The start of a new month means that there's a new issue of Readings Monthly available online and in our shops. Below you can read the foreword from the latest issue – and keep an eye on the blog for more updates and recommended new releases throughout the month!

There has been a lot of talk in the media about the recent collapse of Booktopia. Although Booktopia was a competitor of Readings, its closure is not something we are celebrating. At their peak, Booktopia did a great job of promoting Australian books and authors, and supporting the local publishing industry. In that respect, they leave a big hole in the market. Their departure from the trade has raised some tired talk about the viability of the industry.

This happened when REDgroup – owners of Borders and Angus & Robertson – went under in 2011. For Readings, there was a positive element to that story, as Borders had set themselves up as direct competitors across the road from our flagship shop in Carlton. But that was a dark time for the Australian book industry. Book sales in our market have taken almost 10 years to recover. I don’t see the same thing occurring here, as we haven’t lost the physical shelf space.

The hope is that Australian authors don’t lose out, which is where I think Readings and other Australian independent booksellers come in. Readings has been championing Australian books and writing for over 50 years and we will continue to do so through our extensive events program (there are some fantastic events coming up), our Readings Monthly and, most importantly, the voices of our booksellers. Next month, we will be announcing The Readings Prize shortlists for 2024 – I’ve been lucky enough to have a sneak peek this year and they are very strong lists.

The New York Times recently published its top 100 books of the 21st century. We couldn’t help but notice that there were no Australian books on their list, so we have decided to compile our own. We have sent out a survey to writers, publishers and media to create an Australian Top 30 books of the 21st century. It’s an interesting exercise and a nice opportunity to reflect on the many great books published in this country over the last 24 years.

What’s on your list?