Allan — His Own Writings¶

Status¶

A bibliography of Allan Gyngell's own published work as it surfaces in the corpus — books, essays, journalism, and lectures he wrote or gave. This is distinct from Allan - Reading, Listening and Watching, which catalogues what he recommended. Only works attributable to Allan himself are listed; where a guest or co-host mentions their own writing it is excluded (e.g. the "first book… with Clare O'Neil" line in Ep107 is Tim Watts, not Allan).

The corpus references these works rather than reproducing them, so this is an index with the episode in which each is named, plus his own framing where he gives one. Publication details not stated in the corpus are marked accordingly.

Books¶

Fear of Abandonment: Australia in the World since 1942 (La Trobe University Press)¶

The book that gave the podcast its subtitle — Australia in the World is borrowed from it. Its thesis (the fear of abandonment as a recurring driver of Australian foreign policy) is treated by guests as a live analytical framework, not just a citation: Linda Jakobson applies it directly to Canberra–Washington behaviour (Ep073). Allan was preparing an updated edition adding a chapter on 2016–2022 ("I wrote on Morrison in the new edition"). His relentless, self-mocking on-air plugs of it became a running joke ("a book called Fear of Abandonment, which I might have mentioned once or twice before"). Named in: Ep044, Ep058, Ep064, Ep073, Ep082, Ep083, Ep090, Ep098, Ep099, Ep101, Ep111.

Making Australian Foreign Policy (with Michael Wesley)¶

Co-authored with Michael Wesley "early in the century" (last edition 2007). Quoted on air for its analysis of the media as gatekeeper of foreign-policy debate (Ep052). One of the few systematic Australian treatments of foreign policy as a political process — the gap in the literature he repeatedly lamented. Named in: Ep015, Ep052, Ep058.

Essays and journal pieces¶

"The Strangeness We Feel" — Australian Foreign Affairs¶

His essay on the Australia–China relationship. He reveals that the published title was set by the editor; his own title, "The Strangeness We Feel," came from a line in a Katie Leng song "floating around in my head" — he thought "that gets it." A revealing glimpse of how he reached for a pop lyric to title a serious analytical piece. Named in: Ep032 (see also Allan - Preferences and tastes).

Australian Foreign Affairs article ("three years ago")¶

He cites an earlier AFA piece of his own arguing Australia must "be clear" about its position — consistent with the China essay above. Named in: Ep097.

"A New China Narrative for Australia" — China Matters¶

"A new China narrative for Australia… we have to find a way" — his framing for getting beyond the like/dislike binary on China. Named in: Ep074.

China Matters Explores — scenario paper¶

A piece in which he "put forward a scenario including all means short of war" regarding Taiwan/China — "I do not think Xi Jinping wants…" — an example of his scenario method in his own published work. Named in: Ep074.

Journalism and blogs¶

Lowy Interpreter pieces¶

The 2009 review in which he called Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall "the best book I'd ever read about politics, not Tudor politics, but politics full stop" (Ep043).
An Interpreter piece on Australian prime ministers and the power of ideas — "Australia has never had a Prime Minister who believed in the power of…" (the line he quotes from his own writing).

Australian Financial Review¶

An AFR piece on the pandemic, faulting "the lack of a coordinated response to the global pandemic" (COVID-era).

Lectures¶

War College, Canberra — lecture on grand strategy (July 2021)¶

Discloses that he has been invited to lecture on grand strategy at the War College in Canberra in July, and "need[s] to do a hell of a lot more thinking about grand strategy" — a rare look at him as a teacher preparing material rather than commenting. Named in: Ep077.

Notes for a biographer¶

The corpus names these works but rarely dates them precisely; firm publication dates, full Australian Foreign Affairs / Interpreter / AFR citations, and the China Matters paper titles should be confirmed against the published record.
His own writing and his on-air manner share a method: scenario-building, close reading of declaratory policy, and a refusal of the like/dislike binary. The essays are the written form of what the podcast does aloud.