This month, we’re pleased to feature Discipline, a powerful and thought-provoking new novel from acclaimed Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah.
About the Book – Discipline
Discipline is a compelling and timely novel that explores the consequences of silence, the courage required to speak out, and the personal costs of standing up for justice.
Set in Sydney during May 2021, against the backdrop of escalating violence in Gaza, the story follows 2 interconnected protagonists. Ashraf, an academic whose career and personal life are unravelling, sees an opportunity for professional redemption when a Year 12 student from Al-Bayinnah College is arrested while protesting a university’s links to an Israeli weapons manufacturer. At the same time, Hannah, a young journalist navigating new motherhood and family trauma, fights to uphold the voices of her community while confronting racism within her newsroom.
As events unfold during the final weeks of Ramadan, both Ashraf and Hannah are forced to examine their values, responsibilities and willingness to make sacrifices in pursuit of what is right. Through their journeys, Abdel-Fattah offers a powerful examination of privilege, accountability and the pressures faced by those who challenge established institutions.
With a particular focus on academia and the media – 2 of today’s most influential and contested spheres – Discipline raises urgent questions about complicity, integrity and the price communities pay when those with power choose silence over action. Intelligent, provocative and deeply human, it is a novel that encourages readers to reflect on the role each of us plays in shaping a more just society.
About the author – Randa Abdel-Fattah
Randa Abdel-Fattah is one of Australia’s most respected authors, academics and public intellectuals. An Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow at Macquarie University, her research focuses on Islamophobia, race, Palestine, the war on terror, youth identities and social movement activism.
Before entering academia, Abdel-Fattah worked as a lawyer and simultaneously built an impressive literary career. She is the award-winning author of 12 books for children and young adults, many of which have been translated into more than 13 languages and celebrated internationally for their insight, authenticity and social relevance.
Throughout her career, she has been recognised through numerous prestigious awards and nominations, including the Australian Book Industry Awards, the Australian Book of the Year Awards, the Victorian and NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, the Stella Prize, the Children’s Book Council Awards, the Middle East Outreach Council Awards in the United States and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.
Her acclaimed bilingual English-Arabic picture book 11 Words for Love, illustrated by Maxine Beneba Clarke, was shortlisted for the 2023 Prime Minister’s Literary Award, further cementing her reputation as a storyteller capable of connecting with readers across generations and cultures.
With Discipline, Abdel-Fattah brings her trademark intellectual rigour, compassion and social insight to adult fiction, crafting a story that is both deeply personal and politically resonant. Challenging yet accessible, the novel confirms her place as one of Australia’s most important contemporary voices, inviting readers to grapple with difficult questions while never losing sight of the human stories at their heart.
Want to read it?
You can borrow this month’s book for free from Libraries ACT:
- reserve the physical book: Discipline by Randa Abdel-Fattah
- read or listen on the go: Available as an eBook and eAudiobook via our digital platforms.
