Revenant

(French, present participle of revenir, to return – when used in English curiously it is more dramatic, from the dead, like the … More

The Smell of Pell

We all have visceral instincts and without literally smelling him, my senses signal that Cardinal George Pell, that erstwhile defender … More

‘The Laughter of Triumph’

As governments gather metadata on our internet communications and try to force journalists to divulge their sources, in the name … More

Anzac Fatigue & Iraq Redux

It’s meant to describe a feeling of consumer overload of Anzac themed TV offerings crashing in the ratings. Commercialisation is … More

School of Hard Knox

Oh dear, the motto of Knox Grammar School is ‘Virgile Agitur’, which translates as ‘Doing the Manly Thing’. As the … More

Dark Side of Aussie Sport #1

An Australian batsman is struck by a ball at the base of the skull and dies after a cricket test … More

‘Amnesia’

Peter Carey’s latest book is a curious tale of young cyberattack heroes with backgrounds in the early days of computer … More

Lucky Ludwig

Explorer extraordinaire Ludwig Leichhardt had lots of luck throughout his short life, but he pushed the limits so hard that … More

‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’

Richard Flanagan is an admirable fellow because of his generosity and outspoken progressive political views. His latest and prize-winning novel … More

Bad Oysters

Nah, I don’t eat ‘em, never have, and don’t get the gourmandise associated with these slimy concoctions of marine life. … More