Things fell apart

Social media continually bombards us with piecemeal fragments of a selectively curated approximation of something that passes for reality, stoking division and angst.

Only the astronauts

Adrift in outer space, a motley crew of human-made objects tell their tales, making real history a little sweeter and stranger, in the new collection of short stories by Ceridwen Dovey.

In praise of Paul Auster

The passing of Brooklyn novelist Paul Auster, who burst onto the literary scene with his ‘New York Trilogy’ in 1987, will sadden lovers of fine writing around the world.

Reality Bites at 30

Here’s something to make you feel old, the Generation X classic Reality Bites has turned thirty years old. The good news is that the film stands up and is as much fun as ever.

Not in my name

The appalling events in Bondi Junction have given us all pause for thought in recent days, in a world where such horrors are all too common.

The year the music died

While megastars can still draw large crowds, other bands have struggled to find a live audience after the pandemic, spurring the Federal Government to launch an inquiry into Australia’s live music industry just two days before Splendour in the Grass was cancelled.

The pen is mightier than the knife

Knife attacks are in the news after the murderous assault in Bondi Junction and the terrorist stabbing of a Bishop in Sydney, and a new book by Salman Rushdie reflects on his own survival from a terrorist knife attack in 2022 while he delivered a lecture on freedom of speech.

The silent truth

Conflict has marred the whole of human history, but the hope for peace is everlasting in the human imagination. In a world riven by war from Ukraine to Israel, Yemen to Mayanmar, we should all remember our common humanity and the healing power of art.

Express your enthusiasm

Over its 12 seasons and 120 episodes, Curb Your Enthusiasm became a cult classic, leaving a lasting legacy on television comedy and cementing Larry David’s position as one of the greatest comedy writers of our time.

Into the shimmering world

Angus Cerini’s play Into the Shimmering World, now playing in Sydney, is an unforgiving meditation on what it is to be good and what takes to live a good life.

Deciphering the monolith

Monolith, a low-budget, high concept science fiction film from first time Australian director Matt Vesely and writer Lucy Campbell, is a triumph of quiet, intelligent film making.

An opinionated guide to female painters

A new book, An Opinionated Guide to Women Painters, offers a good introduction to the many women who have contributed to the development of western art.