Our latest blog posts
Dear Reader with Alison Huber
So it’s June, somehow. The passage of time is clear to the bookseller, who is always reading into the future, partially living in the idea of the months to come. This is also the time of year when I let you know that we’re about to start seeing the big titles that will come with publishers’ high hopes for the gifting season, which I’m sorry to tell you means that 2024 is basically over. Time and its passing – and…
Foreword with Joe Rubbo
Many talented and dedicated people have worked at Readings over our 55-year history. In July, our Hawthorn shop manager of the last 27 years, Desiree Boardman will retire. During her tenure, Desi has been a committed shop manager and passionate bookseller. She is particularly special to me because she was my first manager at Readings. I took up a position at the Hawthorn shop as a Christmas casual about 20 years ago and I still remember the lessons Desi taught…
Beginner's guide to Lili Wilkinson
Lili Wilkinson is a national treasure in the Love Oz YA world, but when an author has so many books out, it can often feel overwhelming. Wilkinson has dipped her toes in multiple genres including fantasy, dystopian and contemporary, but there are common threads throughout every book. Every story centres around a strong female protagonist, includes complex characters and there are always queer elements. So what book do you read first? Of course, I would say read every.single.one but you…
What We're Reading: Erpenbeck, Darragh & Winans
Each week our wonderful staff share the books and music that they've been enjoying.
Baz Ozturk is reading Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated by Michael Hofmann
I recently read Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, which has just won the International Booker Prize. I loved Erpenbeck’s brilliant, often oblique way of telling the story of life in East Germany in the years before fall of the wall, and the way reunification messed with East Germans in the years after it was quickly…
Parenting for the digital age
The world has changed dramatically over the past decade or so, and raising resilient young people is increasingly challenging. Here are some recent releases that give insight into the world of today's kids, to help you guide the next generation into adulthood.
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt makes a compelling argument that the loss of play-based childhood is the source of increased mental distress among teenagers. Delving into the latest…
Unsung women through history
History is often told as a series of battles and changing regimes, dissmissing the contributions of those that weren't generals or politicians. But behind this 'Great Man' theory of history, there's a wealth of largely untold stories about the people that not only lived through those times, but also helped shaped them. These six captivating histories are dedicated to unearthing women whose stories have been overlooked.
Normal Women By Philippa Gregory
Normal Women tells the stories of the women who…
Cookbooks that bring Melbourne's best food to your home
Melbourne is home to famous chefs and restaurants, with a passionate foodie culture for everything from fine dining to hole-in-the-wall sandwich shops. And now that more and more of Melbourne's culinary icons are releasing cookbooks, it's possible to get that gourmet experience from the comfort of your own kitchen!
Baker Bleu: Bake It Till You Make It
By Mike Russell
In 2016, Baker Bleu started as a small bakery in Elsternwick, creating sourdough using traditional techniques and sustainably farmed ingredients…
Books on reconciliation and colonialism in Australia
May 27th - June 3th marks National Reconciliation Week, a time to reflect on Australia's colonial history and to consider how we can contribute to ongoing reconciliation. The theme for 2024 is 'Now More Than Ever', so we've put together this collection of nonfiction by First Nations authors that reflects the need for continued action and empathy, in order to achieve meaningful reconciliation between all Australians.
Finding the Heart of the Nation by Thomas Mayo
In this updated edition of…
Australian fiction to pick up this month
Only the Astronauts by Ceridwen Dovey
Adrift in outer space, a motley crew of human-made objects tell their tales, making real history sweeter and stranger.
Starman, a lovelorn mannequin orbiting the Sun in his cherry-red car, pines for his creator. The first sculpture ever taken to the Moon is possessed by the spirit of Neil Armstrong. The International Space Station, awaiting deorbit and burial in a spacecraft cemetery beneath the ocean, farewells its last astronauts. A team of tamponauts sets…
What We're Reading: Wilkinson, Oliver & Shin
Each week our wonderful staff share the books and music that they've been enjoying.
Alicia Vu, a member of The Readings Teen Advisory Board, is reading Deep Is the Fen by Lili Wilkinson
This is a mysterious, fantastical and haunting tale! Lili Wilkinson weaves a page-turning novel that is a perfect mix of adventure, romance and fantasy.
The main protagonist, Merry, undergoes a bewitching journey to understand magic, witches, love, and the consequences of unchallenged power... Deep Is the…
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