The Age
As Nick Economou, senior lecturer in the School of Political and Social Inquiry at Monash University, states: "It is possibly the case that a long period in opposition are conducive to reflection, analysis and self-analysis and that this might account for why so much has been written about the Labor party over the years." He then goes on to review two new books on the subject, Coming to the Party: Where to Next for Labor edited by Barry Jones, and Reconnecting Labor by Barry Donovan. Unfortunately he's not all that impressed: "It's hard to know what has motivated the respective publishers to run with these really middling books about a party whose problems have already bene widely canvassed.."
Peter FitzSimons lives two lives, one the author of very readable histories, and the other as a boof-head sports commentator. He actually seems perfectly at home with both roles and his latest book, Tobruk is reviewed this week by Christopher Bantick, who is pretty impressed by the thing. "Tobruk will be a welcome read for those comparative few 'Rats' who were there, and FitzSimons has effectively resurrected a long and largely overlooked battle for a new Australian generation. Gallipoli has reached saturation point in the national consciousness and the Kokoda trek has become a must-do endurance test. But Tobruk?"
Helen Elliott profiles Adrian Hyland on the eve of the publication of his first novel Diamond Dove. What's interesting about Hyland, apart from his novel, is that fact that he's getting such a profile as a 51-year-old. It's good to see.
Short notices are given to: Plastered: The Poster Art of Australian Popular Music by Murray Wilding with Nick Vukovic: "The book is well designed and produced and the accompanying text is entertaining and informative. It deserves an exhibition, preferably not in a gallery - maybe the Prince or the Espy should oblige"; New Under the Sun: Jewish Australians on Religion, Politics & Culture edited by Michael Fagenblat, Melanie Landau and Nathan Wolski: "Divergent voices offer snapshots of Jewish identity in the process of re-invention"; and Allie McGregor's True Colours by Sue Lawson: "Teenagers do self-absorption like no one else. The astonishing level their self-centredness can reach is captured perfectly by Sue Lawson in this readable young adult novel." I can relate to that.
The Australian
It's quiet in "The Australian" this week, with only short notices aa book reviews. Terry Dowling reviews three Australian collections of short sf fiction. Of volume two of the Year's Best Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy edited by Bill Congreve and Michelle Marquardt, he calls it an "excellent showcase of the scene". He describes Cat Sparks's anthology, Agog! Ripping Reads, as "a rich, varied and worthwhile instalment in an important series", and of Simon Brown's collection: "Powerful, sensitive, often deeply moving, Troy shows what the story story can be in the hands of a truly gifted writer." The future of Australian sf and fantasy looks expecially bright.
