Scan barcode
A review by henrymarlene
With the Falling of the Dusk by Stan Grant
5.0
Stan Grant writes so beautifully in “With the falling of the dusk” about some very ugly things in our modern world. His reflections on the current world are informed through his work as a foreign correspondent and commentator on Aboriginal issues, as well as his own indigenous heritage. Many of the insights revealed come through his accounts of his work with CNN as a foreign correspondent and the relocation journey that he and his family on is used as aa path to explore what he was witness to.
Stan Grant walks us through the end of history as we know it, the rise of meritocracy, entitlement, injustice, inequality, authoritarianism, populism, the end of the greater global good, and identity - “the scourge of our age”. He highlights a deepening sense of scepticism. He writes about the growth and rise of China and “the price authoritarians pay for power: they rule the people, but they must rule with an iron fist: they inspire fear, often loyalty and devotion too, but they can never rest.” He reveals his thoughts about the rise of Al-Qaeda and ISIS and visits to their visiting training camps and meeting with their leaders illustrate this. All with a unique and thoughtful connection to his own Indigenous history and personal life. He resonates with the fight for identity, oppression, dispossession and resilience that gives hope: "history does not bend to freedom; it bends to might.”
The writing is factual and poetic. There is a lot of compassion, wisdom and experience in Stan’s writing. One of my favourite moments in the book is where he talks about movement as meditation: “It is light that drew our ancestors to move forward to other lands. We have warmed ourselves by the light of fire and spun stories tat explain who we are and what has brought us here”. No different to how the world is continually moving and changing, since the beginning of time. A compelling book to read.
Stan Grant walks us through the end of history as we know it, the rise of meritocracy, entitlement, injustice, inequality, authoritarianism, populism, the end of the greater global good, and identity - “the scourge of our age”. He highlights a deepening sense of scepticism. He writes about the growth and rise of China and “the price authoritarians pay for power: they rule the people, but they must rule with an iron fist: they inspire fear, often loyalty and devotion too, but they can never rest.” He reveals his thoughts about the rise of Al-Qaeda and ISIS and visits to their visiting training camps and meeting with their leaders illustrate this. All with a unique and thoughtful connection to his own Indigenous history and personal life. He resonates with the fight for identity, oppression, dispossession and resilience that gives hope: "history does not bend to freedom; it bends to might.”
The writing is factual and poetic. There is a lot of compassion, wisdom and experience in Stan’s writing. One of my favourite moments in the book is where he talks about movement as meditation: “It is light that drew our ancestors to move forward to other lands. We have warmed ourselves by the light of fire and spun stories tat explain who we are and what has brought us here”. No different to how the world is continually moving and changing, since the beginning of time. A compelling book to read.