Love a good word list? More than 50 years since it was first compiled, this glossary of prison slang is a fascinating window into the past. In the early 1970s, two researchers for the yet-to-be-published Macquarie Dictionary, Sue Butler and Vanessa...
Andrew Fowler argues that the AUKUS submarine deal compromises Australia’s sovereignty and exposes the country to the danger of nuclear waste. Vassal state: a state with varying degrees of independence in its internal affairs but dominated by...
Deborah Callaghan’s sharply observed debut explores what can happen when a woman feels invisible – and starts pushing the boundaries. Audrey, the 38-year-old protagonist of The Little Clothes, is a smart lawyer who lives alone with her pet...
We’ve just passed the shortest day of the year, so it must be time for a Midwinter Giveaway. Now the days are getting longer … yet also colder. So here’s a great swag of books to cheer away the winter blues. To go into the draw to...
Sharon Emmerichs gives the legend of Beowulf a makeover from the point of view of Beowulf’s niece. And yes, there is a dragon. Fryda, niece of the legendary King Beowulf, has always dreamed of becoming a warrior herself, despite her father’s...
Bel Schenk’s deceptively simple novel of a teenage boy’s response to a small-town scandal has a lot to say about gender relations. The Most Famous Boy in Town is the first novel from Bel Schenk, a Melbourne-based poet with three published poetry...
