Collection: Nonfiction

Slojd is Swedish for handicrafts. But it's so much more than making things with your hands. In Sweden, slojd is a compulsory subject taught to all schoolchildren. From a young age, they work with textiles and wood not only to develop their creativity, but also to learn fine motor skills and probl...

Amanda Goff was a successful journalist in London and Sydney before ditching her nine-to-five job at the age of 38 to become Samantha X, Australia's most famous escort. A bipolar diagnosis changed everything: she retired from sex work, walked away from Samantha X, and went in search of Amanda. Mi...

After all the build-up and focus on pregnancy and birth, the fourth trimester is often swept aside. But as every new mum knows, the first twelve weeks after birth are possibly the most challenging and important part of becoming a mum. Amelia Lamont’s book ensures you don’t have to go through them...

In 1973, Blue Poles, the iconic painting by America's great abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock, was acquired by the Australian government for A$1.4 million. This record-setting price for an artwork sparked a media sensation and controversy both in Australia and the United States. Blue Poles: ...

The incredible true story of how a street-fighting petty criminal, who was kicked out of school at fourteen, became one of Australia's most celebrated and successful portrait artists. Raised amid poverty and violence on the poor streets of Melbourne, Vincent Fantauzzo was just a boy when he accep...

From Amie McNee, the voice behind Inspired to Write, a manifesto on the vital, human importance of creating, with guidance for all artists in all endeavours, whether they're starting their journey or seeking a fresh perspective. In We Need Your Art, Amie McNee calls artists and aspiring artists o...

What went wrong? Australian governments promised to end violence against women and children in a single generation. Instead, it is escalating: men have been murdering women at an increased rate, coercive control and sexual violence are becoming more complex and severe, and we see a marked rise in...

If you are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, conventional medications aren't always effective - and they often have disturbing side-effects. What if there was a completely different treatment?

To mark The Australia Institute's 30 years of big ideas, we have asked some of our good friends and leading thinkers from Australia and around the world to share a big idea for a better Australia. The Australia Institute has spent the last 30 years producing research that matters, and this anthol...

Have you ever felt like you're hurtling through the daily grind of life, unable to slow down or take a breath? Things might look good from the outside, but inside, you're running on empty with no time to reflect on what it's all for. Greatness is the antidote to this helpless, discontented feelin...