Our latest blog posts
Mark Rubbo interviews Tim Winton
Mark Rubbo interviews Tim Winton about his new memoir, The Boy Behind the Curtain.
Mark Rubbo: Some of the pieces that appear in your new memoir, The Boy Behind the Curtain, have appeared in various journals, but some, like the title piece, only appear now for the first time. What prompted you to collect these often very personal pieces in one volume?
Tim Winton: Well they’ve been written over quite a while, but they felt as if they…
Our top ten bestsellers of the week
Fight Like a Girl by Clementine Ford
The Good People by Hannah Kent
Working Class Boy by Jimmy Barnes
Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
Talking to My Country by Stan Grant
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (including the film tie-in edition)
The Boy Behind the Curtain by Tim Winton
Black Rock White City by A.S. Patrić
Nutshell by Ian McEwan
October is a blockbuster month for new…
A recipe from The River Cottage A to Z - Chocolate, Brandy and Star Anise Ice Cream
A gorgeously grown-up ice cream, this mingles the fruity, bittersweet flavour of chocolate with warming star anise, a hint of orange and a sup of brandy. Serves 6 – 8.
INGREDIENTS
3–5 star anise
200ml whole milk
300ml double cream
Finely grated zest of 1 large orange
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
4 medium egg yolks
100g caster sugar
200g dark chocolate (70–75% cocoa solids), finely chopped
75ml cider brandy or calvados
INSTRUCTIONS
Using a pestle and mortar, bash the…
Our children's and YA top ten bestsellers of the week
Goldenhand by Garth Nix
The Bad Guys Episode 4: Apocalypse Meow by Aaron Blabey
Do Not Open This Book by Andy Lee and Heath McKenzie
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
The 78-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
Pig the Elf by Aaron Blabey
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (including the film tie-in edition)
Lots by Marc Martin
The Call by Peadar Ó Guilín
Mega Weird (WeirDo Book 7)…
What we're reading: Amor Towles, Holly Throsby and Richard Aitken
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.
Jan Lockwood is watching Guardians Of The Galaxy
Yes, I’m a bit late to the party… But I’m absolutely loving the Guardians Of The Galaxy movie and its accompanying soundtrack, Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol 1.
Originally from earth but abducted and brought up by a band of space thieves…
Mark's Say, October 2016
By the time you read this Readings will be on the brink of having two new shops and a slightly changed Carlton one. I’ve just returned from the first few hours of our new shop at Westfield Doncaster; it was a mighty morning welcoming the people coming to look at the shop and to buy. We were thrilled and so were they – a feeling of mutual excitement! And lots of discussions about books, about ebooks, the future of the…
September in review
September has been a mammoth month for us here at Readings.
We announced a new literary prize for Australian young adult books, we opened a new bookshop at Westfield Doncaster (complete with a sound-proof reading nook!), and applications opened for The Readings Foundation grants in 2017.
Not to mention, our new kids shop is just around the corner. We’d love you to come along to our opening weekend celebrations on Saturday 8 October. The day will feature visits from…
Why you should read Wood Green by Sean Rabin
We’re delighted that Sean Rabin’s debut novel is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction. Here’s why we think you should read this book.
1. Wood Green is a charming, engaging novel, and a genuine pleasure to read.
Aspiring writer Michael has just completed his PhD and accepted a job as secretary to his literary hero – reclusive novelist Lucian Clarke. As he travels to Hobart and into the hills of Tasmania…
Meet Leanne Hall, our new online children's and YA specialist
Meet Leanne Hall, our new online children’s and YA specialist! Leanne works at our new soon-to-be-open Readings Kids shop, and also writes books for teenagers and younger readers.
Describe your taste in books.
My taste in books has always been broad and wandering. As a kid I was a hungry reader. After my weekly library books were done, I would attack my parents’ book shelves, reading anything bar the phone book. These days I’ll still read any genre, but if…
Picture books that explore themes of grief and loss
Digital Marketing Manager Lian Hingee shares some of her best picks for picture books that explore themes of grief and loss.
Grief and sadness are complicated feelings for anyone, and it can be difficult to have conversations about loss and bereavement – particularly with children who might be experiencing it for the first time. Sharing a picture book that examines those themes can be a good way to open up a discussion, answer challenging questions or even just allow a…