Our latest blog posts

Celebrate National Bookshop Day with us this Saturday

This coming Saturday 13 August is National Bookshop Day!

This day is an an annual celebration of bookshops across the country, and we’d love you to drop by one of our five shops for a visit.

To celebrate, we’re offering 15% off our special Readings branded merchandise – which includes a range of t-shirts and tote bags, as well as Readings KeepCups.

This offer is only available in-store, not online, and only on National Bookshop Day.

Plus, if…

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Best new cookbooks in August

by Chris Gordon

Alimentari by Linda Malcolm and Paul Jones

Alimentari literally means ‘good food and camaraderie’ and that is just what is celebrated at the adored cafes in Fitzroy. Full of classic cafe choices and The Very Best Sandwiches in Melbourne, Alimentari recipes are perfect for sharing and entertaining. It’s where Mediterranean meets Middle Eastern, so think incredible salads, those sandwiches and easy one pot dinners for entertaining or for the family. If you love Ottolenghi, or the dishes in Community

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What we're reading: Sarah Crossan, Lydia Davis and Alexander Chee

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.

Nina Kenwood is reading Harry Potter And The Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany

Like most of the world, I’ve been reading the new Harry Potter. I must confess: I’m enjoying it, but I don’t love it. I’m a huge fan of the original series, and it’s been a…

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Our top kids' book picks for August

by Holly Harper

From a traditional Wurundjeri welcome, to the world’s first computer programmer, these are our top children’s book picks for the month of August.

KIDS’ BOOK OF THE MONTH

Welcome to Country by Aunty Joy Murphy & Lisa Kennedy

Respected senior Wurundjeri elder of the Kulin alliance, Aunty Joy Murphy, comes together with indigenous artist, Lisa Kennedy, to present an incredibly important picture book that belongs on the shelves of home and school libraries alike.

Welcome to Country is a celebration…

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Our top young adult picks for August

by Holly Harper

From dangerous cults to the Miss Drag Teen Scholarship Pageant, these are our top young adult picks for the month of August.

YA BOOK OF THE MONTH

The Boundless Sublime by Lili Wilkinson

Ruby’s life is falling apart. After a shattering loss, she’s heartbroken and vulnerable and feeling utterly alone.

Then she sees beautiful, angelic Fox handing out water bottles on a street corner, and she thinks for a moment that her world has been saved. He is kind and…

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Mark's Say, August 2016

by Mark Rubbo

Later this month sees the Melbourne Writers Festival return to Federation Square with a great line up of Australian and International guests. The Festival gets off to a wonderful start on 26 August with the announcement of the winner of the Miles Franklin Award and an address by Maxine Beneba Clarke, author of the powerful new book The Hate Race – if you haven’t seen Maxine speak before I urge you to do so, she is a brilliant writer and…

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Great MWF reads for armchair travellers

Here are eight books that will transport readers to other lands – all from authors appearing in this year’s Melbourne Writers Festival program .

The Wonder Trail by Steve Hely

Part travel guide, part pop history, part comic memoir, The Wonder Trail is the story of Steve Hely’s riotous journey from Los Angeles to the bottom of South America. Throughout his travels, Hely encounters the colourful, the wild and the downright absurd. An award-winning humour writer, Hely has been on…

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Emily Bitto interviews Kate Mildenhall

by Emily Bitto

Emily Bitto interviews Kate Mildenhall about her debut novel, Skylarking.

At a low point during the writing of her debut novel, Skylarking, Kate Mildenhall wrote herself a letter in the voice of her main protagonist, a young nineteenth-century woman called Kate Gilbert.

‘I don’t totally believe in that idea of channelling characters,’ Mildenhall tells me, ‘but writing the letter did have the impact of being able to do that for me. She said to me, this is what…

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Let's talk about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

by Dani Solomon, Nina Kenwood and Bronte Coates

The eighth Harry Potter story (the script of the new West End play) was released on Sunday, and we have LOTS of feelings about it. Here are some important thoughts we had after finishing the book.

Please note – this blog post contains spoilers.

Scorpius is our new favourite character.

Okay, we freaking love Scorpius. He is delightful – a knowledge-hungry, good-hearted, resilient Slytherin with big dreams for the future, and an excellent sense of humour. Plus, his friendship with…

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