Dear Son: Letters and Reflections from First Nations Fathers and Sons

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Reviewed by Heather O’Connor

Thomas Mayor
$34.99

Thomas Mayor is a Torres Strait Islander, father of five, union official, and tireless advocate for the proposals in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. In this collection he invited twelve contributors to write a letter, either to his father or son. The writers come from a wide range of professions and life experiences, and each is a leader in his own right. They write of life, masculinity, culture and … Read more »

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What is to be done? Political engagement and saving the planet

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Reviewed by Heather O’Connor

What is to be done? Political engagement and saving the planet.
Barry Jones
$35.00

I can’t remember having reviewed a political book before but have made this an exception because I feel nostalgic for Barry Jones, the first Minister for Science in the Hawke government. I was also interested in how he would update his groundbreaking work of the 1980s, Sleepers Wake. That book had an enormous influence in debates here and … Read more »

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Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three women at the heart of twentieth-century China

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Reviewed by Heather O’Connor

Jung Chang
Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three women at the heart of twentieth-century China
Penguin, $35.00

This fascinating book tells the story of the Soong sisters, each of whom helped to shape 20th century China, and each of whom deserves a biography of her own. Their story has always reminded me of the Mitford sisters in England in terms … Read more »

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Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder and Things That Sustain You When the World Goes Dark

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Reviewed by Debbie Worgan

Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder and Things That Sustain You When the World Goes Dark
Julia Baird
Harper Collins, $32.99

I haven’t even finished reading this book, but I already know it’s worthy of a review. Parts of it have resonated so well with my life that it’s almost as if it’s been written for me. The book is largely a collection of essays which reflect Julia’s search for light and meaning – a search that many people can identify with. Julia writes beautifully … Read more »

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Threads of Life: A History of the World through the Eye of a Needle

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Claire Hunter,
Threads of Life: A History of the World through the Eye of a Needle
$32.99

I chose this book because there are so many people in the Triangle area who love all forms of needlework, and also because I know absolutely nothing about any of this. What a revelation this fantastic piece of research was for someone as ignorant as me!

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The Seventies: The personal, the political and the making of modern Australia

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Reviewed by Heather O’Connor

Michelle Arrow
The Seventies: The personal, the political
and the making of modern Australia
$34.99

The oldest amongst us remember the seventies as the decade that shaped the remainder of the twentieth century, whether we were actively involved in social movements or not. For the activists, it’s the decade that brings to the fore all our nostalgia, for the drama, … Read more »

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