Julian Burnside's grandparents lived in a world of handsome cars, elegant tennis parties and coiffed women. As a five year old, he saw privilege before he heard the word or learned its meaning. In this powerful broadside that takes in politicians and infamous legal cases, Julian Burnside asks what is privilege and who has it?

MUP’s new series Little Books on Big Themes pairs leading Australian thinkers and cultural figures with some of the big themes in life. Each author’s 10,000-word take on a chosen theme is presented as an eminently collectable hardback.

Julian Burnside, QC, is an Australian barrister specialising in commercial litigation who is also deeply involved in human rights work, particularly in relation to refugees. He is president of Liberty Victoria, chair of Melbourne arts venue fortyfivedownstairs and chair of the Mietta Foundation. He has published a children's book, Matilda and the Dragon, and is the author of From Nothing to Zero, a compilation of letters written by asylum-seekers held in Australia's detention camps, Wordwatching, a collection of essays on the uses and abuses of the English language, and Watching Brief: reflections on human rights, law, and justice.