A comprehensive and insightful examination of the historical roots and intellectual development of neoliberalism, and its consequences. In 2021, four French-speaking academics – three philosophers and a sociologist – published Le choix de la guerre civile – Une autre histoire du neoloiberalisme. It has now been published in English as The Choice of Civil War: […] The post PIERRE DARDOT, HAUD…
Stephen Orr’s new novel recounts a trek across the Western Desert, inspired by the controversial historical figure of Carl Strehlow. Benjamin Gerlach, at 81, is sat in his small asbestos house in an Adelaide suburb, surrounded by the paper and artefacts that had belonged to his father, Lutheran Pastor Martin Gerlach: Imagine me, (this is […] The post STEPHEN ORR The Night Parrots. Reviewed by Ann…
In the past, papal encyclicals have influenced government policy. Will governments heed Pope Leo’s calls on AI? In 1891, Pope Leo XIII promulgated the encyclical Rerum Novarum (Of New Things): The workers’ charter, which examined the human condition in relation to the problems of the industrial age. It enunciated the principle that wages ‘must be […] The post POPE LEO XIV Magnifica Humanitas: On…
Do we truly have free will? Sydney psychologists Rachel and Ross Menzies say no, though you may want to argue with them. This is an interesting and challenging book. In their Prologue, father and daughter psychologists Rachel and Ross Menzies explain that: Between the ages of five and ten years the child will learn that […] The post RACHEL E MENZIES and ROSS G MENZIES Being: Why it is harder to be…
Are good intentions ever enough? Jessy Wu’s novel shows how two people can share the same ideals but pursue them in very different ways. Nadia and Jake meet as journalists at the office of a student newspaper. She is good with numbers and charts; he is driven to find the truth. They are both obsessed […] The post JESSY WU Good Intentions. Reviewed by Linda Godfrey appeared first on Newtown Review…
The latest novel from English writer Sarah Moss tells a story of motherhood and an impossible situation for a young woman one Italian summer. The first words of this novel are from a woman in bed with her lover, in a state of ecstasy, and it is not long before we realise that she is […] The post SARAH MOSS Ripeness. Reviewed by Jessica Stewart appeared first on Newtown Review of Books .
Elisabeth Storrs’ new novel evokes life under Nazism in Berlin and a young woman’s work to protect a museum’s priceless treasures. It was another day of perfect Führer weather. Clearly, this is Hitler’s Berlin. Swastika banners are everywhere but cafés are full of chatter and laughter, Berliners stroll in the golden twilight, couples waltz on […] The post ELISABETH STORRS Fables and Lies. Reviewed…
Long-time recruitment manager Scott Clayton reveals the behind-the-scenes operation of the AFL and how clubs recruit players. Those of us who follow the AFL (or Australian rules football as the code was first known) tend to focus on what happens on the field of play as the season unfolds. But the players need to be […] The post SCOTT CLAYTON with PETER RYAN Deal Maker. Reviewed by Braham Dabscheck…
Mark Smith’s latest novel is a thriller that shows how social media campaigns can derail investigations and individuals. Mark Smith’s first adult novel, Three Boys Gone, was framed around a split-second decision by a young teacher faced with an impossible choice on a school excursion, and the subsequent trial by social media she endured. His […] The post MARK SMITH Where Truth Ends. Reviewed by…
Isabelle Li’s novella weaves together the stories of characters in northern China, and the tumultuous events that reverberate through their lives. This is a slim book with only three voices, but it immerses the reader in everyday life in northern China, a place shaped by its past and its more recent history. In 2019, Mr […] The post ISABELLE LI The Northern Tomb. Reviewed by Ann Skea appeared…
