It's great to see you've inspired so many people with Not Happy John. I wrote a review of it for a newspaper and wanted to say so much more than I could in around 650 words. Wanted to add: 'This is an activist book, a real act of altruism, very accessible, with an action-plan in the back, READ IT.' Someone in this review's webpage mentioned that it didn't tackle education & asylum-seekers (I mentioned this in my review also). But I think this would have weakened its non-partisan appeal, and turned away some readers. Someone else who read my review told me that I'd 'served you one' in the last sentence. [NHJ!: Katherine's Age review of July 17 ended thus: 'NHJ will appeal to general readers of any political stripe, especially those who see themselves as moderates. Yet while it emphatically distances itself from 'the old, outworn, left-right rhetoric', the book's findings (including those of its conservative contributors) are precisely those the Left and Greens foresaw as inevitable consequences of a neoliberal government, and just occasionally Kingston's incredulity seems itself incredible.'

This was not my intention. [Yeah, yeah - NOW she tells us...JR.]. I was in particular referring to those in the book who were incredulous that they'd been demonised or silenced by this government (& ignored by the media) - something that activists and dissenters have lamented (if only someone would listen) for years. I can't help feeling pleased that even people who consider themselves apolitical or moderate are now understanding. You really have, through this project, established a community of readers and potential activists. It's a shame it took John Winston Howard's extremism to make this happen.

NHJ! Katherine, we thought the review was terrific - fair, useful, amplifying and, where critical, well reasoned. And we're grateful for the Age space, too. And for your follow-up here. Ta.