'FOR ME, it was the interview with Christos Tsiolkas on ABC’s Lateline – in place of the ubiquitous parliamentarian or the occasional policy wonk – that confirmed the position of his award-winning book, The Slap, in the zeitgeist. That may seem strange, since plenty of people were already talking and writing about the novel and the modern-day dystopia experienced by its protagonists. It had already won the glowing praise of many reviewers, wowed the judges of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and started appearing with frequency in the clutches of commuters on public transport. It now sits atop the country’s bestseller lists – and not just those of the independent bookstores. The recent sale of the TV rights has made it official: The Slap is now more than a book – it has become part, if not the effective instigator, of a national conversation about families and children.' (Introduction)
