"I think through showing the hypocrisy and dishonesty of people so clearly they really formed who I became and what I value." Tilly Lawless, writer, sex worker, activist, and a voice of modern feminism, brings a fresh perspective to the literary scene. Based in Sydney, Lawless is a voracious reader and a profound thinker, her love for literature spanning from the works of Colette to the sharp wit of Oscar Wilde. Her passion for literature is matched only by her commitment to amplifying voices that are often sidelined, making her a vital and influential figure in both the literary and activist landscapes.
Below, we speak with Tilly Lawless on childhood favourites like Tamora Pierce's Alanna: The First Adventure and her recommendation for thought-provoking works like Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between The World and Me.
The last book I read …
Virginie Despentes’ King Kong Theory and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since, really recommend.
On my bedside table: I am currently reading …
Cormac McCarthy’s All The Pretty Horses – I’m forever a horse girl.
My favourite book of all time …
I don’t have a favourite book but the writers whose works I like the most consistently are Colette, Oscar Wilde and Alexandre Dumas. They also all interest me as people besides their writing.
The literary character I most identify with is …
I don’t think I am like this character, but the closest I have come to feeling the author has described exactly what I’ve felt in a character is in Evelyn in Vita Sackville-West’s Family History when she experiences emotional infatuation & the insecurities that come with it.
The book that changed my life is …
Phillip Pullman‘s His Dark Materials Trilogy because I first read it at nine years old & it blew my mind open in terms of engaging with topics like philosophy and corruption.
The Australian writer I admire the most is….
Gillian Mears, she writes about a certain landscape with such incredible specificity.
My favourite living author is …
Brontez Purnell, his stuff makes me laugh out loud in a way I haven’t since Anita Loos’ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes or Stella Gibbon’s Cold Comfort Farm.
A book everyone should read at least once is…
I have a few you can choose from, that I selected in different modes depending on what appeals to you, all picked because I think they deal with topics that the media would like to have you think are complex but are actually quite simple, and I think are also valuable works of art/examples of craft in their own right. Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between The World and Me (long letter), Leslie Feinberg’s Stone Butch Blues (semi-autobiographical novel), Joe Sacco’s Palestine (graphic novel) and Alison Whittaker’s Blakwork (poetry).
