https://www.about-change.com/blog daily 1.0 2026-01-17 https://www.about-change.com/blog/stories-within-stories monthly 0.5 2025-05-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/854306b6-746a-441a-99dd-2f2ef373ed23/IMG_7929.JPG Blog - stories within stories - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747651773317-8K19L3J3276TR51DN5BP/IMG_7918.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747651758728-K58MAXRM8X4OHQYCCPPS/IMG_7922.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747651939826-76AEOJV6NPXI2B1MSFGK/IMG_7923.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747651922988-GAVGTN56P4V9EUH5IT8N/IMG_7924.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747651993045-F5IXO96R2V8JU0W3XUVU/IMG_7926.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/0db72bce-e01a-474e-a82e-2055fa1e3ce7/IMG_7930.JPG Blog - stories within stories Take this, for example: ‘The American Table’ by Ronald Johnson, in which Sally wrote to Margaret almost 39 years ago: “When you cook one of these recipes, think of me and Wisconsin and all of the tea and good conversations we have shared.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747652651479-QI31UV8WH975T25C5KAR/IMG_7942.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747652770035-VYUX9J6ROS4R3SEFEQ8E/IMG_7941.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747653732271-8CDU4J990395M1Y3ZUII/IMG_7945.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747687549076-OOLYIM3VRJHPPRQMG0BA/IMG_7947.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747687536454-17WMN3TMN4Y5RGX2C9RU/IMG_7952.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/c7b46ad1-91e3-44d8-8d69-a56db39dc514/IMG_7935.JPG Blog - stories within stories - Make it stand out I wonder what number of recipes the “good eaters,” Heather and Ian, enjoyed from this copy of ‘Sicilian Seafood Cooking’ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747654038512-A5M2DHXRFSUN32J2G5DT/IMG_7936.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747687689170-QNDOWIT30B1FKP91H2L7/IMG_7937.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1853eec3-4ec2-43a7-a8f4-7055a73b5f12/IMG_7944.JPG Blog - stories within stories I have the same questions about this signed copy of ‘Bush in Babylon’ by Tariq Ali. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747689182074-P3AKDJEGITS7MSZXMP31/IMG_7938.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1747689412667-RM53R3N6DU0SEJFM7BN3/IMG_7939.JPG Blog - stories within stories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/dcb42a2f-b978-40d7-b6fd-40c7f9e5882e/IMG_7948.JPG Blog - stories within stories Then there is my favourite. This personalised note from Bob Shacochis in his book ‘The Immaculate Invasion’, where he shares with Steve (and now with me, and you)…. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/34bed001-0b3f-44e3-9c02-9db2eda6ff1b/IMG_7950.JPG Blog - stories within stories - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.about-change.com/blog/30-years-after-beijing monthly 0.5 2025-03-09 https://www.about-change.com/blog/photo-dump-kgari monthly 0.5 2025-02-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/dfc8b5cf-3816-47ae-a544-73d27bcbb839/dingo+at+waddy+sitting+by+water.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Dingo sitting on a sandy beach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/217c973d-2a84-4fb2-a9bd-d439b8515a2f/sunset+waddy+bright+orange+1.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Sunset from Waddy Point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/978e2555-1234-4403-a63c-33674c6e3ab3/Indian+Head+Through+the+Trees+At+Waddy.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Tukkee (Indian Head). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/9dec6d08-9390-4937-be7c-c90ed58ef882/IMG_9426.JPG Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Sunset on ocean. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/0eb4691c-ad65-441a-910a-17ecd1437560/sea+eagle+1.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out White bellied Sea-Eagle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/2acf1250-ba16-4106-b1e8-31617bdb4d0e/waddy+view+south.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Waddy Point Headland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/3f867146-78b3-4f95-be7e-5f218bc3627f/2+cars+in+the+distance.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Cars on sand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/f73ea353-8be5-4a60-8ef5-b0696b72dc3f/Waddy+sunset+with+reflection+fishermen.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Sunset fishing at Waddy Point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/7e337791-6a80-48fb-ba9e-76a453c3a17d/Waddy+Point+Sunset+1.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Sunset from Waddy Point Headland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/cc6f19c1-9e16-41cd-a77f-e4d0042e4a44/Aaron+Gareth+Brendan+fishing+in+sun.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Sunset Fishing at Waddy Point https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/359b21f6-764d-40a1-8eea-53dbb6ed29e8/waddy+rocks+with+crew.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Afternoon on Waddy Point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/c0b68683-b55d-4bda-803c-d2a0ef40cc90/Long+Ex+Waddy+With+Rock+1.JPG Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Night by the sea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/2bd93d2e-d3ec-454e-94e9-df712d280e2b/Waddy+sunrise+from+house+1.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Sunrise on K’gari. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/91805c69-2a02-4944-85ea-4ef2504075e5/waddy+dreams.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Calm after dusk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/24a43d40-bee0-4946-a3cf-a6d2b834b714/IMG_9432.JPG Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Moon over ocean. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/fbbce0f8-0aed-4e96-aa5c-1c7695fc7911/sunset+waddy+reflections+in+low+tide.jpg Blog - photo dump - K'gari - Make it stand out Sunset on K’gari. https://www.about-change.com/blog/0wksfwhknq7w2b40vp8lt2mbvm6m0b monthly 0.5 2025-02-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1154dd0d-aea0-4221-8380-79322da0d05f/51152447.jpg Blog - The Eight Pillars of Caste Caste, Isabel Wilkerson (9780141995465) — Readings Books Caste eBook by Isabel Wilkerson - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo Australia Isabel Wilkerson’s ‘Caste’ Is an ‘Instant American Classic’ About Our Abiding Sin - The New York Times https://www.about-change.com/blog/no-monopoly-on-inspirational monthly 0.5 2025-01-27 https://www.about-change.com/blog/dlcef06wt1znu1uacz3kys0z0kvam2 monthly 0.5 2025-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/244e091e-fa97-40fd-b9a2-8539295dd317/Translation+Slate.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Translation Slate - Ann Leckie Translation Slate is a standalone science fiction novel set in the world of Leckie’s Imperial Radch trilogy. It was a nominee in the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards, and there are many solid reasons why! I enjoyed the intertwining stories of the key characters, exploring human relationships and emotions in a complex and intriguing alien world. I thought the first half of Translation Slate was fantastic, and I got through it in just a few days. The second half (especially the final quarter) I found a little confusing, slightly juvenile, and with much less flow than the rest of the book. Still, I read through to the end, and I think each protagonist was afforded a full story arc and reasonable conclusion. Leckie uses a quality space opera setting, with plenty of intrigue and action, to explore themes like gender, the essence of humanity, and personal identity. She does it well, and despite my slight displeasure regarding the book’s ending, I still ended up giving Translation Slate 5 stars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/c56f504a-5bf9-4163-a91d-a31389f8078b/The+Space+Between+Us.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - The Space Between Us - Doug Johnstone Telepathic squid-like aliens who arrive on earth, seem to survive without support outside of their natural environment, and oh, they induce magic alien strokes. Yes, this is quite a far-fetched story. Add several cliché characters, including some stock-standard heroes and villains, all with well-worn story roles and relationships. The plot was also full of holes, and not tiny “no one will notice” holes either. The government agency that was giving chase to the main characters seemed so deeply incompetent that it was just too hard to overlook. Still – the story was somewhat saved by the fun thing that is the main squid-alien character, Sandy. If you can overlook the plot holes and clichés, The Space Between Us is a fun enough read https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/3ea7e601-d2aa-475e-bf32-cf89ee572477/The+Park+Bench.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - The Park Bench - Chaboute What a wonderful read this beautiful, hopeful story of humanity was. I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of The Park Bench from a bookshop bargain table for just $5 but would now have happily payed full price (whatever that might be!) for this beautiful graphic novel. The book’s title really does say it all. The Park Bench is a 336-page, almost wordless black-and-white graphic novel, which follows the stories that attach themselves to a solitary park bench over time. Seasons change, people and animals come and go, and Chaboute’s storytelling allows us a glimpse of the joy, pain, hope, sadness, and beauty that fills those who encounter the bench during their daily lives. This was certainly one of my favourite reads in 2024. It was a gentle reminder of the powerful stories that each person carries within them throughout every day, and the importance of paying attention to the world around us to see how those stories interact with time, place, and people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/4513d187-ad21-4673-b5e2-3667cbdf90b7/Dallergut+Dream+Department+Store.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Dallergut Dream Department Store - Mi-Ye Lee (Translated by Sandy Joosun Lee) I saw a review for this book that simply said, “No plot just vibes.” You know what, I think that is not far off the truth. Of course, there is a plot, as the excerpt reads: “Day and night, visitors both human and animal from all over the world shuffle in sleepily in their pyjamas, lining up to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor in the department store sells a special kind of dream, including nostalgic dreams about your childhood, trips you've taken, and delicious food you've eaten, as well as nightmares and more mysterious dreams.” The short novel simply floats along with Penny, the Dallergut Dream Department Store’s newest hire, as she discovers how the store works and learns the ins and outs of making, selling, and experiencing dreams. It’s whimsical, somewhat eccentric, and if I am honest a little boring at times. There is no solid conclusion at the end of the book, and I was left both satisfied and discontent after reading. I suppose, in summary, the book itself felt like a bit of a dream – and really, is that such a bad thing to take away from a piece of floating fiction? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/58e74ec5-4aa9-4888-a66b-7cc9e0a23e66/Tell+Me+An+Ending.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Tell Me an Ending - Jo Harkin Imagine getting a message to tell you that you once chose to have a memory removed, and that because of a recent lawsuit the company that did the removal is both obliged to inform you it happened and offer you the opportunity to get the memory back. Tell Me an Ending follows four characters as they struggle with how to respond to this news - their stories weave together as they interact with Noor, a psychologist working at the memory removal clinic in question. The characters and their stories are well-developed, complex and uber-interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed the ever-building suspense throughout the novel, and I really think that Harkin did a wonderful job wrapping each character’s story up in a satisfying ending. Tackling a theme like ‘the power of memory’ in a 448-page debut novel and delivering such a thought-provoking and captivating story is quite an achievement. A 5-star read, in my opinion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/96443ffb-8397-4332-83e2-72b92a79b88a/2034.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - 2034: A Novel of the Next World War - Elliot Ackerman & Admiral James Stavridis I expected something different than what I got from this book. It seemed to have been marketed as a somewhat serious look at what a third world war (a nuclear war) might entail. Yes, still fiction, but well situated in real-world possibilities that seem to hang over our heads more and more perilously each year. It wasn’t anything like that. That doesn’t mean it was boring. It was a fun enough read, although I had to get past the ‘US versus the rest’ vibes, shallow character development, and unexplained assumptions built into the clunky plot. I’m certainly no expert (not even an armchair one) when it comes to warfare and military tactics, but I have quite the suspicion that 2034 doesn’t contain many true-to-life moments in the few (and short) battles that are described. I’m also not a big reader of this genre (is it ‘war-fiction’?) but I can only imagine that Tom Clancy has a few books that would leave 2034 in the dust. I somewhat applaud the effort though. As I noted above, I think this was intended as a serious(ish) cautionary tale – it’s just a shame it wasn’t able to live up to what it seemed to claim to deliver. I’d avoid this book unless you’re a ‘war-fiction’ (?) lover… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/b2c3a835-f436-4cfb-aa8b-9dcbf0e15e7b/The+Searcher.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - The Searcher - Tana French Dark. Mysterious. Drawn out. The Searcher plays back like a movie in my mind, a memory of events even, rather than just the memory of a book that I have read. French’s depiction of rural Ireland, and talented building of characters and their stories, made this book a true pleasure. The Searcher is certainly a slow burn. It’s mysterious and unhurried, and the well-deserved 2020 Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Readers’ Favourite Mystery and Thriller. The plot itself is not, in my view, complicated. What French does well is build complexity in character relationships, with themselves and each other – especially when it comes to Cal, the retired detective from Chicago who gets more than he planned for in his move to a remote village in rural Ireland for retirement. I’d read this one again in a few years, just to add volume to the ‘memories’ I have thanks to French’s wonderful storytelling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/25ba48b4-b014-43c1-b6b7-f2ed5bf1723f/The+Watchers.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - The Watchers - A. M. Shine Book, yes. Movie, no. I’m so glad that I read the book before watching the movie. Mina, the main character who finds herself lost in a dark and wonderfully described Irish forest, is a joy to follow. However, she doesn’t experience much joy herself. I found the Irish folklore built into the story to be very interesting. While he watchers were not the most terrifying creatures possible, they sure were intriguing and very well used by Shine to build suspense and unease. This will likely not be the last Irish Folk Horror I read – if only because Shine’s written a sequel (on my list). Still, while I enjoyed this, I wasn’t scared by it…I’m still on the lookout for that horror novel that stops me from sleeping (out of fear, not out of wanting to keep reading until 2 am). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/ad1caaac-96bc-4517-b638-014701c3efa4/Supernova+Era.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Supernova Era - Cixin Liu (Translated by Joel Martinsen) So, a nearby star has died, there’s a supernova event that showers Earth with deadly levels of radiation, and within a year everyone over the age of thirteen dies. Audacious to be sure. Promising as well. But in the end, it was slightly disappointing, and kind of, well, boring. I thought of giving up at a few points, but as my first time reading a Chinese author’s novel translated into English, I really wanted to see it through to the end. I’ve heard so many good things about Cixin Liu’s work though, and there was just enough in this book to give me the confidence to try one of their more popular and recent efforts. This one though…well the physical copy that I purchased, it’s already at the op-shop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/d9faf7f8-9902-4d6b-8713-043dce2ab3ed/Ascension.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Ascension - Nicholas Binge There’s a new, enormous snow-covered mountain that has appeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Zero explanation, but it ofcourse needs to be explored – explained – and climbed. This is the most normal thing that happens in Ascension, and I love it for that! Horror. Thriller. Mystery. Fantasy. Metaphysical analysis. I’m not sure what genre this book sits in, to be honest. I really did enjoy it though, as did many others, since it was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Readers' Favorite Science Fiction in 2023. The higher up the mountain the book’s team of scientists ascends, the stranger the events of this book become. This book does get quite weird, but I wouldn’t let that put you off. I especially loved the characters' growing paranoia and the frequent but well-designed twists, spins, and turns. I sped through Ascension – and thoroughly enjoyed the climb. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/8881f9e6-dcee-495f-a3ef-2f20db701a97/The+Stranding.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - The Stranding - Kate Sawyer Post-apocalyptic fiction is certainly a dime a dozen at the moment, and I’ve read my share over the last few years. The Stranding stands above most, to be sure. It’s quiet, personal and relational, and that all contributes to the still and dying world that Sawyer has built for the two main characters – Ruth and Alex. I read a few reviews that punish the book for being too uneventful. I disagree. The book is full of interesting events, conversations, and possibilities. Sure, there are no zombies, or whatever other highly dramatic, fast-paced end-of-days events that people might have wanted. What there is though is a whole lot of well developed space, interesting observations, and strong feelings that really drew me in and kept me well engaged throughout. This book left me feeling both empty and full of hope. It was beautifully written, and such a great accomplishment for a debut novel. Five star read. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/6f3eb63e-a127-477b-a166-fb0f19a488af/Sea+of+Tranquility.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Sea of Tranquility - Emily St. John Mandel I am unsure how to best describe this novel. The write-up tells us that is it: “A novel of art, time travel, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon five hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space.” So yes, there is time travel. Yes, there are people on the moon. Yes, there is a pandemic. And, yes, there is a whole lot of raw humanity. Still, this was one of those stories that was so well written, so different to everything else I’ve been reading, that it left me a little unsure how to explain it. I guess all I can say is, make sure you read this book - and if you do, read it well (if that’s a thing?). I’ll be re-reading this sometime soon enough. I knew that I would as soon as I finished the book, and I will keep looking forward to doing so from that very moment. Clean five stars. Oh, and it was the Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Readers' Favorite Science Fiction (2022). Deservedly so. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/b0df3fab-83d9-4129-8fb9-88ec2b46c775/Insomnia.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Insomnia - Sarah Pinborough I love it when a novel makes you actually feel what is going on in the story. As in, to not just understand the plot, enjoy the characters, and appreciate the writing style, but also to connect with the vibe of the book on an emotional and personal level. I think that is the true talent of a good writer. Pinborough absolutely achieved this with Insomnia. The restlessness, exhaustion and ever-growing paranoia experienced by the narrator, Emma, is so well built into the text that you can’t help but join her emotional rollercoaster as you read it. This might not be what some people want, mind you…as empathising with Pinborough’s depiction of the personal terror that is insomnia is perhaps not everyone’s idea of a good time. I thought it was a great read though. I don’t need every novel to leave me feeling joyous and happy. This one really didn’t, but I still loved the book right to the end - including the very well-executed final twist! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/94d52d3f-2b5b-4aed-b7ee-01ce70c3955c/How+high+we+go+in+the+dark.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - How High We Go In The Dark - Sequoia Nagamatsu I don’t usually do ‘short-story-like’ books. I seem to find them a bit unfulfilling and they need me to reset my attention too many times. How High We Go In The Dark has me questioning that rule. It was a fantastic collection of interconnected stories centred around a virus released from melting permafrost and the ensuring plague that brings death and destruction across the globe. I saw a review that called the book “deeply compassionate,” and I think that’s an apt description. There are a few stories in How High We Go In The Dark that really hit hard, and ask the reader for a genuine emotional response – the story with the pigs being the prime example. To be honest, it’s quite a sad book, full of death, sorry and intrigue. As a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Readers' Favorite Science Fiction (2022), and for Readers' Favorite Debut Novel (2022), it comes well recommended. The slow and immersive prose and the vast range of perspectives and experiences conveyed through the various short stories held my attention all the way through. While there were a few stories that I didn’t love as much as the rest, they were the minority, and they still helped build into the full narrative of the book. Quite the book, this one – I do recommend it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/c9575cd0-be27-49b9-9500-e9e1e2189705/The+Dreamers.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - The Dreamers - Karen Thompson Walker I read this book around the middle of 2024, by which stage I had firmly told myself “No more pandemic books.” As I was looking for my next read, and soon after having read my first (but not last for the year) Emily St. John Mandel novel - Sea Of Tranquillity – I saw that she had called The Dreamers “stunning.” That was enough for me to allow myself one final (so I thought) book that relied on a virus/plague/pandemic as its primary device. So glad I allowed myself to do so. The Dreamers was certainly vague and mysterious, as many reviews have labelled it. The large cast of characters all drift in and out of focus as we follow the primary character Mei, whose freshman roommate stumbles into their dorm room, falls asleep, and simply does not wake up. Repeat that over and over, and suddenly Mei is in the middle of a ‘sleep sickness’ pandemic. Sure, the premise isn’t super original. Yes, the middle got a little muddy. And, yes, the end was quite short and sudden. Counter that with rather poetic prose, some very wise quotes - “But isn’t the future always an imaginary thing before it comes?” - and enough hazy distance to allow you to engineer your own thoughts and theories, and The Dreamers is a very enjoyable read. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/e1bb7258-930f-4842-8b12-c447fb3f26e5/Station+11.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel This was a re-read. I didn’t realise until a few chapters in, and as soon as I knew it was, I was more than fine with the fact. Station Eleven turned 10 in 2024, meaning I must have hired a copy from my local library and read it some while ago. It’s a pre-Covid pandemic story, and it’s a damn fine one. Fine enough to have won a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fiction in 2014. It’s post-apocalyptic. There’s a Shakespearean troupe. It includes a prophet. We learn of a mysterious comic book. Plus there is Hollywood. It’s quiet, loud, still, action-packed, thoughtful, and overall, just fantastic. By now, I am a true fan of Emily St. John Mandel’s writing. I think she’s truly skilled at painting meaningful and interesting worlds and drawing the reader right into them. I loved the setting of this novel, a world without the chaos of our modern civilisation, in which a wonderful cast of characters play out one of the favourite stories I read in 2024 (and, likely, in 2014 as well). It's very worth a read, and it doesn’t count as a ‘post-Covid pandemic novel’ in my counting! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/53ed6baa-0be4-47d4-a7c1-6feb08c01ba4/Everyone+in+My+Family+Has+Killed+Someone.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone - Benjamin Stevenson The title drew me in, it’s attention-grabbing is it not? The book made me laugh, it really is a funny book! I finished it in just a few days. It’s not a complicated read (although there are twisting plots and some good surprises), but it kept my attention well, and I sure did want to know the outcome. The book’s narrator, Ernest Cunningham, speaks directly to the reader throughout the novel. He is the author of a book that is about how to write books, and yes that ‘meta’ vibe really does permeate the whole of this novel. I found it to be enjoyable and a good break from everything else that I had been reading. Some people might find it annoying, it’s true. I didn’t though. I loved it. Five stars from me! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/eb18452d-cc5d-449f-959f-2f4b92971535/Everyone+on+This+Train+Is+a+Suspect.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect - Benjamin Stevenson As the title suggests, this is a follow-on from Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, a book that I really did enjoy. I was excited to revisit the witty world of Ernest Cunningham and experience another twisting murder mystery delivered through the broken fourth wall (Ernest, the narrator, addresses the reader directly). The book didn’t disappoint in that sense! It was great in all the ways the previous book was – including being very funny and not at all easy (for me at least) to guess the ending. There were a range of sleuthy games that the reader could play as the book developed, but I didn’t quite have the mental energy to go along with them. They seemed fun though! In this end, this felt similar to the previous book...but on a train, and with a mostly new cast of characters. I liked that, but I also found myself slightly bored towards the end. I think I’d had my fill of the witty, sometimes narky delivery of Ernest Cunningham. I came to this book for more of that though, so I can’t complain! Would I read a third book of this series? Perhaps, but only when I know I need to switch things up from my regular book pile. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/7cb50a3b-43cc-46f3-b601-11e3f5d7d18b/The+Mother+Fault.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - The Mother Fault - Kate Mildenhall I loved watching The Handmaid's Tale, so reading that The Mother Fault “Imagines a world as terrifying and visionary as Margaret Atwoods’s Gilead” had me very interested in exploring this book. I was sold after seeing that it was set in Australia, with an all-powerful government that has rescued the population from climate-crisis-induced social collapse. Honestly, so much of this book seemed very, very plausible, which was quite distressing at times (and super interesting). I didn’t love the characters though, including Mim, the lead who risks all to find her husband (kids in tow) while evading capture, and whatever else that might bring. The story was fast-paced enough to hold me through until the end, even if I didn’t feel all that connected to those in it. I also think the book tried a little hard to be too many things, instead of leaning hard into the interesting dystopian Australia that Mildenhall created for the reader. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/7572c5a8-17ec-4e14-93c0-190493940b4b/In+Ascencion.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - In Ascension - Martin MacInnes Longlisted for the Booker Prize Shortlisted for the Kitschies award Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award, Blackwell's Book of the Year, and the Saltire Prize for Fiction. Ascension requires and rewards a patient, focused read. I’ve seen some reviews that compare it in part to Interstellar, and I can see those similarities. It’s a novel about the micro and the macro, all at once - I would say that it has a detailed luminosity. Exactly the kind of writing you would expect if the synopsis truly foretold the story: “An astonishing novel about a young microbiologist investigating an unfathomable deep vent in the ocean floor, leading her on a journey that will encompass the full trajectory of the cosmos and the passage of a single human life.” This isn’t a novel full of sophisticated hooks, overly distinctive prose, or memorable twists and reveals. It has a steady and sensible quality to it, and it drew me right in from start to end. Enjoyed every page of this wonderfully written, and a thoroughly interesting story. Five star read in my view. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/fc56907e-9f46-4d5b-80de-56b04afbaf96/Mania.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Mania - Lionel Shriver “What if calling someone stupid was illegal?” That’s the entire premise of this book. It’s an interesting enough concept, and it’s the focus on Shriver’s writing, but I feel it is done so in neglect of any quality character development and meaningful story arc. In other words, the book explores interesting events and their impact on a semi-interesting world, but the characters are shallow and annoying, and to be honest it’s just so hard to care about them. Still, I enjoyed aspects of Mania, including how widespread Shirver’s mocking of society did go. Sure, there are a few lessons packed in here, but the learnings, story, and applicability fall short of my initial expectations and well short of anything like 1984 or The Handmaid’s Tale. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/0c5380d1-5dfb-400c-ac64-a3c2002cdfa1/The+God+of+the+Woods.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - The God Of The Woods - Liz Moore Well, this is a wonderful book, and the first 2024 release that I read in 2024 (I’m a bit behind with my reading, thanks so much academic studies…). The well-deserved 2024 Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller is just so beautifully written. Yes, there are a lot of perspectives (seven, maybe more?) throughout this 500-odd-page novel about the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl at a 1975 summer camp. I think Moore uses all those points of view incredibly well to design, and walk the reader through, a dense and constantly changing cast and setting. It’s all very well developed throughout, and the ending is both surprising and satisfying. So worth reading. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/26e0fbaf-7a98-4c3b-b443-ad79e7885db3/Starter+Villain.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Starter Villain - John Scalzi Ok. This was my favourite 2024 read. Yes. I purchased Starter Villain because of the front cover. I had my eye on it for a while, waiting for the price to drop, and I snatched it up as soon as I saw it on sale. What a hilarious, fun, and engaging novel! It was my first read of Scalzi (certainly won’t be my last) and I was very impressed. It’s satire, science fiction, humour, and fantasy. There’s a LOT of dialogue, which I might have otherwise found too much - not here though. Charlie, the main character, is so likeable. He’s a divorced substitute teacher, living alone with his cat, whose long-lost uncle dies and leaves him with his supervillain business. There are talking cats, unionised dolphins, supervillains, greedy corporate types, and everything in between. Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Readers' Favorite Science Fiction in 2023, and my favourite fiction book in 2024. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/c31b8aa8-bf38-4e37-8edf-74f664d2f309/Convenience+Store+Woman.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Convenience Store Woman - Sayaka Murata At just 163 pages, this was the shortest fiction book I read in 2024. It started, then it was over. Convenience Store Woman is Sayaka Murata’s English-language debut. I picked it up on sale, curious about the title and front cover, and open to something a bit different than my regular reads. So glad I did. This is such a cute, quick and accurate social commentary. It’s a bit dark at times, but still full of hope and empowerment. The book is really just the story of thirty-six-year-old Tokyo resident Keiko Furukura’s employment at a ‘Smile Mart’ convenience store. No need to explain further, to be honest. Just to say this is a lovely and enjoyable book, and I’m very glad that I read it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/553c3b72-620d-4f09-8140-10f662a4cc27/Afterland.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - Afterland - Lauren Beukes I thought I liked this book a few chapters in, but then I started realising that I didn’t. I don’t think it is at all the “sharply feminist, high-stakes thriller” that the synopsis claims it to be. You’re going to have to do more than just ‘remove all men’ to claim to portray feminism in my opinion. There’s certainly some deep American noir, and yes there are some moments that are interesting (I mean, the cult-like nuns were fun), but I couldn’t look past the deeply binary worldview and consequential transmisogyny (be it conscious or not), and the combination of so many references to penises and sperm in the context of a 13-year-old. It often felt a bit young-adult in style as well, but I don’t think that was the intended audience. Anyway, I read through to the end, but rather begrudgingly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/86872c7e-0ab4-465b-bf12-04751f72ca69/The+Anomoly.jpg Blog - 2024 Reads - Fiction - The Anomaly - Herve Le Tellier (tanslated by Adriana Hunter) Oh I did love The Anomaly, which was the last fiction read for me in 2024. Herve Le Tellier takes the reader on a true journey. The Anomaly is part satire, part speculative science fiction, and a good part philosophy. It's very theoretical at times, and that might put some readers off. I promise it's worth wading through any complexity, as there are some wonderful stories weaved together. Multiple versions of stories that is, as this is a doppelganger tale, where the same plane lands, full of the same people, twice. The Anomaly explores the human, scientific, societal, and philosophical consequences of this event. Did I say that I loved the book? What a great novel to end my 2024 fiction reading on. https://www.about-change.com/blog/a-two-day-late-iwd-post monthly 0.5 2024-03-10 https://www.about-change.com/blog/amazons-abolitionists-and-activists-reading-my-way-to-iwd-2024 monthly 0.5 2024-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/3cf6ada1-49cc-4944-9383-c18c80cff3eb/1000012872.jpg Blog - Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: Reading my way towards IWD 2024. - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/8057573a-6e72-4337-9b99-9d987e559be2/1000012873.jpg Blog - Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: Reading my way towards IWD 2024. - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/83cfce67-1c4e-4b4b-8bc7-a921406f607f/1000012876.jpg Blog - Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: Reading my way towards IWD 2024. - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/cf16fe8a-bfd6-49ac-b0d2-f884b5ee3d4e/1000012877.jpg Blog - Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: Reading my way towards IWD 2024. - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/112bfaac-8f66-43f8-8d37-ec155fb48c98/1000012875.jpg Blog - Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: Reading my way towards IWD 2024. - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/e2d822ba-bbb4-45a5-ac9c-f3de7951eb2f/1000012874.jpg Blog - Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: Reading my way towards IWD 2024. - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.about-change.com/blog/2023-reads monthly 0.5 2024-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/ea8413b0-43bc-4fc0-809a-74d0354a9207/books.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/59890863-f243-4148-bb24-b0951d9d0533/Drowning.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - Drowning - T.J. Newman Downing was my favourite fiction read of 2023. Author T.J. Newman is a flight attendant turned New York Times bestselling author. Her two books are, well, about aeroplane crashes. Drowning, quite simply, is about a commercial jetliner that crashes into the ocean. It sinks to the bottom with passengers trapped inside. An extraordinary rescue operation to save them plays out, with a relationship drama smack-bang in the middle. It’s a thrilling, fast-paced, fun, intellectual blockbuster of a read. I’m quite sure I read it in two days. SO keen for Newman’s next book! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1ac49938-8de9-4c27-b41f-4f405377962f/Ferryman.jpeg Blog - 2023 Reads - The Ferryman - Justin Cronin I don’t usually eagerly await the launch of books, but this one I was looking forward to after having loved Cronin’s ‘The Passage’ trilogy. I feel that my waiting was well rewarded with this novel. Cronin takes the reader on a twisting and intellectual journey in this multilayered and continually developing sci-fi tale. The characters are all super interesting, and their depth expands as each new dimension of this story unfolds. There are survivors on an island utopia. There is psychological drama. There is social unrest. There is a whole lot of action and fun. I admit it’s all a little tried and tested. The book doesn’t deliver anything groundbreaking for seasoned sci-fi readers, it’s true. But thanks to the great character development and word-building I still enjoyed it right to the end. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/54b3f038-19dd-4d67-8da8-2641c2d13f7c/Blood+Tide.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - The Blood Tide - Neil Lancaster I think the last book I read in 2022 was the first of this series. I must have enjoyed it, seeing as the first book I read in 2023 was the second in the series! This was fun to read, I think Neil really locked in his ‘Scottish crime thriller’ format and seemed to start having more fun with the characters and plot. Perhaps it’s all a bit cookie-cutter for some. I mean, it’s police procedural fiction, so don’t expect too much groundbreaking stuff here. Just enjoy the characters and the satisfaction of corrupt police being brought to justice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/3b5828ba-a2b4-45b3-a679-fe3da81d45ce/the+night+watch.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - The Night Watch - Neil Lancaster Book three in the DS Max Craigie series. Full of Lancaster’s now trademark twists and turns, and of course the standard amount of killing, thrilling and blood spilling expected in a fast-paced crime-thriller. Just like the last two, this was fun and engaging. A great escape-read for a busy work week. Sure, I didn’t really learn anything, but it was fun. Isn’t that a good outcome from a book sometimes? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/c8069fd3-a42e-42ac-8bb6-2a5140df0b56/blood+runs.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - Blood Runs Cold - Neil Lancaster Book four of the DS Max Cragie series, and it’s much of the enjoyable same - with a human trafficking mystery and Albanian organised crime thrown in. Best of the series thus far - despite the formulaic nature. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/858e57ef-8b14-4c47-9f62-108ede633e2c/the-whistling.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - The Whistling - Rebecca Netley I always leave a horror novel wishing I had been scared more. This really was enjoyable to read, with engaging characters and locations. Rebecca captures the atmosphere of a Scottish island so well - I was really drawn into the location. The book entwines a lovely sense of location with it a mysterious ghost story. Creepy yes, deeply scary no. It was a good middle ground, and I really enjoyed it. Please send me your horror recommendations. I want horror to truly freak me out! While this didn’t, it was still a great book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/838c23c5-637a-4815-a3eb-f0b31ae8b679/A+History+of+what+comes+next.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - A History of What Comes Next: A Take Them to the Stars Novel - Sylvain Neuvel This was such an interesting concept. A revolving mother-daughter team from an alien race who guide humanity over generations to develop space flight. A unique concept for sure, but I found the book slightly lacking in depth - and while I was constantly wanting to understand the characters better, the book never seemed to deliver on that point. Still, there were some super fun moments in this alternative-history experiment, which I am sure are continued in the two other books in the series. I won’t end up reading them though. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/51fd5f8f-bb9b-4ccd-87a1-3c968255b6dc/Last+human.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - The Last Human - Zack Jordan A clever, futuristic sci-fi in which the last human in the universe (Sarya) lives out an expansive adventure as the adopted daughter of Shenya the Widow - a giant, spider-like creature. This story kicked off so well. I was thoroughly enjoying it until around halfway through when I found the plot got a bit wayward and increasingly hard to follow. I enjoyed the start so much that I pushed on, although I’m not entirely sure it was worth the brain power to follow Sarya’s journey amongst the philosophising and the lengthy and confusing dialogues that made up the second half of the book. I’d give Zack another shot, and will keep a lookout for his next novel - here’s hoping there is one coming. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/7d63f3cf-3a98-4997-9663-2d3df41cf007/the-fireman.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - The Fireman - Joe Hill The reviews of this book had me at “worldwide pandemic of spontaneous combustion”. For the majority of this BIG book (768 pages), I was very much enjoying the read. It sure took me a while though, and ehhh at the end things got a bit messy and I didn’t quite like the ending. But that happens - and regardless, I still loved the whole ‘people bursting into flames and mastering control of their personal, internal fire-ability while the world is ending’ vibe. Flaming fun! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/f7d1b856-3a19-4dab-9212-b1f258722f29/end+of.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - End of Story - Louise Swanson This is a good book! Clever. Dystopian-ish. Very well written. Louise Swanson wrote this novel during the 2020 COVID lockdowns and in the aftermath of a family tragedy, something tangible to me throughout the book. There’s not much that can be said without ruining the plot of this compelling read. What led me to read this was the book’s setting of 2035, several years after the government had banned all fiction. Novel writing is illegal, and to read a fairytale is punishable by law. It’s difficult to describe this novel. It’s quite unique, and I found it very enthralling. I highly recommend it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/8bb0bc3d-88eb-4b3c-92f8-b9935d1cc435/sisterhood.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - The Sisterhood - Katherine Bradley 1984 is one of my favourite novels - and this feminist perspective of Oceania, Big Brother and the Brotherhood is a worthy expansion on George Orwell’s chilling look into the future (present?). I see Katherine Bradley as incredibly brave in writing this book, and I’m so glad she exercised that bravery and gave readers another 400 pages of dystopian, anti-party vigilante action. I’ve read some reviews that wish Katherine had expanded Orwell’s world much further than she did - but from reading her Acknowledgments, it appears Katherine was committed to writing within the world created by Orwell. I think she did that fantastically, and that The Sisterhood was every bit intriguing, frightening, enjoyable and important. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/66479f6c-bc4b-49f1-ac26-5e9cfc8926c4/Starwars.jpeg Blog - 2023 Reads - Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir - Jeremy Barlow, Juan Frigeri (Illustrator) Yes, I read a Star Wars graphic novel. It took me two hours on a summer afternoon, with an ice-cold beer and some salted nuts. It was fun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/3a977db0-6ad9-44a6-bdda-4b2f9091c468/end+of.jpeg Blog - 2023 Reads - The End of Men - Christine Sweeney-Baird This was the second ‘pandemic chaos’ book that I read this year. I guess they do say to write what you know, and well, who of us doesn’t know pandemics! Anyway, it was more the idea of a world without men that attracted me to this book initially. The concept is pretty simple. Virus breaks out. It only kills men. The world (now mostly women) needs to figure out how to survive. While I did enjoy some of this book, especially thinking about some of the complexities of a world that suddenly loses most of its male population, the writing style frustrated me a little. I found there to be too many characters, with not enough attention given to each of them. Also, the stories of each of the characters/women felt a little too similar - I wanted a bit more, and there could have been so much more! Still. An interesting plot line, and it led me to do a lot of pondering. Worth a read. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/a5b766d3-442c-4a75-b859-19baf0afbbb0/the+drovers.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson - Leah Purcell Set in Snowy Mountains High Country in the late 1890s, this is a fantastic reimagining of the classic Henry Lawson short story which weaves in race, gender, and a whole lot of violence. I loved the gothic-western style that Purcell brought to this novel, which was adapted from her award-winning play, and has now been adapted into a movie. As many reviews have noted, there is a rapid shift from third to first person throughout this book - some readers might find that a bit distracting. There are many sad, ugly and confronting moments in this book - which is a true telling of what life was like for women and First Nations Peoples in High Country in the late 1800s. Despite some flaws in writing, I found this quite a gripping story that is well worth reading. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/aacbc118-a524-4db5-bb3d-4d8bb36a717b/ring+shout.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - Ring Shout - P. Djéli Clark I love a good novella - and this certainly was one! Ring Shout is a fictionalisation that builds on the horror that was the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s. With top notch storytelling, the power of hate to breed hate is explored with the introduction of demons called Ku Kluxes. It is oh-so enjoyable to follow the lead female resistance fighters as they use blade, bullet, and bomb to fight these demons and stop them from expanding their hate throughout the entire globe. The level of world-building and character development in this short book is a testament to Clark’s talented writing. It’s really great work. If you’re ok with a bit of supernatural horror, and you like a fast and thrilling read, I sure do recommend this book! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/e1201184-7c5c-4410-905a-bb3519fd5c96/Hench-Natalie-Zina-Walschots.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - Hench - Natalie Zina Walschots So, I initially abandoned this book halfway through - I was bored. Then I missed it. So that’s something, I guess? I returned to it, and the story started to pick up again from halfway. To be honest, at times it felt a little too like reading my day-to-day office life, with a small villain/hero twist...but on some strange level, I enjoyed that. Hench is simply a story following a young woman’s career as a supervillain’s hench. From temp worker to, well, you’ll have to read it to find out, I guess. I enjoyed this - it was familiar yet unique. I will be reading the second in the series when it comes out later this year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/7d16eb0a-a559-4fa1-b61e-4e2c4d220da3/aurora.jpeg Blog - 2023 Reads - Aurora - Kim Stanley Robinson I’m a big fan of Kim Stanley Robinson’s work. I think the NYT quote on the cover of this book is totally accurate “If I had to choose one writer whose work will set the standard for science fiction in the future, it would be Kim Stanley Robinson.” Aurora is a tale of humankind’s first journey beyond the solar system. It is scientific, philosophical, and a thoroughly detailed description of the possible complexity of space travel. I really enjoyed reading this book, especially the musings of the ship’s artificial intelligence throughout the voyage. Great hard science fiction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/88b9fbef-c5b7-4ca7-9ea2-4901e60ba6e6/Going+Home.jpeg Blog - 2023 Reads - Going Home: A Walk Through Fifty Years of Occupation - Raja Shehadeh My favourite non-fiction read of the year by far. What a beautifully written memoir, analysis, and historical journey through 50 years of Palestinian life. Raja Shehadeh revisits Ramallah, the town in the West Bank in which he grew up (and which is currently being subjected to ongoing violent and deadly raids by the IDF), and allows us into his heart and the personal and political history of his people. This is a generous and touching book. It is a meditation on joy, pain, hope, and despair. Reading it felt like an honour. In the book's final pages, Raja writes: "For fifty years I've been possessed by the feeling of insecurity whenever I come back to my house. Will this precariousness ever come to an end? Nothing lasts forever: not this occupation or these turbid murmurings of my heart. The day will surely come when I will be free of apprehension. Yet for now I needn't dwell in fear, for at long last I have found what I was searching for, my home, and no one can take it away from me." I hope you find the space to read this book. It will enrich your soul and be worth your time, I promise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/9f362927-7ec9-493f-962a-86d02001edf3/Declaration.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - The Declaration of the Rights of Women (The Original Manifesto for Justice, Equality, & Freedom) - Olympe De Gouges Well, I enjoyed this presentation of Olympe De Gouges’ manifesto, The Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen, so much that I wrote a blog post on it. Take a look at the post so you can view some of the fantastic images within the book, and how they visually express the articles from De Gouges’ manifesto and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/cac040e7-4195-4303-8fd9-5597c2f6a633/the-ethnic-cleansing-of-palestine-9781780740560_hr.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine - Ilan Pappe Ilan Pappe is one of Israel’s New Historians, who used the release of British and Israeli government documents in the early 1980’s to rewrite the history of the creation of the modern state of Israel. Born in Haifa, Israel, and now residing in the UK, Ilan’s writings have resulted in him being directly spoken against by the Israeli Government, along with receiving death threats by post, email and phone. Once you read ‘The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine’, you might understand why. There is much I knew about this period of history, but reading this book was a revelation. Pappe’s work is meticulous, shocking and so densely packed that it took me a few months to get through this significant piece of academic work. There’s not much more I’ll say here, except this book is an absolute must if you want to learn about the events of 1947/48 through a critical historical lens. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/0fe8f106-29c3-4fed-bba0-a3397de9b0cc/Anti.jpeg Blog - 2023 Reads - Antisemitism: What It Is. What It Isn't. Why It Matters - Julia Neuberger This is an enriching and comprehensive exploration of antisemitism. Julia Neuberger provides a detailed and distressing account of the historical background of antisemitism and of its ongoing influence around the globe. There is a timely, and well-written chapter in which Julia breaks down her understanding of the difference between antisemitism and legitimate criticism of the state of Israel. I highly recommend reading this book, right up to the chapter about antisemitism in the British Labour Party … which I found far too detailed, party-specific and outdated to warrant my reading. An important and timely book - I recommend reading this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/93e45d78-8a1b-43fd-815b-5619c6518baa/how+to+they.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - How to They/Them: A Visual Guide to Nonbinary Pronouns and the World of Gender Fluidity -Stuart Getty This little gift of a book is everything to do with They/Them - discussed with grace, humour and kindness! I scored this delightful book from a second-hand stall and proceeded to read it in one sitting. The illustrations are so great, and really help make the book an enjoyable read. Stuart Getty brings the writing, and Brooke Thyng the illustrations - all you must bring is acceptance and willingness to learn. Do that, and this lovely little book will gift you a joyful experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/f7d0b641-0673-4a74-823f-f2f32d295653/This+book+thinks.jpg Blog - 2023 Reads - This Book Thinks Ya Deadly!: A Celebration of Blak Excellence - Corey Tutt (Illustrations by Molly Hunt) Recently, I finally landed a copy of this great book at an airport during a 4-hour flight delay and proceeded to read most of it without delay. This is a fantastic compendium of the success and diversity of the lives and careers of over 70 First Nations Peoples. Each turn brings a page of text alongside a fantastic illustration from Molly Hunt - it’s such an enjoyable experience to turn the page and see who you will be reading about next. I’ve been following Corey Tutt’s journey on LinkedIn for years now, and it’s no secret that I am a big fan of his success and the good that he does through the organisation Deadly Science. I liked this so much that I purchased another copy for my workplace’s secret Santa this year! I really appreciated the range of fields in which people are celebrated throughout this book: sport, art, activism and science, politics, education, and literature. Reading about the deadly accomplishments of familiar people, as well as those I’d not yet heard of, was really uplifting and inspiring. https://www.about-change.com/blog/music-music-music monthly 0.5 2023-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/6ba26d7b-1b8c-4fb4-a6ce-1dc32160db24/ab67616d0000b2738fa3fb7d91fd30b8f7dabd6b.jpeg Blog - music music music Haste The Day - Burning Bridges (2004) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/0c5a02fa-2a67-4efa-8ea7-0c9af8656d42/omnipart1.jpg Blog - music music music - Make it stand out Project 86 - OMNI, Pt. 1 (2023) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/b6ad8168-8eaa-4aef-a364-a8c98975ada2/a2e22f4c8ca04a8e1aecce25b63724f2.600x600x1.png Blog - music music music - Make it stand out Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise (2005) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/eae2c33c-fcf3-4ae5-a812-3ff81f797ee5/Zao-Where-Blood-and-Fire-Bring-Rest-01.jpg Blog - music music music - Make it stand out Zao - Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/3b0a8c62-085e-4244-87bd-6481ed878419/s-l500.jpg Blog - music music music - Make it stand out Silverchair - Diorama (2002) https://www.about-change.com/blog/photo-dump-canberra-balloon-spectacular monthly 0.5 2023-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1681161608598-4E1JHM7EKFQVQIVQVGP1/20230312061332_IMG_5251-01.jpeg Blog - photo dump - Canberra balloon spectacular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1681161611263-5N99H3NV68KCXJC7T3WC/20230312062318_IMG_5253-01.jpeg Blog - photo dump - Canberra balloon spectacular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1681161611324-L8BN7Z2KMCORBEOQHAI6/20230312062827_IMG_5266-01.jpeg Blog - photo dump - Canberra balloon spectacular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1681161613132-6E0SVLABOL743LWUR1FF/20230314060906_IMG_5278-01.jpeg Blog - photo dump - Canberra balloon spectacular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1681161613766-7HGRMSZKGH4D27MFVPDV/20230314061154_IMG_5287-01.jpeg Blog - photo dump - Canberra balloon spectacular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1681161616299-EYEU2MUF58QUD0OQPRS7/20230314061426_IMG_5293-01.jpeg Blog - photo dump - Canberra balloon spectacular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1681161615486-LVHU3SJ5EV5HJTQ9BNPJ/20230319055321_IMG_5301-01.jpeg Blog - photo dump - Canberra balloon spectacular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1681161618760-K2Z91147EB67WFOLZ09B/20230319055858_IMG_5309-01.jpeg Blog - photo dump - Canberra balloon spectacular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1681161618413-WKMJ67D0Y2GPN4FSP7WH/20230319061137_IMG_5332-01.jpeg Blog - photo dump - Canberra balloon spectacular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1681161619675-Y10UATFUYYKORGMLTLM8/20230319061349_IMG_5341-01.jpeg Blog - photo dump - Canberra balloon spectacular https://www.about-change.com/blog/2022-reads monthly 0.5 2023-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/f5c1b86d-de18-469f-80bf-04fa9cc4d89c/Wild+Abandon.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Wild Abandon - Emily Bitto A fun read! The main character is and Australian bloke who find himself in the USA looking for something more than Australian culture has to offer him. I totally get that! I found the main character a bit too pretentious in the first half of the book, but I am glad I stuck around for the second half - which certainly got wild and enjoyable. I really enjoyed the book’s narrative on what it is to be a tourist, and how we seek experiences that define who we are in those around us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/be79a291-ebe2-45cb-a528-11e06785fb2c/Autonomous.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Autonomous - Annalee Newitz Female pharmaceutical pirates anyone? Autonomous was an interesting glimpse into the possible, perhaps even probable future role of pharmaceuticals in society, and a main character’s attempt to bring cheap drugs to everyone while fighting to make amends for their mistakes. It was another fun read, and despite a few slower moments I found it quite enjoyable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/3fb1fd88-8be4-4f2c-aba7-73e21a97dfe2/Elder+Race.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Elder Race - Adrian Tchaikovsky A unique science fiction journey that blended magic, myth, legends, science, and space travel in one short yet well-structured journey. This novella was a joy to read, I really recommend it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/c314b5f0-84be-419c-bf78-414c6d52ed8f/Dead+Man%27s+Grave.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Dead Man’s Grave - Neil Lancaster I was drawn to this book when I saw it described as “Line of Duty on steroids”. That is a fully accurate description. This police-procedural novel was full of action, police corruption and satisfying moments of justice. It was also nice to read something based in Scotland. I did find the language a bit too simple at times, with some over-explaining that felt a little too young-adult fiction. Still, it was a very easy to read and enjoyable ride. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/517e6606-39e3-40b7-b4bf-26e28e9f450d/Infected.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Infected - Scott Sigler Mysterious disease that turns people into murderers. CIA. Epidemiologists. Bioengineering. You get the drift…not a stunning piece of literary work, but fast, fun and a good distraction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/00b02c23-cdb9-4cbb-a80a-91a489629627/Metro.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Metro 2034 - Omitry Glukhovsky I really enjoyed Metro 2033, it was one of my favourite books that I read in 2021. I also played Metro Exodus this year, so I really found myself diving into the post WWIII world that feels so-very real given current world events. Metro 2024 was just as enjoyable as it’s prequel, although I did find it a little more difficult to follow at times. This was a fast-paced book. The action was blistering, and the underground metro world where people shelter from a surface ravaged by nuclear radiation is incredibly vivid and intriguing. I highly recommend this series, and Metro Exodus (best videogame I played in 2022 for sure). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/85ccf30f-273d-4cab-b59c-df02a4c5d8f6/Project+Hail+Mary.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir I think I loved this? It was such a conversational, funny and light book exploring intergalactic space travel. Super easy to read and enjoyable. On the other hand, I just felt that it was too simple. I guess that made it easy to keep reading, but at the same time I felt that I was missing out on any read depth to the characters and the story. Regardless, it did make me laugh and I read it in no time at all. I recommend reading some reviews before picking this one up though… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/226114e9-81c3-4e22-855c-2d04d3a60008/The+Dry.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - The Dry - Jane Harper (Aaron Falk #1) This was my favourite book I read in 2022. Even if you’ve seen the movie (also great), I recommend reading this book! In fact, the whole series is just fantastic. Super atmospheric and oh so Australian, this is a very well written mystery that I could not put down. The story starts with Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk returning to his home town, an outback Australian farming community, during a record drought season. It has everything you could want in a thriller/mystery novel, great characters, interesting plot lines and loads of suspense. Do yourself a favour and read this one! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/a3ef5a2d-f213-43f3-b318-9efda151e8f7/Force+of+Nature.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Force of Nature - Jane Harper (Aaron Falk #2) Another great mystery/suspense novel from Jane Harper, continuing the Aaron Falk series. Love this one as well. Here we learn more about Aaron’s past as he investigates the disappearance of a hiker from a group in the Giralang Ranges. It was kind of like the Dry, but more atmospheric, and a little more creepy and violent. It’s another great book! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/628f15ed-3cfe-4855-982c-c4088ec25f0c/Exiles.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Exiles - Jane Harper (Aaron Falk #3) This final of the Aaron Falk series was another great mystery read, and wrapped up this Australian Noir series perfectly. This time Aaron find himself buried in suspense in South Australian wine country, which is vividly described by Jane’s approachable and vibrant writing style. It was great to see Aaron and his support cast grow as characters in this final installment. This might be the only 2022 published book I read last year also! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/ff4b9615-314b-4bcf-98b0-e1fe00a59be6/The+long+way+....jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet - Becky Chambers (Wayfarers #1) This was a close second for my favourite read of the year, and the whole series was definitely my favourite series that I read this year (and for a very long time). This book introduces Becky Chambers’ feel-good brand of science fiction that is set in a huge intergalactic environment. Actually, here’s the key points from a review by Anna on Good Reads which outline why this book is so great: 1. Feel-good science fiction. 2. It’s a great big world. 3. Great characters. 4. Great female characters. 5. It’s anti-prejudice. 6. Everyone isn’t white and straight. 7. Aliens who upset the gender binary. 8. The aliens are strange, but so are the humans. 9. The clerk who kicks ass. 10. The author is very nice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/42d24946-57b1-4b17-9205-1c5a5d160608/A+closed+and+Common+Orbit.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - A Closed and Common Orbit - Becky Chambers (Wayfarers #2) This stand-alone sequel to The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is just as good, if not better, than Becky Chamber’s debut novel. My favourite character in this novel was Lovelace, the AI program whose story of survival and identify is woven throughout this wonderful space-faring adventure. I’m re-reading this one in 2023. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/6bdbb9a2-74f4-43ef-a232-cb71d72d6c54/Record+of+s+Spaceborn+Few.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Record of a Spaceborn Few - Becky Chambers (Wayfarers #3) I must admit this wasn’t the follow on from A Closed and Common Orbit that I was hoping for, and at time I did find this novel a little confusing and hard to follow. It was still wonderful to explore more of Chambers’ beautiful world created in the Wayfarers series. If you’re reading all four books, then this is a must … but if you’re looking for a one off science fiction read with a social/humanist twist then this is the least accessible of the Wayfarers four. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/3821c374-294f-4f90-b222-8b6c362fbf38/The+galaxy+and.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - The Galaxy, and the Ground Within - Becky Chambers (Wayfarers #4) I loved this final chapter of what was a thoroughly enjoyable series that left me wanting to start right back at the beginning straight away! The Galaxy, and the Ground With is heartwarming, if a little slow, and highlights the importance of relationship and connection (hey, even Aliens need friends!). Great book, but make sure you read the first three so that you really enjoy the experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/b1869c07-9ae6-4fcd-b384-0ac094f3b3c3/boy+in.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - The Boy in the Suitcase - Lene Kaaberol and Agnete Friis This gritty mystery-thriller is set in Denmark, and yes, involves a three-year old boy being found inside a suitcase, asleep and drugged. The main character Nina is a Red Cross nurse working in a welfare clinic, which is pleasant change from it being a detective or police officer-sort. This ended up being a little darker than I hoped, although the title should have given it away I suppose! If you like a dark and gritty thriller, this one is for you! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/4127a861-ec1b-4c67-b32d-cd5270bd4afe/Below.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Below - Ryan Lockwood “They’re here…and they’re very hungry”. Yeah that should have been a hint…I found that this was a bit of a sloppy book. It was all action, mixed with a bit of horror, and a main character who in the end I found to be racist and obnoxious. Sure, the murderous sea-creatures were fun - but if I had my time over, I’d have not read this one. Oh well! Live and learn (unlike a few characters in this novel!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/48cecd5a-43e8-4796-8222-979ded8a8138/Treasure+and+Dirt.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Treasure and Dirt - Chris Hammer Really loved this. It was outback Australian noir of the highest degree, and it really hit the spot. Such an accurate portrayal of an outback opal mining town (I’ve been in a few, and trust me it’s spot on), and a really complicated and intriguing mystery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1692c855-e7bd-4d7d-8908-d34090c751ee/The+Hobbit.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien Re-reading this classic was fantastic. I hadn’t read this again since the movies came out years ago, and reading it just reminded me how much better the book is than the films! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/eacfde87-70d2-4e41-8219-3497b591e300/Beyond+the+Hallowed+Sky.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Beyond the Hallowed Sky - Ken Macleod (Lightspeed Trilogy #1) This was enjoyable, slightly nerdy and a little unique in that it explored the discovery of ‘faster than light travel’. While that is a ‘technology’ often present in science-fiction novels, this was the first I had read where the science/mechanics of such travel was explored in such detail. Looking forward to the next book in the series, which is being released this year sometime! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/027d06bc-75de-4772-9699-0839bc585568/Fahrenheir+451.jpg Blog - 2022 Reads - Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury Disturbing. Important. Timely. Enthralling. This is one of those books that everyone should read, every few years. I alternate yearly between this, 1984 and Animal Farm. Read this book. https://www.about-change.com/blog/transgender-allyship monthly 0.5 2022-11-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/d488b377-35a2-4751-bb4a-8845d902fd21/processed-e56eac56-9d9b-48c9-8f76-d76554f04064_kFML987q.jpeg Blog - Transgender Allyship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1030c98e-c7e5-4f8c-8f42-eb7b42b77b96/processed-c24d846d-507d-42b6-a5b5-0d03777ecbbd_qiwojAk9.jpeg Blog - Transgender Allyship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.about-change.com/blog/the-sea monthly 0.5 2022-09-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/59735918-9c7c-4259-8ba7-fa9f6c8a2c6f/Brunswick+right+big+tube+through+grass.jpg Blog - photo dump - the sea - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/d0ec73bf-84ab-4cce-bc0f-542e3a0410dc/snapper+from+beach+guys+going+out+big+wave+breaking+in+middle.jpg Blog - photo dump - the sea - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/44d017dd-ea52-4540-9c20-3738c8baff2e/Random+Byron+Reef+Spray.jpg Blog - photo dump - the sea - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/cf91eb50-402f-4033-a2a5-fe7f1ff34e36/byron+backwash+green+with+sun.jpg Blog - photo dump - the sea - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/93ecb418-2303-43b7-8111-b013a5d928d7/kirra+booger+charging+huge+wave+sufers+in+bg+storm+swell.jpg Blog - photo dump - the sea - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/21229243-0470-4294-89fc-65f717f91670/kirra+empty+tube+storm+swell+ski+in+bg.jpg Blog - 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The Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/1656017664391-DL5QOBYY3DL2RJ1IC0KI/20220611145138_IMG_4327-01.jpeg Blog - The Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen https://www.about-change.com/blog/hope monthly 0.5 2022-06-09 https://www.about-change.com/blog/emerging-infectious-diseases-and-vector-borne-diseases-climate-change-and-sustainable-options monthly 0.5 2022-06-05 https://www.about-change.com/blog/photo-dump-circular-fisheye monthly 0.5 2022-06-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/7c4b1601-dd5c-4314-81c8-de7842210c73/fraser+view.jpg Blog - photo dump - circular fisheye - Make it stand out Fraser Island https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/fafac98d-9c46-4efa-82c8-2260dea7f5c8/BLM+protest+1.jpg Blog - photo dump - circular fisheye - Make it stand out BLM protest https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/8143ebfb-d09c-49af-9bfb-8d51fbc526bb/BLM+protest+2.jpg Blog - photo dump - circular fisheye - Make it stand out BLM protest https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/a91b30df-4055-40d4-9596-e74077b7a8a9/skate.jpg Blog - photo dump - circular fisheye - Make it stand out Skate or die https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/6012af4b-9881-48cf-b769-2d9a448defb1/me+on+path+in+fog.jpg Blog - photo dump - circular fisheye - Make it stand out Winter https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/f7ff0237-83b2-4ee9-a764-c8b89a408ff5/Commonwealth+Bridge+night.jpg Blog - photo dump - circular fisheye - Make it stand out Commonwealth Bridge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/53819cb1-34a9-43ff-9001-8ebfa276322a/another+lovely+sunset.JPG Blog - photo dump - circular fisheye - Make it stand out Sunset https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/8a9afccb-1c11-4b40-a22c-9151e3c7ce00/a+lake+one.jpg Blog - photo dump - circular fisheye - Make it stand out Lake Burley Griffin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/144f49ff-41d1-47ff-936e-e5d04a6e2de1/lake+and+black+mtn.jpg Blog - photo dump - circular fisheye - Make it stand out Lake Burley Griffin https://www.about-change.com/blog/community-consciousness-raising-through-critical-pedagogies monthly 0.5 2022-06-05 https://www.about-change.com/blog/photo-dump-canberra-surrounds monthly 0.5 2022-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/5ebe90e8-2e41-42aa-bded-0a0c13452436/a+waterfall.JPG Blog - photo dump - Canberra surrounds - Make it stand out A waterfall (yes, I forget where…) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/cbe52761-f862-4281-b076-d52d17555589/Mystery+Bay+North.JPG Blog - photo dump - Canberra surrounds - Make it stand out Mystery Bay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/722cfb8d-2ce1-4393-8abc-a7fe3afce90e/koz+view+3.JPG Blog - photo dump - Canberra surrounds - Make it stand out Kosciuszko National Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/20625bff-11ef-4711-8e0a-45d62d80c82a/walk+away+from+cam+snow+1.JPG Blog - photo dump - Canberra surrounds - Make it stand out Yerrabi Track https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/cec1911d-c017-4dfc-8f1f-3591547a5fd6/tidbinbilla+view+north.JPG Blog - photo dump - Canberra surrounds - Make it stand out View from Tidbinbilla https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/690bc157-8929-4fee-a25f-92ac84a6fd00/corrin+damn.JPG Blog - photo dump - Canberra surrounds - Make it stand out Corin Dam https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/f1ba90da-8ae4-419e-bdc3-21a10b78349a/path+into+the+snow+and+gums.JPG Blog - photo dump - Canberra surrounds - Make it stand out Snow Gums https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/053a0066-af16-482b-be34-d0395497a6bc/canola+and+trees+1.JPG Blog - photo dump - Canberra surrounds - Make it stand out Canola field https://www.about-change.com/about daily 0.75 2022-06-09 https://www.about-change.com/contact daily 0.75 2022-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62917b43f36c9d7cce7b4bda/3460574b-5e3e-4543-a042-b770b1784d67/me+on+wall.JPG Contact - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.