Siang Lu, Ghost Cities

 

- Sian Lu's Ghost Cities has been shortlisted for the 2025 Miles Franklin Award, which is why I read it. I doubt it will win but nevertheless on many levels it's a highly enjoyable read. 

- Basically it's a satire of China, combining outrageous portraits of both ancient and modern Chinese society. Lu has fun with Chinese authoritarianism and pretence.  Unfortunately however he doesn't imbue his portrait with much depth. The focus is on the madness of both eras, the abject cruelty of the ancient, and the sham and glitz of the modern. I guess it could be read as a blistering condemnation of Chinese society, but it's laced with such humour and fantasy that it can't be taken too seriously as a critique. 

- The books and paintings of both eras are central too, immersing us in the long tradition of Chinese and Western thought and art. 

- The basic story features four main characters: The ancient Chinese Emperor, the modern Chinese film producer/director Baby Bao, Lu Xiang the Australian translator who can't actually speak Chinese, and Yuan, his girlfriend and also a translator. 

- Also central is the vacant city of Port Man Tou. Baby Bao builds an immense studio encompassing the entire city and offers Xiang Lu a job. It’s a created zone. As a city it's not actually real - nothing is. Bao attracts millions of peasants and serfs to take actor-worker jobs. There are cameras everywhere, outnumbering citizens ten to one. After a while he toxifies the city to make it more real. The air is thick and heavy. The extras no longer live gratis in comfortable apartments in the city. They have been moved to the fringes where the rent is cheaper and the rooms smaller. And they work on farms and in factories. Constantly filmed of course. 

- The ‘Department of Verisimilitude’ is one of the city's governing ministries. Official decrees by the many government departments are authoritarian and dictatorial. Like in the ancient Emperor days. All clocks, watches, and phones showing the time, for example, are outlawed. Only Standard Time showing on a huge clock on a government building is allowed in Port Man Tou. 

- Xiang and Yuan talk while they walk the city. Their conversation is delightful. They are a liberating reality. They were brought up in Australia, and imbue the book with joy and soul. At one point they discuss Chinese art, and Western art like Jackson Pollock’s. Yuan doesn’t like Pollock’s art. ‘It is very like you…to search for patterns in the paint…you construct theories about things, the world, and latch tightly on to examples that will prove your theories beyond doubt’. 

- The Emperor on the other hand throws countless aristocrats, scholars, consorts, chefs and others who offend him into the prison of the Six Levels of Hell. He also burns every book in the Imperial Library. He alone needs to dominate. Authoritarianism is his style. Torture, murder and abuse his tools.

- At one point I wondered whether the director Baby Bao was a skewering of current Chinese President Xi Jinping, a total authoritarian and faux Emperor. If not, at least the novel, despite its comic tone, tells a horrific story of authoritarian abuse.  

Sinead Stubbins, Stinkbug

 

- This new novel by Australian author Sinead Stubbins is a delightfully comic immersion in a toxic work environment. Suffering and surviving incompetent management, poor HR policies, jealous and unfriendly work colleagues, sexist male behaviour and seriously immature corporate expectations all round - all this defines the experience of working at an advertising agency called Winked.  

- Edith is the main character. Her ex-boyfriend Pete has just been sacked. As the novel progresses we learn a lot more about their relationship, and it's not good. Her boss Danny, who thinks very highly of himself (‘If I say something’s alright, it’s alright’) also features. Her colleague and best work friend is Mo who is ‘extremely talented and extremely terrifying’. Other characters feature in the novel, some good, some bad. We get to know them well, and generally speaking, we get to unlike them quite a lot. 

- Edith had a heart that was eager to please and a face that seemed to say “I think you’re a fucking moron”, which, according to Mo, was the best thing about her. She also shaves her head, which annoys everyone. But it's a statement. Mo thinks ‘everyone is a cliche…no one is original, everything is boring.’ 

- Winked has 300 or so staff and has been bought by a Swedish company. Everyone expects a major restructure and lots of redundancies. The company sends them all on a weekend retreat to undergo 'mind-training' at a camp outside Sydney called Consequi. It's ‘a rehab for workplaces’. A slight spoiler here - it's just awful!

- They're subjected to a range of exercises and highly personal questions that are meant to sort out the best and most productive employees. What's revealed is a highly toxic work environment, and one decidedly in favour of men. Edith is very unliked. Danny lists all her lies and misdemeanours. Una calls her a liar and a ‘stinkbug…your stench will get all over them..’ Thomas says ‘she’s a dobber’. Bruno says ‘she’s a fake’. It’s like a religious exorcism. They all get around in a circle and abuse and slap another person. They cut each other superficially with a dagger to prove they ‘belonged’. 

- There is high drama, which thankfully is very satisfactorily resolved. 

- I absolutely loved this novel. Stubbins is such a talented writer. She is able to address significant work and life issues with wit and vitality, making for a thoroughly engaging read. 

Gail Jones, The Name of the Sister

 

- Gail Jones' new novel is confronting on many levels. She writes in highly poetic prose, frequently using strange and unusual words. ‘Everything claimed a greater propinquity’; ‘This disinhibition, this voluptuary of movement’. It's verbal congestion at times, but rich and provocative as well. 

- The principal focus of the novel is the fragility of relationships. Marriages are difficult. Friendships are more lasting, substantial and necessary, and occasional connections essential. 

- The other focus is the isolated outback town of Broken Hill, formerly a thriving mining town for silver, lead and zinc, but now ghostly, reflecting the dead heart of Australia. I grew up in Broken Hill and my father worked in the mines. I know it well. It had a population of 34,000 then. Now it has only half that, and many houses, halls, schools and churches are abandoned and decaying. 

- Jones reflects the whole dark experience in a crime story that fascinates the nation.  An Unknown Woman, called 'Jane', was found on an isolated road near the town.  There's evidence she’s been subject to strangulation, and has recently given birth. She's also severely malnourished. Although still alive she stares at nothing. 

- Freelance journalist Angie is engrossed by the story as she watches it on TV in Sydney. Detective Beverly Calder is her friend and has been sent to Broken Hill to investigate.  

- Angie's husband is Sam and their relationship is suffering complications. They have no kids and her mother Nora is ordinary. She feels a ‘general sense of incompletion and thwarted love…there was respect here, in this marriage, but also heartache and suppression’. ‘Mundanity’ is the word, a 'failure wholly to connect…this turning away - this is what their marriage had become’. ‘Their conjugal irritation was mutual…His automatic authority. The air of amused lack of interest when she expressed an opinion’.

- She talks to people about Jane’s death, and word spreads on social media. A range of people call and text her claiming they know who Jane is - a missing sister, a missing twin, a missing friend, a missing daughter, a missing lover. Most of them are sad, others are whackos. 

- She travels by train to Broken Hill. She describes the place very accurately, including its streets named after minerals and chemicals. ‘There was a kind of emptiness to the streets, and an inertia that they couldn’t quite explain’. 

- There are small and abandoned mines in the area surrounding the town, particularly surrounding the tiny, mainly abandoned, town of Silverton, a half hour's drive north. There's a small museum there which helps Angie in her quest to uncover what happened to Jane. 

- The story's resolution is very satisfying and meaningful. We are left with death but also with life, hope and community. 

- The novel with stay with you for a long time. 

Hugh White (QE): Hard New World: Our Post-American Future

 

- Once again Hugh White proves he's a must read on defence and foreign policy issues. He brings a clear, deep and wide perspective on all the issues confronting Australia now and into the future. He's a refreshing voice because he's not trapped in the dated, cringing, predictable views of most of the commentary coming out of the defence industry and its conservative think tank arse lickers in Canberra. 

- This Quarterly Essay is on many levels a confronting read. We live now in a new nuclear age. Although White doesn't shrink away from demolishing Trump (‘…a lack of common humanity that is, in truth, sociopathic’) he recognises that ‘Trump’s willingness to see America take its place in a multipolar order is something to be grateful for’. The old America-dominated unipolar world that's existed since the fall of the Soviet Union in the late 1980's is now over. ‘A version of isolationism now makes much more sense than the post-cold war vision of US global primacy...The imperatives that drove US strategic commitments in Europe and Asia in the twentieth century are far weaker today.’

- The key changes are the rise of China and India. As China rapidly increases its nuclear capability, the return of nuclear weapons is now centre-stage in power politics. Taiwan has now become the prime focus. What will really happen if China invades Taiwan to restore its ancient identity as a Chinese province? The Australian political establishment, both Labor and the Coalition, keep parroting the line that Australia would support an American response by joining an attack on China, but this is nonsense. ‘It is unthinkable that Australia would join America in a war that America need not fight, that it cannot win and that would quite possibly become a nuclear war...We should tell Washington that we will not go to war over Taiwan’. 

- China’s military strength in Asia has overturned America’s. ‘…there is now no serious chance that America can defend Taiwan from China’. China is quickly building a lot more nuclear weapons. White reminds us that in power conflicts the West constantly overestimates then underestimates. We blunder into a needless conflict then realise we can't win: look at Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In Asia now it ‘could be catastrophic’.

- China wants to push America out of East Asia. In fact Trump ‘has often dismissed the idea that America should defend Taiwan’. But he must know that ‘…if it abandons Taiwan, its entire position in East Asia will be severely, and perhaps fatally, damaged.’ White argues that's inevitable, pivotal, and acceptable. It's the emerging multi-polar order. The ‘balance of power’ strategy is protective. The multipolar order is the future. Small and middle powers will pay a price however, such as Ukraine and Taiwan.

- White is excellent on Ukraine, but realistic. While the first year of the war was successful for Ukraine it now seems it will not decisively defeat Russia, despite average US and EU support. Conceding will of course leave Ukraine forever under Russia’s thumb, but Russia’s nuclear weapons are a real barrier to a Ukrainian victory. America is afraid of Russia employing its nuclear option, so ultimately America cannot defend Ukraine. Trump gets that. Unfortunately Russia’s ambitions will likely not be satisfied just by a settlement of the Ukraine war.

- So we come to NATO. White, although he doesn't predict an end to NATO, does admit that ‘Europe will now have to defend itself, regardless of NATO'. He reminds us that the EU’s combined GDP is as much as ten times Russia’s and has many more tanks and aircraft. (Personally I've long believed that NATO should be dissolved for three reasons: 1. The cold war has ended. 2. The Soviet Union has ended. 3. The EU has been created. Ukraine should apply not to join a dated NATO but to join the European Union). Europe would of course have to create an effective nuclear deterrent. 

- White is refreshingly merciless on the Quad: ‘there is nothing to it but a series of meetings’, and of course the ridiculous AUKUS. (As looks increasingly obvious, even Trump will dump AUKUS). And as for ANZUS delusions ‘…a new, beneficial post-alliance relationship can evolve’. Singapore is an example. ‘It is unthinkable that Australia would join America in a war that America need not fight, that it cannot win and that would quite possibly become a nuclear war...We should tell Washington that we will not go to war over Taiwan’. 

- He's also clear on Japan and Korea. The US alliance would crumble. Japan will have to go its own way without American protection, as will South Korea. Given China's and North Korea's increasing nuclear capabilities, Japan and South Korea might need to ramp up nuclear capability.  

- Australia has yet to confront the new reality, that our future does not rely on the American alliance. Trump is puncturing this complacent optimism, and Biden’s  delusions are gone. We do not have a great and powerful friend any more.

- As for our weapons? They won't be nuclear subs, nor surface warships, nor F-35 fighter jets. Uncrewed drones are the future. 

- Finally, do you think Albanese and Marles are anywhere near this level of thinking? Oh please. 

Henry Gee, The Decline and Fall of the Human Empire

 

- This new book by Henry Gee, the celebrated British paleontologist and senior editor of the prestigious scientific journal Nature, is well worth reading. 

- Gee has the ability, rare for academics, to write exceptionally clear and rhythmic sentences. His prose sucks you in. (A bit like Paul Krugman on economics). His early chapters in Part One describe in detail the history of Homo Sapiens since its emergence around 315,000 years ago, and its very likely demise in only 10,000 years time. 

- Most readers will skim these chapters unless they're fascinated by paleontology and space. But in Part Two Gee turns to our current times and where the human race is likely to be in only 200 years time. They are fascinating chapters. 

- We learn about the rapid growth of the world’s human population over the last century particularly, and the rapid decline that awaits us over the next two centuries. (And after ten thousand years homo sapiens will be wiped from the face of the earth all together).

- I virtually underlined every second sentence of these chapters. Here are some amazing numbers:

World population in 1964: 3.267 billion. Population now: 8.2 billion. Likely population in 2100: 6.29 billion. (China: 1.412 billion now; 732 million by 2100). Likely population by 2200: between 2.6 and 5.6 billion. By 2300: between 0.9 and 3.2 billion. 

Countries with increasing populations: Nigeria: 200 million now but 791 million by 2100. Many countries will see a substantial increase in population by 2100, including Australia, because of substantial African immigration, and Israel's population will grow from 9.5 million now to 24 million in 2100 because of its higher fertility rate.

Why is the human population on the cusp of steep decline? Lower birth rates due to the educational empowerment of women and the increasing take-up of contraception. Also, for reasons nobody can quite fathom, human sperm count has fallen, both markedly and recently. 

Climate change: Up to 200 million people (3% of all humans) live in coastal cities that will be below mean high tide by 2100. If the temperature rise gets as far as 4% above pre-industrial levels, a billion people could be flooded out. Cities such as New York could be two metres underwater by the end of this century.

Extreme heat could depopulate large areas of the Middle East, where the current inhabitants will have to move or die. Deadly heatwaves of up to 55 degrees will be an everyday reality. A huge migration of refugees from Africa into Eurasia will take place. 

Edward St Aubyn, Parallel Lines

 

- The only reason to read this new novel from the celebrated British writer Edward St Aubyn is to luxuriate in his prose. It's glitzy and electric with a brilliant comic edge, and the dialogue snappy and quip-loaded. It's so upper-class English. Utterly delightful.

- Sebastian is young man suffering from a mental health issue. His psychotherapist, Martin, who considers Sebastian one of his most difficult patients, labels it ‘delusional omnipotence’. Sebastian’s road to recovery is central to the novel. 

- Also central is the lifelong after-effects of mothers putting their newborns up for adoption. Especially if the babies are twins and adopted by separate couples, and are never aware of their intimate relationship till decades later. 

- Sebastian is told by a young mother he meets, Olivia, that she's his bio-sis, something she's just found out from her birth mother. 'Un-fucking-believable' he screams and abruptly leaves. Olivia was adopted at birth but Sebastian, after two years, was sent to an institution. Olivia labels it the ‘Preferential Twin Adoption Syndrome’. She reflects on Sebastian. Was he the sacrificial twin?

- After months of intense treatment Sebastian comes to accept his predicament and recognises 'we can be vulnerable and strong'. 

- Olivia is a podcaster and is working on a series focussed on the world's disasters - climate change, inequality, environmental destruction, etc. 

- Aubyn litters the novel with fabulous denigrations of American and British politics. Here's an example:

...isn’t this sort of national decline just what happens when we have Etonian prime ministers? Eden and Macmillan gave us the Suez Canal and the Profumo affair; Cameron and Johnson have given us Brexit and Partygate.....the international fuck-ups were based on the same arrogance and exaggeration of Britain's autonomy and the scandals on the same combination of self-indulgence and mendacity.

- There is much more to this novel than my brief description can cover. It's not an easy read and can sometimes get tedious, nevertheless is definitely worth staying with. It's so invigorating. 

 

John Lyons, A Bunker in Kyiv

 

- Acclaimed journalist and Global Affairs Editor at the ABC, John Lyons, with help from his wife Sylvie Le Clezio, a documentary filmmaker, has written an absorbing story of the Ukrainian people's defence of their nation against Russia's aggression for over three years now. 

- As with his previous book, the fascinating Balcony Over Jerusalem, Lyons' ability to write clear, lucid prose totally engages the reader. He delves deep into the lives of ordinary citizens and their courage and dedication to saving their nation. They are living relatively normal lives despite the bombing, but they are volunteering for all sorts of jobs and activities to aid the war effort. What we are witnessing is 'the rebirth of the Ukrainian identity' as one woman says. And as a Sydney academic says ‘Whether formal or informal, volunteering contributes to the creation of new norms and values of citizenship in Ukraine…strengthening the social fabric’. 

- We're immersed in the richness of Ukrainian culture, society and economy. Surrogacy is a big industry in Ukraine, and was severely disrupted by Russia's relentless aggression. As were medical operations such as cancer treatment. Electricity and gas were out and hospitals bombed. Prosthetics availability ended and mental health programs brought to an end.  

- The Ukrainians are very concerned about their children. Eight year old Yegor wrote a diary. It is full of sadness, gentleness and generosity. The Russian soldiers would kidnap the children and try to indoctrinate them. Others were maimed and killed. Witnessing this Lyons virtually screams ‘Russia is the aggressor. Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia continues to launch attacks. Ukraine is the victim’. Russia now holds nearly 20% of Ukraine's territory.

- Ukraine has strengths though. For instance The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) are experts at resistance to Russian cyber attacks. Cyber security is the new space race, and Ukraine is leading the way. Drones (as we saw just a few days ago) are constructed by dedicated engineers and volunteers working day and night, and they are critical to its defence.

- Lyons tells the story of Volodymyr Zelensky, a former actor and comedian. From playing the president in a TV series to being elected as the real one. Although his first two years as a politician were ordinary and disorganised, he eventually emerged as the leader of the moment, and has virtually total support from the Ukrainian people. His communication and oratorical skills are helping enormously. 

- As for Vladimir Putin, ‘...a system of permanent lies permeates all levels of power’ in the Russia he has created, as one academic says. 'Through his propaganda, political power and physical property, Putin has made himself untouchable'. According to him 'Ukraine is not a real country'.  

- As Lyons reflects on Trump's 'contribution' he can't help but be pessimistic, and concludes that Ukraine is slowly losing this war. ‘…the US has gone deliberately slow on delivery of weapons’. Biden also slowed support, ‘…more scared of a Russian defeat than a Ukrainian defeat’. What we are witnessing is a major strategic failure by America and NATO. They are not providing enough weapons systems such as missiles, tanks and aircraft (as EU leaders recently recognised). This has to change, and dramatically, to turn the tide in Ukraine's favour. As for the nuclear threat, Putin knows NATO would respond dramatically, so is obviously hesitant to pursue that option. 

- Lyons closes the book on a more optimistic level. He meets a young man in Lithuania who proclaims that despite the fact that Russia has become a ruthless, brutal machine, the people of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are now supportive of NATO. ‘NATO is what stands between us and torture’. 

- John Lyons has written a clearly argued and frequently passionate treatise on Ukraine's dramatic predicament. I found it very persuasive indeed. It's a must read.