Australian Books
Year of Ferrari
2017 was of course the year of Ferrari, as one of the most recognised luxury brands on the planet celebrated…
Books of 2017 – reviewed
When we look back at 2017 we will probably remember it as a year of minor issues that turned into…
Fame of Hall
Anne Watson’s book underlines the truth that in order to praise Jørn Utzon, whose architectural vision created the concept of…
A revolutionary act
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. Whilst this quote is often attributed to…
Warriors for liberty
It is sobering if not downright depressing to be reviewing two new books whose authors can be described as warriors…
Re-discovering Cook
Despite an unpleasant resurgence of anti-British, anti-European political correctness, Captain James Cook (1728-1779) remains one of the world’s greatest explorers.…
Ruck ‘n roll
As every Speccie reader certainly will be aware and no doubt heartily applaud, the game of rugby league was born…
Art of diplomacy
The language of diplomacy often requires nuance and subtlety. Not infrequently, it needs to be opaque, to enable differing interpretations;…
Diagnosing diversity
Our Constitution and the debates leading to it make clear our founders assumed citizens would enjoy five great liberal democratic…
Who needs jihad?
Citizens of New World nations – North and South America, Australia and New Zealand – invariably assume that anyone settling…
Class observation
A hoicked-up small boy sits astride a yoked-up heavy horse, while three sun-stained men smile at posterity. Hairy hooves press…
Revolving doors
There is a curious twist in the montage on the cover of Rodney Tiffen’s Disposable Leaders; a detailed treatise on…
Conspiracy theory
The death of Princess Diana twenty years ago has been the subject of a wealth of conspiracy theories. James Murray’s…
Inbuilt obsolescence
Once upon a time, Australian politics was known for its stability. Long periods of one party or another in office,…
Bankstown lefty
For Paul Keating, there have always been two kinds of politics: ‘high tone’ and ‘low rent’. High tone was to…
Spurred on
‘Old radicals become quietist’ a character in Valley of the Weed tells Plant, the appropriately-named private detective investigating the disappearance…
Best of 2016
After a slow start 2016 turned out to be a pretty good year for Australian writing, with excellent books across…
Up Close and Personal
Chris Mitchell’s memoir of his life as a News Ltd journalist, then as editor, first of Brisbane’s Courier Mail and…
Reds in our beds?
John Blaxland and Rhys Crawley’s The Secret Cold War is the third and – at least for the time being…
Walking the walls of Theodosius
Hagia Sophia (the Church of the Holy Wisdom) in Istanbul is arguably the most important building in our Judeo-Christian tradition.…
Trumped up
If Donald Trump keeps campaigning on immigration, he cannot lose. His Democrat rival for the US presidency, Hillary Clinton, has…
War games
For a long time the Australian military has been very wary about public discussions, so this first book is a…
Tangled web
It was John Howard who famously declared that the government would decide who came to Australia to live and in…
Aussie exceptionalism
It would have once been uncontroversial to suggest nations have characteristics that not only distinguish them from other countries, but…
Aussie exceptionalism
It would have once been uncontroversial to suggest nations have characteristics that not only distinguish them from other countries, but…
