Culture

  • The ugly underbelly of the Kennedy era

    American TabloidBy James EllroyArrow, 1995, 585 pp., $12.95 (pb)Reviewed by Phil Shannon Home of the brave, land of the free: whoever penned that didn't want us to know about the dark side of the United States — the CIA, Hoover's witch-hunting FBI,

  • Left on-line

    Basque struggle Web site (http://www.knooppunt.be/~euskadi/) — A site devoted to spreading information about the struggle of the Basque people for self-determination is up and running again after the Swiss internet provider closed the site. This

  • Films from around the world at Sydney festival

    This year's film festival, June 7-22, promises some fascinating new films from countries not often represented. Apart from a range of films from Europe, Britain, the US and Asia, films from Iceland, Brazil and Vietnam will also

  • Coming to grips with the melancholy Dane

    HamletBy William ShakespeareDirected by Marian DworakoskiNew Theatre, Sydney, until July 6Reviewed by Jonathan Strauss The Sydney New Theatre, formed in 1932, has been a pioneer in presenting socially relevant and committed theatre and proclaims its

  • Gulliver revisited

    Gulliver's TravelsBy Jonathan SwiftEdited by Christopher FoxBoston: Bedford Books of St Martin's Press1995. 480 pp.Reviewed by Graham Milner Why should activists on the left be interested in reading Jonathan Swift? Wasn't he the reactionary Tory

  • Lighting the dark corners of our world

    SkylightBy David HareDirected by Roger HodgmanThe Wharf Theatre, Sydney, until June 15Reviewed by Brendan Doyle This Melbourne Theatre Company production of British left-wing playwright David Hare's latest play is one of the theatre highlights of

  • Angry young Africans

    SalaamPositive Black SoulMango through PolygramReviewed by Iggy Kim With airplay, Positive Black Soul's global debut album could be a chart-topping mainstream hit. With such melodies as the sugary and reggae-esque "Je Ne Sais Pas" (I Don't Know) even

  • Palestine after the accords

    Palestine in Crisis: The struggle for peace and political independence after OsloBy Graham UsherPluto Press, 1995. 146 pp., $29.95Reviewed by Adam Hanieh Despite the almost universal praise by the establishment media for the Palestinian-Israeli

  • The story of how many others?

    Lilian's StoryDirected by Jerzy DomaradzkiStarring Ruth Cracknell, Barry Otto, Toni Collette and John FlausOpens May 9, Greater Union cinemasReviewed by Margaret Allan While watching this film, I wondered whether a large proportion of those in

  • The Light

    There is endless Light above me That shines for all (who would see) My Light sustains life's brilliance Discounting the darkness of concrete and steel, it gives my soul and spirit resilience. When my mortal vision becomes myopic

  • Tinkering with the market to save the planet

    Tinkering with the market to save the planet Markets, the state and the environment — towards integrationEdited by Robyn EckersleyMacMillan Education Australia, 1995. $32.95Reviewed by Chow-Wei Cheng This book contains papers that were presented

  • Growing up Jewish in South Africa

    Another Year in AfricaBy Rose ZwiSpinifex Press, 1995. $16.95Reviewed by Vivienne Porzsolt Rose Zwi's novel constructs a vibrant picture of life in a Jewish working-class suburb of a mining town in the shadow of World War II. Looking back to pogroms