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The Wainwright Golden Beer Prize shortlist 2017
The Wainwright Golden Beer Book Prize is awarded annually to the book which most successfully reflects the ethos of renowned nature writer Alfred Wainwright’s work, to inspire readers to explore the outdoors and to nurture a respect for the natural world. Congratulations to the authors shortlisted for this year:
Chair of judges, Julia Bradbury comments: ‘The judges are delighted to have settled on such a strong shortlist and what an honour it is to sing the praises of these terrific…
A spotlight on a brilliant new Australian crime novel
by Jock SerongMark Brandi’s debut novel is more than atmospheric: this is visceral Australian noir. Jock Serong introduces us to the next big thing in Australian crime fiction.
Brandi is a writer who pays close attention to the physical; to the shapes and smells and sensations of the human body, set in vivid contrast to the torpor of a dead-end town. Wimmera is the story of two best friends, Ben and Fab, growing up in north-west Victoria in the late eighties. Alongside…
Join us for two free bookshop gigs at Readings St Kilda
Stop by our St Kilda shop this month to enjoy two FREE in-store performances from some of our favourite musicians.
On Saturday 8 July, local talent Dave Graney and Clare Moore will be joined by Stu Thomas to play songs from their new album, Let’s Get Tight.
Let’s Get Tight was recorded and mixed at Graney and Moore’s studio in the hills of Melbourne, the Ponderosa. Graney sings, plays electric and acoustic guitars, bass and some keys. Moore plays…
Brodie Lancaster shares her top five pop culture moments of 2017 (so far)
by Brodie LancasterBrodie Lancaster shares her top five pop culture moments of 2017, so far…
The case of the wrong envelope at the Oscars
I don’t want Moonlight to forever be defined by what happened at the Oscars this year (even though it was one of the year’s greatest moments in pop culture) because it was such an incredible, tender, relevant piece of art. Other films I’ve loved this year are Raw, 20th Century Women and Get Out. OJ: Made…
Our children's and YA top ten bestsellers of the week
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo
The World’s Worst Children 2 by David Walliams and Tony Ross
The Wayward Witch and the Feelings Monster (Polly and Buster Book 1) by Sally Rippin
A Most Magical Girl by Karen Foxlee
Family, Friends and Furry Creatures (Tom Gates Book 12) by Liz Pichon
Party Time (Hot Dog Book 2) by Anh Do and Dan McGuiness
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
…
Our top ten bestsellers of the week
The Long Goodbye (Quarterly Essay 66) by Anna Krien
The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
Hunger by Roxane Gay
The Clever Guts Diet by Michael Mosley
The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape
Open House Melbourne Weekend: 2017 Program by Open House Melbourne (available 28 June)
Is Racism an Environmental Threat? by Ghassan Hage
Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami (translated by Philip Gabriel and Ted Goossen)
No is Not Enough by Naomi Klein
Looking ahead for the Readings Young Adult Book Prize shortlist
How do you follow up reading a great Australian YA book? With another great #LoveOzYA read, of course… Here we take a look at what’s next for the six authors shortlisted for our Readings Young Adult Book Prize.
Read more about the six shortlisted books here. And don’t forget, you can pick up the entire shortlist in a specially priced bundle ($99.99, ).
The first Boone Shepard delighted us with capers, banter and mortal danger galore, so we are…
What we're reading: Roxane Gay, Paula Fox & G.X. Todd
Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films and TV shows we’re watching, and the music we’re listening to.
Lian Hingee is reading Defender by G.X. Todd
A couple of weeks ago I shared my winter reading stack online, and one my friends messaged me saying: “Move Defender onto your currently reading pile NOW’. Those capital letters are verbatim which is how I knew she was serious. So I took her advice and finally…
The best books to encourage beginner readers
Learning to read is really hard work but it can be made easier – and even fun – with a really engaging book. Here are my best suggestions for simple stories that will entertain, delight and inspire beginner readers.
SIMPLE READS FOR TRUE BEGINNERS – 15 WORDS PER PAGE OR LESS
For a funny and manageable read, you can’t go past the Elephant & Piggie series by Mo Willems. These books use energetic cartoons and a handful of words in…
What has changed in children's books over the past 20 years?
Next Monday is the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone! To mark the occasion, we asked three of our staff members to reflect on what’s changed in children’s books over the past 20 years. Here are their responses.
‘Harry Potter came along at a time when the children’s section of the bookshop I worked at was populated almost exclusively with mass-produced mega-series like Goosebumps, The Babysitter’s Club, Sweet Valley High…
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