Latest news with #RhettDavis
ABC News
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Gary Shteyngart, Jennifer Mills and Rhett Davis ask what's next
Russian born US writer Gary Shteyngart imagines a future America with strong parallels to Russia in Vera, or Faith, Adelaide based author Jennifer Mills' latest novel Salvage rockets into space after ecological collapse, and Geelong author Rhett Davis on Aborescence about people who want to become trees. Gary Shteyngart is the Russian-born, American-based author of novels including Absurdistan, Super Sad True Love Story and Our Country Friends. His latest book Vera, or Faith, is about a precocious child living in near future America, where cars have attitude and equality is under threat. Gary talks about the worrying parallels between the USA and Russia and the precarious state of immigrants in the country. Jennifer Mills (Dyschronia and The Airways) is one of the most exciting experimental writers in Australia. Her latest novel, Salvage, is a propulsive novel about sisterhood, space and what happens after ecological collapse. She also talks about wanting her books to be of use to readers. And staying with the environmental theme, Geelong based author Rhett Davis's second book Arborescence continues his fascination with trees that featured in his debut, Hovering. Arborescence is about a movement of people who want to grow roots and become trees (and they do, in their billions)! It's also about the absurdity of modern-day life.
ABC News
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
People turning into trees, mythical rivers rising...new novels by Rhett Davis and Gurnaik Johal (plus, Irish fiction with Colm Tóibín)
Australian author Rhett Davis re-imagines the everyday in his novels. In his latest, Arborescence, ordinary people begin transforming into trees. Is it a cult? Performance art? Or something else entirely? Also on the show: Guest reviewer Roanna Gonsalves discusses Saraswati, the debut novel by Gurnaik Johal, which winds its narrative around a sacred and possibly mythical river in North India. And, Kate Evans speaks with Irish writer Colm Tóibín, delving into the literary influences that have shaped his work. BOOKS Rhett Davis, Arborescence, Hachette Gurnaik Johal, Saraswati, Serpent's Tail Colm Toibin, works GUESTS Roanna Gonsalves is a writer, teacher of creative writing at UNSW, and editor of the literary journal, Southerly Colm Toibin, Irish novelist and essayist – whose books include The Blackwater Lightship, Nora Webster, Brooklyn, The Master, The Magician – and his latest, Long Island. He spoke to Kate Evans at the 2025 Sydney Writers Festival OTHER BOOKS MENTIONED Jane Austen, works Jane Austen, works Fiona McFarlane, Highway 13 Fiona McFarlane, Highway 13 Italo Calvino, The Baron in the Trees Italo Calvino, The Baron in the Trees J.R.R. Tolkein, works J.R.R. Tolkein, works Malcolm Knox The First Friend Malcolm Knox The First Friend Raaza Jamshed, What Kept You Raaza Jamshed, What Kept You Georgia Rose Phillips, The Bearcat Georgia Rose Phillips, The Bearcat Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge Henry James, works Henry James, works Thomas Mann, works Thomas Mann, works James Baldwin, works CREDITS
