An Open Book

A Malouf modern classic released in paperback for the first time, including seven new previously unpublished poems.


As one of Australia's finest poets David Malouf reminds us of the ways poetry, music and creativity enrich our lives. Like the 'small comfort of light ... as night comes on', this dazzling collection captures the textures of memory, layering recollections of childhood with acute observations of the present. An Open Book distils wise intelligence of a world in flux, reminding us of the beauty of the natural world and the importance of gentle reflection. These are poems about living, and about the dynamics of what escapes and what remains.

How we long for the adventure
of a new page

Catching our breath
in the light of its silence.