DAMON YOUNG | philosopher & author

The UK edition of my Philosophy in the Garden is out now.

It has a gorgeous new cover designed by Allison Colpoys, part of a matching set with the UK edition of The Art of Reading (both with Scribe UK). 

My sixth picture book is also out now: My Dad is a Dragon.

It's a c...

In 2018, I wrote and recorded a new series of philosophy programs for ABC Radio National: "Philosophy Espresso".

It aired weekly on the popular Life Matters, and covered everything from the nature of philosophy itself, to video games, to love.

You can now listen to the...

After five millennia, why are swords still so enchanting?

I attempt to answer this question in the latest issue of Meanjin magazine, out now. To read the full essay, do buy Meanjin 77 4 in all good bookshops or newsagents, or subscribe here.

‘Talk is for lovers, Merlin....

I've been working on three novels (two for kids, one for adults), and preparing for my next two nonfiction books. So, aside from my recent UK tour, I've been keeping to myself quite a bit.

But this weekend I returned from a week aboard Russ the Story Bus. Russ is an old...

I recently returned from the UK, where I did a quick tour for the The Art of Reading. ('Quick' being a loose word when intercontinental travel's concerned.)

With thanks to support from the Australia Council for the Arts and Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund, I was able...

What is best in life?

To crush your deadlines. See them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of the haters.

I've a new essay in the latest edition of Island magazine (#154), on Conan the Barbarian. I explore the history and meaning of this savage modern hero,...

In early May I was in my old home town Melbourne, for Jewish Book Week. It was a full house in the town hall, and I gave my extremely serious talk: 'The World According to Batman'. It began like this:

"Aristotle said death was the most frightening thing. Aristotle had n...

So, The Art of Reading was just released in the USA, by Scribe.

There's an extract on Lithub, that glorious cache of curated literary glory.

In case you missed them, there's a review in Kirkus and a starred review in Publisher's Weekly. In fact, The Art of Reading was on...

I recently had a piece in Fairfax's Domain property lift-out: 'Landlords, you provide a service and that requires minimum standards'. 

I'm arguing that renting is a service, and those who make money from this service need to take their responsibilities seriously.

[B]eing...

‘I really believe I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon.’ So said Donald Trump, who never runs.

Trump was speaking to United States governors about the recent Florida school shooting, and criticised the deputy who refused to enter the school. No doubt the offi...