Also in this issue:

Chris Flynn talks Treasure Island with former poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion; Adam Curley catches Catcall while he can (the punk-pop singer is definitely going places); Fiona Crawford reports on all the action from Sydney’s Street Soccer Festival; and, in ‘Roving Eye’, we travel to the Brooklyn projects for a close-up perspective on the raw roots of hip-hop.

This edition’s ‘Vendor Profile’ is Tony from Perth and we have ‘Streetsheet’ contributions from Lyndon in Sydney; Heba and Warren in Melbourne; and Cindy and Greg S in Adelaide.

Also in this issue:

Andy Drewitt reads his grandfather’s war-time letters and follows his struggles back to the home front; Andy Murdoch tracks Glen Duncan’s metamorphosis from literary novelist to werewolf genre writer; Rebecca Harkins-Cross meets Kieran Darcy-Smith, the director of five-star rated film Wish You Were Here; Mic Looby rails against mobile billboard advertising; and, in ‘Roving Eye’, we present buoyant images from the Taiwan Lantern Festival.

This edition’s ‘Vendor Profile’ is Judith from Melbourne and we have ‘Streetsheet’ contributions from Daniel K in Adelaide, Tina in Perth, and Ken and De in Melbourne. We also have a great photo of our Street Soccer players posing with SBS chief football analyst and Big Issue ambassador Craig Foster at the Street Football Festival in Sydney.

Also in this issue:

Anthony Morris talks pies and private parts with the stars and directors of the latest slice of American Pie, American Reunion; Chris Flynn reviews the hilarious new memoir from Flight of the Conchords star Rhys Darby; Anthony Carew talks dreamscapes and collaborations with singer-songwriter M Ward; and, in ‘Roving Eye’, we present images from Muckaty Station in Northern Territory, where traditional owners are fighting a proposed nuclear waste dump.

This edition’s ‘Vendor Profile’ is Irene from Brisbane. And we have ‘Streetsheet’ contributions from Neil in Sydney, Chris M, Stephen and Gary T in Brisbane and Ernie in Ipswich. And a special, multi-generational addition to ‘Streetsheet’ this time: Melbourne vendor Donna has passed on two contributions from her wonderful young daughters.

Also in this issue:

Helen Razer declares war on cupcakes; Justin Heazlewood waters down the myth of the rock-star lifestyle; Alan Attwood meets Alain de Botton; and, in ‘Roving Eye’, we present a striking black-and-white photographic series, capturing the complex relationship between water and people.

This edition’s ‘Vendor Profile’ is Mac from Melbourne. And we have ‘Streetsheet’ contributions from David in Perth, Nathan in Brisbane and Greg C, Chris M, Kelvin, Eddie and Cindy from Adelaide.

Also in this issue:

Tom Doig attends an electric vehicle rally; Jessie Cole offers some personal reflections on Bob Dylan, 50 years after the release of his first studio album; Matthew Pejkovic chats with actor Ralph Fiennes about his directorial debut, a film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus; and, in ‘Roving Eye’, we present a haunting series of photographs, capturing the crumbling splendour of America’s motor city, Detroit.

This edition’s ‘Vendor Profile’ is Mark from Adelaide. And we have ‘Streetsheet’ contributions from Dave in Perth, Ernie V in Ipswich, Edward in Adelaide, Laurence in Canberra, and James D and Michael F in Brisbane. In ‘Streetsheet’ you’ll also see photo proof that a few of our Canberra vendors met the Prime Minister at the recent National Year of Reading launch; one, Bianca, particularly stood out in her elaborate flashing headgear.

Also in this issue:

Dan Rule meets South African artist and filmmaker, William Kentridge; Jo Case warms to a chilly fairytale by Alaskan author, Eowyn Ivey; and Luke Buckmaster investigates new cinema technology for vision and hearing-impaired audiences. And it’s all happening on our Books page this edition: we’ve reviewed A Tiger in Eden, debut novel of Big Issue Books Editor Chris Flynn. (No, Chris didn’t appraise it himself – so move on, Media Watch, nothing to see here…) Also featured is a review of Alain de Botton’s book, Religion for Atheists and Peter Carey’s The Chemistry of Tears. (Turn to p41 to find out why our reviewer gave the book one star.) 

This edition’s ‘Vendor Profile’ is Michelle from ACT. And we have ‘Streetsheet’ contributions from Robby B in Ipswich; Norm in Brisbane; Devo in Perth; Lillian and Mark JW in Sydney; and Brian, Michael S and Mitch in Melbourne.

Each year, we select stories from open submissions, which are run alongside commissioned pieces by well-known writers. And last year’s edition, Twelve Tales, was massive, selling 34,000 copies nationally and including stories by Frank Moorhouse, Peggy Frew, Nick Earls, Amanda Lohrey, Chris Womersley and Charlotte Wood.

This year’s fiction edition co-editors, Chris Flynn and Melissa Cranenburgh, are looking for intriguing stories, humorous tales and lively and interesting writing. You can choose an original topic (with an emphasis on original, folks) or riff off the theme ‘The End of the World’.

Stories must be no longer than 3000 words. To submit, send two printed (not electronic) copies of your entry to: Fiction Edition, The Big Issue, GPO Box 4911, Melbourne 3001. Submissions are judged ‘blind’ so make sure your name and details are included on a removable coversheet. Closing date for entries is Thursday, 31 May.

Also in this issue:

To mark the start of the school year, we’ve asked two school teachers to disclose what it’s really like to take on a classroom of kids. (In an unusual move for us, we’ve published these stories under pseudonyms, and our writers are remarkably candid.) Meanwhile, Chris Flynn reflects on some famous spats in the literary world; Hannah Brooks talks spitting and Sex Pistols with LA punk hell-raisers, Black Lips; Ricky French storms a fiddlers’ convention; and, in ‘Roving Eye’ we present some moving images from photographer Morganna Magee’s Motherhood series.

This edition’s ‘Vendor Profile’ is Scott from Sydney. And we have ‘Streetsheet’ contributions from Stephen G in Brisbane, Glenn F and Michelle in Sydney, Ken and Mitch in Melbourne and Stevo in Perth. We also present a fabulous portrait of Melbourne vendor, Owen, painted by Adelaide artist Joshua Miels, when he was in holiday in Melbourne over the New Year period.

Also in this issue:

Anthony Morris talks Botox and blue-bottles with British actor Kris Marshall; in the lead up to the Australian stage adaptation of Yes, Prime Minister, Albert Ehrnrooth catches up with the TV show’s original writers; Angela Meyer meets Mateship with Birds author Carrie Tiffany; Fiona Scott-Norman proffers a thoughtful meditation on the subject of noses; and, in ‘Roving Eye’, we revisit some extraordinary portraits by the late photojournalist Eve Arnold.

This edition’s ‘Vendor Profile’ is Ron from Perth. And we have ‘Streetsheet’ contributions from Street Soccer player Ahmed in Melbourne, Sharon in Perth and Nathan C in Brisbane.

Sadly in ‘Streetsheet’ this edition, we also farewell our dear friend Jacquie, who died on 26 December. Jacquie worked as a Big Issue vendor in Sydney, selling the magazine around Rozelle and packing the magazine as part of the Women’s Subscription Enterprise. She was popular with Big Issue staff and fellow vendors and also with members of the public. We’ve received a lovely letter from a Rozelle local – published in ‘Your Say’ – who told us how much Jacquie will be missed.

Also in this issue:

Matthew Pejkovic meets Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy director Tomas Alfredson; Andy Murdoch talks flippers and the future with sci-fi writer Alastair Reynolds; Mic Looby remembers swimming in a pair of hand-me-down Y-fronts and a thin layer of cooking oil; ‘Oz Kulture’ expert Patrick Witton presents his unique take on the life and times of Rupert Murdoch; and, in ‘Roving Eye’, we present images from the People and Planet international photography competition.

This edition’s ‘Vendor Profile’ is Mary from Adelaide. And we have ‘Streetsheet’ contributions from Owen and Ken in Melbourne and Mick F, Kerrie, Robert S, Lillian and Trevor in Sydney.