Hear about the great books, new and old, that our staff have been enjoying.
Lian has been reading:
Careless People
Sarah Wynn-Williams
I'm not traditionally much of a nonfiction reader, but I work in the digital sphere and spend more than a little of my time on Facebook/Meta, so I was fascinated to read Sarah Wynn-Williams's behind-the-scenes memoir about working for Mark Zuckerberg's tech company. Meta has enough of a bee in its bonnet about Careless People that they've successfully slapped their former director of global public policy with an order that forbids her from speaking publicly about her own book (a spectacularly idiotic move that's created more media coverage than the book might have otherwise received, and led to an invitation to share evidence with the US Congress).
I'm digitally-savvy enough to know that most tech companies are up to no good, but Careless People left me shocked. I've never read anything that made me feel more like chucking my smartphone in the Yarra and going to live off-grid somewhere in the bush. Wynn-Williams's own complicity in some of Facebook's more egregious crimes notwithstanding, Careless People is a cracker of a read – more like an international thriller than the memoir of a white-collar tech worker. Highly recommended for anyone with an internet connection.
Chris has been reading:
Rytual
Chloe Elisabeth Wilson
Take the movie Blink Twice, or perhaps an episode of Black Mirror, mix it up with characters from the 86 tram line, consider Aesop, The Ordinary and make-up influencers, throw in martinis, selected cheeses and every man that has thrust at you, felt you up, considered you stupid, or just plainly underestimated you and then perhaps you may have an inkling of the plot of this debut thriller novel. It is so good I read it in one sitting, mouth open, delighted and mortified in equal parts, unable to turn away.
It is no wonder we had to move our venue for the book's launch from the Carlton shop to a nearby hall. This novel is so gloriously good, every single person who has read it wants to know: when does the next novel drop?
Tina has been reading:
The Dunwich Horror: And Other Stories
H.P. Lovecraft
This cosmic horror novella is highly immersive through H.P. Lovecraft’s use of vivid imagery and phonetic Southern dialogues. Introduced to the fictional and peculiar town of Dunwich, readers are offered a glimpse into the Frankenstein-esque journey of Wilbur Whately as he scavenges for knowledge essential to revealing the nature of his obscure conception, while his strange appearance and outcast family make him a pariah amongst other villagers.
The Dunwich Horror is an intersection of sci-fi, supernatural fantasy and philosophy that gave birth to psychological thrillers. Its multifaceted nature makes the book an enjoyable read and a must-have for any horror enthusiasts.
Tina Nguyen is a member of the 2025 Readings Teen Advisory Board.
