News
The Wainwright Prize 2021
The winners of the much-loved Wainwright Prize for UK Nature Writing and for Global Conservation Writing have been announced!
Now in its eight year, The Wainwright Prize for UK Nature Writing is awarded annually to the book which most successfully inspires readers to explore the outdoors and to nurture a respect for the natural world. In 2020, the prize was extended to include a second category for books about global conservation and climate change.
2021 winner of the Wainwright Prize…
On Events in September, with Chris Gordon
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been fortunate enough to read an early copy of Delia Falconer’s collection of essays, Signs and Wonders. The book explores how it feels to live as a reader, a writer, a lover of nature and a mother of small children in an era of profound ecological change. It is brilliant and we are lucky to have an online event with Falconer on Monday 4 October. One of the themes of the collection is…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
In Moonland by Miles Allinson
Beautiful World Where Are You (Special Edition) by Sally Rooney
Small Joys of Real Life by Allee Richards
Puff Piece by John Safran
Beautiful World Where Are You Sally Rooney
Dear Son edited by Thomas Mayor
The Yes Woman by Grace Jennings-Edquist
The Secrets of Women’s Healthy Ageing by Cassandra Szoeke
The Magician by Colm Tóibín
The Great Forest by David Lindenmayer, with photographs by Chris Taylor, Sarah Rees, and Steve Kuiter
Our best-seller from…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Harklights by Tim Tilley
Always by Morris Gleitzman
Where’s Bluey? A Search-and-Find Book by Bluey
Can You Dance? by Sally Morgan
My Kind by Eddie Betts
It’s Not You, It’s Me by Gabrielle Williams
My People by Eddie Betts
The End of the World is Bigger than Love by Davina Bell
My Dad by Susan Quinn
Bluey: My Dad is Awesome by Bluey and Bingo
Our top seller from the past week is Harklights by Tim Tilley, a great middle…
MWF Digital 2021
The global pandemic has created unique challenges for literary festivals seeking to meaningfully connect authors with readers. Thankfully, the brilliant minds that put together Melbourne Writers Festival have created the MWF21 Digital series for us to enjoy – even while we’re unable to come together in person.
MWF Digital allows you access to exclusive streams from some of the globe’s biggest names. Hear Pulitzer-Prize winning Jhumpa Lahiri discuss her latest novel Whereabouts and perhaps follow it up with Rachel Cusk…
2021 Age Book of the Year winner
The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott has been announced as winner of the Age Book of the Year 2021. The Age Book of the Year is awarded in partnership with the Melbourne Writers Festival and recognises outstanding works of local fiction and winner Robbie Arnott will receive a prize of $10,000 thanks the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.
The Rain Heron tells the story of Ren, who lives alone on the remote frontier of a country devastated by a coup. High…
What we're reading: Rippin, Thompson and Lippincott
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.
Tye Cattanach is reading Big Dog, Little Dog by Sally Rippin and illustrated by Lucinda Gifford.
Friends, can I tell you, there was no one more ecstatic that I to learn that Melbourne’s favourite children’s author was working on a picture book. About DOGS. With Lucinda Gifford. I’ll give you a moment to…
Vale, Jill Murphy
I was saddened to hear of the death of British author and illustrator Jill Murphy earlier this month. She had a long, illustrious career and is probably best known for her Worst Witch series, written and illustrated when she was only a teenager and recently made into a fantastic Netflix series.
She also wrote a very popular series of books about the large Bear family, whose lives seem endlessly chaotic and fun, with good natured parents who are always looking…
Extract from Dear Son
For each copy of Dear Son purchased online or from our shops during September, Readings will donate $3 directly to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
In this heartfelt new anthology, 12 First Nations men each write a letter to their son, father or nephew, bringing together a range of perspectives on life, culture and First Nations masculinity.
Below is a shortened extract from editor Thomas Mayor’s letter.
Dear Son,
Do you remember, when you were about nine, you tried to…
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…
Reflecting on coming-of-age stories during the pandemic
by David DodsonTeen Advisory Board member David Dodson has been reflecting on coming-of-age stories and how they relate to the world young adults are facing right now.
More than 18 months since the start of the fiery, plague-ridden, nightmare-scape otherwise known as the global pandemic, I think we can all agree that the last few years have been pretty transformative. It’s been a challenging time for many people, although especially for younger Australians, whose rites of passage have been rudely interrupted by…
Five new books to celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day
1 September is Indigenous Literacy Day; a day where we celebrate the culture, stories and language of our First Nations peoples.
The Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) strives to reduce the literacy gap and get books in the hands of young people in remote communities. They also have a fantastic publishing program, showcasing young First Nations artists and writers, who often work with established storytellers. Below are five of our favourite new and recent books from the ILF and when you…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Magician by Colm Tóibín
Small Joys of Real Life by Allee Richards
An Insider’s Plague Year by Peter Doherty
Dark as Last Night by Tony Birch
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
The Women of Troy by Pat Barker
The Women of Little Lon by Barbara Minchinton
Think Again by Adam Grant
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
Beautiful World Where Are You (Special Edition) by Sally Rooney
Our best-seller from the past week is the upcoming novel by…
Our children’s & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Where’s Bluey? A Search-and-Find Book by Bluey
Mim and the Baffling Bully by Katrina Nannested
Best Worst Day Ever by Sophy Henn
End of the World is Bigger than Love by Davina Bell
The Book of Australian Trees by Inga Simpson and illustrated by Alicia Robertson
_Harklights_by Tim Tilley
My Kind by Eddie Betts
My People by Eddie Betts
Wild About Dads by Phillip Bunting
Our top seller from the past week is Where’s Bluey?…
2021 Melbourne Writers Festival begins this week
These MWF21 workshops have gone digital due to Covid-19, so you can now beam in from anywhere around the country to learn your craft from some of Australia’s brightest and boldest writers. These guided sessions cover topics the range from learning to fictionalise your real life experiences to exploring pathways to publishing your first novel.
Below are three workshops that we’re particularly excited about, but you can browse the full workshop program here.
What we're reading: Heller, Huron & Mathieu
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.
Tye Cattanach is reading The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
Some books feel more to me like I’m watching a movie rather than reading. This sensation is extremely rare, so I am always delighted when it happens.
The Paper Palace is a complex, enthralling love story that reads more like a psychological…
Fantastic fantasy to discover this weekend
Sparks of magic have emerged on our shelves to remind us that there’s still enchantment within the pages of stories. Below are six works of fiction – including fairytales, fantasy, myths, and other worlds – that are perfect for grown-ups to escape into right now; Watch out for thorns, though.
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…
The Ned Kelly Awards 2021
Congratulations to the 2021 winners of the Ned Kelly Awards for the best in Australian crime writing!
BEST CRIME FICTION
Consolation by Garry Disher
Australia’s favourite country cop, Hirsch, is back in this new edition of Consolation, the follow-up to Peace and Bitter Wash Road.
In Consolation, Tiverton’s only police officer Constable Paul Hirschhausen is dealing with a snowdropper. Someone is stealing women’s underwear, and Hirsch knows how that kind of crime can escalate. Then two calls…
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…
The winners of the CBCA Book of the Year Awards 2021
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced their Book of the Year Awards winners for 2021. These Awards celebrate the best Australian books for readers in early childhood up to young adult readers.
Here are the winners for each category.
Older Readers (for ages 13-18 years)
The End of the World is Bigger Than Love by Davina Bell
Identical twin sisters Summer and Winter live alone on a remote island, sheltered from a destroyed world. They survive on…
Books to quieten minds and help reshape thoughts
Many of us have never faced so much uncertainty or carried so much anxiety, as we are now; we’ve also never faced such unique barriers to meaningfully reaching out to family, friends, and finding clinical support. Below are some suggestions for books that may assist individuals who are seeking, in addition to current care plans, supplementary support and strategies on how to cope with the challenges we are experiencing.
Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer
We are living through one of…
What we're reading: Mitford, Down & Turk
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.
Gabrielle Williams is reading The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford
I’m reading an old classic, The Pursuit of Love, the first in a trilogy of books by Nancy Mitford. It’s amazing how relevant it is. Well, apart from the furs and the landed gentry and the fox hunts and the coming…
Recent picture books about dogs
We are utterly spoilt for choice with dog books at the moment! And there’s nothing more enjoyable than a picture book about a cute canine to get young people excited. These delightful recent picture books all feature fearless and fun woofers, which will have the kids squealing with delight!
Ella Farmoodle by Jill Noble
If you live in the city you might see oodles of poodles, Labradoodles, Spoodles, Cavoodles, Groodles… all kinds of Poodles. If you go for a trip…
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…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
Small Joys of Real Life by Allee Richards
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
So You Think You Know What’s Good For You? by Dr Norman Swan
Recipe for a Kinder Life by Annie Smithers
Dark as Last Night by Tony Birch
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
The Orchard Murders by Robert Gott
The Believer by Sarah Krasnostein
The Others by Mark Brandi
1979 by Val McDermid
Knocking award-winner The Labyrinth from top position this week is Allee Richards…
Our children’s & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Goldilocks: Wanted Dead or Alive by Chris Colfer
Pawcasso by Remy Lai
The Detective’s Guide to Ocean Travel by Nicki Greenberg
Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories by Jeff Kinney
What if We Were by Axelle Lenoir
Welcome to Consent by Yumi Stynes & Dr. Melissa Kang
Are You There, Buddha by Pip Harry
Eliza Vanda’s Button Box by Emily Rodda
The Edge of Thirteen by Nova Weetman
The End of the World is Bigger Than Love by Davina Bell
…
What we're reading: Gott, McGeachin & Brown
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.
Tye Cattanach is reading Frankie and the Fossil by Jess McGeachin
The newest picture book offering from one of my favourite author/illustrators is everything we have come to expect from his work. Sweet, thoughtful stories featuring curious, intelligent characters. Beautifully detailed illustrations in soft, muted palettes. McGeachin has consistently delivered delightful read aloud…
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…
Picture books exploring identity and self-expression through clothes
Dress-up play and finding ways to express ourselves through what we wear are a wonderful avenue for exploring identity. Below are five picture books that celebrate the glee and contemplation of wearing clothes that feel delightfully YOU!
The Spectacular Suit by Kat Patrick & Hayley Wells
A buoyant and heartwarming celebration of individuality, identity, and dressing to suit yourself!
It’s almost Frankie’s birthday and everything is ready - except for something to wear. All of her party dresses feel wrong…
Read women in translation this August
August is Women in Translation Month!
Stemming from a lack of representation and availability of translated works by women within English-language markets, this month-long celebration is all about appreciating the great women writers who have been translated – as well as the translators and their publishers. Below you can browse a selection of exceptional translated works by women, while our Women in Translation book collection is regularly updated and available to browse year-round within the ‘Books’ page on our website.
…
25% off 25 Routledge Classics
Right now were offering 25% off on a select range of Routledge Classic titles! Buy any title from the Routledge Classics collection, use the code RC25 at checkout and receive a 25% discount on participating titles. From French philosophers to critical Feminist theorists, these are works from those who have shaped our idea of the world today.
This offer is exclusive to our online shop, and is available until 31 August. It is valid on select, in-stock items, and…
Our children’s & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Future Girl by Asphyxia
Rainfish by Andrew Paterson
Across the Sea (Wolf Girl, Book 5) by Anh Do
Pig the Monster by Aaron Blabey
Megamonster by David Walliams
Ninja Dogs (Ninja Kid #8) by Anh Do
The Story of Australia by Don Watson
Welcome to Consent by Yumi Stynes & Dr. Melissa Kang
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Swallow’s Flight by Hilary McKay
Our best-seller from the past week is Future Girl by Asphyxia. This novel for young adults…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
Dark as Last Night by Tony Birch
Small Joys of Real Life by Allee Richards
Recipe for a Kinder Life by Annie Smithers
So You Think You Know What’s Good For You? by Dr Norman Swan
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
An Insider’s Plague Year by Peter Doherty
Nothing But My Body by Tilly Lawless
The Cellist by Daniel Silva
The Brilliant Boy by Gideon Haigh
Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey continues to sit atop…
The National Biography Award shortlist 2021
The State Library of New South Wales (SLNSW) has announced this year’s shortlist for the National Biography Award! This Award is presented annually to a published work of biographical or autobiographical writing aiming to promote public interest in these genres.
Each shortlisted author will receive $2000 while the winner will receive $25, 000.
The shortlisted works are:
The Lotus Eaters by Emily Clements
One Bright Moon by Andrew Kwong
Max by Alex Miller
Truganini: Journey through the apocalypse by Cassandra…
What we're reading: Clements & Datta, Thapp, & King
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.
Jackie Tang is reading The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta
Never mind the view, this whole misbegotten year has been exhausting. I don’t know about you but lockdown after lockdown has scrambled my hidden wiring into a truly cursed tangle of nerves, anxiety and emotions, so I was relieved…
Dear Reader, August 2021
Christmas is actually in July for me. I’ve spent the last month seeing this year’s seasonal offerings, and we are due a truly bumper crop of books. At the risk of making this monthly list even more list-y (and even more incomplete) than usual, check out the following authors with books out in the second half of the year: Christos Tsiolkas, Sally Rooney, Jonathan Franzen, Hannah Kent, Richard Powers, Michelle de Kretser, Elizabeth Strout…
A spotlight on our books of the month, August 2021
OUR FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH
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 teenagers…
Call & Collect: the return
PLEASE NOTE: orders placed via our website will not be available for collection. If you would like to arrange books for collection at your local store, please do so over the phone. See below for details.
Orders can currently be placed via phone for collection at your local store between 10am and 4pm. Stores which are currently offering this service are:
Unfortunately, our State Library and Doncaster shops will remain completely closed throughout the…
The best new crime reads in August
Our crime specialist shares 9 great crime reads to look out for this month.
This month’s crime new releases are a veritable smorgasbord for lovers of the genre. Truly, it’s a feast of veterans and old favourites. Once again I’m stepping into Fiona’s big shoes, and I must say, choosing the books to review in this column was really tough. Sadly, time and editorial demands meant exciting new books from stalwarts such as Stephen King, Daniel Silva, Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, and…
On Events, August 2021
August is one of my favourite months; the anticipation of warmer days and the smell of jasmine heavy in our streets tells us that Spring is close. I understand the joy of staying in your pyjamas and snuggling with a good book on the couch, but I am not the kind of person who can stay inside for long. I feel twitchy if I do not get out of the house every day! To inspire you through these last cold…
Interview with Annie Smithers
Chris Gordon interviews Annie Smithers about her new book,
I’m always struck by how personal your writing is, how you take responsibility for each of your decisions. Where did you learn to keep everything so honest?
Failure. Failure has been the best teacher for me and keeps me honest. I muck things up all the time, but learning from those mistakes makes the experience richer. If I fail a recipe, I look carefully at what I have done and analyse…
Mark's Say: August, 2021
The protracted lockdowns and the depopulation of city offices has had a terrible impact on bookshops in the City of Melbourne area. As one lockdown ends, these shops have struggled to rebuild their business, only to be hit with another lockdown. In our case, our shop in the State Library is 60% down on its pre-pandemic levels, our Carlton shop 12–20%, and it’s a similar story for our colleagues at The Paperback, Hill of Content Bookshop, Mary Martin Bookshop, North…
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…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
Small Joys of Real Life by Allee Richards
The Cellist by Daniel Silva
Recipe for a Kinder Life by Annie Smithers
So You Think You Know What’s Good For You? by Dr Norman Swan
Garden Like a Nonno by Jaclyn Crupi
Vaxxers by Sarah Gilbert and Catherine Green
Quarterly Essay 82: Exit Strategy - Politics After the Pandemic by George Megalogenis
Who Gets to Be Smart by Bri Lee
The Others by Mark Brandi
Our…
What we're reading: Winterson, McKay & Pippos
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.
Tye Cattanach is reading 12 Bytes: How We Got Here. Where We Might Go Next. by Jeanette Winterson
There are quite a few books I am excited for this year (TBR groans audibly) However! Perhaps the one I was most excited for publishes next week and I was beyond delighted to get my…
New and noteworthy biography + memoir
July memoirs are full of hard fought emotional journeys and explore where we draw strength during periods of extreme adversity and pain. Below are eight uniquely compelling books for those looking to explore journeys of identity and belonging through another’s eyes.
Three-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz by Gail Crowther
Introduced at a workshop in Boston University, Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton formed a friendship that would soon evolve into a fierce rivalry, colored by jealousy and respect in equal terms…
YA novels where high school and sporting ambition collides
These novels explore both the physical and mental toll of striving for excellence in sport as a young person. The stories are filled with losses and triumphs, as well as learning when to push forward and when to let go.
Break the Fall by Jennifer Iacopelli
The only thing seventeen-year-old Audrey Lee dreams about is swinging her way to Olympic glory. Nothing is going to stop her, not even the agony in her back. Every spasm and ache will be…
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…
The 2021 Booker Prize longlist
The longlist for the 2021 Booker Prize has been announced! The Booker Prize is the has brought recognition, reward and readership to outstanding fiction for over 50 years. It is awarded annually to the best novel of the year written in English and published in the UK or Ireland.
Below are the 13 longlisted titles:
A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam
Second Place by Rachel Cusk
The Promise by Damon Galgut
The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
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