The Calibre Essay Prize is one of the world's leading prizes for an original non-fiction essay. This year was the fourteenth time ABR has presented the prize, which is now worth a total of $7,500. The winner of this year's prize is Dr Yves Rees, whose essay is titled 'Reading the Mess Backwards'. Rees, who came out as transgender aged 31, describes their essay as 'a story of trans becoming that digs into the messiness of bodies, gender, and identity'. The full essay appears in the June-July 2020 issue of ABR.

 

The Calibre Essay Prize is one of the world's leading prizes for an original non-fiction essay. This year was the fourteenth time ABR has presented the prize, which is now worth a total of $7,500. The winner of this year's prize is Dr Yves Rees, whose essay is titled 'Reading the Mess Backwards'. Rees, who came out as transgender aged 31, describes their essay as 'a story of trans becoming that digs into the messiness of bodies, gender, and identity'. The full essay appears in the June-July 2020 issue of ABR.
&nbsp;

Welcome to The ABR Podcast, produced by Australian Book Review. Released every Thursday, The ABR Podcast features a range of literary highlights, such as reviews, poetry, fiction, interviews, and commentary. Subscribe on iTunes, Google, or Spotify Podcasts, or whichever app you use to listen to your favourite podcasts.

For more information about ABR, visit our website, www.australianbookreview.com.au

Welcome to The ABR Podcast, produced by Australian Book Review. Released every Thursday, The ABR Podcast features a range of literary highlights, such as reviews, poetry, fiction, interviews, and commentary. Subscribe on iTunes, Google, or Spotify Podcasts, or whichever app you use to listen to your favourite podcasts.
For more information about&nbsp;ABR, visit our website, <a href="http://www.australianbookreview.com.au">www.australianbookreview.com.au</a>

Welcome to The ABR Podcast, produced by Australian Book Review. Released every Thursday, The ABR Podcast features a range of literary highlights, such as reviews, poetry, fiction, interviews, and commentary. Subscribe on iTunes, Google, or Spotify Podcasts, or whichever app you use to listen to your favourite podcasts.

The ABR Podcast

ABR is delighted to introduce its brand-new podcast, The ABR Podcast.

Released fortnightly every Wednesday, The ABR Podcast will feature a range of literary highlights, such as reviews, poetry, fiction, interviews, and commentary. Subscribe on the iTunes, Google, or Spotify Podcasts, or whichever app you use to listen to your favourite podcasts.

ABR&nbsp;is delighted to introduce its brand-new podcast,&nbsp;The ABR Podcast.
Released fortnightly every Wednesday,&nbsp;The ABR Podcast&nbsp;will feature a range of literary highlights, such as reviews, poetry, fiction, interviews, and commentary. Subscribe on the iTunes, Google, or Spotify Podcasts, or whichever app you use to listen to your favourite podcasts.

The Calibre Essay Prize is one of the world's leading prizes for an original non-fiction essay. This year was the fourteenth time ABR has presented the prize, which is now worth a total of $7,500. The winner of this year's prize is Dr Yves Rees, whose essay is title 'Reading the Mess Backwards'. Rees, who came out as transgender aged 31, describes their essay as 'a story of trans becoming that digs into the messiness of bodies, gender, and identity. The full essay appears in the June-July 2020 issue of ABR.

'Reading the Mess Backwards' by Yves Rees, winner of the 2020 Calibre Essay Prize

This week, on The ABR Podcast, we feature a commentary by Florence Honybun on a ‘distinct trend’ towards progressive legalism in the Australian High Court. While Australians often look to US legal institutions to gauge the health of democracy, Honybun identifies a quieter ‘changing of the guard’ at home, and with it, ‘a shift in the jurisprudence informing its decisions’. In a suite of recent migration cases, the Court curtailed executive power over stateless migrants, signalling a more liberal, humanitarian turn. As migration pressures intensify, Honybun argues, Australians must become more alert to the consequential role of Australia’s highest court. 

Florence Honybun is a recent alumnus of Monash University and a former intern at ABR. She is currently a graduate at law at a national Australian law firm. Here is Florence Honybun with ‘Progressive legalism in Australia’s High Court: How migration, aliens, and punishment cases reveal a distinct trend’, published in the April issue of ABR.  

This week, on&nbsp;The ABR Podcast, we feature a commentary by Florence Honybun on&nbsp;a &lsquo;distinct trend&rsquo; towards&nbsp;progressive legalism in the Australian High Court. While Australians often look to US legal institutions to&nbsp;gauge the health&nbsp;of democracy, Honybun&nbsp;identifies&nbsp;a quieter&nbsp;&lsquo;changing of the guard&rsquo; at home, and&nbsp;with it,&nbsp;&lsquo;a shift in the jurisprudence informing its decisions&rsquo;.&nbsp;In a suite of recent migration cases, the Court curtailed executive power over stateless migrants,&nbsp;signalling&nbsp;a&nbsp;more liberal, humanitarian&nbsp;turn. As migration pressures intensify, Honybun argues, Australians must become more alert to the consequential role of Australia&rsquo;s highest court.&nbsp;
Florence&nbsp;Honybun&nbsp;is a&nbsp;recent alumnus of Monash University&nbsp;and a former intern at ABR. She is currently a graduate at law at a national Australian law firm. Here is Florence Honybun with &lsquo;Progressive legalism in Australia&rsquo;s High Court: How migration, aliens, and punishment cases reveal a distinct trend&rsquo;,&nbsp;published in the April issue of&nbsp;ABR.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This week, on The ABR Podcast, we feature a commentary by Florence Honybun on a ‘distinct trend’ towards progressive legalism in the Australian High Court. While Australians often look to US legal institutions to gauge the health of democracy, Honybun identifies a quieter ‘changing of the guard’ at home, and with it, ‘a shift in the jurisprudence informing its decisions’. In a suite of recent migration cases, the Court curtailed executive power over stateless migrants, signalling a more liberal, humanitarian turn. As migration pressures intensify, Honybun argues, Australians must become more alert to the consequential role of Australia’s highest court.

‘Progressive legalism in Australia’s High Court: How migration, aliens, and punishment cases reveal a distinct trend’ by Florence Honybun

This week, on The ABR Podcast, we feature a special commentary by Dennis Altman on the new literary scams enabled by artificial intelligence. Altman recounts the multiple emails he has received from people ‘whose lives will not be complete if they are not given the opportunity to promote one of my books … to a global audience’. These emails are purportedly from authors as varied as Patrick Süskind and Annie Ernaux. Apparently, ‘geography places no limits on my potential fan base,’ Altman writes, ‘nor, I suspect, will mortality.’  

Dennis Altman is a Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at La Trobe University. His most recent book is Righting My World: Essays from the past half-century, published by Monash University Publishing in 2025. Here is Dennis Altman with ‘“May today sink peace into your soul”: New scams in the literary world’, published in the April issue of ABR. 

This week, on&nbsp;The&nbsp;ABR&nbsp;Podcast, we feature a special commentary by Dennis Altman on the new literary scams enabled by artificial intelligence. Altman recounts the multiple emails he has received from people &lsquo;whose lives will not be complete if they are not given the opportunity to promote one of my books &hellip; to a global audience&rsquo;. These emails are purportedly from authors as varied as Patrick S&uuml;skind and Annie Ernaux. Apparently, &lsquo;geography places no limits on my potential fan base,&rsquo; Altman writes, &lsquo;nor, I suspect, will mortality.&rsquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Dennis Altman&nbsp;is&nbsp;a Vice Chancellor&rsquo;s Fellow at La Trobe University. His most recent book&nbsp;is Righting My World: Essays from the past half-century, published by Monash University Publishing&nbsp;in 2025. Here is Dennis Altman with&nbsp;&lsquo;&ldquo;May today sink peace into your soul&rdquo;: New&nbsp;scams&nbsp;in the literary world&rsquo;,&nbsp;published in the April issue of&nbsp;ABR.&nbsp;

This week, on The ABR Podcast, we feature a special commentary by Dennis Altman on the new literary scams enabled by artificial intelligence. Altman recounts the multiple emails he has received from people ‘whose lives will not be complete if they are not given the opportunity to promote one of my books … to a global audience’. These emails are purportedly from authors as varied as Patrick Süskind and Annie Ernaux. Apparently ‘geography places no limits on my potential fan base,’ Altman writes, ‘nor, I suspect, will mortality.’  

‘“May today sink peace into your soul”: New scams in the literary world’ by Dennis Altman

This week, on The ABR Podcast, Felicity Plunkett reviews Fear Less: Poetry in perilous times, by former US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith. In a cultural moment when language is often ‘weaponised to cultivate division and fear’, Smith proposes a more audacious alternative: to live otherwise, refusing to succumb to ‘hot takes and livid tirades’. Smith’s call for ‘urgent compassion’, Plunkett writes, positions poetry as a means of fostering ‘careful listening and mutual respect’. Poetry insists, Smith writes, that ‘your life must be as important to you as mine is to me’. 

Felicity Plunkett is the ABR Poetry Editor and a poet and critic. Her latest work, A Kinder Sea, is published by the University of Queensland Press. Here is Felicity Plunkett with ‘Urgent compassion: Paying courageous attention’, published in the April issue of ABR.  

This week, on&nbsp;The&nbsp;ABR&nbsp;Podcast, Felicity Plunkett reviews&nbsp;Fear Less: Poetry in perilous times, by former US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith. In a&nbsp;cultural&nbsp;moment when&nbsp;language is often&nbsp;&lsquo;weaponised to cultivate division and fear&rsquo;,&nbsp;Smith proposes a more audacious alternative: to live otherwise, refusing&nbsp;to succumb to&nbsp;&lsquo;hot takes and livid&nbsp;tirades&rsquo;.&nbsp;Smith&rsquo;s&nbsp;call&nbsp;for &lsquo;urgent compassion&rsquo;,&nbsp;Plunkett writes,&nbsp;positions poetry as a&nbsp;means of fostering&nbsp;&lsquo;careful listening and mutual respect&rsquo;.&nbsp;Poetry&nbsp;insists, Smith writes,&nbsp;that&nbsp;&lsquo;your life must be as important to you as mine is to&nbsp;me&rsquo;.&nbsp;
Felicity Plunkett is&nbsp;the&nbsp;ABR&nbsp;Poetry Editor and a poet and critic. Her latest work,&nbsp;A Kinder Sea, is published by the University of Queensland Press. Here is Felicity Plunkett with &lsquo;Urgent compassion: Paying courageous attention&rsquo;, published in the April issue of ABR.&nbsp;&nbsp;

'Reading the Mess Backwards' by Yves Rees, winner of the 2020 Calibre Essay Prize

In 1 playlist(s)

The ABR Podcast

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips