Our books of the month, June 2024
Explore our books of the month for June; each of the below titles has been read and recommended by our booksellers before being selected as our book of the month for its category.
FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH
All Fours by Miranda July
Reviewed by Alison Huber, Readings head book buyer
'July is shaking up the status quo of reading, writing and living in ways that we desperately need.'
There are many people out there who don’t need a review to tell them that their next essential book to read is anything Miranda July writes, whenever that happens to be released. To you fellow devotees, I say that All Fours is here, and it is everything you want and a whole lot you didn’t know you needed but will soon find you can’t do without. That’s all you require from me today, so read no further: you’ll love this.
I turn my attention now to those who don’t know Miranda July and/or don’t know whether they should be reading this book. July is a multi-talented artist, performer, and writer, and it seems wrong to compare what she does to anyone else, so I won’t try, but her unique perspective attracts a cult-like following (see above!). In All Fours, her second novel, July looks to the life stage usually referred to as ‘midlife’, that is to say the phase where one might realise that there is more time receding in the rear-view mirror and less of it stretching out on the road ahead. For July and her generation, that reckoning is in full swing, and for women particularly, this ‘crisis’ is often accompanied by a new chapter in hormonal living which intersects unkindly with increasing domestic and career responsibilities. And so it is for the 45-year-old narrator of All Fours, who finds herself querying internally much about her life experiences so far, and her family and professional situations. With the support of her partner and child and an unexpected windfall of cash, she takes a life break and sets out on a road trip which becomes something more like an absurdist exercise in self-discovery. This book is funny and crazy, full of sex and desire and interior design, and contains so many brilliant one-liners, blistering observational passages and surprising plot twists, it’s thrilling.
July teaches us the endless possibilities of how to be, reminding anyone who needs to know that the road ahead can go in any direction, no matter where the journey originated, or how far along it you are. She’s done this thinking for us in the form of a book that no one else could write. All Fours is not for the faint heart or the closed mind, but thank goodness because July is shaking up the status quo of reading, writing and living in ways that we desperately need.
CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH
Smoke by Michael Brissenden
Reviewed by Chris Gordon, Readings events and programming manager
'Readers of Don Winslow and Chris Hammer will delight that there is a new detective on the scene.'
Journalist Michael Brissenden has covered the impact huge fires have on communities in his work for the ABC. This knowledge is apparent in his latest novel; an atmospheric dive into how a fire-ravaged town deals with the trauma of losing homes, lives, and livelihoods.
Set in an imagined place in California, Detective Alex Markov returns to her hometown, Jasper, to work. When a fire hits the area, she becomes convinced that a family friend has been killed; left alone to burn in a locked room. To find the answers, she needs to question people she has known since her youth. It would be easier to overlook the crime, but, of course, she does not. As the consequences of her investigation begin to emerge, the townspeople’s reactions become frightening. However, thankfully, Alex knows exactly how power works.
It is Brissenden’s experience as a journalist that makes this plot so believable. As a reader, you are thrust immediately into the smoky landscape and the homes of the survivors. You become privy to conversations held and learn that this is a story about more than a murder. It is a story of corruption, small-town pettiness and history. It is a portrait of what happens when isolation, grief and racism are allowed to prosper.
You could also say, on one level, that this is simply a fast-paced, good old-fashioned detective story, and fans of rural crime reading will relish the setting. Readers of Don Winslow and Chris Hammer will delight that there is a new detective on the scene, and she is harder on herself than anyone else. Most of all though, this is a novel that is a warning to us all. Smoke is an examination of what happens if we do not speak up. It is a story that endorses truth-telling.
NONFICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH
Safe Space by Alyssa Huynh
Reviewed by Chris Gordon, Readings events and programming manager
'This powerful set of essays knocks down any complacent attitudes Australians may share about racism.'
In this candid collection of essays, Melbourne‑based Vietnamese-Australian author Alyssa Huynh gives a lesson in empathy. Her writing on a lifetime experience of continued racism is both poignant and directed to us all. Everyone needs to read this book.
Huynh addresses the issue of stereotypes in her work using personal and historical examples to illustrate her points. In her essay ‘Not Your Asian Fetish’ she frankly discloses past relationship disasters, writes about various pop-culture shows and movies (shame on The Office and so many others) that have amplified harmful projections, and shares exactly how all of this makes her feel about herself. This is not a Huynh pity show, but rather a bold testament to what it is like to live in this country as a person of colour.
Her writing is clear, and her anger and dismay visceral. So should yours be, if it isn’t already. Her final essay, ‘The Trust Game’, should be mandatory reading for everyone. In it, Huynh guides us through a variety of situations that arise when people encounter racism or are accused of being racist. To the latter, she offers advice: take a moment to breathe. Look at what is happening. Do not gaslight. Listen more than you speak. Have an uncomfortable conversation. Create a safe space.
This powerful set of essays knock down any complacent attitudes Australians may share about racism. It is a straight-talking narrative from a powerful writer who has had enough, yet has the grace and fortitude to ask us to consider our attitudes and to create an environment based on humanity rather than race. It is a book for people who have experienced racism, for those who wish to be advocates against it, and for those who strive to be allies. This book holds within its covers a determined and practical view of how we can all be better; how we can, indeed, do better. Thank you, Alyssa Huynh.
KIDS BOOK OF THE MONTH
Lights Out, Little Dragon! by Debra Tidball & Rae Tan (illus.)
Reviewed by Claire Atherfold, manager Readings State Library Victoria
'It’s a beautiful and adorable book to which many a carer and child will be able to relate.'
Award-winning Australian author Debra Tidball brings to life the tale of a very sleepy little dragon that refuses to go to bed, even though he’s tired – he’s just so desperate to stay awake and have fun.
The author invites the reader to take part in the story, asking them to help guide Little Dragon to bed. There are cleverly styled words that stand out so that it is easy to recognise where to engage with the activities, such as tapping on the page to turn the lights out just so, or blowing all Little Dragon’s noisy thoughts away, and the smartest one of all, simply encouraging him to yawn.
The gorgeous illustrations by author–illustrator Rae Tan, a new talent in Australian children’s publishing, bring a soft, delicate touch, which helps express the sleepiness of a bedtime tale.
It’s a beautiful and adorable book to which many a carer and child will be able to relate, as I am sure similar scenes have been experienced in their homes when it is time for certain tiny folk to retire for the evening. For ages 2+.
KIDS CLASSIC OF THE MONTH
Harry By the Sea by Gene Zion & Margaret Bloy Graham (illus.)
Reviewed by Judi Mitchell, digital content coordinator and Readings Monthly editorial assistant
'Harry’s adventures are as funny and relatable as they were when I was first introduced (to them)'
I have several picture books from childhood I can’t bear to part with. I don’t know why, it’s just a feeling, a memory from years ago that began with words and pictures on a page capturing my young imagination. The ever-popular Where the Wild Things Are was certainly loved, but one which receives less attention is the series of Harry books. My favourite was Harry By the Sea, the third book featuring the mischievous black-and-white dog.
Harry’s family are on a beach holiday and it’s very hot. There’s no room for him under their beach umbrella, so he wanders off looking for ways to escape the heat. While resting at the water’s edge, a wave crashes over Harry, covering him in seaweed. Suddenly he looks like a sea monster, which scares the beachgoers, who scatter, screaming. All he wants to do is find his family, but every umbrella looks the same. As the seaweed-covered Harry searches, unknowingly pursued by beach attendants, chaos ensues.
Harry’s adventures are as funny and relatable as they were when I was first introduced to the scallywag’s antics and the classic illustrations from Margaret Bloy Graham are a joy. Perfect for ages 3+.
YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE MONTH
Liar's Test (The Silverleaf Chronicles, Book 1) by Ambelin Kwaymullina
Reviewed by Angela Crocombe, senior buyer for Readings Kids
'This fantasy thriller set in a rich and sophisticated world deserves a wide audience.'
The new novel by Ambelin Kwaymullina, the First Nations author of The Tribe trilogy and Catching Teller Crow, is an intricately plotted fantasy that features a gutsy, clever heroine who is an excellent liar.
Bell has been imprisoned in the kingdom of Radiance ever since her Treesinger grove was enveloped by a mysterious sickness that left many in an endless sleep. Treesingers live in tune with the land and the trees, but are not given the same rights as other people. In Radiance, the ruling guilds worship ancient gods, but were they really gods or just clever and manipulative humans? Bell has more insight than most, having spent the last four years reading the gods’ ancient testimonies.
Bell is called to be the first ever Treesinger participant of the Queen’s Test, an ancient series of challenges for seven young women that occurs every 25 years. If Bell can survive the tests, she can escape her prison and possibly even become Queen. But the various guilds and their factions within Radiance are jostling for power and the palace politics must be negotiated just as skilfully as the challenges of strength. Not to mention the high priest is trying to kill her. But a romantic interest related to the gods also helps Bell on her journey.
This fantasy thriller set in a rich and sophisticated world deserves a wide audience. The tests of faith, strength and cleverness are thrilling, with themes of colonialism, religion and abuse of power providing deeper complexity. Highly recommended for ages 14+.