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.

Mark Rubbo is reading Our Man Elsewhere by Thornton McCamish

Alan Moorehead was an Australian journalist, travel writer and historian. He was also a highly-regarded war correspondent who covered battles in Africa, Italy and Normandy, and later his books published in the the forties and fifties were bestsellers. Then, at the age of 56 Moorehead suffered a massive stroke and was unable to write again. He’s now largely forgotten. In Our Man Elsewhere, Thornton MCamish has done a wonderful job at providing us insight into Moorehead’s life and work; it’s riveting reading and not only because the subject is so interesting but also because McCamish’s writing is so compelling.

Bronte Coates is reading Dear Life by Karen Hitchcock

Karen Hitchcock’s essay about the realities of caring for the elderly and dying in Australia is a fantastic, necessary read; I urge everyone to read it. Hitchcock draws from her experiences as a doctor – sharing case studies, statistics, snippets of her conversations with other health care professionals – and talks openly about the contradictions and complexities of medical diagnosis. Ultimately, she presents a compelling argument for readers to acknowledge the prevalence of ageism in our society, and to reflect on how this impacts our attitudes and decisions.

Chris Gordon is reading Everywhere I Look by Helen Garner

I’m playing a game with myself presently. The game requires I don’t eat all my Easter chocolate at once, I don’t watch every episode the new season of The Bridge at once, and I don’t read all of Helen Garner’s excellent new book at once… As such, I’m restricting myself to around 20 pages a day which means I’ve been spending just a few brief moments with Helen each time. I’m learning to extend my pleasure and it’s a very enjoyable process.

Ed. note: We currently have signed copies of this book available online, but only while stocks last.

Alan Vaarwerk is reading A Murder Without Motive by Martin McKenzie-Murray

I picked up Martin McKenzie Murray’s A Murder Without Motive_ immediately after finishing Emily Maguire’s An Isolated Incident. Reading these two books in a row has been interesting, as both approach the aftermath of a violent, seemingly random murder of a young woman from different angles – Maguire through raw and unsettling fiction, and McKenzie-Murray through immersive reportage into a horrible real-life event. I found Maguire’s novel deeply compelling, and you can read my review here.

In A Murder Without Motive, McKenzie-Murray’s formidable skills as a journalist are on display as he unspools the various threads of toxic masculinity, suburban malaise and police procedure that make up this case, as well as considering his own place in the story. I heard McKenzie-Murray on a podcast recently discussing how too much true-crime writing exists only for the titillation of the reader – he offers something much more meaningful, exploring how families deal with tremendous grief and identifying a toxic undercurrent in Australia’s backyards.