Books for Mother’s Day (that aren’t pink)
Mother’s Day is a time when the colour pink blankets the world, women’s interests are reduced to cooking, gardening and homewares, and the word ‘Mum’ is thrown around in annoying ways (‘Spoil Mum!’, ‘Give Mum a break this Mother’s Day!’, ‘It’s Mum’s special day!’, ‘Show Mum how much you care!’). I work in marketing, I quite like the colour pink, and my job is to sell you stuff, so I realise the irony, but in the spirit of avoiding stereotypes, here are some books for Mother’s Day that aren’t pink, or about cooking, or child-raising, or romance.
Between You and Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen by Mary Norris
This book looks like so much fun. Written by Mary Norris, a copy editor at the New Yorker, it’s all about her love of grammar and her lifetime spent working with words. Our managing director Mark Rubbo says, ‘If you like words, language or puzzles, this is the book for you.’ I can’t wait to read it, and your mother might feel the same way.
What Else is in the Teaches of Peaches by Yoko Ono, Peaches, Holger Talinski, Michael Stipe, Ellen Page
Okay, so this book has a little bit of pink on it, but it’s definitely not your usual Mother’s Day fare. Peaches has been pushing boundaries since the 90’s, and a lot of our staff are very excited that she’ll be visiting our St Kilda shop this Friday. Why not come along and nab a signed copy of her new book?
Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski
This book is completely fascinating and I highly recommend it as reading material for women of any age. It explores female sexuality, attraction, desire, relationships and more, and hits the right tone of being chatty, funny, informative and supportive.
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
I’ve wanted to read this novel – the first in a lauded sci-fi series – for a long time. Various Readings staff members have read and loved it, and Jeff VanderMeer is renowned as the king of weird. If you’re looking for something a little bit off-beat and interesting, this could do the trick.
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
It won the Costa Book of the Year award recently, and the author is coming out to Australia in May for the Sydney Writers Festival – there are two excellent reasons to give this memoir as a gift. Need more? Everyone I know who has read this book has loved it, and it sounds heartrending and brilliant.
Bad Behaviour: A Memoir of Bullying and Boarding School by Rebecca Starford
On the topic of memoirs, this is the best memoir I’ve read this year. It’s Australian, and it’s a gripping page-turner, and it will spike the interest of anyone who enjoys boarding school tales. (You can read a fascinating short piece by Rebecca Starford on the process of writing her book here.)
After the Crash by Michel Bussi
This French thriller is about the mysterious identity of a baby girl who is the sole survivor of a plane crash, and the two families – one rich, the other poor– both trying to claim her. It sounds exactly like the kind of book my own mother would enjoy (and I may very well buy it for her).
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
Yes, yes, we here at Readings have promoted this series to a ridiculous level (see here), but having recently pushed the book on two more people in my life, and watched them fall in love with Ferrante’s writing, I would say this is your fail-safe, can’t-go-wrong gift. (As long as your mother hasn’t read it yet.)
Snapshots of Dangerous Women by Peter J. Cohen and Mia Fineman
This stunning hardback is filled with vintage photos of rebellious women from the thirties, forties and fifties. It’s the kind of book I endlessly admire in the shop but wouldn’t get around to buying for myself (and regret) – which makes it the perfect gift book, in my opinion. A book you want, that you are delighted someone else will pay for.
Seven Walks: Cape Leeuwin To Bundeena by Tom Carment and Michael Wee
As an avid hiker, I love this book. It’s beautifully produced, and tells the story of seven long-distance bushwalks the authors undertook around Australia. It’s a book both to inspire future adventures, and to enjoy for its gorgeous photography.
