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 My Story by Julia Gillard

My Story is not an angry or bitter tale. Rather, it is the story of a woman doing what no other woman in Australia has done before. Within the local and federal political footy ground Julia Gillard did two things: first, she tried to change the way the government works by consulting all parties, by cajoling trouble makers and by listening; second, she succeeded in the most part of broadening our experience and expertise of how public money is spent, and should be spent.

My Story is a determined study of how politics work in our ‘fair’ country. I would consider it compulsory reading given we are now without level leadership.

Chris Dite is reading the Southern Reach trilogy

I’ve been hanging out for Acceptance, the final volume of the Southern Reach Trilogy, which has just hit the shelves. The trilogy deals with the (almost) impenetrable Area X, an object of intense interest for the US Government.

The first volume, Annihilation, was about the twelfth expedition into this troubling zone. For some context: the first expedition waxed lyrical about Area X’s natural beauty, the second committed suicide, the third killed each other, and the rest suffered increasingly bizarre fates. Needless to say the twelfth expedition also stumbled onto trouble. Then, the second volume, Authority, took us inside the David Lynchian secret service HQ just outside the Area X border. It raised more questions than answers and horrified in the process.

Now this final tome brings together four characters we’ve really come to pity and subjects them to quite the psychological ordeal. Jeff VanderMeer has an amazing ability to make things that should be horrific seem merely curious, while at the same time making run-of-the-mill occurrences really unsettling – much like the way Area X turns logic inside out. This trilogy is not scary in a way we’re used to, but its confusingly twisted images and ideas will stick with you for days. You will never look at mushrooms, rabbits or lighthouses the same way again.

Ann Le Lievre is reading Us by David Nicholls

I had an unusual experience reading this novel.

I enjoyed the start and was intrigued by the central character Douglas. I loved the humour in the writing, the depictions of Douglas’ everyday life and the description of his experience ‘meeting a girl’. Yet, while I initially didn’t mind the jumping around from past to present, by the middle of the story I felt exhausted. I was lost in Douglas’ life somewhere and it wasn’t interesting at all. I put the book down, intending to not return to it. But then I thought: well, it is on the Man Booker longlist so I had better give it a proper go. (This is unusual for me, as normally I don’t give second chances to books.) I returned to the story and slowly it called me back, looped me in again.

In the present storyline, Douglas had been travelling through Europe with his wife and son. When a singular event causes his wife to return home and his son to set off on his own, Douglas makes a sudden decision to look for his son. He’s acting on an impulse which is out of character for someone who loves structure in his everyday life. And so now I am back with Douglas, every step of the way. Us has managed to become unputdownable in a matter of a few pages.

Nina Kenwood is reading Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

I just finished reading Amy Poehler’s forthcoming book Yes Please, and I’m jumping straight from that into Lena Dunham’s newly released Not That Kind of Girl. So I’m having a great week of reading books from celebrity women I admire!

I’m saving all my thoughts on Yes Please for my Readings Monthly review (this is my lazy way of saying I haven’t actually figured out my thoughts on it yet but rest assured, they are positive). I am particularly excited for Not That Kind of Girl. I’ve only read the first few pages, but it already seems very different in style and tone from Yes Please, and from other books by funny, famous women I have read (see: Tiny Fey, Mindy Kaling). Plus the book is dedicated to Nora Ephron, which immediately warms my heart.

I have also been listening to FKA twigs’ album LP1, which is brilliant and otherworldly. I find her music simultaneously relaxing and invigorating.

Finally I saw the Gone Girl film this week. I shared my thoughts on the film adaptation here and compared the book to the film here.