David Brooks

Festschrift

In 2018 David retired, after almost twenty years, from his position as co-editor of Southerly. His former colleagues at the journal organised a festschrift. Edited by Elizabeth McMahon and Michelle Hamadache, this appeared, late in 2018, as Southerly 78/1. It includes essays and memoirs by Judith Beveridge, Tim Curnow, Michelle Hamadache, Vrasidas Karalis, Aashish Kaul, John Kinsella, Uli Krahn, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, and M.G. Michael, and poetry and fiction by Michelle Cahill, Michael Crane, Brook Emery, Kevin Hart, John Scott, Christine Townend, John Watson and others. Copies can be ordered and its table of contents sampled at http://southerlyjournal.com.au/store/

Open House CD

Drums Records in Melbourne have just (April 2019) released a CD of David reading poems from his 2015 collection Open House. Copies can supposedly be ordered from [ http://drumsrecords.godaddysites.com ] (good luck with that!).

The Grass Library

David’s The Grass Library will be officially released by Brandl & Schlesinger on August 1. The publishers have described the book as ‘A philosophical and poetic journey recounting the author’s relationship with his four sheep and other animals in his home in the Blue Mountains. Both memoir and eloquent testament to animal rights.’

Early readers have been very enthusiastic:

Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author of When Elephants Weep, has said that it is One of the most beautifully written books about animals I have ever read. I know of nothing else like it published in this or any other country. Deep, sensitive, charming, instructive and above all, humble. I cannot imagine anyone reading it without coming away in some profound sense altered.

Geordie Williamson has called it a beautiful meditation on animality … a very special and important book.

and Christine Townend, founder of Animal Liberation, has said that it is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the minds of non-human animals.

Advance/review copies can be ordered from [ https://www.brandl.com.au/ ]

‘A Critique of Pure Reason’ (essay)

‘A Critique of Pure Reason’ was published on-line by the ABC’s Religion and Ethics Report in late December 2018. The essay comprises four sections from Turin: Approaching Animals, a set of meditations approaching completion. It was accompanied by the ABC’s re-publication, with a new commentary, of David’s poem ‘Silent Night’, and a one-hour conversation, broadcast on Radio National on Christmas morning, between David, Scott Stephens, and Danielle Celermajer.

The essay may be read at:

[ https://www.abc.net.au/religion/critique-of-pure-reason-about-animals/10615560 ].

‘Silent Night’ may be read at:

[ https://www.abc.net.au/religion/silent-night-a-poem-for-christmas-eve/10641718 ].

The interview/conversation may be heard at:

[ https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/0710-0800/10611988 ].