Mother’s Day is this Sunday, 8 May. Here are some last minute gift ideas for last-minute shoppers! Come by one of our shops to pick up your gift, or to talk with our booksellers in person.

This Annoying Domestic Life by Oslo Davis

Designed for mums, dads, kids and old people on all levels of the angst spectrum, Oslo Davis’ new ‘mindless colouring book for the whole goddamn family’ is another hilarious take on the annoyances of modern life that’s less complicated than a divorce and cheaper than sending everyone to a shrink.

My Mum’s Special Secret by Sally Morgan and Ambelin Kwaymullina

This is a gorgeous picture book for a mother and child to share on Mother’s Day. Sally Morgan’s portrayal of motherhood through the eyes of a kookaburra with a secret is tenderly evocative, and was written in collaboration with her daughter, Ambelin Kwaymullina, who provides the stunning illustrations.

Seven Sonnets And A Song by Paul Kelly

Paul Kelly is one of Australia’s pre-eminent singer-songwriters and wordsmiths, and Seven Sonnets And A Song is his tribute to William Shakespeare. Our reviewer calls is ‘a thought-provoking and brilliantly realised work’.

The Waters of Eternal Youth by Donna Leon

Our favourite Venetian inspector has been called on to investigate many things, from shocking to petty crimes, but in The Waters of Eternal Youth Brunetti finds himself drawn into a case that may not be a case at all.

Margaret Preston by Deborah Edwards

Bearing ‘the conspicuous mark of talent’ from an early age, Margaret Preston is one of Australia’s most innovative early modernists. In this revised edition of the Preston monograph, curator Deborah Edwards looks in detail at the life and art of this extraordinary artist from the mid-1890s in Adelaide to her life in Sydney in 1963.

Dickensian

This BBC series is set within the fictional realms of Charles Dickens’ critically-acclaimed novels, bringing together some of his most iconic characters as their lives intertwine in 19th-century London.

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

Bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld takes Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and transplants it into modern-day Cincinnati. The result is a sharp and funny romp that’s deeply irreverent.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Paul Kalanithi began writing this memoir when he was diagnosed with cancer. He chronicles his journey from medical student into neurosurgeon, and then later into a patient and father. Kalanithi died at the age of 37, and this profoundly moving work has been published posthumously.

The Course of Love by Alain de Botton

Here is the delightful (and long-awaited) return to the novel by philosopher Alain de Botton. From the first thrill of lust, to the joys and fears of real commitment, to the deep problems that surface slowly over two shared lifetimes, The Course of Love is the story of a marriage.

Daffodil by Helen O'Neill

The daffodil is the beautiful first flower of spring, the inspiration of poets, a treasure-trove to scientists and a symbol of everything from unrequited love, rebirth, eternal life and misfortune. In this masterful biography, Helen O'Neill tells the story of this deeply influential flower.