I am out of words at home. I have grown bored with my language, bored with my voice, bored with my writing. My words labour under the weight of Australia’s history. The land itself, as much as I love it, bears down hard.

Now in another place, I am finding lighter words. At times, I may not need to speak at all. I smile; I nod. I seek permission to speak. Please, do you mind? Will you allow me?

In an important book for our times, Stan Grant – one of Australia’s most prominent writers on identity, nationhood and belonging – reflects on how we struggle to speak to one another today, and the importance of listening, silence and philosophy, from Plato to Simone Weil to Radiohead.