The Tall Man: Death and Life on Palm Island By Chloe Hooper

Chloe Hooper is one of those writers who only produces solid gold. Fiction, true crime, memoir – she does it all.

I first came across her when I read her excellent novel The Engagement, a mind-bending modern fairytale of a date gone wrong (or right – it’s hard to tell.)

The Tall Man: Death and Life on Palm Island follows the court case of Cameron Doomadgee, an Indigenous man who died in police custody on Palm Island.

This book shows us the past is never really that far away. It’s an examination of justice, the complexities of race in Australia, and the multi-generational trauma experienced by many Indigenous Australians. Hooper delves into the horrors of colonisation to help examine the tragedies of today.

Hooper is truly journalistic in the balanced and detailed way she tells this complex story. But her own personal observations, when they do surface, are invaluable, lending heart and perspective to a deeply sad and difficult story.

Her writing is skilled and nuanced, weaving together Indigenous history and culture with contemporary law and society.

This year marks 10 years since the death of Doomadgee. If you haven’t heard his story, Hooper’s book is an excellent place to start.