Australian books to look forward to in 2026: from a 278-page sentence to a memoir about a ‘cursed vagina’

It promises to be a marvellous year ahead for OzLit, with new books from the likes of Kate Grenville, Siang Lu, Antoinette Lattouf, Shaun Micallef, Judith Lucy and more

As a student, he was involved in a drunk-driving incident that killed a cyclist. Years later he would become expert in the healing powers of guilt

Psychologist Chris Moore saw first-hand how powerful and complex an emotion it is

From squirrel picnics to penpals, karaoke to crochet: 43 easy ways to lift your spirits

Guardian writers and readers share the simple tricks they use to bring a bit of joy into their lives

The Divided Mind by Edward Bullmore review – do we finally know what causes schizophrenia?

A brilliant history of psychiatric ideas suggests we are on the cusp of a transformation in our understanding of severe mental illness

Magazine Dreams review – powerful bodybuilding drama dogged by star Jonathan Majors’ assault conviction

The actor was convicted in 2023 leaving this a film maudit, and though he is convincing, it only draws uncomfortable parallels with his own life

Does ‘laziness’ start in the brain?

Understanding the surprising mechanism behind apathy can help unlock scientific ways to boost your motivation

‘I tried to capture her inner world – but couldn’t’: Tom de Freston on painting his wife pregnant and nude

The artist and his wife, novelist Kiran Millwood Hargrave, lost seven pregnancies before their daughter was born. They explain how his nude paintings of her helped them process their grief – and eventual joy

Is there a dark side to gratitude?

Feeling thankful is increasingly touted as a cure-all, but sometimes there are reasons not to be grateful

The one change that worked: I struggled with stress after work – until I made a discovery in my attic

When my son was growing up, his school recorder was the bane of my life. Now it’s what I reach for at the end of a hard day, rather than a glass of wine

Heard the one about the three vicars who went to the cinema – and were taught a lesson in tolerance?

Watching the film I Swear, at first I was irked by the shouting and swearing from an audience member. But I ended up thanking him, says vicar and standup comedian Ravi Holy