My favourite books of all time and why!
Dropbear (published 2021, first read in 2025)
OMG, she is mother! This poetry anthology really tore me apart, exploring colonisation and the deep personal wounds it leaves, particularly through altered memories and remnants of settler colonialism in everyday Australian life. This book was my first introduction to Araluen, and I've never looked back!
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The Rot (published 2025, first read in 2026)
Again, mother has served! This one tore me apart even more (pun unintended), further exploring the themes in Dropbear, but also touching on the struggles of girlhood and the general injustices present in today's world. I can't wait to see what Araluen cooks up next!
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Living on Stolen Land (published 2020, first read in 2024; reread in 2026)
I first learnt about this poetry collection during a uni lecture on the history of Indigenous Australian activism and sovereignty, and how we as ordinary people and non-Indigenous activists can help in this fight. The guest lecturer called this book her "bible for Country" (Indigenous Australian Country) and even read some passages from it, so I just knew I had to see it for myself.
My, my, my, did Kwaymullina deliver! I can see why the guest lecturer deemed Living on Stolen Land her "bible for Country", and it's become mine too! It's become one of my favourite books of all time, so much so that I've annotated some of my favourite passages (which I seldom do), such as:
"Life doesn't move through time
Time moves through life"
"Decolonisation
is processes
It is journeys
not destinations"
"The threads
are the shapes of life
that make up Country"
I'm well aware that Kwaymullina has other books, which I'm very keen to check out!
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