Recently I was critical of the semi-historical approach used in Kate Grenville’s latest novel The Lieutenant. However, a couple more books down the track I’m reading Richard Flanagan’s Wanting, another work of fiction based on historical fact. In many ways I think the aspects of The Lieutenant that I think failed are the most rewarding elements of Wanting. I’ll elaborate on this in my comments on Flanagan’s book when I finishing it.

However, my subjectivity of individual books aside, this raises are much more important issue about writers who dabble in historical fiction. A question of objectivity, ethics and accuracy. Grenville and Flanagan are primarily writing for an adult audience, but what of the writers who write for a youth readership. Those in the midst of their education?

Nadia Wheatley does just this. I have never read her books but this interview with her readers she touches on the very heart of the issue. Check it out.

This week Richard Flanagan was profiled on Australian Story. The program is televised on Mondays at 8.00 pm, and repeated on Saturdays at 12.30 pm, on ABC 1. You can also watch Australian Story on ABC 2 on Thursdays at 8:45pm, Fridays at 5:30pm and Saturdays at 7:30am and 8:00pm.

Stories are ‘narrated’ by the subjects themselves. The program aims to present a varied and contrasting picture of contemporary Australia and Australians from many different perspectives and to contribute to the wider spectrum of coverage of issues and individuals. Since it first aired on May 29, 1996, the program has won many professional awards including seven Walkley Awards and four Logie awards.

Richard Flanagan is a Rhodes Scholar, an adventurer, and an internationally acclaimed author.

A hearing impediment meant he was ‘virtually deaf’ for the the first six years of his life. But at the age of seven he wrote a letter in which he predicted his own success as an author. Recently, he’s been involved in helping to write the screenplay for the epic new Nicole Kidman-Hugh Jackman movie ‘Australia’. But in his own home state of Tasmania, he’s been accused of treachery because of his environmental activism.

In the program, he talks about writing, campaigning to protect forests, and working with Baz Luhrmann on the keenly awaited ‘Australia’. Singer Paul Kelly introduces the episode. See it.

I’m still trying to work out if Finnegans Wake is harder to read or listen to. Make of it what you will.

I’ve never read one of Shane Maloney’s crime novels, but after recently reading his comments to students at the affluent private school Scotch College I probably will. It is short and direct and has cracking lines like… “Right now, you are the victims. Later, of course, society will be your victim, and will suffer from the attitudes with which you are indoctrinated here.”

Check out the speech and Shane’s comments on its context here.

Angus & Robertson today became the first Australian book chain to install the Espresso Book Machine (EBM), capable of printing, trimming and binding a paperback book on demand within minutes… read the whole article here.

Better still, check out the action-packed video demonstration: