Category: Democracy

‘Lost Connections’ and ‘A Heart That Works’

Dec 6, 2023

—

by

Pen

in Andrew Solomon’s The Noonday Demon, Democracy, depression, Dorothy Rowe, humour as medicine, Inequality, Inequality – Australia, Johann Hari’s Lost Connections, mental illness, National Health Service UK, Public Good, Rob Delaney – A Heart That Works

How to find hope in a world gone mad During a week at the coast recently with four others, one of the books I’d brought was Johann Hari’s Lost Connections: Why you’re depressed and how to find hope (Bloomsbury, 2018). Three of those friends at different times picked up the book and couldn’t stop reading…
Thirty Two Words for Field and Sand Talk – Irish and Indigenous wisdom

May 12, 2023

—

by

Pen

in arts and health, Australia behind, Blasket islands, Books, capitalism, Common Good, Democracy, Indigenous wisdom, Inequality – Australia, Living creatively, Manchan Magan, mental illness, Nature writing – Irish, rural Ireland, Sand Talk, sustainable living, value of the arts

Connecting with a better world Apart from reading some fantastic books, I’ve been having fun with my new Kick-Start creative writing workshops. They’ve been zipping along with the poetic contributions of talented students, filling the BRAG room on Tuesday nights with laughter and creative verve. BRAG stands for Braidwood Regional Arts Group and you can…
Lost Focus – Johann Hari’s feasible solutions to our burning problems

Apr 13, 2022

—

by

Pen

in capitalism, Democracy, depression, digital technology, dreams, Leisure, Living creatively, media negativity, mental illness, stress management, writers’ health

Tsunamis of information are drowning us We’ve lost our ability to focus. Tsunamis of information are coming at us, drenching us every minute of every waking hour. We can’t keep up with it, mentally or emotionally. What we sacrifice when we try is depth. Not to mention sanity, peace of mind and our democracy. In…
Catrina Davies. Homesick: Why I live in a shed

Feb 27, 2022

—

by

Pen

in capitalism, Catrina Davies, Common Good, Democracy, Inequality – Australia, sustainable living

Did you know that the average life expectancy of a homeless woman in Britain is forty three? The author of this profound and lyrical book considers herself lucky because she is not one of them, or not yet, because she’s free, not one of the 28 million refugees and asylum seekers ‘hoping for sanctuary in…
A hopeful path forward in a fractured world – Sarah Wilson’s new book

Jan 17, 2021

—

by

Pen

in capitalism, Democracy, health, Living creatively, optimism, politics, sarah wilson, Simplifying, sustainable living, value of the arts

An adventurous heart Sarah Wilson’s This One Wild and Precious Life navigates through the problems facing us all right now: coronavirus, climate change, racial inequalities, political and economic polarisation, as well as loneliness, in an accessible, thought-provoking way. The author spent three years pondering these issues and she takes us on her travels over that…
Why read? Why write? Why bother? On reclaiming our language and our lives and having a laugh

Sep 13, 2020

—

by

Pen

in capitalism, Comedy writing, Democracy, humour as medicine, Living creatively, social capital, value of the arts

The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity Because I’ve been writing a new novel (working title: Tumult) I’ve postponed writing a new blog post. Immersed in the world of the novel, it’s only when I feel super strongly about a book I’ve read that I’m desperate to tell people about it. Two small books stand out.…
Drinking the days: biographies and oysters

Jan 28, 2020

—

by

Pen

in Australian memoir, Christina Stead, Democracy, Dennis Glover, Kay Schubach, Living creatively, mental illness, optimism, value of the arts

‘Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.’ American writer Edith Wharton (1862-1937) wrote that. I love it and would often think of it after opening the curtains first thing. But her words took on a tragic tone in the mornings after the bushfires began. We could no longer open windows. Canberra’s air quality…
Thinking women, hope and regeneration

Jun 12, 2019

—

by

Pen

in Andrea Goldsmith, Australia behind, Australian novels, Democracy, Living creatively, Movies, optimism, Toni Jordan

Am I advocating escapism? It’s been hard to find anything uplifting to say in the last few weeks. The last time I read John Milton (1608-1674) was in English (Hons) many years ago. But I just came across a quotation from Paradise Lost that seems like a sanity-saver in the world we’re enduring now. ‘The…
Summer books and summer heat

Jan 21, 2019

—

by

Pen

in capitalism, Common Good, Democracy, libraries, social capital

After finishing the rewrites of my novel just before Christmas it’s been an orgy of reading. Among recent books that have impressed me are Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean; Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me) by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson; and D.B.C. Pierre’s Release the Bats. There’s also beautiful, strong writing in…
Lamplight on the darkened path

May 7, 2017

—

by

Pen

in capitalism, creativity, Democracy, Living creatively, media negativity, public squalour

In Sickness, in Health and in Jail by Mel Jacobs ‘The world breaks everyone, and afterwards some are stronger in the broken places.’ Hemingway said that, and Mel Jacobs quotes him in the front of her poignant memoir, In Sickness, in Health and in Jail (Allen & Unwin, 2016). The author describes the shock, social…