There is a crisis that is not political - an epidemic of loneliness, of sadness - and we're completely unequal to dealing with it. Richard Flanagan completelycrisisdeal Change image and share on social
John Howard, willing to apologise to home owners for rising interest rates, would not say sorry to Aborigines. He refused to condone what he referred to as 'a black armband version' of history, preferring a jingoistic nationalism. Richard Flanagan aborigineapologisearmband share on social
I was struck by the way Europeans see history as something neatly linear. For me, it's not that; it's not some kind of straight railway. Richard Flanagan europeanhistorykind Change image and share on social
I hate the way my life has been inexplicably overwhelmed by questionnaires. Life is so much stranger and so much more beautiful than the lists that reduce it to an anorexic assembly of tics and obsessions. Richard Flanagan anorexicassemblybeautiful share on social
I am, of course, greatly honoured to win the Booker, which is one of the great literary prizes in the world. Richard Flanagan bookergreatgreatly Change image and share on social
Look at the history of literature, and you find the history of beauty on the one hand and the IOUs on the other. Richard Flanagan beautyfindhand Change image and share on social
If war illuminates love, love offers the possibility of allowing some light to be brought back out of the shadows. It's almost as if they buttress and make possible an understanding of each other. Richard Flanagan allowbackbring Change image and share on social
Within white Australia, there was a growing movement for what was known as reconciliation - a movement that peaked with millions marching in 2000 to demand the government say sorry for past injustices. Richard Flanagan australiademandgovernment share on social
The survival of extraordinary creatures such as the giant Tasmanian freshwater crayfish - the largest in the world - is in doubt because of logging. Richard Flanagan crayfishcreaturedoubt Change image and share on social
Logging is an industry driven solely by greed. It prospers with government support and subsidies, and it is accelerating its rate of destruction, so that Tasmania is now the largest hardwood chip exporter in the world. Richard Flanagan acceleratechipdestruction share on social
