How Australia's public broadcaster reinvented itself for the digital age

Award-winning journalist Margaret Simons spoke with us on the recent history of the ABC and its transition to the digital age, which she explores in depth in her forthcoming book, Going Digital: The Transformation of the ABC, out 3 November 2026.

November 2026 brings three standout new titles: Origins by James Boyce; Quarterly Essay 104, Another Nation: The Rise and Rise of One Nation by John Birmingham and Going Digital by Margaret Simmons, who unveils the tumultuous story of how the ABC transformed itself for the digital age

Multi-award-winning historian James Boyce joins us to discuss common misconceptions about history, what it means for a country when its origin story is incomplete, and his forthcoming book, Origins: The Making of Australia, 1788–1825, out 17 November 2026.

Richard Cooke, Walkley Award–winning journalist and contributing editor to The Monthly, chats with us about volunteer editors, online idealism and the strange, sprawling project that became the world's encyclopedia – all explored in his new book, The Last Best Place on the Internet: A Human History of Wikipedia, which publishes 13 October 2026.

Rome is a city where layers of history reveal themselves at every turn: ancient temples and winding streets sit alongside traditional bars, beloved pasta dishes and memories of liberation. Matthew Kneale, author of The Shortest History of Rome, shares some of the places, flavours and stories that bring the Eternal City to life.

We asked Kneale how he’d spend just 24 hours in Rome, where to find a favourite local treat, which moment in the city’s history he finds most moving, and what surprised him while researching the book.

Madrid is a city that rewards curiosity: world-famous art and royal palaces sit alongside late-night bars, contemporary cultural spaces and streets filled with traces of a dramatic past. Linda Jaivin, author of The Shortest History of Madrid, takes us through some of the places and stories that bring the Spanish capital to life.

We asked Jaivin how she’d spend just 24 hours in Madrid, where she goes for contemporary culture, which period of the city’s history she’d most like to revisit, and what surprised her while researching the book.

Dublin is a city where history, literature and everyday life are intimately entwined. Its Georgian squares, great libraries and museums sit alongside beloved pubs, bookshops and a coastline that’s never far away. Gillian O’Brien, author of The Shortest History of Dublin, knows the stories behind this endlessly fascinating city.

We asked O’Brien how she’d spend just 24 hours in Dublin, the local secret she recommends to visitors, which period in the city’s history she finds most memorable, and the surprising tale she uncovered while writing the book.