Australian fiction
Our top picks of the month for book clubs
For book clubs interested in who writes history…
Learwife by J. R. Thorp
Word has come. Care-bent King Lear is dead, driven mad and betrayed. His three daughters too, broken in battle. But someone has survived: Lear’s queen. Exiled to a nunnery years ago, written out of history, her name forgotten. Now she can tell her story. A breathtaking novel of loss, renewal and how history bleeds into the present.
For book clubs who relish subversive stories of complex friendships…
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The Prime Minister's Literary Awards winners 2021
The winners for this year’s Prime Minister’s Literary Awards have been announced! The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards celebrate outstanding literary talent in Australia and the valuable contribution Australian literature and history makes to the nation’s cultural and intellectual life.
Fiction winner:
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
Non-fiction winner:
The Stranger Artist by Quentin Sprague
Australian History winner:
People of the River by Grace Karskens
Poetry winner:
The Strangest Place by Stephen Edgar
Young Adult winner:
Metal Fish, Falling Snow by…
LGBTQIA+ fiction favourites for 2021
It’s been a sparkling year for LGBTQIA+ stories in fiction! Below, you’ll find some of our 2021 fiction favourites that centre and celebrate a multiplicity of LGBTQIA+ experiences within their pages.
Nothing But My Body by Tilly Lawless
Nothing But My Body is an eight-day journey through the mind of a young woman, a queer sex worker in Australia, as she navigates breakups and infatuation across just over a year. The unnamed narrator’s voice is both fierce and vulnerable, defiant…
The 2021 Voss Literary Prize shortlist
The shortlist for this year’s Voss Literary Prize has been announced!
The shortlisted titles are:
The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott
Our Shadows by Gail Jones
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
The Coconut Children by Vivian Pham
Song of the Crocodile by Nardi Simpson
Launched in 2014, the Voss Literary Prize is awarded to the best novel published in Australia in the previous year, and is dedicated to the memory of historian Vivian Robert Le Vaux Voss.
For more information…
What we're reading: Dalton, Kent & Tsiolkas
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.
Chris Gordon is reading Love Stories by Trent Dalton
When everything seems a little overwhelming, bleak even at times, I have turned to reading Trent Dalton’s Love Stories. This is a collection of conversations Trent has had with people on the streets of Brisbane about love. Consider it a collection of short…
A spotlight on our books of the month, November 2021
OUR FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH
Devotion by Hannah Kent
Prussia, 1836. Hanne Nussbaum is a child of nature - she would rather run wild in the forest than conform to the limitations of womanhood. In her village of Kay, Hanne is friendless and considered an oddity…until she meets Thea.
Ocean, 1838. The Nussbaums are Old Lutherans, bound by God’s law and at odds with their King’s order for reform. Forced to flee religious persecution the families of Kay board…
The 2021 winners of the Melbourne Prize for Literature & Awards
The winners of one of the most valuable literature prizes in Australia have been announced!
The winner of the $60,000 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2021 is Christos Tsiolkas for his body of work, which has made an outstanding contribution to Australian literature and to cultural and intellectual life.
Christos Tsiolkas is the author of seven novels, with his work being adapted for film, television and the stage and translated into 22 languages. He has been shortlisted for and is the…
Andrew Pippos wins the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction 2021
Readings Doncaster manager and chair of judges Kate McIntosh on the buoyant, bittersweet joy of Lucky’s.
We are thrilled to announce the winner of the 2021 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction is Andrew Pippos for his debut novel Lucky’s. The story of Greek-American migrant Vasilis ‘Lucky’ Mallios was one that stayed with the judges as we made our way through this process: more than 60 books over 12 months, whittled down to a shortlist of six, then…
New Australian Fiction shortlist spotlight: Born Into This by Adam Thompson
Born Into This is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings New Australian Fiction Prize. An engaging short story collection from a new and exciting voice, this collection has a cohesion that will render readers truly affected by the final page.
Our 2021 judges found this to be an extremely compelling work, commenting: ‘As an examination of masculinity, a showcase of life as a First Nations person in a specific time and place, and a reminder of…
The Prime Minister's Literary Awards shortlists 2021
The shortlists for this year’s Prime Minister’s Literary Awards have been announced. These awards celebrate outstanding literary talent in Australia.
Fiction
A Treacherous Country by K M Kruimink
In the Time of Foxes by Jo Lennan
Lucky’s by Andrew Pippos
The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
YA literature
Loner by Georgina Young
Metal Fish, Falling Snow by Cath Moore
The End of the World is Bigger than Love by Davina Bell
The F Team by…
Recommended reading: short story collections
We love short stories and their unique ability to immerse you in a new place or feeling at a moment’s notice. This month we’re recommending a number of short story collections to explore.
Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So
Seamlessly transitioning between the absurd and the tender-hearted, balancing acerbic humour with sharp emotional depth, Afterparties offers an expansive portrait of the lives of Cambodian-Americans. As the children of refugees carve out radical new paths for themselves in California, they shoulder the…
Our top picks of the month for book clubs
For something new and intensely affecting…
Scary Monsters by Michelle de Kretser
A story told in two narratives.
Lili’s family migrated to Australia from Asia when she was a teenager. Now, in the 1980s, she’s teaching in the south of France. Lyle works for a sinister government department in near-future Australia. An Asian migrant, he fears repatriation and embraces ‘Australian values’. Three scary monsters - racism, misogyny and ageism - roam through this mesmerising novel told in a reversible format…
New Australian Fiction shortlist spotlight: Song of the Crocodile by Nardi Simpson
Song of the Crocodile is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings New Australian Fiction Prize. Atmospheric and lyrical, this multi-generational family saga follows the lives of the Billymil family in the town of Darnmoor (a fictional town in which the Yuwaalaraay people live).
Our 2021 judges commended the work saying, ‘skilfully written, interweaving systemic racism, fear and violence with determination, endurance and community, this uplifting song of a book is both essential and inspiring.’ Staff reviewer…
On Events, with Chris Gordon
I know I’m not alone in riding the great rollercoaster of emotions over the last few weeks. It has been exhausting and there have been times when I yearned for an entire day in bed with a box of chocolates and a very good novel. I have felt myself drawn to authors whose writing resonates a pragmatic understanding of how we all live. I’ve become tired of reactive declarations and grand sweeping statements. I’m searching now for authors whocan give…
Celebrate 10 years of Stella
Dreams of the Stella Prize emerged in early 2011 out of a panel held at Readings on International Women’s Day. Now in its tenth year, the Stella Prize has become an indispensable part of Australia’s literary culture, driving book sales, sparking book clubs, and championing the careers of women and non-binary writers.
To celebrate, we’re offering 20% off each past winner of the Stella. We’re also hosting an event to discuss all things Stella on Thursday 7 October. Find out…
New Australian Fiction shortlist spotlight: Lucky's by Andrew Pippos
Lucky’s is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings New Australian Fiction Prize. This multi-storyline family saga brims with hope and tragedy as it follows the trajectory of a man named Lucky: his failed restaurant chain, his estranged loved ones, and how he plans to win them back.
Our 2021 judges said of ‘Andrew Pippos brings these characters to life in a way few first-time authors could and has created a charming, familiar delight of a novel…
New Australian Fiction shortlist spotlight: Echolalia by Briohny Doyle
Echolalia is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings New Australian Fiction Prize. This moving, unflinching novel tells the story of a mother who must go on living after one moment of irretrievable darkness changes everything.
Our 2021 judges describe Doyle’s work as ‘heartbreaking from the very beginning, this beautiful, nightmarish, fearless story grips you and will not let you go’. Staff reviewer, Bec Kavanagh, also says of the novel: ‘ Echolalia is written like a compelling…
Recommended novels centring family sagas
There’s something particularly captivating about multi-generational family sagas, those masterful works that seem to effortlessly trace the ties that bind over decades and sometimes even centuries. These novels invite an intense emotional investment; the ensuing intimacy imbues these stories with incredible staying power. Through accounts of often absorbing detail, they remind us that history is always personal.
Below are ten moving family sagas and you can browse our full collection for even more stories following the fate of families across…
New Australian Fiction shortlist spotlight: She is Haunted by Paige Clarke
She is Haunted is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings New Australian Fiction Prize. This debut collection of short stories is full of wit, humour, and moving moments of empathy and connection.
Our 2021 judges described Clarke’s short stories as a, ‘cohesive and tantalisingly interlinked collection’. Staff reviewer, Stella Charls, also said of the collection: ‘The 18 stories in this collection gently blend the surreal with the all-too-real. Clark’s protagonists are almost all women: witty, raging…
New Australian Fiction shortlist spotlight: New Animal by Ella Baxter
New Animal is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings New Australian Fiction Prize. The story follows young embalmer Amelia, who works at her mother’s mortuary.
Our 2021 judges described Baxter’s novel as, ‘a confident and gritty debut’ that 'takes the reader places they will never expect’. Staff reviewer, Izzy White, also said of the novel: ‘Exposed to other people’s grief, trauma and pain on a daily basis, Amelia escapes her mind and body through sex with…
Mark's Say: September, 2021
I always get a thrill when one of my colleagues or a friend has a book published, but at the moment, as Victoria enters its fifth week of lockdown with the prospect of it continuing indefinitely, that feeling is bittersweet.
Tony Birch is a friend and a habitué of our Carlton shop; he’s lived in Carlton for years and several present and former staff were his students when he taught creative writing at the University of Melbourne. He used to…
Dear Reader, September 2021
In the best of times, it takes a mighty collective effort to put together the Readings Monthly. Each issue is literally months in the preparation, and many of our staff members contribute to the final product. As is true for any kind of work during this time, the pressures of lockdown make this task exponentially more difficult, and so I’d just like to acknowledge the hard work of everyone involved, and single out in particular our tireless editor, Jackie Tang…
The Readings New Australian Fiction Prize shortlist 2021
We are delighted to announce the six talented emerging authors shortlisted for this year’s Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction. Readings Doncaster manager and chair of judges, Kate McIntosh, shares the judges’ choices.
Each year, a few honoured staff members from Readings are assigned the task of reading and selecting what they consider to be six of the best new novels or short story collections from debut and second-time Australian authors. This year, the four of us – Danielle Mirabella…
Debut Australian fiction to read this month
We always love discovering new and exciting voices in books. Here are six recent works of debut fiction from Australian writers.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
In a famine-stricken village on a dusty plain, a seer shows two children their fates. For a family’s eighth-born son, there’s greatness. For the second daughter, nothing.
In 1345, China lies restless under harsh Mongol rule. And when a bandit raid wipes out their home, the two children must somehow survive…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
Small Joys of Real Life by Allee Richards
An Insider’s Plague Year by Peter Doherty
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
Dark as Last Night by Tony Birch
The Women of Little Lon by Barbara Minchinton
Recipe for a Kinder Life by Annie Smithers
After Story by Larissa Behrendt
The Orchard Murders by Robert Gott
The Perfume Thief by Timothy Schaffert
Animal by Lisa Taddeo
Our best-seller for another week running is local debut, Small Joys of Real Life by Alee…
Our top picks of the month for book clubs
Read a master of the form in Dark as Last Night by Tony Birch
Dark as Last Night confirms, once again, that Tony Birch is a master of the short story. These exceptional stories capture the importance of human connection at pivotal moments in our lives, whether those occur because of the loss of a loved one or the uncertainties of childhood.
In this collection we witness a young girl struggling to protect her mother from her father’s violence, two…
Novellas to read this afternoon
There’s a unique greatness and grace to succinct stories that truly pack a punch. The kind of story that you ruminate on for far longer than it took you to read. Find great enjoyment, long after you turn the final page, in these compelling novellas.
Winter In Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin
It’s winter in Sokcho, a tourist town on the border between South and North Korea. The cold slows everything down. Bodies are red and raw, the fish turn…
The 2021 Age Book of the Year shortlist
The 2021 Age Book of the Year Shortlist has been announced!
The seven works of fiction in the running for the $10,000 prize are:
The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott
The Tolstoy Estate by Steven Conte
The Living Sea of Waking Dreams by Richard Flanagan
A Room Made of Leaves by Kate Grenville
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
Song of the Crocodile by Nardi Simpson
Born into This by Adam Thompson
After a nine-year hiatus, the The Age Book of…
Debut Australian fiction to read this month
We always love discovering new and exciting voices in books. Here are six recent works of debut fiction from Australian writers.
The Rabbits by Sophie Overett
How do you make sense of the loss of those you love most? Delia Rabbit has asked herself this question over and over again since the disappearance of her older sister, Bo. Crippled by grief, Delia and her mother became dysfunctional, parting ways not long after Delia turned eighteen.
Delia has managed to build…
25% off 25 fiction favourites
Right now we have an exclusive online offer on a select range of popular fiction titles! Buy any title from the fiction favourites collection, use the code 25FICTION at checkout and receive a 25% discount on participating titles. From Booker Prize winners to satirical dramas about our 21st century discontent, these are novels to be savoured.
This offer is exclusive to our online shop, and is available until 31 July. It is valid on select, in-stock items, and only…
Amanda Lohrey wins the 2021 Miles Franklin Literary Award
Amanda Lohrey has been named the winner of this year’s Miles Franklin Literary Award for The Labyrinth. The Miles Franklin Literary Award recognises a novel of the highest literary merit that presents Australian life in any of its phases.
Erica Marsden’s son, an artist, has been imprisoned for homicidal negligence. In a state of grief, Erica cuts off all ties to family and friends, and retreats to a quiet hamlet on the south-east coast near the prison where he…
Recommended reading: short story collections
We love short stories and their unique ability to immerse you in a new world at a moment’s notice. This month we’re recommending six recent short story collections to dip into when you have a spare ten minutes.
She is Haunted by Paige Clark
A mother cuts her daughter’s hair because her own starts falling out. A woman leaves her boyfriend because he reminds her of a corpse; another undergoes brain surgery to try to live more comfortably in higher…
Five fiction reads from First Nations writers
This year, NAIDOC week is running from 4 – 11 July and focuses the theme of Heal Country. Put succinctly, Heal Country ‘calls for stronger measures to recognise, protect, and maintain all aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and heritage’; we recommend reading the full explanation behind the 2021 focus (and exploring how you can become more involved this NAIDOC week) here.
This week – and every week – we want to actively show our appreciation…
Novels exploring our relationship with work
Over the last year, many of us have experienced a seismic shift in the ways and expectations of our workplaces. Some jobs have evolved to be almost unrecognisable from their previous form, some jobs and industries have disappeared almost entirely or are just hanging in there; very few jobs, if any, remain unchanged by our circumstance. Where we might go from here?
Below are seven books which explore our complicated and changing relationship with work. They speculate paths our society…
Evie Wyld wins the 2021 Stella Prize
Evie Wyld has been named the winner of the 2021 Stella Prize for her brilliant historical novel, The Bass Rock.
The Bass Rock is a novel that weaves together the lives of three women across four centuries. It’s about the legacy of male violence and the ways in which these traumas ripple and reverberate across time and place. Each woman’s choices are circumscribed, in ways big and small, by the men in their lives. But in sisterhood there is…
Recommended reading: short story collections
We love short stories and their unique ability to immerse you in a new world at a moment’s notice. This month we’re recommending eight short story collections to dip into when you have a spare ten minutes.
Kink edited by R. O. Kwon & Garth Greenwell
Kink is a dynamic anthology of literary fiction that opens an imaginative door into the world of desire. The stories within this collection portray love, desire, BDSM, and sexual kinks in all their glory…
Debut Australian fiction to read in March
We always love discovering new and exciting voices in books. Here are seven recent works of debut fiction from Australian writers.
New Animal by Ella Baxter
It’s not easy getting close to people. Amelia’s meeting a lot of men but once she gets the sex she wants from them, that’s it for her; she can’t connect further. A terrible thing happened to Daniel last year and it’s stuck inside Amelia ever since, making her stuck too.
Maybe being a cosmetician…
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