Eureka Street

Keywords: Literature

ARTS AND CULTURE

Sanmao and the priest
- Margaret Simons
- 13 December 2024
High in Taiwan’s mountains, Jesuit priest Barry Martinson found a soulmate in celebrated author Sanmao, who inspired millions with her writing. Their relationship—neither romantic nor conventional—was a profound meeting of kindred spirits, rooted in shared curiosity, literary love, and the sacrificial essence of friendship.
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ARTS AND CULTURE

Evangelicals, exiles, and other tall tales
- Ken Haley
- 12 December 2024
Lech Blaine’s Australian Gospel is a quintessentially Australian tale of faith, family, and identity. Blaine explores the fractures of belief and belonging in an effervescent and vivid work of creative nonfiction. But where does the ‘non-’ stop and the ‘fiction’ begin?
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ARTS AND CULTURE

Alexei Navalny: Patriot and holy fool
- Danielle Terceiro
- 12 December 2024
Navalny’s memoir Patriot was released last month. Written in prison, it is a testament to Navalny’s deliberate practice of a forward-looking hope for the future, even though he was certain that he would not outlive his sentences. Surprisingly, the book is full of humour.
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ECONOMICS

The trouble with a shrinking population
- David James
- 11 December 2024
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink predicts AI and shrinking populations will bring higher living standards without growth. But his optimism overlooks a critical flaw: conflating productivity, efficiency, and the true cost of 'growth.' With economic foundations shifting, the future demands a radical rethinking of capitalism’s purpose and the systems driving it.
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ARTS AND CULTURE

Russell Brand: Messiah or very naughty boy?
- Cherie Gilmour
- 06 December 2024
Russell Brand's conversion to Christianity has sparked fascination and skepticism. Dismissing his newfound faith as a cynical PR move, critics cite his controversial past. Yet, his public embrace of grace and redemption speaks to a restless spiritual hunger. Is this a genuine transformation or another reinvention of Brand’s ever-shifting persona?
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AUSTRALIA

Can a ban save kids from social media’s harms?
- Binoy Kampmark
- 04 December 2024
In a move that’s been both lauded as necessary and criticized as overreaching, Australia has enacted legislation banning social media for users under 16, placing enforcement squarely on Big Tech. But behind the legislation lies a contentious debate: does prohibition protect, or does it merely shift the harm?
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INTERNATIONAL

Reading the entrails of an election
- Andrew Hamilton
- 21 November 2024
5 Comments
As Australia watches the U.S. navigate its Trump-era transition, we wait in uncertainty. Any interregnum period is a time for rethinking, for wondering about our own nation, and not just for focusing on another. It is a time to rethink what we have taken granted about what is for the good of Australian society.
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INTERNATIONAL

Is America ready for a tycoon President again?
- David James
- 18 November 2024
4 Comments
Donald Trump's first term, marred by impeachments, bureaucratic resistance and a pandemic, offered few answers as to how a businessperson might navigate the complexities of Washington. Now, as he returns to office, Trump’s business instincts — and their implications for governance — are once again under scrutiny.
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ARTS AND CULTURE

Theory and Practice: In conversation with Michelle de Kretser
- Michael McGirr
- 15 November 2024
Michelle de Kretser's new book Theory and Practice is a creative combination of fiction and essay, and concerns the moment in which the encounter with literature, a connection with another human imagination, is replaced by something called 'Theory'.
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ARTS AND CULTURE

The Booker Prize and why it matters
- Gillian Bouras
- 12 November 2024
5 Comments
As the Booker Prize winner is announced, the perennial questions resurface: What does winning truly mean for writers — and for readers? As public values shift, literary prizes ignite fierce debate about artistic merit, cultural relevance, and the commercial impact of awards. Can a prize still shape the future of fiction?
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AUSTRALIA

The gates to the secret house of death
- Andrew Hamilton
- 30 October 2024
2 Comments
The traditions of All Saints Day and All Souls Day invite a rare reflection on death — a topic largely sidelined in contemporary Australia. Amid global events and various cultural spectacles, these days offer a quiet reminder to consider how we honour the dead and what that reveals about our values.
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AUSTRALIA

Sweet dreams and haunted histories
- Danielle Terceiro
- 30 October 2024
6 Comments
As Halloween starts to become a staple in Australian neighbourhoods, for most people its ghosts mean little more than costumes and candy. But from haunted churches to eerie local legends, Halloween says something about us and the way we carry snatches of unresolved history.
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Keywords: Literature