The AISN Book Club is a key feature of the AISN and the firm’s commitment to deepening community engagement with and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories. To date, the AISN has held three sessions of Book Club, each discussing texts by Indigenous authors.
This year, the AISN Book Club read and discussed:
By the end of 2023 we will have held a fourth session of Book Club (plans are underway for the next session).
This year the AISN Book Club looked at a variety of genres. The Visitors is a reconceptualised novel of Jane Harrison’s original play, while Sixty-Seven Days is a romance novel. On Identity was the sole non-fiction work we read – a reflection on racism, identity and sectarianism.
As part of the On Identity Book Club evening, attendees also viewed two video clips of Stan Grant’s speeches to consider alongside his book.
The AISN Book Club has retained two key changes it made in 2022:
- sourcing snacks and beverages from Indigenous-owned businesses (snacks from Mabu Mabu and Bunji Catering, craft beers from Henry Street Brewhouse, wines from Mt Yengo wines, and non-alcoholic beers from Sobah beers); and
- sourcing copies of the books from Indigenous-owned book sellers where possible.
In 2023, the AISN Book Club implemented a formal method of recording attendance for reporting purposes. On average, 30 people expressed interest and 20 people attended each Book Club over the course of the year. Both AISN members and non-members have attended, and five seasonal clerks attended the July meeting of Book Club.
Benjamin Shapero provided the following reflection on the July meeting of Book Club:
“On Monday evening, I attended the AISN Book Club event at Arnold Bloch Leibler. The subject of the book club was ‘On Identity’ by Stan Grant, a short reflection and critique on identity. During the evening, Stephanie Parsons facilitated a discussion of the book and encouraged each of us to share our own thoughts on Stan’s writings. It was such a rewarding event which enabled me to learn from others about their own views of the book. Moreover, as a seasonal clerk, it provided me with a unique opportunity to connect with my peers outside of ‘work hours’ in relation to a topic that I am very passionate about. I find events such as this one to be incredibly useful in how they promote discussion and learning about topics that might otherwise be left untouched. I also felt that the book club resonated more strongly by combining the mediums of writing and film to promote discussion. I’m so grateful to have been invited to the book club as a seasonal clerk and I look forward to speaking with others about the themes captured in the book moving forward.”
Benjamin Shapero, 2023 Seasonal Clerk