Stan Grant is an award-winning Australian journalist; in a lot of ways he is similar to Ta-Nehihi Coates, whom he references a couple of times.

Talking To My Country is a frank and direct statement of what it is like to be Aboriginal in today's Australia. Grant makes the point that the abuses and depredations that so horrify us now and not that far in the past that his family can forget them. He reminds us that we have whitewashed our history, pretending that there was nobody here when the British arrived, glossing over the massacres our forebears committed and writing them out of our Constitution.

Formal apology for these depredations are just the start of what this country needs to do to face up to and rectify our appalling relations with the original occupants of this land. Reading Grant's book leaves one in no doubt as to the need for us to do that. ( )

Stan Grant's book gives an excellent picture of the history and plight of the aborigines, who are still not recognised in our country.
I admire Stan Grant and appreciate his reporting ability, summarising topical events in Australia and the world. His book gave me a good opportunity to learn more about him as a person, his life and struggles.
He does good job presenting in ABC TV program ‘Matter of Fact With Stan Grant’, he pesents with a fresh perspective.
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An intense, personal memoir, amazingly evocative of country and people. Grant is brutally honest about the history of this country, as well as their personal history, and the toll that growing up black in a racist country has taken. Highly recommended. ( )

If there is one issue in which our group finds complete agreement it would have to be the matter of racism. Over the years we have read many novels with this as either an underlying or central theme. It can lead to a highly emotional discussion, but one that always leaves us passionately opposed to what we consider one of the worst of all human flaws.

Grant’s Talking to My Country did not disappoint in the discussion stakes, and although the general opinion was one of high regard for what the author was saying, our views differed on how he said it.

Some felt that it was an especially personal account of suffered racism and on that level, very confronting. Grant’s childhood experiences … consistent relocating, indifferent teachers, juvenile justice … were not overly surprising to us and while he did encounter a certain amount of ‘luck’ in his educational path, we felt the strong family unit he was raised in helped in no small way to create a solid, resilient character. Something he put to good use in his chosen career.

There were those of us who tired a little of the repetitive nature of his dialogue, feeling he laboured the point just a little and there was some discussion of the reconciliation debate and what has (and hasn’t) changed in the last 20-25 years. How racists are Australians and why don’t those who believe differently speak out?

Then there is the Adam Goodes speech, the Australia Day invasion debate, deaths in custody and Indigenous education … all fiery issues that we spent the better part of 90 minutes discussing.

But in the end there were but two things said which sent a jolt through most of us …

As quoted from Stan Grant ‘… ours is an inheritance of sadness …’

And from Shirley ‘… I was brought up to be thankful that I was born in Australia, with a white face …’

As sad and alarming as both these statements are, they could be the start of moving towards a different way of thinking. Let’s hope that day arrives sooner rather than later.

Dapto Tuesday Book Club ( )

Moving and beautifully written personal musings on the state of race politics in Australia. The impact of inter-generational trauma is incredibly tragic and thought provoking for any Australian. ( )