More than 800 people packed into the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne last night to hear one of Australia's greatest writers, Tim Winton, talk about his latest novel Breath.

Readings brought Tim's entire back catalogue with them to the event and its made for quite a sight spread out over a few tables. Oh and Readings staff always like to pose.

Mark Rubbo, Managing Director of Readings, began proceedings by introducing the West Australian writer.

And before long Tim took to the stage.

Where he spoke about the genesis of Breath, the as-yet unfinished book he dropped in favour of writing Breath and life as Tim Winton the writer.

And all three tiers of the theatre listened to an hour or so as Tim spoke and read passages from his new book, before taking questions from the audience.

And to finish an evening with Tim Winton off there was the post-match signings.

Dr Paul Willis from ABC TV's Catalyst program launching Feathered Dinosaurs.

It's been another big week at Carlton. On Thursday night, sharp-tongued wit Judith Lucy drew in a big crowd, including many local comedians, to talk about family love and madness and her new autobiography, The Lucy Family Alphabet.

We had a big weekend for the mums and also the kids: Elizabeth Honey and Sue Johnson story-telling and singing from their new picture book/CD collaboration, I'm Still Awake, Still.

At our monthly AIIA event, President John McKay discussed the compelling book The New Asian Hemisphere: The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East by Kishore Mahbubani and on Tuesday palaeontologist John Long launched his new book Feathered Dinosaurs; you must see the amazing illustrations by Peter Schouten.

Last night Jason Steger, the Age Literary Editor, spoke with Andrew Reimer about A Family History of Smoking, Andrew's absorbing and funny memoir about two Jewish families living through the last gasps of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

I hope you managed to get a ticket to our sell-out event with Tim Winton at the Athenaeum tonight. See you there.

Two Blue Cherries will be presenting its debut show Three Dog Night from May 15 at fortyfivedownstairs on Flinders Lane. It's a stunning collaboration between award-winning novelist Peter Goldsworthy and hot new talent, actor/writer Petra Kalive.

Based on the award-winning Peter Goldsworthy novel of the same name, Three Dog Night, questions the philosophical challenge of learning how to die and Australia’s conflicted multi-culture. With a stellar cast, Tim Stitz (Asylum – La Mama 2007), Phil McInnes (OT - Malthouse 2006) and Petra Kalive (Underbelly) and under the expert direction of Andrew Gray (The Winterling - Red Stitch 2007), Three Dog Night promises to be the hottest piece of theatre this year.

Readings has four double passes to see Three Dog Night to giveaway. Simply email your name and contact details to Ally at Two Blue Cherries with 'Three Dog Night' in the subject line to go into the running to win.

Book tickets at www.fortyfivedownstairs.com

For more information http://www.twobluecherries.com/shows/threedognight.html

The Best of the Booker, a one-off celebratory award to mark the 40th anniversary of the Booker Prize, has announced a shortlist of books to win the award.

The voting is now left to the public who will choose the winning title.

• Pat Barker's The Ghost Road (1995)
• Peter Carey's Oscar and Lucinda (1988)
• JM Coetzee's Disgrace (1999)
• JG Farrell's The Siege of Krishnapur (1973)
• Nadine Gordimer's The Conservationist (1974)
• Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children (1981)

Visit www.themanbookerprize.com for more details.

The 2008 Alfred Deakin Lecture series brings the finest thinkers and innovators to Melbourne from throughout Australia and around the world.

Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings said at the launch of the 2008 lectures last week that “The 18 lectures run from Wednesday, 4 June, to Sunday, 15 June, in Melbourne and across regional Victoria covering legal, political, scientific and ethical issues."

“In 2008, the lecture series will take the public on a journey from the brain to body, through cities, nations and into space. The topics have been chosen because of their relevance to the issues we are facing here in Australia and elsewhere in the world.”

International speakers include Austin Williams, Director of the Future Cities Project; Professor Roger Brownsword, Director of the Centre for Technology, Law, Ethics and Society at King’s College London; Professor Barbara J Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge, UK; and Ajay Royyuru, the lead scientist for IBM’s Genographic Project based in New York.

They will be joined by Australian speakers including Associate Professor John Armstrong, Philosopher in Residence at the Melbourne Business School; Dr Brian Walker, Research Fellow with CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems; Dr Jane Dixon, sociologist; Professor Paul James, Director of the Globalism Institute (RMIT); and Steve Bracks, former Premier of Victoria.

For more information visit www.deakinlectures.net

Readings is the official bookseller for the 2008 Alfred Deakin Lectures.

Readings will celebrate its 40th birthday in 2009. As you may be aware, the company has grown through many changes in the bookselling industry, flourishing into the landmark Australian bookshop and an institution on the Australian literary scene.

To celebrate the milestone and to honour the company’s contribution, an anthology is to be published in early 2009. It will be a significant publication of new work by established and emerging Australian writers, and other writers who have had involvement with Readings over the last forty years, either through events, as customers or as employees.

We would love for you to be involved. It’s a great opportunity to be published in an anthology of quality Australian writing and to recognize Readings’ significance to the Australian literary scene.

We are looking for previously unpublished short fiction of up to 5000 words in length, though shorter work is preferred. The theme is open and the submission deadline is 31 May 2008. We are unable to pay for contributions, but your work will be published alongside prominent Australian writers in an anthology that will recognise your current or forthcoming publications and will have wide media exposure. All profits will go to the Brotherhood of Saint Laurence’s HIPPY child literacy fund. Click here for further information about HIPPY.

Please submit your best work on double-spaced, single-sided, numbered A4 to:

Readings Anthology
309 Lygon Street
Carlton VIC 3053

If your work is selected you will be asked to forward an electronic copy. The launch is set for early 2009 (plenty of time to get things right) so we hope to see you at the party to celebrate our 40th birthday and all things Readings.

If you have any further questions about the publication please email anthology@readings.com.au

NB: Please note that all book production positions have been filled.

The Indigenous Literacy Project (ILP) is a national book industry initiative which works in partnership with The Fred Hollows Foundation to improve literacy in remote Indigenous communities.

As the new Patron for the Indigenous Literacy Project, Therese Rein today said the project offered an opportunity for all Australians to get involved in a simple and effective community activity.

Members of the general public can participate in this important project by buying a book at one of the 400 participating bookshops. Publishers and booksellers from around Australia have pledged their support and will donate a percentage of sales on September 3 2008.

All of the funds raised will go directly to the Fred Hollows Foundation to buy books and literacy resources for indigenous communities.

The ambassadors for 2008 include Alexis Wright, Dr Anita Heiss, Geraldine Brooks, Andy Griffiths, David Malouf and Tara June Winch.

For more information visit www.worldwithoutbooks.org