 Acclaimed author and journalist Stan Grant writes very personally about faith and Aboriginality.
After decades spent roaming the globe as a journalist, covering wars and disasters, Wiradjuri man Stan Grant has turned his back on politics and media to search for peace through faith. Murriyang (meaning “Skyworld” - home of the creator spirit, Baiyaame, or God) fuses Christianity with Indigenous beliefs. In Grant’s telling, Baiyaame-God existed before, or outside, the power structure that is the Christian Church. Indigenous people have always known God. “When I hear stories of Jesus, I hear our story. Jesus was a dark-skinned man in a land of empires - oppressed and colonised: a tribal man. I hear the story of someone speaking back to power. I hear the words of an ancestor.” There is a rather Hamlet-esque tone to Murriyang - Grant sounds world weary. Sick of politics, sick of the media. And like Hamlet, sick of words: “I am tired of words of certainty, tired of polled words, words with dollar signs in front of them, funded words. Reconciliation is not a word. Not anymore…What once were words are now antiseptic.” While Murriyang is a book that seeks personal peace and emancipation from perpetual turmoil by aligning oneself with the universe and Baiyaame-God, the polemics of Grant’s previous books still come through. There is an underlying tone of anger with the world, with the injustices done to Australia’s First Nations. The book is hence a bit of a mix, travelling from rage to spiritual transformation. It feels like Grant has one leg stepping towards the light, with one leg still left behind in the gross material world of petty politics and naked self-interest. He most definitely wants out. Interspersed among all of these philosophical and spiritual ruminations, are chapters titled “Babiin” (father), devoted to Grant’s ailing father, Stan Grant Sr. These are touching sketches of his father’s life and struggles, his wisdom and generosity of spirit. Murriyang will appeal to the religious and non-religious alike. It is sometimes a bitter book, but overwhelmingly it fulfills its brief of guiding the reader to a place of oneness and forgiveness. Stan Grant is one of the nation’s best writers, tackling a difficult subject with maturity and erudition. Murriyang: Song of Time, by Stan Grant. Published by S & S Bundyi. $39.99 Review by Chris Saliba  The Sapiens author looks into the past to warn about what our future might look like.
The publishing world is now releasing a steady flow of books about Artificial Intelligence (AI), some prognosticating doom, others predicting a supercharged future. Into this vexed subject steps Yuval Noah Harari, mega successful historian and philosopher, who has sold some 45 million books. Harari has long had an interest in information technology, and how it interacts and shapes society. His 2016 followup to Sapiens, Homo Deus, mused on what technology might have in store for the human race, and how our outsized desires could be our downfall. That book had a bemused tone at the folly of humans. Nexus takes on a more alarmed tone. The main contention of the book, which many may find hard to accept, is that more information does not lead us to the truth. Harari writes that information more often than not is about maintaining order. An alarming example is Stalinist Russia. The Soviet state was able to amass enormous amounts of information about its citizens and thus keep them in line. Or there is the invention of the Gutenberg press, which democratised information and made possible the European witch hunts. In 1486 the German Catholic clergyman Heinrich Kramer published his bestseller The Hammer of Witches, which kicked off a bloodcurdling period in European history. On a more positive note the Bible, Harari contends, was a genius piece of information technology, as it kept an agreed upon set of “facts” that could hold society together. If Biblical facts were contested over time, there was a self-correcting function, in that scholars and clerics could write new interpretations, publish them, and generate a new point of consensus. The second part of the book, after the historical overview of information systems, concentrates on the future of artificial intelligence, its possible advantages and many dangers. In Australia, we have perhaps had a taste of the brutal effects of unregulated algorithms in the robodebt scandal, where many vulnerable people were sent incorrect computer generated tax bills. Harari argues that AI will become so complex, with its large-scale machine learning capabilities, that no human will be able to understand it. If society’s basic functions are run by incomprehensible AI, how will citizens have redress when things go wrong? In essence, Nexus argues for regulation and human intervention. Yuval Noah Harari’s great skill is as a communicator of complex ideas, drawing together different strands of history and weaving them together into a compelling pattern. The first half of Nexus, which deals with the history of information, ideas, society and politics, is brilliant. The second half, while raising many interesting points that the reader may not have thought of, flags slightly. As Harari is writing about the present and possible future, it feels like we cannot see the forest for the trees, stuck as we are in the midst of so much technological progress. Harari makes predictions about the future, but it is impossible to know what will pan out. A brilliant book, also a highly enjoyable read and one that will open your mind to a new way of thinking about information, technology and society. Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks From the Stone Age to AI, by Yuval Noah Harari. Published by Fern Press. $39.99 Review by Chris Saliba  Two accomplished thinkers consider a range of controversial subjects.
Australian philosopher Peter Singer met Shih Chao-Hwei, a Buddhist monk based in Taiwan, while visiting Taiwan in 2002. A Chinese edition of his book, Animal Liberation, had just been published with an introduction by Shih, and the two found they had much in common, despite coming from different philosophical and theological backgrounds. Singer suggested they participate in dialogues together to further flesh out their differences and similarities. The resulting book is the work of five years of on-again, off-again discussions. The Buddhist and the Ethicist ranges over all the big topics of interest to a Western audience: women and equality; sexuality; animal welfare; embryo research; abortion; the death penalty; euthanasia; the death penalty and war. An early chapter also discusses ethics and key Buddhist concepts such as karma and nirvana. The tone of these dialogues is respectful and, as you'd imagine, quite serious. Most readers of Singer's work will be already familiar with his often controversial views on euthanasia and embryo research. What gives the book a special interest are Shih's views on tricky ethical questions, as interpreted through a Buddhist lens. While both Singer and Shih are on the same page for a lot of subjects (Shih has championed many progressive causes in Taiwan, notably same-sex marriage), their subtle differences make for thought provoking reading. As such, the book provides an education in the subtleties of Buddhist thought, especially the importance of karma. Big questions are considered thoughtfully in this fascinating philosophical exchange. The Buddhist and the Ethicist, by Peter Singer and Shih Chao-Hwei. Published by Text Publishing. $36.99 Review by Chris Saliba  Anthropolgist David Graeber argues pirate culture laid the foundation stones of The Enlightenment.
In this posthumous work, Pirate Enlightenment, or The Real Libertalia, anthropologist and activist David Graeber (1961 - 2020) makes the case that when rogue English pirates in the late 17th and early 18th centuries sought refuge in northern Madagascar, it led to a cultural and political fusion with the Malagasy people that was a forerunner to the Enlightenment. There was much fascination with pirate lore at the time and in 1724 A General History of the Pyrates was published in London (its rumored author was Daniel Defoe). It included a description of an egalitarian Madagascan pirate state called Libertalia. Libertalia was pure fiction, but another Madagascan state, the Betsimisaraka confederation, established in 1712 by the son of a British pirate and Malagasy queen, maintained an egalitarian government for close to 40 years. The historical pirate record is thin on the ground, and Graeber uses the verbs “seems” and “appears” a lot when trying to flesh out his arguments. Even though Pirate Enlightenment is more wish fulfillment than anything else, Graeber’s intellectual energy and curiosity can never be in doubt. A fascinating thought experiment that will have readers scrambling to do additional research of their own. Pirate Enlightenment, or The Real Libertalia, by David Graeber. Published by Allen Lane. $35 Review by Chris Saliba  Stan Grant on the British monarchy, Australia and its legacy of whiteness.
Wiradjuri man and author Stan Grant says he wrote his new book, The Queen is Dead, in an explosive burst and in real time, as events unfolded. Despite the quick writing time, there is nothing rushed or rash in Grant's book. This is a deeply considered work with not a word wasted or out of place. When Queen Elizabeth died, Grant expected there would be some discussion of the effect of colonialism and conquest on the lives of First Nations people. While many may have wished to mourn the queen, there should also have been recognition of the terrible legacy of English invasion and occupation. As a Wiradjuri man, Grant felt this personally. When colleagues and friends confessed feeling a sadness, even shedding a tear, over the queen's passing, Grant felt betrayed. Why didn't his friends consider his perspective, or that of his people's? Didn't they know the queen represented hundreds of years of oppression, suffering and violence? The major theme, you could say, of The Queen is Dead is the notion of whiteness. Whiteness as an historical phenomenon and institutional power. A whiteness that is so pervasive, at every level of society, that white people themselves don't see it. They simply see life proceeding as normal. Yet for First Nations people, everyday they are running up against whiteness – at work, in politics, in popular culture. Most importantly, in everyday life, in the endless comments on race, skin colour and heritage. While Stan Grant discusses the large philosophical issues – the weight of history, white ignorance and blindness, how these power structures crush First Nations people – the book has a deep, almost confessional vein. Grant examines his personal emotions, how they swing from hate and resentment to love and forgiveness. These sections are vulnerable and brave in trying to get across the truth of the author's experience and feelings. They make for humbling reading. Stan Grant brings his formidable mix of intellect, passion and truth-telling to a subject many may want to turn away from. Uncomfortable reading, but essential. The Queen is Dead, by Stan Grant. Published by 4th Estate. $34.99 Review by Chris Saliba  A fascinating study of cat-human relations, with feline tips on how to live the good life.
English philosopher and cat lover John Gray writes that to achieve greater happiness, we should emulate our feline friends. Where humans are restless and never at ease, our inner voices incessant with conflicting thoughts and desires, cats are happy simply being who they are. The French philosopher Blaise Pascal famously wrote, “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly alone in a room”. Cats can achieve this feat with astonishing ease, sitting contentedly in one position for hours on end. We envy cats this ability, says Gray, and that's why we like them so much. Feline Philosophy is divided into six chapters, each dealing with cat related themes such as human-feline relationships, why cats don't struggle trying to be happy and how cats are wise enough to simply live according to their own nature. An early chapter gives a quick history of cats, their first entering human settlements and protecting grains from rodents, to a shocking Medieval antipathy to cats that saw them killed and tortured. Gray wraps things up with ten feline hints on how to live a good life. Hint four tells the reader, “It is better to be indifferent to others than to feel you have to love them.” The title of this book may sound too whimsical for some. Rest assured, Gray deals with some weighty themes, such as death, the nature of being, our divided selves and the endless self-torture caused by being a conscious, self-reflecting being, full of tormenting inner voices. The text is filled with in depth analyses of great writers, contemporary and ancient, from Aristotle and Montaigne to Colette and Mary Gaitskill, and at only 110 pages, there is endless food for thought. A cheerful and stimulating guide to life. Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life, by John Gray. Allen Lane $39.99. Review by Chris Saliba  An engaging look at gender inequality and how to fix it.
Former Australian prime-minister Julia Gillard and Nigerian-American economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala see it as a matter of urgency that women fill more leadership roles. The statistics for female participation in politics, business and leadership roles generally are abysmal. To help foster change, they teamed up to write a level-headed manual on how to navigate a male dominated world where the cards are stacked against women. While Women and Leadership uses a wealth of research on the subject of gender inequality, one of the book's main attractions is its real life examples. Okonjo-Iweala and Gillard interviewed eight prominent women leaders, from a variety of different countries and cultures. They sought out personal stories of how these women achieved what they did, but also asked questions on a range of subjects. Does having supportive parents help young girls? Is there an unfair presumption that women should stay home to raise children? Is too much attention paid to the way a woman dresses? Do women really support women? The resulting answers make for an engaging and insightful book that is accessible and could also appeal to young adult readers. It's most practical lesson is the proverbial "forewarned is forearmed", arguing preparation and war-gaming are the key to success. The world is not fair for women, the issues are often deeply rooted and structural, but that is all the more reason, the authors assert, to forge ahead and make lasting change. Women and Leadership is sure to become a classic text on gender inequality and how to fight it. It's hard to think of a more perfect manual to put in the hands of aspiring women and supportive men. Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons, by Julia Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Published by Vintage. $34.99 Review by Chris Saliba  The first in a series of six books introducing Indigenous knowledges, Songlines: The Power and the Promise explains the use of mnemonics, or memory systems, in Aboriginal culture.
Songlines archive knowledge in the landscape and are often associated with major ancestral beings, animals, natural elements or even contemporary events. For example, a landslide of red rocks may tell of a bloody ancestral battle. In this way, Songlines, with their additional use of art and song, are a form of writing. Deep forms of knowledge are written into Country and passed on from one generation to the next. We know this system is powerful because of its longevity, with stories maintained over tens of thousands of years. Ensuring the accuracy of information relies on a system of checks and balances: stories, songs and answers are owned, and ownership is not granted to a person until they clearly understand what they have been taught. In an oral culture, information is strongly protected. With its use of personal story, history, art and even neuroscience, Songlines generously invites the reader to expand their consciousness with memory practices that are older than the Western Bible. An instructive and enjoyable primer that will appeal to the scholar and lay reader alike. Songlines: The Power and the Promise, by Margo Neale and Lynne Kelly. Thames & Hudson. $19.99 Review by Chris Saliba. First published at Books + Publishing.  Feminist Leslie Kern asks us to rethink the city.
In Feminist City, author Leslie Kern asks us to imagine what urban spaces might look like if they were designed by women, not men. All forms of urban planning, we learn, are based around assumptions of the typical citizen. “Shockingly,” Kern writes, “this citizen is a man.” Using a mixture of personal anecdote, pop culture references and the latest in feminist research, the reader learns the multitude of ways women use and relate to the city. The first chapter addresses motherhood in the city. As a young mother, Kern felt keenly how cities could be unwelcoming – sometimes downright hostile – to the needs of women caring for children. Other chapters examine female friendships in the city, negotiating the city on your own, the city as a site for protest and women's safety fears in public places. Feminist City doesn't look in any detail at planning issues and how to make cities more female friendly, but rather works as a series of thought provoking riffs on politics, issues of equity and the place of minorities in the urban landscape. While the book doesn't answer the question of how to create a city for women, it helps us imagine how such a place might come into being. Feminist City: Claiming Space in a Man-Made World, by Leslie Kern. Published by Verso. $29.99 Review by Chris Saliba  A new voice uses Indigenous Knowledge to bring enlightenment and balance.
Sand Talk, a highly original new book by poet, artist and academic Tyson Yunkaporta, presents Indigenous Knowledge as a way of solving our many contemporary ills. Modern life is out of balance and causing harm. There are problems everywhere – from how the economy is run, prioritising growth that is really a form of death to the environment, to poor personal and spiritual health. Society is based around hierarchical relationships, rather than interdependence and shared knowledge. Our narcissism makes us believe we are better than and superior to each other. The ego constantly gets in the way of clear thinking, obscuring the path to true knowledge. Tyson Yunkaporta was born in Melbourne and raised in rural Queensland, living with about a dozen different Indigenous communities during his youth. As a young man in Cape York he was adopted by Dad Kenlock and Mum Hersie, and subsequently travelled around Australia, working with Indigenous groups and gaining a wealth of traditional knowledge. It is these years spent learning from Elders and knowledge keepers that Yunkaporta brings to Sand Talk. It is a book that has clearly spent many years in the making, a work that is the result of years of deep thought and meditation. On every page Yunkaporta strives for simplicity and truth, as revealed to him by his experiences travelling all over Australia. Sand Talk is hard to categorise. It reads as a mix of philosophy, self-help and spiritual text. Yunkaporta has a keen analytical mind. There are many passages of surprising clarity. The author is quick to cut through modern received wisdom to expose the lie at the centre of it. For example, in a chapter discussing violence he says our clean, technological, peaceful cities outsource their violence to other places and peoples. “You carry the pillaged metals in your phone from devastated African lands and communities. Your notions of peaceful settlement and development are delusions peppered with bullet holes and spears.” Another chapter discusses the origins of modern education as a way of ensuring obedience and conformity, with an impressive use of history to make the point. The book is full of such radical examples, showing how Western civilisation uses artifice and polished rhetoric to conceal its darker side. Written in a simple, clear language, yet demanding concentration and commitment, Sand Talk is like nothing you've read before. Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Change the World, by Tyson Yunkaporta. Published by Text. $32.99 Review by Chris Saliba |
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