‘Genuine radicalism provides hope. It provokes through a scandalous insistence that life can be otherwise, that we aren’t doomed to economic and environmental decline, and that we can make our future better than our past.’ Why did politicians think an independent slave nation might emerge from northern Queensland? Should we clone thylacines? How did a sociopath spur the first European architecture in Australia? What was ‘bicycle face’ and how did it relate to feminism? Jeff Sparrow has been described as ‘one of Australia’s most crucial political thinkers’. With restless curiosity his writing takes us from ancient tortoises to the psychology of gun massacres, from queer bushrangers to Enid Blyton, and from atheism to vampires to dachshunds. Provocations brings together Jeff Sparrow’s best writing from the last two decades, alongside important new work. Challenging, humane and inspiring.