Murriyang: Song of Time (Stan Grant, Bundyi)

In May 2023, journalist Stan Grant (Talking to My Country) stepped away from his role as host of ABC’s Q+A. His latest book, Murriyang: Song of Time, is a heartfelt and vulnerable response to the events that led to his resignation and that have unfolded since, ‘in a year when Australia struggled with its soul, [and] I felt my own slipping away’. Murriyang has a personal and emotional tone that makes it a poignant departure from the decades of political commentary that have made Grant a household name. The memoir explores themes of identity, colonisation and belonging through the unique lens of Grant’s intersecting Wiradjuri descent and Christian faith. With self-awareness, Grant reflects on how these aspects of his identity, though seemingly at odds with one another, have been a source of comfort through trials, including his father’s illness. Grant poetically chronicles his relationship with his stoic father, Stan Grant Sr, a Wiradjuri cultural leader, transforming his grief into gratitude. Each chapter jumps between stories of ‘Babiin’ (father) and ‘Murriyang’ (skyworld) to weave together an intimate image of Stan Grant. Murriyang is one of the first books to address the wounds of post–Voice referendum Australia, making it a meaningful read for those reflecting on recent events. Grant implores readers to leave chaos behind, pause, contemplate and seek peace.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Eman Mourad is an Australian-Egyptian emerging writer based on Gadigal land. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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