Originally published at https://www.nickfabbri.com/reviews/normalpeople

The BBC/Hulu television adaptation of Sally Rooney’s bestseller and “future classic” Normal People was met with critical acclaim around the world when it premiered in late April 2020. However, the series hasn’t received uniformly positive reviews. Jessa Crispin’s piece in The Guardian called it “a gutless soap opera for millennials” which left her “bored”. She also suggested that Rooney’s work revealed nothing new when she asserted “the desire to tell an old story in a new way only really works if you have something new to say”.

The frustration I have with these kinds of takes…

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Originally published at https://www.nickfabbri.com/bloom/bensonsaulo

Full transcript below ^_^

Benson Saulo is an inspirational and trailblazing 32 year old Australian, who has had a wide and diverse career across the social purpose sector, consulting, banking and finance, diplomacy and advocacy. Benson has recently been appointed as the first Indigenous Consul-General to the United States, where he will take up his post in Houston, Texas at the end of 2020 along with his wife Kate and daughter Anais.

In this interview, Nick and Benson discuss:

• Benson’s early life in Tamworth in…

Originally published with more (and better-sized) photos at https://www.nickfabbri.com/blog/melbournewinter

“The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for it and it would not be a wasted life.” — Katsumoto, The Last Samurai

During isolation and lockdowns, I’ve found myself noticing and appreciating nature more than I usually would. Deprived of the noise and bustle of normal life — traffic, busy social gatherings, and a never-ending to do list — I’m enjoying being in a place of quiet stillness. …

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Originally published at https://www.nickfabbri.com/bloom/ellysymons

In this interview, Nick and Elly discuss:

• Elly’s love of Greece and Cyprus
• Questions of identity, home and belonging
• The Parthenon Marbles, and Elly’s work to reunite them through the Parthenon Committee of Australia
• Life and living history in Athens and Europe
• Reflections on the incredible life and legacy of the late Samuel Symons
• Living through a cancer diagnosis as an individual and as a family
• Samuel’s contributions to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre
• Love, memory and gratitude
• How we remember…

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Originally published at https://www.nickfabbri.com/bloom/garethevans

Full transcript below ^_^

In this interview, Nick and Gareth discuss:

• Gareth’s early life and influences, and what drew him to politics
• Some of his most enduring political and policy achievements
• Reflections on Bob Hawke and Paul Keating as men, and as Prime Ministers of Australia
• The current world order, and the state of multilateralism and global cooperation on “problems without passports”
• Mass-atrocity events, and the personal and moral challenges of being Foreign Minister of a sovereign state with competing policy priorities
• The development of the global…

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Originally published at https://www.nickfabbri.com/bloom/grayconnolly

Full transcript below ^_^

In this interview, Nick and Gray discuss:

• Gray’s life and career in the law, including his military service in the Royal Australian Navy
• The geopolitical lessons of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic
• The Dragon-Bear strategic alliance between China and Russia
• The 2020 US presidential election, and reflections on Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump
• How the pandemic has brought out the Australian ethos of looking after our most vulnerable, including a reflection on Simpson and his donkey
• How the pandemic has upended the Australian…

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Originally published at https://www.nickfabbri.com/bloom/hugoslim

Full transcript below ^_^

In this conversation, Nick and Hugo discuss:

• In this conversation, Nick and Hugo discuss:
• Hugo’s early life and career as a frontline humanitarian worker in Africa and the Middle East
• The bureaucratisation of humanitarian organisations over recent decades
• The magic of young people in humanitarian (and other) organisations
• The experience of civilians in war and conflict, the ‘seven spheres of suffering’, and memorialisation of the dead
• The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Hugo’s term as Head of Policy and Humanitarian…

Originally published at https://www.nickfabbri.com/blog/31may2020

What I’m listening to:

• ‘Yo-Yo Ma — Prelude, Cello Suite No 1, in G Major’ in the Song Exploder podcast: This is a very special podcast featuring Yo-Yo Ma, one of the most famous cellists and musicians in the world. The production and audio qualities are sublime. Yo-Yo Ma breaks down the Prelude from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suite No 1, in G Major. While the episode is ostensibly about the musical work, it’s also a thoughtful meditation on Ma’s life, music, and growth as a performer. Yo-Yo Ma has recorded the Cello Suites several times…