The Saturday Paper

“Despite the stylised nature of the novel’s characters there is much in the way of psychological insight. Rarely have I seen alternating narrators used as successfully to expose the limitations of each character’s point of view.” satpa.pe/yCjOrZF

Mary Costello's 'A Beautiful Loan' explores the loneliness that comes when cultural continuities are severed due to the abuse and malfeasance of religious and political institutions and the turn to self proves an inadequate substitute. satpa.pe/2tndKLQ

Anselm Kiefer's latest installation at Mona, titled Elektra, operates as a self-governing entity, reforming ancient memory anew so that we bear witness to our own shadow. satpa.pe/yblemWd

The latest ANZ–Melbourne Institute measure of consumer confidence shows sentiment nosediving to where it was when the Morrison government began closing Australia’s borders during the pandemic. satpa.pe/tbm88UL

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David Moyle on the underrated fig leaf and how best to capture its "green tea" and coconut flavour in a tart. satpa.pe/Y6T5TtW

Fiction: When the Ferris wheel did finally stop, Colin charged out of there like we’d been orbiting Earth for six months. My eyes were full of the winter sun as he came in for a mechanical hug. I blinked and he was gone. satpa.pe/sZSfyf8

“Having raised interest rates for the second consecutive month, the governor of the Reserve Bank, Michele Bullock, was a little too frank for the treasurer this week when she mentioned the prospect of a recession.” satpa.pe/K1sZP63

“Sororicidal will stay with me, and for the right reasons. This book is something special: as high in drama and energy as it is in style and intelligence.” satpa.pe/izpHbIz

MONA founder, David Walsh, had wanted German neo-expressionist Anselm Kiefer to re-create elements of his studio since he first visited four years before MONA opened. The original budget was $11 million. The final cost is more than $100 million. satpa.pe/5nK5XXF

“People don’t come to the Kimberley to see gas fields. They come to see unspoilt nature and experience our ancient culture. We don’t want fracking — we’ve seen what happened in Texas." satpa.pe/ir8dh9U

"I have enjoyed the fine crafting of Mary Costello’s work in the past," writes Gregory Day, "but this is a novel let down by the two-dimensional characterisations of the men in Anna’s life. Their limitations are typical and remain unexplored." satpa.pe/XQnuhyk

"The opportunity to build a comfortable and secure life is something all Australians expect,” writes Allegra Spender. “It’s a covenant we offer to each new generation. Unfortunately, it’s a covenant we are failing to keep." satpa.pe/l3nt5pc

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Western Australia's Kimberley region is “a garden of Eden — the one place on earth that has never registered an extinction of any species. There’s no other place like it on the planet.” satpa.pe/TqNwjp4

As the Nationals express their fears about One Nation, Barnaby Joyce says he can see the party holding the balance of power and getting results the Nationals say the party has failed to achieve in the past. Karen Barlow reports. satpa.pe/yQ5a2al