Mark Rubbo chats with Desiree Boardman, Readings Hawthorn’s beloved manager of almost three decades, ahead of her much-deserved retirement.

Desi chuckles when I catch up with her in the lead up to her last weeks as manager of Readings Hawthorn, a role she has held for 27 years. Desi came to Australia from Sri Lanka in 1972, when she was 15. Life in Sri Lanka had been comfortable, with a big house in central Colombo and servants who helped to…

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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

There are many people out there who don’t need a…

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The leaves are almost fallen, so that means it's time to pick your next craft project for when it's too nasty outside to leave the house. But what craft are you going to pick? This guide will help you decide whether you're buying yarn and needles, watercolours, or even marbles.

For those who can't settle on just one hobby ...

Making Things by Erin Boyle and Rose Pearlman

Through easy-to-follow tutorials for over 100 projects that are both accessible and…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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