Recommended Reading

Update August 2023

This list of recommended blogs and online news portals was not easily come by and apart from my own web research, I thank Mr Denmore (The Failed Estate), for sending me on a journey. These blogs will appeal to broad-minded thinkers. Some are very learn-ed or learned, as Homer Simpson might say. A few will lead you on to other blogs and in-depth reading. Some blogs which previously rated on this page have dropped off the Internet.

  • Historian and prolific writer on international affairs Gwynne Dyer has earned his reputation as an independent scribe;
  • Australia’s oldest blogger, Everald Compton, is politically astute and his writings demonstrate a depth of compassion which ought to be the benchmark for admission to politics.
  • Former public service mandarin John Menadue maintains a blog called Pearls and Irritations. He also curates a weekly newsletter with links to writings by others;
  • Independent economist John Quiggin curates what is arguably Australia’s longest-running blog, commentary on Australian & world events from a social-democratic perspective.
  • George Monbiot is a British writer, known for his environmental and political activism;
  • The Conversation is so much more than a blog – real journalism written by experts in their fields;
  •  Politico breaks stories and sustains good quality, in-depth news about the US;
  • Crikey, one of the early adaptors to online journalism has been strengthened by the addition of an investigative united funded by John B Fairfax;
  • There are satirical/fake news websites aplenty including The Shovel and The Shot. RonniSalt (a pseudonym) writes sharply and fearlessly.
  • Long Reads, Medium are sites where you will find longform journalism, short fiction, interviews and analysis by skilled writers and thinkers;
  • Atavist (active since 2011) publishes one, lengthy true story every month. This genre is known as creative non-fiction;
  • Michael West is a fearless former mainstream finance journalist now doing the serious investigations the others ought to be doing;
  • First Dog on the Moon is a cartoon with the country’s best satirical words. To the left of Noam Chomsky!
  • Mr Denmore: a gifted media analyst and commentator who posts infrequently in The Failed Estate.
  • Australian author Hugh Lunn has been writing a series of memoirs on his decorated journalism career on Substack. He has a knack for drawing you in to the story.
  • Friday on My Mind was a weekly missive written by former journalist and songwriter Bob Wilson, who decided to call it quits on September 1, 2023 after nine years of regular posts. You can find the archives on this website’s home page. As my friend Lyn would say, “Hooroo then.’

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