Spectrum
What’s behind Elon Musk’s ‘X’ complex?
The billionaire’s fixation with the alphabet’s third-last letter is exasperating.
- by David Astle
Latest
A family’s season of revelations in the middle of lockdown
Ann Patchett’s latest novel is an antidote to dystopian hysteria.
- by Susan Wyndham
‘The pop star disappeared’: How Platon exposed Adele and other icons
Platon’s artistic leanings emerged far from the centres of fame and power. From hours of quiet observation, he came to understand how the body expresses energy and emotion.
- by Tara Kenny
The search for true beauty beneath the surface of Melbourne
Angus Trumble’s account of Helena Rubinstein’s years in Australia reveals the foundation of her beauty empire.
- by Damien Woolnough
★★★★★
Review
A composer’s time finally comes, 70 years after her death
Florence Price’s orchestral work is celebrated in these new recordings by the gifted violinist Randall Goosby.
- by Annabel Ross and Barney Zwartz
★★★★
Review
Stick with The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, it pays off in spades
Alycia Debnam-Carey and Sigourney Weaver headline a challenging but rewarding drama about the legacy of abuse and the chances of escaping it.
- by Karl Quinn
You know the iconic album covers, now meet the artists behind them
Is there still life left in album covers? A MIFF documentary traces their golden legacy.
- by Michael Dwyer
‘Hero worship must never be blind’: The lesson from Chris Masters
The veteran journalist’s account of the investigation into Ben Roberts-Smith shows the crucial need for truth and perspective.
- by Albert Palazzo
I have a landline phone and I know exactly what that says about me
It rarely rings, but the fact of its existence is a dead giveaway.
- by Richard Glover
Think you know what Australian poetry is? Think again
What we’re seeing now is “new and unexpected and flipping language on its head”.
- by Jane Sullivan
What to read: A tale of heaven and hell, and the end of a giant shark
Our reviewers cast their eyes over recent fiction and non-fiction.
- by Cameron Woodhead and Fiona Capp