Literature
Keanu Reeves had a vision. Then things got really weird
The Hollywood nice guy was on set as John Wick when he saw the beginnings of his first novel. Author China Mieville couldn’t resist.
- by Kylie Northover
Latest
Joni Mitchell’s life has been over-examined. But this is not your typical biography
Ann Powers was uneasy about taking on the life of one of the great figures from American music. The biographer’s work is a dazzling and discerning appraisal of the singer.
- by Nathan Smith
Love historical crime fiction? This sensual novel will grip you
Jane Sullivan’s Murder in Punch Lane is elegantly structured and moves deftly between fact and fiction.
- by Carmel Bird
Exclusive
Investigations
Emails reveal State Library discussed political, religious views of writers
New documents reveal a former federal Labor MP and board member discussed the views of a writer whose workshop was later cancelled.
- by Kerrie O'Brien
In crime fiction, where there’s Smoke there’s always fire
Former journo Michael Brissenden has written a cracking novel set in the aftermath of a Californian wildfire.
- by Sue Turnbull
Yes, it’s true. Reading really can affect the way you behave – in a good way
Studies show that reading can have a significant impact on your brain.
- by Jane Sullivan
The satire is as high as this novel’s anti-hero, but the dystopia is bleak
Jordan Prosser’s action-packed first novel will make you laugh but will unsettle you as well.
- by Justine Hyde
Exclusive
Industrial relations
State Library cracks down on staff wearing ‘political’ items
Staff have been warned against wearing apparel with pro-Palestine symbols as part of a new dress code.
- by Meg Watson
The best celebrity memoirs have exactly what literature today lacks
As more and more crossed my desk, I found that the best of them were written with a robust, fearless honesty that I’ve almost given up looking for in current fiction.
- by David Free
Why do women fall for violent men in jail? This novel has an idea
Tasha Coryell’s main character is a young woman who writes increasingly intimate letters to a man facing charges of murdering several women.
- by Jessie Tu
Why adapting is the key to survival in the face of climate change
Clive Hamilton and George Wilkenfeld have written a necessary book for a world subject to the ravages of climate change.
- by Kurt Johnson