New Australian biography & memoir 2021

My Accidental Career

Brenda Niall

Australia’s leading biographer Brenda Niall, now in her nineties, turns the spotlight on her own story in this fascinating memoir of a remarkable life and career

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Paperback

Diagnosis Normal

Emma A. Jane

Combining brilliant storytelling with rigorous research, Diagnosis Normal is an incisive and darkly funny memoir from journalist turned academic Emma Jane.

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Hardback

Bob Hawke

Troy Bramston

The definitive full-life biography of Australia’s 23rd prime minister; the only one that Hawke cooperated with after exiting the prime ministership.

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Paperback

We’ve Got This: Stories by Disabled Parents

Eliza Hull

The first major anthology by parents with disabilities.

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Paperback

Lovers Dreamers Fighters

Lo Carmen

A beautiful and moving memoir about passion, creativity and fearlessness from one of Australia’s true creatives, singer/songwriter Lo Carmen, inspired by the lives and careers of other remarkable Australian women…

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Paperback

Missing

Tom Patterson

Beautifully written and affecting, this is the true story of a young man caught in a world he can’t control and how he finds a way to survive

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Paperback

Bypass: The Story of a Road

Michael McGirr

A classic in its own right, this personal and public memoir by one of Australia’s most observant and genial writers graces our bookshelves once again.

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Hardback

Beggars Belief: Stories from Gerald’s Bar

Gerald Diffey,Max Allen

A collection of funny, poignant, insightful and just plain ludicrous stories from Gerald Diffey’s life in kitchens and behind bars

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Paperback

Growing Up in Australia

Black Inc.

This special collection is the perfect introduction to Black Inc.‘s definitive ‘Growing Up’ series

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Hardback

Seeking Asylum: Our Stories

Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

The voices Australia should hear

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Hardback

William Cooper: An Aboriginal Life Story

Bain Attwood

An important tribute to the work and life of an extraordinary Aboriginal activist

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Paperback

Caught in the Act: A Memoir by Courtney Act

Shane Jenek

Caught in the Act is about our journey towards understanding gender, sexuality and identity. It’s an often hilarious and at times heartbreaking memoir from a beloved drag and entertainment icon.

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Paperback

The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison

Sean Kelly

What happens when the prime minister views politics only as a game?

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Hardback

Love Stories

Trent Dalton

Trent Dalton, Australia’s best-loved writer, goes out into the world and asks a simple, direct question: ‘Can you please tell me a love story?

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Hardback

How to End a Story: Diaries 1995-1998

Helen Garner

The third instalment of diaries from the inimitable Helen Garner covers four eventful years in the life of one of Australia’s most treasured writers.

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Paperback

How We Love: Notes on a Life

Clementine Ford

A deeply personal exploration of love in all its forms from a feminist icon and bestselling author of Fight Like a Girl and Boys Will Be Boys.

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Paperback

The Devil’s Work

Garry Linnell

Born bad or simply mad? It’s time to meet Frederick Deeming, the man known and reviled throughout the United States, England and Australia as the Criminal of the Century.

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Paperback

Currowan

Bronwyn Adcock

Australia’s worst bushfires, and how we live with fire in a climate-changed world

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Paperback

A Bloody Good Rant: My Passions, Memories and Demons

Thomas Keneally (Author)

Following a lifetime observing Australia and its people, Tom Keneally turns inwards to reflect on what has been important to him.

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Paperback

The Dancer: A Biography for Philippa Cullen

Evelyn Juers

The new book by prize-winning biographer Evelyn Juers, author of The House of Exile and The Recluse, portrays the life and background of a pioneering Australian dancer who died…

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Paperback

Last Letter to a Reader

Gerald Murnane

Final work by internationally acclaimed Australian author Gerald Murnane, reflecting on his career as a writer.

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Paperback

Leaping into Waterfalls

Bernadette Brennan

Leaping into Waterfalls explores the rich, tumultuous life of Gillian Mears, one of Australia’s most significant writers of the last forty years.

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Hardback

Home Truths: a Memoir

David Williamson

The revealing and candid memoir of Australia’s legendary playwright and screenwriter

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Nellie: The Life and Loves of Dame Nellie Melba

Robert Wainwright

The tumultuous life of Australia’s most famous opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba.

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Paperback

Whole Notes

Ed Ayres

Life Lessons Through Music

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All About Yves: Notes from a Transition

Yves Rees

A timely and thought-provoking memoir about the trans experience.

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Our Sunburnt Country

Anika Molesworth

Our Sunburnt Country shows that there is a way to protect our land, our food and our future, and it is within our grasp.

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Paperback

Ten Thousand Aftershocks

Michelle Tom

A powerful, poetic and moving memoir of family, violence and estrangement, from a stunning new literary voice

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Paperback

Daring to Fly

Lisa Millar

A story about conquering fear and finding joy … a girl from country Queensland who found a way to see (and report on) trauma and horror, while still holding on…

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Ill Feelings: Stories of Unexplained Illness

Alice Hattrick

A moving and defiant debut from a bold new voice in narrative nonfiction,

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Hardback

Dear Son: Letters and Reflections from First Nations Fathers and Sons

Thomas Mayo

Dear Son shares heartfelt letters written by First Nations men about life, masculinity, love, culture and racism.

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Hardback

My Friend Fox

Heidi Everett

An exquisite literary memoir about the the wonder, the humour, and the realities that exist beyond what is printed in a mental health file

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28: A Memoir of Football, Addiction, Art, Masculinity and Love

Brandon Jack

A brutally honest memoir that completely rethinks what it means to be a man.

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Paperback

Bad Boy Boogie

Jeff Apter

The life, death and rock'n'roll rollercoaster career of AC/DC frontman Bon Scott.

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Paperback

Below the Edge of Darkness

Edith Widder

An exhilarating underwater exploration for readers wanting to recapture their sense of wonder

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Imaginative Possession: Learning to Live in the Antipodes

Belinda Probert

Wondering how migrants can fully settle on this ancient continent, Belinda Probert bought a property in the “country” to observe things more closely and learn to garden differently

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The First Time I Thought I Was Dying

Sarah Walker

A dazzling collection of essays that unpacks our unruly bodies and minds and questions why we are taught to fear and punish them.

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Paperback

Muddy People: A Memoir

Sara El Sayed

A hilarious, heartwarming memoir of growing up and becoming oneself in an Egyptian Muslim family

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Blessed: The Breakout Year of Rampaging Roy Slaven

John Doyle

Who is Rampaging Roy Slaven? John Doyle, the man who knows him best, delves into the early years of the master of midfield mayhem.

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Paperback

Power Play

Julia Banks

An explosive memoir-meets-handbook from the bravest woman in modern Australian politics, helping empower women in or aspiring to leadership.

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Hardback

The Keeper of Miracles

Phillip Maisel

The memoir of a Holocaust survivor keeping alive the stories of his generation.

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Hardback

Dissolve

Nikki Gemmell

This story of a writer finding her voice, struggling to have a room of her own, is the story of ALL women finding space for themselves against the ‘very important…

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The Education of Young Donald Trilogy

Donald Horne

A classic of Australian literature, The Education of Young Donald Trilogy combines Donald Horne’s three autobiographies in one volume.

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Recipe for a Kinder Life

Annie Smithers

Recipe for a Kinder Life offers a guiding hand for anyone, from the city to the regions, who yearns to live more gently. It is about caring for land and…

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Paperback

Late Bloomer: How an Autism Diagnosis Changed My Life

Clem Bastow

Clem Bastow grew up feeling like she’d missed a key memo on human behaviour. Then at age 36 she received a life-changing diagnosis: she was autistic.

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Daughter of the River Country

Dianne O'Brien

From a victim of the ‘stolen generations’ comes a remarkable memoir of abuse, survival - and ultimately hope.

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Paperback

Happy Endings

Bella Green

Happy Endings is a hilarious and compelling memoir from a bright and bold new Australian voice.

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Hardback

Lovers and Others

Tom Lowenstein

In this richly illustrated volume full of photographs from Lowenstein’s personal archives documenting his long-standing friendships and reflecting the volume’s heady mixture of accounting, art and wine.

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New Australian biography & memoir 2021

My Accidental Career

Diagnosis Normal

Bob Hawke

We’ve Got This: Stories by Disabled Parents

Lovers Dreamers Fighters

Missing

Bypass: The Story of a Road

Beggars Belief: Stories from Gerald’s Bar

Growing Up in Australia

Seeking Asylum: Our Stories

William Cooper: An Aboriginal Life Story

Caught in the Act: A Memoir by Courtney Act

The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison

Love Stories

How to End a Story: Diaries 1995-1998

How We Love: Notes on a Life

The Devil’s Work

Currowan

A Bloody Good Rant: My Passions, Memories and Demons

The Dancer: A Biography for Philippa Cullen

Last Letter to a Reader

Leaping into Waterfalls

Home Truths: a Memoir

Nellie: The Life and Loves of Dame Nellie Melba

Whole Notes

All About Yves: Notes from a Transition

Our Sunburnt Country

Ten Thousand Aftershocks

Daring to Fly

Ill Feelings: Stories of Unexplained Illness

Dear Son: Letters and Reflections from First Nations Fathers and Sons

My Friend Fox

28: A Memoir of Football, Addiction, Art, Masculinity and Love

Bad Boy Boogie

Below the Edge of Darkness

Imaginative Possession: Learning to Live in the Antipodes

The First Time I Thought I Was Dying

Muddy People: A Memoir

Blessed: The Breakout Year of Rampaging Roy Slaven

Power Play

The Keeper of Miracles

Dissolve

The Education of Young Donald Trilogy

Recipe for a Kinder Life

Late Bloomer: How an Autism Diagnosis Changed My Life

Daughter of the River Country

Happy Endings

Lovers and Others