Provocations New and Selected Writing

Why did politicians think an independent slave nation might emerge from northern Queensland? Should we clone thylacines? How did a sociopath spur the first European architecture in Australia? What was ‘bicycle face’ and how did it relate to feminism? Jeff Sparrow has been described as ‘one of Australia’s most crucial political thinkers.’ With restless curiosity his writing takes us from ancient tortoises to the psychology of gun massacres, from queer bushrangers to Enid Blyton, and from atheism to vampires to dachshunds. Provocations brings together Jeff Sparrow’s best writing from the last two decades, alongside important new work. Challenging, humane, and inspiring.

Jeff Sparrow is Lecturer in the Centre for Advancing Journalism in the Faculty of Arts at Victoria University. He is a writer, editor, broadcaster and Walkley award-winning journalist.

Introduction Heroes and villains Introduction A slave state* A queer bushranger The threshold of another trembling world Today’ s elites are gods Culture is ordinary Introduction A Place of Punishment What days are for Len Lawson: Australia’ s most infamous comic artist The perfect combination of art and science U2, Apple, and the strip-mining of punk rebellion The Magic Pudding Live in the moment Fangs for the memories Everybody talks about the weather Introduction What if we found a thylacine?* Australia’ s oldest things The art of losing Where have the Christmas beetles gone? On the Collins Street falcons Revolving on wheels* The bloody thing Introduction When the burning moment breaks’ : Gun control and rage massacres’ Memory and the anti-politics of ANZAC When settlers dream Theatre of War Controversies Introduction Unholy enthusiasm What’ s the end game for Australia’ s border policy? The death of Sisto Malaspina Soylent, neoliberalism and the politics of life hacking In the battle for the right, the market always wins Journey to the west The bones of the dead Introduction The value of history Bring up the bodies: New light on the wreck of the Batavia Depression? What Depression? The dachshund at war * Pieces marked * have been written for this book.