What we read and loved this year, from the staff at Amnesty International Australia. Add these to your summer reading list, your gifts for the holidays, or at the very least, your summer reading list pile.
Black and Blue: A Memoir of Racism and Resilience by Veronica Gorrie
Veronica Gorrie, a proud Gunai/Kurnai woman, shares her experiences as one of a rare few First Nations police officers. She lays bare the appalling institutional racism and sexism she witnesses while on the job and the impact of racism, intergenerational trauma and cultural dispossession on her and her family.
Astronomy: Sky Country by Karlie Noon and Krystal De Napoli
In this installment of the ‘First Knowledges’ series, Karlie Noon and Krystal De Napoli explore the connections between Aboriginal environmental and cultural practices and the behaviour of the stars, and provide a deeper understanding of Australia’s first scientists.
Climate Change is Racist by Jeremy Williams
Rising seas, increasing temperatures and changing biodiversity are already preventing First Nations communities from exercising their rights to self determination, culture, and the right to, health, housing, food and water. Writer and environmental activist Jeremy Williams brings together the facts, knowledge and activist stories from across the globe to map how white privilege and the climate crisis overlap.
Nothing To Hide edited by Yves Rees, Sam Elkin, Alex Gallagher, Bobuq Sayed
The first mainstream anthology of trans and gender diverse writers, ‘Nothing to Hide’ showcases 30 trans and gender diverse writers who sit across the spectrum of age, race, geography and circumstance. A much-needed read illuminating the challenges and joys of trans experience.
Different, Not Less by Chloe Hayden
From disability advocate and co-star of Netflix’s ‘Heartbreak High’, Chloe Hayden’s ‘Different, Not Less’ is a practical, lived-experience guide to fighting for and supporting the right to inclusive communities, relationships and environments. Whether you’re neurodivergent or supporting those who are, this is a noteworthy Summer read.
We Measure the Earth With Our Bodies by Tsering Yangzom Lama
A breathtaking debut novel from lifelong activist Tsering Yangzom Lama. ‘We Measure the Earth With Our Bodies’ is told through the lives of four people over fifty years, sharing a nuanced portrait of the world of Tibetan exiles. An absolute must-read on colonization, displacement, and resilience.
Freedom, Only Freedom by Behrouz Boochani
Collected writings of Behrouz Boochani are combined with essays from other experts, which together provide an insight into the wider structures of violence which hold thousands of human beings in migrant camps throughout Western nation-states and beyond. The book, in his own words is for, “anyone who wants to really know about… the detention industry in Australia.”
Hazaras and the Afghan State: Rebellion, Exclusion and the Struggle for Recognition by Niamatullah Ibrahimi
Examining the history of and continual, ongoing attacks against the Hazara community in Afghanistan, ‘Hazaras and the Afghan State’ also tells a story of hope for resistance, rebellion and a struggle for recognition in modern Afghanistan.
The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner by Grace Tame
Written by Australian activist, advocate and 2021 Australian of the Year – Grace Tame, this memoir tells Grace’s story in her own words from the very beginning, to the impact of starting conversations and action across Australia.
Women, Race and Class by Angela Y Davis
A modern classic, Angela Y Davis examines the impact of whiteness and elitism on the fight for women’s rights across the globe, and the ways in which classism and racism have hampered women’s collective fight for rights.
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