20 Gifts under $20
We Should All be Feminists ($9.99) by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Argued in the same observant, witty and clever prose that has made Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie a best-selling novelist, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman today.
Salad Days ($9.99) by Ronnie Scott
In Salad Days, Ronnie Scott interrogates our current obsession with food – and asks whether it’s actually such a bad thing. If food offers us a ‘curious mixture between comfort and disturbance, staying put and going far’, is that something to celebrate, or to worry about?
Congratulations, by the Way: Some Thoughts on Kindness ($17.99) by George Saunders
Three months after George Saunders gave a convocation address at Syracuse University, a transcript of that speech was posted on the website of The New York Times, where its simple, uplifting message struck a deep chord. Congratulations, by the Way: Some Thoughts on Kindness is an inspiring message from one of today’s most influential and original writers.
The French Dog ( $13.95) by Rachael McKenna
At once touching, ethereal and warm, Rachael McKenna’s unique viewpoint has made her one of the most successful animal photographers in the world today. The French Dog is a joyful and uplifting visual tapestry, bound together in an exquisite padded hardcover format.
Springtime: A Ghost Story ($14.99) by Michelle de Kretser
Worlds of meaning spin out of perfectly chosen words in this rare, beguiling and brilliant ghost story by Miles Franklin Literary Award-winning writer Michelle de Kretser.
Three Stories ($19.99) by J.M. Coetzee
This beautiful book features three stories from Nobel prize-winning author J.M. Coetzee: ‘His Man and He’ (written as Coetzee’s acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize for Literature), ‘A House in Spain’ and ‘Nietverloren’.
Man Caves ( $19.95) by Jasper White
Celebrating the Australian cultural phenomenon of the shed and highlighting its historical importance, Man Caves lifts the tin roofs off over 50 of the best.
Class Act ($19.99) by Maxine McKew
Maxine McKew makes the case for a considered examination of the transformation that’s now underway in some of Australia’s most challenged schools. Through a series of conversations and case studies Class Act documents the precise strategies that are helping to change the culture of individual schools and to lift academic performance.
The Leftovers ($19.99) by Tom Perrotta
Now a major new TV series, The Leftovers asks what if one day some of us simply vanished? And some were left behind?
The Night Guest ($19.99) by Fiona McFarlane
One morning Ruth wakes thinking a tiger has been in her seaside house. Later that day a formidable woman called Frida arrives, looking as if she’s blown in from the sea. In fact she’s come to care for Ruth. Frida and the tiger: both are here to stay, and neither is what they seem.
Comradely Greetings ($12.99) by Slavoj Zizek, Nadezhda Tololonnikova
In an extraordinary exchange of letters, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, imprisoned for taking part in Pussy Riot’s anti-Putin performance, and Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek discuss artistic subversion, political activism, and the future of democracy via the ideas of Hegel, Deleuze, Nietzsche, and even Laurie Anderson.
We Need New Names ($19.99) by NoViolet Bulawayo
Darling and her friends live in a shanty called Paradise, which of course is no such thing. They dream of the paradises of America, Dubai, Europe, where Madonna and Barack Obama and David Beckham live. For Darling, that dream will come true. But, like the thousands of people all over the world trying to forge new lives far from home, Darling finds this new paradise brings its own set of challenges - for her and also for those she’s left behind.
The Dinner ( $13.95) by Herman Koch
Paul Lohman and his wife Claire are going out to dinner with Paul’s brother Serge, a charismatic and ambitious politician, and his wife Babette. Paul is not looking forward to the evening and as the evening wears on, it becomes clear that tonight’s dinner will be even more difficult than usual. Both their teenage sons have done a very bad thing and their parents need to talk about it…
Frank Hurley’s Antarctica ( $11.95) by Helen Ennis
Frank Hurley is best known for his stunning Antarctic photographs. Here, Helen Ennis discusses some of his most famous images and the conditions in which they were taken. Uniquely, Hurley’s own words are sprinkled throughout as facsimiles from his diaries written during both the Mawson and Shackleton expeditions.
The Best 100 Poems of Dorothy Porter ( $14.95) by Dorothy Porter
Dorothy Porter was one of Australia’s true originals, renowned for her passionate, punchy poetry and verse novels. This collection, the best of her life’s work as selected by her partner Andrea Goldsmith, presents the many facets of Porter, from her break-out verse novel The Monkey’s Mask to her posthumous collection, The Bee Hut.
The Guest Cat ($19.99) by Takashi Hiraide
A couple in their thirties live in a small rented cottage in a quiet part of Tokyo. They work at home as freelance writers. They no longer have very much to say to one another. Then, one day a cat invites itself into their small kitchen. The Guest Cat is an moving and beautiful novel about the nature of life, and book won Japan’s Kiyama Shohei Literary Award.
Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Little Golden Book ($14.95) by Diane Muldrow
A longtime editor of the iconic Little Golden Books, Muldrow realised that, despite their whimsical appearance, there was hardly a real-life situation that hadn’t been covered in the these books, and so set out to provide adults with a refresher course. Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Little Golden Book is the result.
What a Croc!: Legendary Front Pages from the NT News ($19.99)
The NT News is famous (infamous) for its witty front-page captions. From six to ninety-six, this is the perfect gift for anyone who loves a laugh, and is guaranteed to earn you more brownie points than a pair of socks.
A Duck is Watching Me: Strange and Unusual Phobias ($19.99) by Bernie Hobbs
We are all fascinated by phobias and the weird and wonderful things that people are afraid of. Some phobias are those many of us can identify with but others are harder to explain, and some are truly strange and unusual. With an introduction on the biological origins of fear and anxiety by science broadcaster Bernie Hobbs, this book takes a light-hearted look at phobias.
Pocket Dolly Wisdom: Witty Quotes and Wise Words from Dolly Parton ($9.95)
In Pocket Dolly Wisdom, the Queen of Country’s best quotes have been compiled into a handy pocket-sized edition, perfect for reading on the go. So if you’re feeling blue, need a laugh, a hug, or some solid Southern advice, this is the book for you.
