A lively and passionate defence of reasoned debate

'One of the books of the year - an intellectual map for our times' --Martin Flanagan, Saturday Age

'An extended essay of uncommon eloquence and brio.' --Geordie Williamson, The Australian

'I dare say a great many people will be offended by Richard King's On Offence. Good. They can take a deep breath, count to ten, pull themselves together, and come to terms with what King convincingly demonstrates is integral to the functioning of civil society. This is a calm, clever, and lucid book.' --Gideon Haigh

'Richard King is one of the most interesting of the new generation of Australian journalist/critics.' --Clive James

'A ripper of a book - Fantastic.' --Steve Austin, ABC Radio Brisbane

'Lively - a bright and magnanimous reminder.' --Sunday Age

'Magnificent' --The Observer (UK)

'King shows how mantras of political correctness, via a lengthy process of ideological entrenchment to rival that of the divine right of kings, have given rise to constant pronouncements of outrage threatening freedom of speech.' --Stella Clarke, 'Books of the Year', The Australian

'For King, a freethinking democracy provides expression for all opinions, even unpalatable ones. Exposing the hypocrisy of the current climate of overactive sensibilities, King provides examples of how the insidious infiltration of what is "acceptable" and politically correct often results in reactionary backlashes that damage the very causes they promote.' --West Australian

'An excellent insight into the growing culture of intolerance - On Offence should be required reading for all journalists, members of Parliament and anyone who gets offended on a regular basis.' --David Farrar, New Zealand Listener

'Superb - I read [King's article 'Offence Goes Viral'] on the train, furiously underlining and stifling myself from yelling out, "That's so true!"' --Stephen Romei

'Fascinating - This book is an invitation to rip off the muzzle and start talking.' --Good Reading

'Fired me up' --Andrea Goldsmith, author of THE MEMORY TRAP

Richard King was born in 1971 in England, and now lives in Fremantle, Western Australia. He is a freelance writer and has a master's degree in literary history. Richard writes and reviews books for The Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald, as well as for numerous journals and magazines, including Australian Book Review, Meanjin, Poetry London, PN Review, and The London Magazine.