FELIPE FERNÁNDEZ-ARMESTO Straits: Beyond the Myth of Magellan. Reviewed by Ann Skea
Was the explorer Ferdinand Magellan the hero European history has claimed him to be? Failure is fatal to happiness but can be fruitful for fame. Metaphorically, resurrection often follows crucifixion. Sometimes partial but spectacular success adds glamour to a...
HENRY GEE A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 billion years in 12 chapters. Reviewed by Robin Riedstra
Henry Gee manages to convey 4.6 billion years of history and a planet’s sense of yearning in one slim volume. Douglas Adams wrote in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe: In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry...
AC GRAYLING The Frontiers of Knowledge. Reviewed by Chris Maher
AC Grayling ranges across multiple disciplines as he presents the case for a broader understanding of the world. At this year’s Sydney Writers Festival, renowned philosopher and author AC Grayling implored the audience to become multi-literate, that is to read widely...
EDMUND RICHARDSON Alexandria: The quest for the lost city. Reviewed by Ann Skea
Edmund Richardson recounts the hazardous life of ‘one of the greatest archaeologists of the age’. Nineteenth-century archaeologist James Lewis (alias Charles Masson), who sought traces of Alexander the Great in Afghanistan, was clearly an excellent storyteller, and in...
STUART CLARK Beneath the Night. Reviewed by Ann Skea
Stuart Clark ranges across myths, archaeology and astronomy to chart the history of our obsession with the stars. On a mountain in ‘Australia’s Warrumbungles range’, English astronomer Stuart Clark stood under the clear night sky and experienced the sublime: There was...
TOM SEGEV A State At Any Cost: The Life of David Ben-Gurion. Reviewed by Renee Bittoun
Tom Segev’s biography illuminates the life and complexities of David Ben-Gurion, a central but divisive figure in Israel’s history. Ask Jews in Australia their views on Ben-Gurion and you will often get the reply that he is ‘a lion’, ‘a hero’,...
Recent Posts
STEVE MINON First Name, Second Name. Reviewed by Ben Ford Smith12 June 2025Winner of a Queensland Literary Award, Steve MinOn’s debut novel charts the [ … ]
EMILY TESH The Incandescent. Reviewed by Robert Goodman11 June 2025Emily Tesh’s magical fantasy is as much about the art of teaching as it is [ … ]
LAURIE WOOLEVER Care and Feeding: A memoir. Reviewed by Jessica Stewart10 June 2025Laurie Woolever – cook, writer, and fixer for chef Anthony Bourdain – enjoyed [ … ]
JO HARKIN The Pretender. Reviewed by Ann Skea5 June 2025Jo Harkin’s novel is a fresh and rollicking take on the mystery of [ … ]