7am

Read This: David Marr vs Australia’s Old Lie

Oct 21, 2023

David Marr, an investigative journalist, discusses his latest book on Australia's difficult history. Topics include personal and national shame, the brutal history of the Queensland Native Police, the relationship between shame and forgiveness, finding one's voice as a writer, and the author's working relationship with their editor.

29:46

Episode guests

David Marr

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

David Marr's book, Killing for Country, uncovers the atrocities committed by the Queensland Native Police and challenges the acceptance of such violence in history.

The power of storytelling can help people understand complex historical events, guide readers through challenging territory, and foster understanding and reconciliation.

Deep dives

Exploring Dark Family History

In this podcast episode, David Ma discusses his book, Killing for Country, which delves into his dark family history. He shares how his journey began when his uncle asked him to uncover information about their enigmatic ancestor, Maude Euer. Through his research, Ma stumbled upon a photograph of his great-grandfather in the uniform of the Queensland Native Police, a murderous state force responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 Indigenous Australians. Shocked by this revelation, Ma decided to confront the truth and wrote a book that exposes the brutal reality of colonization and its impact on his own family.

Introduction

2min

Unveiling the Brutal History of the Queensland Native Police

13min

Exploring the Relationship Between Shame and Forgiveness

2min

Finding Your Voice and Self: Reflections on Writing and Anger

2min

Relationship with Sebastian

7min

Promotion of various newsletters, book recommendations, and podcast credits

3min

For many Australians, facing the reality of this country is a task that has proved enduringly difficult, both at a public and a political level. For investigative journalist David Marr, finding the right way to tell the stories that allow us to see the truth of our history is a personal quest and one that has led to his latest book. This week, Michael talks with David about shame – both personal and national – and why his family agreed that he had to write Killing for Country.

Reading list:

Patrick White: A Life, David Marr, 1991

My Country: Stories, Essays & Speeches, David Marr, 2018

Killing for Country, David Marr, 2023

Septology, Jon Fosse, 2022

The Hummingbird Effect, Kate Mildenhall, 2023

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. Or if you want to listen to them as audiobooks, you can head to the Read This reading room on Apple Books.

Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter

Guest: David Marr

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7am

Read This: David Marr vs Australia’s Old Lie

Episode guests