objectives in Asia are matched by Trump's aspirations in North America. America's containment strategy has given way. No wonder he wants Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal to form part of his American hegemony. 

White writes:

'That scene in the Oval Office with Zelenskyy perfectly exemplified Trump's vision of America in the world. He rejects the whole idea of America as the global leader, upholding and enforcing international order and promoting American values for the good of the world as a whole. To Trump, America's sole purpose in them world is too to protect America's direct interests in its own security and prosperity". (p11)

Trump's international relations are transactional, all about doing deals and trade offs. People gasped when he proposed a Riveria-style reimagination of Gaza, but this is how a real estate baron sees the world - through hotels, golf courses and casinos. He admires 'strong man' leaders - Putin, Netanyahu, Xi Jinping - and has increasingly distanced himself from the institutions and conventions that keep peace in our world. 

White's exploration of the balance of power in Asia was perhaps the most interesting as he considers where Australia fits in the new world order. He questions the AUKUS arrangement and Australia's dependence on America, arguing that eight subs (if delivered) will not deter Chinese expansion in south east Asia. With Australia trying to solidify relationships with South Pacific island nations through sports and other investments, this may not be enough to secure peace in our backyard. White reckons that Taiwan will be the flashpoint in which China tests the world's resolve - will America back Taiwan? Will Australia join America? Let's hope this fragile peace is not tested.

Over the past few days, as I read this essay, Israel and Iran have gone to war and America bombed nuclear sites. It feels as though the world is on a precipice, and I am increasingly doubtful that the leaders and institutions that prevented nuclear war will prevail. All the more reason to read this essay and gain a better understanding of what is at stake. 

Hugh White is emeritus professor of strategic studies at ANU and author of Australia's Defence White Paper 2000. White has written three previous Quarterly Essays focussed on international relations:

• Power Shift: Australia's Future between Washington and Beijing (QE39) - August 2010
• Without America: Australia in the New Asia (QE68) - November 2017
• Sleepwalk to War: Australia's Unthinking Alliance with America (QE86) - June 2025

The Storyteller

With only days to go before my overseas holiday, I didn't want to start a new novel. Perusing my shelves, I found Nobody's Looking at You (2019) is a collection of essays by the legendary Janet Malcolm. Rather than reading from cover to cover, I have dipped in and out of this collection for many years, savouring her brilliant writing and fascinating choice of subjects. This compilation of narrative non-fiction contains her work that has been previously published in the New Yorker and the New York Review of Books.

Highlights in this eclectic collection are many. The title essay 'Nobody's Looking at You' is about Eileen Fisher, 1980s fashion designer. Performance Artist' about concert pianist Yuja Wang. Malcolm interviews journalist Rachel Maddow for 'The Storyteller'.

Some essays have a nostalgic flair. 'Three Sisters' follows the owners of the Argosy book shop, a family business passed does the generations. 'The Emigre' covers George Jellinek's final taping of The Vocal Scene, his radio show broadcast for thirty-six years. Malcolm writes lovingly about a fellow migrant.   

I was intrigued by her essay 'The Art of Testifying', where Malcolm looks at the ways in which Supreme Court nominees have charmed Congress during their confirmation hearings. It was interesting to read about Justice David Souter (who passed away last week) and the Clarence Thomas hearings, which I remember well.

Malcolm's essays regarding authors and books are delightful, as she writes about Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf, Ted Hughes, and reviews Helen Garner's book The First Stone. 

One of my favourite essays is 'Socks' about Constance Garnett's translations of Anna Karenina and attempts by other translators to modernise the language have seen this classic novel loose some of the poetry and magic. 'Remember the Ladies' looks at Alexander McCall-Smith's No 1 Ladies Detective series, which Malcolm clearly loves.

Not all the essays work well for me. 'Comedy Central on the Mall' is one which kind of feels like you had to be there to get it. 'Pandora's Click' is a review of a book about email, which Malcolm originally published in 2007. Now it is terribly dated.

I have read a number of Malcolm's books (before I began blogging), including The Journalist and the Murderer (1990) and The Silent Woman: Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes (1994). I admire her curiosity and intellect. She has a knack for finding interesting subjects for her sharp critical eye.

Stella Prize Longlist 2025

The 2025 Stella Prize longlist has been released! The annual literary award celebrating women and non-binary writers of both fiction and non-fiction is named after Australian author Stella Miles Franklin. 

Past winners include some of my favourite books on recent years:

Sarah Holland-Batt for The Jaguar (2023)

Evelyn Araleun for Drop Bear (2022)

Evie Wyld for The Bass Rock (2021)

Jess Hill for See What You Made Me Do (2020)

Vicki Laveau-Harvie for The Erratics (2019)

Alexis Wright for Tracker (2018)

Heather Rose for The Museum of Modern Love (2017)

Charlotte Wood for The Natural Way of Things (2016)

Emily Bitto for The Strays (2015)

Claire Wright for The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka (2014)

Carrie Tiffany for Mateship with Birds (2013)

On 4 March 2025, the longlist was revealed with 12 nominees. I have already read two of the books and loved them, and others are on my wish list.

The 2025 longlist is as follows:

Jumaana Abdu - Translations 

This debut novel focuses on Aliyah and her daughter Sakina who move from the city to rural New South Wales to start a new life. Here she takes in others who have also been displaced. Abdu is a junior medical doctor who has been published in various publications and collections. She is the recipient of the Dal Stivens Award and the Patricia Hackett Prize.

Manisha Anjali - Naag Mountain 

A debut collection of poetry by Indo-Fijian poet Manisha Anjali. Her work covers themes of displacement, community and history. The judges said 'An incantatory debut collection, Manisha Anjali's Naag Mountain takes its shape in the brilliant language of dreams.' Anjali is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne.

Melanie Cheng - The Burrow 

I recently finished this delightful novel about a family coming to terms with grief and isolation. Beautifully written, told from the point of view of each main character, this is a heartwarming and hopeful story.  Cheng is a gifted writer and general practitioner. I am so pleased this novel is on the list. My review of The Burrow is available on this blog. 

Santilla Chingaipe - Black Convicts: How Slavery Shaped Australia

When Australia was colonised, slaves were among those on the First Fleet in 1788. By 1840 there were 500 slaves in the colony. In this work of non-fiction, historian Chingaipe explores who these slaves were and how the nation's history has been whitewashed. 

Michelle de Krester - Theory and Practice 

This novel tells the story of a young woman in Melbourne in 1986. There to research the novels of Virginia Woolf, she meets Kit and her ambitions change. Acclaimed author de Krester has previously received the Miles Franklin Award twice - for Questions of Travel (2013) and The Life to Come (2018).

Dylin Hardcastle - A Language of Limbs 

Summer 1972 in Newcastle NSW. A teenage girl is in the throws of her first love, desiring her female best friend. Following these women over three decades, during a period where it was dangerous to be openly queer, this novel is about love, friendship and desire. This novel has been optioned for the screen.

Emily Maguire - Rapture 

I have just finished this wonderful novel and absolutely thrilled it is longlisted. Set in the ninth century, this historical novel is about Agnes, who disguises herself as a man and devotes herself to religious study as a Benedictine monk. Maguire is a phenomenal writer. My review is available on this blog.

Amy McQuire - Black Witness 

Darumbal and South Sea Islander journalist McQuire's essay collection has been described by the judges as a 'must-read for all engaged citizens, especially journalists who want to represent the fullness of contemporary Australia. 

Samah Sabawi - Cactus Pear for My Beloved 

This memoir is about a family from Gaza who fled Palestine to start a new life in Australia. Sabawi shares the story of her parents, and families in similar circumstances, forced to flee their homelands and the intergenerational trauma and displacement that comes with this experience. Sabawi is an author, playwright and poet. 

Mykaela Saunders - Always will Be 

Set in the Tweed, this collection of short stories reimagines a future in which Goori people have reasserted their sovereignty. She writes of people exerting self-determination and incorporating non-Indigenous people into their communities. Dr Mykaela Saunders is an award winning Koori/Goori and Lebanese author. This collection won the David Unpin award. 

Inga Simpson - The Thinning 

In this apocalyptic thriller, Fin and her mother live off the grid in an isolated camp in the Warrambungles. The planet is on the brink of collapsed, fertility rates have dramatically declined and species are becoming extinct.  Fin must travel across the Pilliga to a radio tower before time runs out. The judges described this novel as 'an electric and melancholy tale, disturbingly believable but ultimately - and surprisingly - hopeful.' Simpson is an acclaimed novelist and nature writer.

Cher Tan - Peripathetic 

This collection of essays is about work, being yourself, being online and much more. The judges write 'Funny and strange and breathing so fast, Peripathetic is a remarkable work. Tan has produced an utterly unique entry in Australian letters.' Born in Singapore, Tan lives in Adelaide and her work has been published widely. This is her first book.

For more information and the complete judges comments, see the Stella Prize website. 

I watched the livestream of the longlist announcement and was really disappointed that it had terrible audio and was clearly filmed on someone's phone. It was almost impossible to hear what was being announced. Quite a contrast to the announcements of the Women's Prize, which is so much more professionally done. 

This year's list seems like an improvement on recent years where the works were often obscure and unrelatable. I still wish that this focussed primarily on fiction, rather than other genres, but I am pleased to see half the titles are novels. 

Of the longlist, the titles I am most interested in are the works by de Krester, Hardcastle, Chingaipe, and Simpson. If I had to pick a shortlist - I would sincerely hope to see Cheng, Maguire and de Krester among those listed.

The Shortlist will be announced on 8 April 2025 with the winner of the $60,000 prize will be announced on 23 May 2025. 

Party Time

With a federal election looming in Australia, George Megalogenis' Quarterly Essay (QE96) Minority Report - The New Shape of Australian Politics (2024) is a timely exploration of the Australian political landscape. 

In Minority Report, Megalogenis takes a look at how the electorate is shifting away from the duopoly of Labor and the Coalition to a broader, more representative government. Younger voters in particular are not rusted-on voters to any party, are sceptical about politics, and have a wider range of interests.  The rise of the Teal independents - brilliantly explained in Margot Saville's The Teal Revolution (2022) - has made Australian politics far more interesting and diverse.

Megalogenis argues that a shift began in the Australian electorate with the 2010 election and the end of the historic 40-40-20 rule. This rule held that Labor and the Coalition would each score 40% of the vote and the remaining 20% was made up by minority parties and independents. Indeed the Liberal Party would not survive outside of its decades-long Liberal-National Coalition. The pendulum has swung away from the major parties and it is unlikely to return back to the two-party dominance of the past.

The other shift which has occurred is power moving from Queensland and Western Australia (where the electorate is predominately regional/rural) to more urban, younger and multicultural areas. The dynamic, diverse cities of Melbourne and Sydney will determine the outcome of the next election.

Melalogenis argues that Albanese is pursuing a strategy of building trust and consolidating power in his first term, and then pursuing reform in his second term. But, the failure of the voice referendum (a devastating rejection of our First Nations people that I will never get over), has made Albanese more timid and less ambitious. His opponent is well versed in the politics of 'No' and is growing more Trumpian each day. 

The reform success of past governments is explored. Hawke/Keating brought forth Medicare, superannuation, immigration and closer ties with Asia. Gillard created the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Howard took the GST to the electorate and brought in gun reform. Albanese sought to do this with the Voice to Parliament, but needed the support of the Opposition. 

Housing is the big issue in the electorate, especially in Melbourne and Sydney where median house prices have exploded but supply has not kept up with demand. Older generations, especially those who have acquired multiple properties as investments, want to hold and pass down their wealth. Younger generations have long since given up the idea of owning property as they have been priced out of the market. Housing is in need of bold reform, not tinkering at the edges. Alan Kohler spoke of this in his excellent Quarterly Essay 92 - The Great Divide (2023). 

Politics requires a vision for the future and a willingness to negotiate to get things done. It is highly likely that whoever wins the next election will face a hung parliament and will need to work with the crossbench. Prime Minister Julia Gillard worked with independents to bring about positive change. 

Megalogenis concludes his essay with optimism, sharing his view 'that a hung parliament offers our last best chance to restore purpose to our politics - and policymaking' (p65). We won't have to wait too long for the election to be called and to see whether this view holds up. I hope it does. 

Another quality Quarterly Essay - so glad I subscribe to this publication! My review of George Megalogenis' Quarterly Essay 61 - Balancing Act (2016) is also available on this blog.

My Reading Year 2024

2024 was a wonderful year for reading - a year in which I was introduced to new authors, spent time with a few favourites and learned much about the world.

My reading goal for 2024 was 30 books, which I surpassed reading 34 titles this year. When planning for 2024 at the start of the year, I had a stack of books on my to-be-read pile, and managed to read only a handful before I got distracted by other titles. In January I updated my reading bingo card to diversify my reading. While I didn't read all categories, I succeeded in most of them (highlighted) but failed to read a poetry collection, short story collection and a handful of other categories.


So here's what I read in 2024:

Fiction

Reflecting on my novel reading for 2024, I can see that I was influenced by a couple of key factors:

• Hearing authors speak at festivals encouraged me to seek out their work. 
• Favourite authors releasing new novels or series sequels. 
• Award longlists introduced me to books and authors I did not know.
• Film/TV adaptations based on novels which I wanted to read before I saw the adaptation.
• Recommendations from friends, family and fellow book bloggers.

In March I attended the All About Women festival at the Sydney Opera House where I was able to meet Mary Beard, Anne Enright, Anna Funder and other authors I admire. It was wonderful to talk with Irish author Anne Enright about her latest novel, The Wren, The Wren (2023) which I absolutely loved. I followed it up by reading The Gathering (2007) which had languished on my shelf for far too long. These two novels, read back-to-back alongside Enright's audiobook recording, made me wonder why I had not read her work before. I now have her back catalogue and look forward to reading more of her novels. 

Another author I read multiple books by in 2024 was Colson Whitehead. I met him at the Sydney Writers' Festival in 2023 where he signed many of his books for me. I had previously loved his novel The Nickel Boys (2019), so this year I read Harlem Shuffle (2021) the first in a planned trilogy about Ray Carney, a furniture salesman and fence of stolen goods. I read this alongside the audiobook brilliantly performed by Dion Graham. Whitehead is an amazing genre-switching author and I was keen to read his early novel Zone One (2011) about a zombie apocalypse. While I didn't love that novel, I certainly appreciate Whitehead's thoughtful prose. 

Sequels I was looking forward to this year did not disappoint. Colm Toibin's Long Island (2024) was the long awaited sequel to his novel Brooklyn (2009), which tell the story of Eilis Lacey, a young Irish woman who moves to New York and then twenty years later returns home to visit her family. Toibin's storytelling is magical and it was wonderful to revisit this heroine. Pat Barker's trilogy retelling Homer's Iliad from the perspective of women concluded with The Voyage Home (2024) focussing on Cassandra and Clytemnestra. This novel was a worthy successor to The Silence of the Girls (2018) and The Women of Troy (2021). Highly recommended.

Mid-year I embarked on a wonderful reading journey. Percival Everett's James (2024) is a retelling of Mark Twain's novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1886). Before reading James, I went back to the source material and re-read the Twain books I read decades ago. This greatly enhanced my appreciation of what Everett achieved with his novel - he is a master of language and James is a sharp, edgy satire. Without any hesitation, the best novel I read this year!

Among the various novels I read that were award nominees, the Women's Prize and the Booker Prize gave me the most amount of joy. From the Booker Prize shortlist I read Charlotte Wood's Stone Yard Devotional (2023), Everett's James (2024) and winner Samantha Harvey's Orbital (2023).  The 2024 Women's Prize shortlist gave me Anne Enright's The Wren, The Wren (2023) and Kate Grenville's Restless Dolly Maunder (2023) 

Two books I chose because I wanted to see the film adaptations, but prefer to read the book first. Robert Harris' Conclave (2016) was a gripping thriller about the selection of the Pope. It has been made into a brilliant film starring Ralph Fiennes. Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go (2005) was adapted into a film with Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield in 2010. I wanted to see the film but was sparked to re-read the book when it appeared on a list published by the New York Times of the best books of the 21st century. I didn't love it as much as the NYT readers and the film was uninspiring. 

Recommendations from friends, families and fellow readers led me to many of my favourite reads of the year. Alba de Cespedes Forbidden Notebook (2023),  originally published in the 1950s, focusses on an Italian housewife who records her inner life in a diary.  Elizabeth and Elizabeth (2021) by Sue Williams explores the friendship between two women who were instrumental in the early days of Sydney. Claire Keegan's novella Foster (2010) is a gem of a story about a girl who spends a summer away from home. Lisa See's wonderful Lady Tan's Circle of Women (2023) transported me to the Ming Dynasty. Miranda July's brilliant All Fours (2024) was a delight that I have recommended to many friends. Unlike the other novels which focus on women, Alice Winn's gripping In Memoriam (2023) explores the lives of men at war in a novel I will not soon forget.

Crime thrillers always make their way into my reading cycle. Aussie noir shows no signs of stopping and this year I read two great novels by some of my favourite writers in this genre. Chris Hammer's The Valley (2024) is his latest in the Lucic/Buchanan series and was a ripping yarn! Garry Disher's The Way it is Now (2021) is a standalone crime thriller set in the Mornington Peninsula. Journalist Louise Milligan made her fiction debut with Pheasants Nest (2024), a page-turning novel about a journalist who goes missing. 

Of course Aussies aren't the only crime writers around. Tana French continued her western-style crime series with The Hunter (2024), a sequel to The Searcher (2020) which follows retired American detective Cal Hooper, now residing in a small town in Ireland. I also read another novel in the Simon Serrallier series by Dame Susan Hill, The Vows of Silence (2008) in which the detective has to track down a potential serial killer targeting newlywed women. Finally, I read Dorothy B Hughes' In a Lonely Place (1947) which has been on my shelf for years! Hughes is an amazing writer and this was an interesting take on the genre, told from the perspective of the killer.

Non-Fiction

This year I didn't read as much non-fiction as I had planned to and will need to rectify this in 2025.

I really enjoyed the Quarterly Essays this year. I have subscribed for the past decade and each year there are usually one or two on topics that I am not that interested in. 

This year I read three fantastic essays. Alan Kohler's The Great Divide focussed on the housing crisis. Don Watson's High Noon was all about the 2024 Presidential election. Lech Blaine's Bad Cop showcased the opposition leader Peter Dutton. All were well written and worth reading.

Memoirs and biographies always intrigue me. I love learning about real people, their lives and how they became who they are. Journalist Paddy Manning explores the life of Lachlan Murdoch, media scion, in The Successor (2023). I heard Manning speak about this at the 2023 Sydney Writers' Festival and was keen to read it against the backdrop of the Murdoch family dramas. Richard Flanagan's Question 7 (2023) is unlike any memoir I have ever read as he blends genre and takes readers on a strange journey which links the author's existence to HG Wells and the atomic bomb. I love Flanagan as a novelist and while Question 7 didn't work for me, I admire his twist on the genre.

Sarah Firth's graphic essay collection Eventually Everything Connects (2023) is a beautiful exploration of life. I loved the way Firth tackled big topics and everyday activities in illustrated form. Claire Dederer's book Monsters - a Fan's Dilemma (2023) looks at art and how to balance works of genius created by people who are contemptible. This was a fascinating way to consider what we consume and whether we can seperate the work from its maker.  Finally, I absolutely loved journalist Nick Bryant's The Forever War (2024), an exploration of American political history and how to make sense of what is happening today in the United States.

Best of 2024

I read so many great books this year. I loved and highly recommend:

• Nick Bryant - The Forever War
• Anne Enright - The Wren, The Wren
• Percival Everett - James
• Sarah Firth - Eventually Everything Connects
• Chris Hammer - The Valley
• Robert Harris - Conclave
• Miranda July - All Fours
• Paddy Manning - The Successor
• Lisa See - Lady Tan's Circle of Women
• Colm Toibin-  Long Island
• Alice Winn - In Memoriam
• Charlotte Wood - Stone Yard Devotional

If I had to choose my absolute favourites for 2024, without any hesitation I would pick Percival Everett's James and Nick Bryant's The Forever War.

Well, that's my year of reading! A new year starts tomorrow and I cannot wait to discover new books and rediscover old favourites. Happy New Reading Year!

The Great Divide

There are only three weeks to go before election day in America. Like many political science nerds around the world, I have been avidly following the twists and turns of the campaign. The uninspiring Biden-Trump rematch was hard to watch. Were these two men the best a nation of 345 million people had to offer?  Generational change in both parties, at all levels of government, is needed to reinvigorate American politics and bring things back to a more moderate, less divisive centre.

In the latest Quarterly Essay, High Noon: Trump, Harris and America on the Brink (QE95, 2024), by Australian author, political adviser and historian Don Watson, readers are taken to America - to Los Angeles, Detroit, Kalamazoo, New York - to learn about the issues shaping this election. 

When Watson began writing this essay Biden was still on the ticket. He explores Biden's life in politics and the many achievements of his presidency. More Americans have health insurance, job growth and wages have risen, worker protections have improved. The economy is better, crime is declining and there has been serious action on climate change. Biden has reduced inequality. Watson pointed to many initiatives I did not know about and I reckon when non-partisan historians write of the Biden legacy he will be viewed with much admiration.

After the depressing Trump-Biden debate things had to change. Within a few short weeks, JD Vance was named as Trump's running mate, Biden was out, Harris was the Democratic nominee, and there had been an assassination attempt on Trump. 

Watson writes of the threat of a second Trump presidency, the way he has shifted the Republican party towards populism, xenophobia and isolationism. His family and acolytes are entrenched in the party, making Trumpism the test of loyalty and favour. Watson contrasts Trump's appearance at his hush money trial with his campaign rallies - ever the showman, relying on entertainment over substance. 

The swap from Biden to Harris brought with it a glimmer of hope that change was possible. Watson talks with everyday Americans about the polarisation of politics, misinformation and division. He explores how the media has a lot to answer for, racism and fear run deep, and how voters mistrust the electoral system. Whatever happens on election day, America is a tinderbox ready to ignite.

I greatly enjoyed Watson's exploration of American politics. He is an intelligent, unpretentious and persuasive author. This is a brilliant Quarterly Essay, well worth a read.

My review of Don Watson's previous Quarterly Essay, Enemy Within: American Politics in the Time of Trump (QE63), is also available on this blog.

Joie de Vivre

Sarah Firth's debut graphic novel Eventually Everything Connects (2023) is a beautiful, articulate, meditation on life. Subtitled 'Eight Essays on Uncertainty' Firth writes about the environment, diversity, and the joys of the little things in life, in interconnected visual essays.

The first essay, 'Joie de Vivre' is about the repetitions of life, our daily routine and finding the joy in simplicity. Can we find meaning in the seemingly meaningless?. In 'Like a moth to a flame' Firth ponders our obsession with our phones and the need to disconnect. In other essays she writes about sexual dreams and taboos, life cycles, the environment, mental health. 

These are deeply thoughtful, personal essays in which Firth grapples with the complexities and contradictions of life. Despite the deep subject matter, Firth's humour and creative illustrations make the essays relatable and compelling. 

I found this book fascinating on many levels. Had Firth written on these topics in prose they would have been interesting enough. But she has elevated the reader's connection to her and the subject material through her illustrations. She positions herself in many of the illustrations - at various stages in her life - and shares her vulnerability and anxieties. 

After reading each essay I went back and spent time reviewing some of the intricate drawings and really appreciate them. Whether a panel of illustrations on what diverse people were doing at that moment in time, or a whole page devoted to self-reflection, Firth's drawings provide another layer of meaning. 

I first heard about this book at the Sydney Writers Festival in 2022 when Nakkiah Lui introduced her as part of a panel of new talent. Firth read an excerpt and shared her website with illustrations for Joie de Vivre. Firth said at the time that she was glad Lui's new publishing house Joan had picked up the book as other publishers had rejected it as it could not be easily categorised. I had totally forgotten to look out for this book and was only reminded of it in August this year when it was shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards, prompting me to order a copy. 

I am so glad to have read Eventually Everything Connects. For anyone wanting to have a look at Firth's work before committing to the whole book, her website has extracts from this book. 

Graphic novels are not for everyone, but I really appreciate this genre. My reviews of other graphic novels can be found on this blog, including: Mandy Ord's When One Person Dies the Whole World is Over (2020), Jim Broadbent's Dull Margaret (2018), Nick Drasno's Sabrina (2018) and Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth (2000).

The Human Stain

Can you love art, but dislike the artist? In the past few years so many artists have fallen from grace, been exposed for their ill deeds, or expressed contemptible views. For fans of their work, it can be difficult to know what to do when something they love is tainted by the actions of the person who created it.

Take, for example, JK Rowling. I love Harry Potter and the Cormoran Strike series, but I am deeply troubled by her hateful views against the transgendered community. For someone who created a world in which misfits found safe haven, I cannot reconcile this with her anti-trans campaign. So, can I still enjoy her books or by reading them am I condoning the author's views? As writer Claire Dederer poses in Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma (2023), 'How do we seperate the maker from the made?'.

Dederer's roll call of problematic artists includes Roman Polanski, Bill Crosby, Woody Allen, Pablo Picasso, Sid Vicious, Norman Mailer, Miles Davis, Johnny Depp, Caravaggio, Ernest Hemingway, Michael Jackson, Phil Spector, and more. To this you can add Will Smith, Kevin Spacey and on and on. These artists have been convicted of crimes, accused of heinous acts, are misogynists or racists, or are garden variety creepers. Are some of the artists geniuses precisely because of their ill behaviour? Perhaps. 

In her book Dederer shows how she is trying to experiment with different ways of looking at art. As a cultural critic, she cannot view art in the same way as her male colleagues. In one chapter she looks at Woody Allen's acclaimed film Manhattan in which Allen's character dates a high school student. For Dederer this is problematic, made more so by Allen's later real-life actions of leaving his partner for his teenage step-daughter and allegations of abuse by his adopted daughter. Dederer's male colleagues say she should ignore this, and just appreciate the film as a work of art. But can she? Should we?

Dederer also looks at Virginia Woolf, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Willa Cather - authors who made anti-semitic or racist comments in their work - and Doris Lessing who abandoned her children to have a career. I found the chapter on female monsters fascinating, as it always boils down to women failing as mothers when putting their art above their family - which many male artists do but is not viewed as irregular.

What I liked about Dederer's book is that she is working out loud. She is grappling with the concerns of consuming art with or without a moral lens. She asks whether some artists can be given a pass, or whether the failings of artists should be seen in the context of their time. She also points out that in modern times we know more about the artists behind the work than in previous generations where their work can be enjoyed in isolation. I also liked that Dederer didn't solve the problem. She is against cancel culture. She calls for consumers of art to be wise and to challenge their own assumptions. Dederer challenges her reader to think and be open to wallowing in the messiness. Whether you agree with Dederer or not, this is a thought-provoking book. 

Hard No

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has always seemed to me to be a hard man. Perhaps it is his decade as a police officer. Perhaps it is his Lex Luther visage. Perhaps it is his tough Home Affairs Minister persona. Or perhaps it is his unwillingness to budge on the issues I care about: the rights of those at the margins as evidenced through his opposition to equal marriage, the apology to First Nations people,  the rejection of the Voice referendum, and his disdain for those seeking asylum. I always had the impression he sees things as black/white, right/wrong, and is uncomfortable with any shade of grey. 

In the latest Quarterly Essay (QE93), Bad Cop - Peter Dutton's Strongman Politics, journalist Lech Blaine looks for the man behind the tough exterior. He explores how Dutton's time as a cop led him to distrust the legal system and lack any kind of empathy for those who may find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

Blaine argues that as Opposition Leader Dutton is determined to play on fear and he is 'a serious strongman for the age of anxiety.' This is certainly true in the way he has weaponises fear for political advantage. I well remember his unfounded claims that African gangs were terrorising people in Victoria, just as his fresh allegations paint Indigenous people as child abusers and refugees as criminals.

Dutton was politically hungry from a young age, joining the Young Liberals at 18 and (unsuccessfully) running for state parliament a year later. He joined the police force and spent a decade on the drug squad, and often draws on stories from his police work when talking about crime. But Blaine sheds the battler myth of Dutton's working class background, highlighting his wealth from investing in child care and property development. He was elected to Parliament in 2021 and rose to Cabinet Minister roles in the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments holding key portfolios of Health, Immigration, Border Protection, Home Affairs, and Defence. 

Dutton is ambitious for the top job, and was elected unopposed as Opposition Leader after the demise of the Morrison government in 2022. Yet he seems to ignore the problems within his party which will impact his electability as much as his own persona does. Not only has he done absolutely nothing to attract women to the party, but he has allowed the Liberals to be held hostage by the Nationals, veering further to the right on social issues. 

I like Lech Blaine as an author. His previous Quarterly Essay (QE83) Top Blokes: The Larrikin Myth, Class and Power (2021) was really interesting. Bad Cop is another demonstration of Blaine's skill, creating an informative and compelling profile of Dutton. I had thought perhaps that in reading this essay I would find someway of liking Dutton a little bit. On the contrary, I have come away disliking him more. 

On the House

Australia is obsessed with property. Whenever people gather, conversations inevitably turn to the cost of housing and the rental crisis. The great Australian dream is a quarter acre block, and given our low population density, one might expect there is plenty of room for everyone to have a roof over their head. Unfortunately, this has not occurred and there is a great divide between those who have a home, and those who do not.

In his Quarterly Essay (QE92) The Great Divide - Australia's Housing Mess and How to Fix It, economist Alan Kohler explores how we ended up here and possible pathways out. Once upon a time, the cost of housing kept up with wage growth. In the 1950s people would have paid about 3.5x the average household income for a home, whereas now it is more like 7-8x.  

Kohler argues that the problem is that housing has 'been turned into speculative investment assets by the fifty years of government policy failure, financialisation and greed that resulted in exploding house prices' (p5). Kohler identifies a supply problem, with insufficient public housing from the 1960s, the lack of medium density housing within close proximity to the urban centres, and the federal/state/local divide on who controls development. While supply has dwindled, demand has grown with Howard government policies giving first home owners grants and cutting capital gains tax.

It is essential that we fix this problem. Homelessness is on the rise and the lack of public housing is horrific. Mortgage stress is significant, and many families who purchased during the pandemic with a low fixed rate, will find themselves in trouble when the fixed rate ends in coming months.

Kohler proposes several solutions to fix this crisis. He looks at addressing negative gearing, link immigration policy to infrastructure development, decentralising housing, building high speed rail to allow for commuters, and more. But he acknowledges that political leadership is needed to make unpopular but necessary decisions. 

I'm a mortgage holder in Sydney, the second most expensive place to buy property on earth where the median price house is well over $1M. If I were to sell my apartment, what I would be able to purchase next would likely be smaller, and farther away from the city.  Reading Kohler's essay, I realised that I am a YIMBY - Yes in my back yard! I believe that diverse communities are essential and that our cities need to be more European with more medium density dwellings catering for a cross section of society, with access to public transport and services. In NSW I can see the Minns' government making steps in this direction, reclaiming and rezoning land for parks and housing, a step in the right direction.

My Reading Year 2023

I managed to get my reading mojo back in 2023 and have enjoyed a wonderful year of books. I also spent a week at the Sydney Writers' Festival which introduced me to many new books and authors. 

My reading goal for 2023 was 30 books, which I achieved, reading 33 titles this year. When planning for 2023 at the start of the year, I had a stack of books on my to-be-read pile, and managed to read most of them.  I also updated my reading bingo card  to help me diversify my reading. While I didn't read all categories, I succeeded in most of them (highlighted below). 

So here's what I read in 2023:

Fiction

I wanted to read some classics this year. In January I discovered the #BigBronteReadalong on Instagram and so joined that group online. I have read all the Bronte novels before, but many decades ago (indeed, last century!). I managed to read four Bronte novels - Jane Eyre, Shirley, The Professor and Agnes Grey. I tried to read Wuthering Heights again, but still did not like it, and lost my Bronte momentum, after slogging my way through Shirley and The Professor.  So I never did re-read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall or Villette. While my readalong was a bit of a fail, I quite enjoyed the idea of it and may see if I can join one next year for a #DollopofTrollope or similar. Regardless I will continue my reading of classics as I work my way through my Fifty/Five list.

Some of the more modern classics I read this year include George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, Elizabeth Von Armin's Vera, Winifred Watson's Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, and John William's Stoner. I enjoyed all of these novels and am so glad I pulled them off the shelf. Orwell was a re-read but all the others were new to me but had been on my wishlist for many years. The delightful Winifred Watson novel was so hard to come by, but has made me want to search out other neglected books by women writers published by Persephone.

My interest in feminist retellings of ancient myths continues. This year I read two novels based on myths - although not the ones I had on my to be read pile! I picked up two new novels published in 2023 - Jennifer Saint's Atalanta and Costanza Casati's Clytemnestra. Both were really enjoyable and I look forward to reading more myths in 2024.

I read quite a few Aussie Noir crime novels this year. Hayley Scrivenor's Dirt Town was brilliant and I have been recommending it to everyone I know who loves a good page turner. In 2022 I heard Scrivener speak at the Sydney Writers Festival on a panel with Garry Disher. This started my love of Disher's Hirschhausen series and after reading Bitter Wash Road last year, I gobbled up Peace and Consolation this year.  Likewise, I enjoy Chris Hammer's novels and read two in the Lucic/Buchanan series - The Tilt and The Seven. Both were excellent. 

I also read some crime/thriller novels by non-Australian authors. I pre-ordered the latest Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling) novel in the Cormoran Strike series, The Running Grave. It was such an enjoyable read and my favourite in the series so far. Dervla McTiernan is another gifted crime writer and I was delighted to learn about her Cormac Reilly series through reading The Ruin. I pre-ordered Eleanor Catton's novel Birnam Wood and was delighted to get to meet her at the Sydney Writers' Festival. This novel had me gripped from the outset and lingered long after the last page was read. Likewise Percival Everett's magnificent The Trees has not left my mind. I heard about this novel when it was shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize, but had difficulty finding a copy. I am so glad to have read this and look forward to exploring more books by Percival Everett. 

The Sydney Writers' Festival was also a chance to meet Colson Whitehead. I absolutely loved his novel The Nickel Boys and at the time I declared it would be a contender for one of my favourite books of the year. I am looking forward to reading more of Whitehead's books in 2024. 

Award longlists provide me with much reading inspiration but this year I didn't read as many longlisted novels as I normally do, in part because the ones I was most interested in were hard to find. 

Sophie Mackintosh's Cursed Bread was longlisted for the 2023 Women's Prize and sounded really intriguing, but unfortunately left me disappointed. Likewise, Jessica Au's Cold Enough for Snow has won countless awards and was on my wishlist for ages. I read it as my #NovellaInNovember and was underwhelmed. I had avoided Sally Rooney's Normal People for years due to the hype around it but finally read it this year and can now understand why it was so popular. Another much hyped novel is Ann Patchett's Tom Lake which I read and enjoyed with the audiobook performed by Meryl Streep - the first novel I have read which features the COVID-19 pandemic. I also read Miriam Toews' Women Talking, as I wanted to see the film but read the book first. Both the novel and the film were great! 

Of all the novels I read this year it is really hard to pick a favourite. My top five would be:

• Eleanor Catton - Birnam Wood
• Coleson Whitehead - The Nickel Boys
• Hayley Scrivinor - Dirt Town 
• Percival Everett - The Trees
• Robert Galbraith - The Running Grave

Non-Fiction

This year I didn't read as much non-fiction as I had planned to. It was a difficult year for me on many fronts, so perhaps I needed the escape that novels provide!

In January I read Julia Gillard's excellent essay collection Not Now, Not Ever - which looks back at the infamous misogyny speech she gave while Prime Minister and the aftermath ten years later. I loved this book and the diversity of voices she gathered to reflect on politics, sexism and the unfinished business of equality. Another revelatory book on Australian politics was Margot Saville's The Teal Revolution. I attended a session with Saville at the Sydney Writers' Festival and heard her speak about the wave of women entering politics as independents. I found her book a fascinating insight into the current shake up of Parliament.

I also read some interesting memoir this year. Grace Tame's memoir The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner was an interesting exploration of the life of this remarkable woman. While the book was challenging and in need of an edit, I have nothing but admiration for Tame.  Similarly Britney Spears' The Woman in Me was not particularly well written but was such as interesting read. It is a fascinating look at the music industry and the perils of early fame, and I really loved this book and the audiobook performed by Michelle Williams. 

Another memoir of sorts was Anna Funder's Wifedom - a look at the life of Eileen O'Shaunessy Blair, wife of George Orwell. I love Anna Funder and would read anything she writes. I pre-ordered this book as soon as it was announced.  Wifedom does not fit neatly into any category as Funder fuses styles, melding her life with Eileen's. I found it an engrossing read, and made me look at Orwell and his work in a new light. Definitely my favourite non-fiction this year.

Other Genres

I also explored a mishmash of other genres in 2023. 

I re-read a play I had studied in high school, Our Town by Thornton Wilder, to assist me in my reading of Ann Patchett's Tom Lake, and found I still didn't love it after all these years. Shirley Jackson's Dark Tales - a collection of her eerie short stories, was wonderful and made me want to read more of her work.  I also read an amazing poetry collection - Sarah Holland Batt's award winning The Jaguar. I picked this up after hearing her read from the collection at the Sydney Writers' Festival and have savoured her verse.

Best of 2023
I read so many great books this year. I loved and highly recommend:

• Anna Funder - Wifedom 
• Britney Spears - The Woman in Me
• George Orwell -  Nineteen Eighty-Four
• Winifred Watson - Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
• Sarah Holland Batt -  The Jaguar
• Hayley Scrivinor - Dirt Town
• Chris Hammer - The Seven
• Percival Everett - The Trees
• Robert Galbraith - The Running Grave
• Eleanor Catton - Birnam Wood
• Coleson Whitehead - The Nickel Boys

If I had to choose my absolute favourites, I would pick Anna Funder's revealing exploration Wifedom and Eleanor Catton's page-turning eco-thriller Birnam Wood.

Well, that's my year of reading! A new year starts tomorrow and I cannot wait to discover new books and rediscover old favourites. Happy New Reading Year!