Claire Nichols

Is that right?

And then, of course, now you're well regarded as this great Australian writer and this great writer of the Australian language.

I mean, I wonder what your mum would make of that.

You're allowed that one.

Your first novel, David Maloof was Jono.

It was published in 1975.

And at this point, it is an iconically Brisbane novel about a lifelong friendship between two boys.

I'm interested to know if that book started with those boys or if it started with the city itself.

Over the years you've published fiction, you've published non-fiction, poetry, opera, librettos, a play.

I'm wondering at this point, you know, when you look back at everything you've done, you know, and thinking even perhaps about these poetry collections that you're re-releasing as an example, can you look back at this work with a great sense of pride and accomplishment or are there, you know, things there that you want to change, you want to fix, you wish you could do again?

I found it interesting when you said you were, you know, not so into the poems that you found mean-spirited.

Does that suggest a kind of softening in you, David?

Yeah, that's, I think, something a lot of people would identify with.

David Maloof, I'm interested in your take on the Australian publishing scene today.

I've seen writing where you've said that you were glad that you weren't really pigeonholed into a certain publishing identity, for example, a Lebanese writer or a gay writer.

What do you make of where things are at right now?

You're listening to a special episode of The Book Show where we're remembering the Australian novelist, poet and playwright, David Maloof.

David had an incredible career spanning more than 50 years.

And when he and I talked last year, he just re-released some of his poetry, including a new poem called Coda.

It's a poem which is even more striking after his death.