“Can Australians find a story that embraces all of us?” This is the question Stan Grant tackles in his brilliant new book, Australia Day.

Stan embraces his duality: on the one side was John Grant, an Irishman who at the age of 17 was committed to life in Australia and on the other side was an Aboriginal woman. “I am born out of that history, that is me,” Stan explains to Richard Fidler, on “Conversations”, ABC Radio, “I am both sides of the story, there are two sides of me.”

Stan Grant has a strong feel for the “weight of history”, which he says defines every individual. I like his thinking.