Summary

An extraordinarily powerful and personal meditation on race, culture and national identity.

In July 2015, as the debate over Adam Goodes being booed at AFL games raged and got ever more heated and ugly, Stan Grant wrote a short but powerful piece for The Guardian that went viral, not only in Australia but right around the world, shared over 100,000 times on social media. His was a personal, passionate and powerful response to racism in Australian and the sorrow, shame, anger and hardship of being an indigenous man. ‘We are the detritus of the brutality of the Australian frontier’, he wrote, ‘We remained a reminder of what was lost, what was taken, what was destroyed to scaffold the building of this nation’s prosperity.’

Stan Grant was lucky enough to find an escape route, making his way through education to become one of our leading journalists. He also spent many years outside Australia, working in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa, a time that liberated him and gave him a unique perspective on Australia. This is his very personal meditation on what it means to be Australian, what it means to be indigenous, and what racism really means in this country.

Talking To My Country is that rare and special book that talks to every Australian about their country – what it is, and what it could obe. It is not just about race, or about indigenous people but all of us, our shared identity. Direct, honest and forthright, Stan is talking to us all. He might not have all the answers but he wants us to keep on asking the question: how can we be better?
from: Goodreads.com

My Thoughts

As a lover of history, particularly Australian history, I was looking forward to reading this book, and expected to enjoy it. But this could be one of the most unforgettable non fiction books that I’ve ever read.

The stories and personal experiences that Grant wrote about, really made me stop and think. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished reading it. As I read these stories, I really felt for him, as he obviously has a huge love for his family and his country.

For many years, I have watched Stan Grant on television current affairs programs and have always been a fan of his reporting. I’m now a huge fan of his writing. The way he wrote his stories made a huge impact on me and my understanding of his life and his people.

In my opinion this book should be required reading on school book lists to give a better understanding of Australian History

Recommendations

“Grant will be an important voice in shaping this nation” – The Saturday Paper

“….the past defines us, and like other Australians, Grant is interested in his family Ancestry. It’s just that 230 years of his history coincided with some uncomfortable truths about this nation” – the Courier-Mail

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

About the Author

Stan Grant born 30 September 1963, is an Australian television news and political Journalist and television presenter for Al Jazeera and the Australian Broadcasting Commission. He is a member of the Wiradjuri tribe of indigenous Australians from the south west inland region of New South Wales.The Wiradjuri also have roots in inner Victoria, where he spent most of his childhood –
– Wikipedia

First published in 2016. This edition published in 2017 by
Harper Collins Australia Pty. Ltd.
Softcover 223 pages plus source list

To keep up with the latest book reviews, please pop your email address in the box on the sidebar. This will ensure you are notified of updates.

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads and Booktopia

Talking To My Country is my first book review for the 2020 Aussie Author Challenge

© 2019 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com