Our latest blog posts
Marlon James wins the Man Booker Prize 2015
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James is the winner of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2015!
In A Brief History of Seven Killings, James combines brilliant storytelling with his unrivaled skills of characterization and meticulous eye for detail to forge an enthralling novel of dazzling ambition and scope. Set across three decades, the novel uses the true story of the attempt on the life of reggae star Marley to explore the turbulent world of Jamaican…
Best new crime in October
CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH:
The Dark Inside by Rod Reynolds
As someone who’s never been to America’s south, I only know what I read in books: lots of diners, folks who don’t like the look of you, and dirt tracks where any manner of thing can go wrong. And I love it, that southern tale: the heat, the secrets, something about the writing that is sweet and sour like ripe old candy. It surprised me to realise that Reynolds…
Five beautiful picture books (that are also for adults)
The Singing Bones by Shaun Tan
Shaun Tan is a firm favourite amongst booksellers and customers alike, and his star has only continued to rise after The Lost Thing was turned into an Oscar-winning short film in 2010. When a new one of his books graces our shelves, it’s usually the adults lining up at the counter, clutching a copy to their chests with an enthusiastic gleam in their eyes. The Singing Bones is no exception. This collection of Tan’s…
Winners of the Inky Awards 2015
The winners for this year’s Inky Awards have been announced by the Centre for Youth Literature!
The Inky Awards recognise high-quality young adult literature, with the shortlist selected by young adults, and the winners voted for online by teens. There are two awards: the Gold Inky Award for an Australian book, and the Silver Inky Award for an international book.
The winner of this year’s Gold Inky is The Intern by Gabrielle Tozer.
The winner of this year’s Silver Inky…
Samuel Johnson Prize Shortlist 2015
Congratulations to the authors shortlisted for this year’s Samuel Johnson Prize.
Anne Applebaum, chair of judges, said: “We didn’t quite come to blows, but the shortlist meeting was truly contentious; it’s hard to imagine how five people sitting in a room on a weekday morning could have disagreed more strongly. Nevertheless I am delighted to say that our list includes some exceptional books, which capture – among other things – the politics of troubled countries, the relationship of life to…
Our children's and YA top ten bestsellers of the week
What Do You Wish for? by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker
The Singing Bones by Shaun Tan
Grandpa’s Great Escape by David Walliams
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey
Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer (The Gods of Asgard Book 1) by Rick Riordan
The 65-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Illustrated edition) by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay
Our top ten bestsellers of the week
M Train by Patti Smith
The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks
Kissed by A Deer by Margi Gibb
Island Home: A Landscape Memoir by Tim Winton
The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (translated by Ann Goldstein)
Faction Man: Bill Shorten’s Path to Power (Quarterly Essay 59) by David Marr
ST Gill & His Audiences by Sasha Grishin
The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz…
Highlights from our October event program
Events Manager Chris Gordon shares her top five picks from our September event calendar.
Alex Miller on The Simplest Words
We are delighted to have award-winning author Alex Miller and his wife Stephanie joining us on the very day his latest work is released. The Simplest Words is a selection of short pieces – both fiction and non-fiction – from one of Australia’s greatest literary treasures. While you enjoy a two-course meal and matching wine, Miller will discuss his work…
What we're reading: Fiona Wright, Miles Allinson and Charlotte Wood
Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films we’re watching, the television shows we’re hooked on or the music we’re loving.
Jason Austin is reading The Three by Sarah Lotz
The supernatural thriller is a genre that I could never live without. Whenever I am feeling disenchanted by whatever I am reading, I often regress to my teenage self and bury my head in a Stephen King novel.
I was travelling to Bendigo last…
Which recipe is the best from The Great Australian Cookbook?
Yesterday we roadtested some recipes from an excellent new cookbook: The Great Australian Cookbook. Four of our staff selected recipes and two of our staff acted as judges in a bid to find the best one. Here are the results.
Stella Charls made Pierre Khodja’s Couscous with Peas & Mint (pg. 210)
I’m pretty besotted with this cookbook. I think the range of contributors is incredibly impressive, and their recipes feel so personal. I especially love the handwritten comments…