The Conversation Yearbook 2016: 50 Standout Articles from Australia’s Top Thinkers

by John Watson (Editor), Michelle Grattan (Contributor), Rob Brooks (Contributor)

In a year in which political discourse seemed increasingly untethered from reality, The Conversation continued to bring you analysis, commentary and research from academic experts. This clearly written collection ranges widely, from Michelle Grattan's scrupulous assessment of Malcolm Turnbull's first year as prime minister, to Amy Reichelt and Clare Collins' verdict on whether eating chocolate improves your brain function, to philosopher Patrick Stokes' thoughts on the most effective way to respond to Pauline Hanson. It demonstrates the pressing relevance of academic expertise, as well as the deep pleasure of reading people who really know what they're talking about.

234 pages, Paperback

Published November 28, 2016

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Reviews

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Conversation Yearbook 2016' edited by John Watson

4 stars/ 8 out of 10

I have relatives living in Australia, so I decided to read this book in order to have a better understanding of their life there.

The book is divided into 8 sections, each containing articles relating to a specific broad theme. All these articles have appeared in 'The Conversation' during 2016.

There were many articles here that were of interest to me. Amongst these, I was especially interested in the articles about Turnbull. There were also thought provoking articles about urban density, and about the benefits of urban greening. There was an excellent and informative article about Afghanistan and Iraq. The article that shocked me most was 'The Untold Story behind the 1966 Wave Hill Walk-off.'

I have also learnt several new English words that I have never heard before e.g. spruiking!

This was a very interesting and informative book. Until I read this book, I had never heard of 'The Conversation'. I have now found their website, which contains a mass of very interesting articles. I now intend to look at the website on a regular basis.

Thank you to Melbourne University Publishing and to NetGalley for an ARC.