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A calendar of Australian books to look out for in 2016: Part 1
Here is a calendar of adult books by Australian authors due for release in the first half of 2016. There’s new fiction from Fiona McFarlane, Josephine Rowe, and Patrick Holland; new non-fiction form Helen Garner, Stan Grant and Annabel Crabb; and, new poetry from Aden Rolfe and Ellen van Neerven – phew!
We’ve tried to include as many titles as we can, and will be updating the list throughout the year.
FEBRUARY
Comfort Zone by Lindsay Tanner
What we're reading: Kelly Link, Nick Hornby and Fiona McFarlane
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.
Lian Hingee is reading Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link
I got Kelly Link’s Pretty Monsters from a mystery staff member as my Secret Santa gift last Christmas. This author is described as ‘a flat out genius’ by Holly Black and ‘almost certainly not human’ by Neil Gaiman. With such breathless endorsements from two…
Winners of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2016
The winners of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards have been announced.
The winner of the fiction prize is The World Without Us by Mireille Juchau.
The winner of the non-fiction prize is Something for the Pain by Gerald Murnane.
The winner of the young adult fiction prize is Welcome to Orphancorp by Marlee Jane Ward.
The winner of the poetry prize is Crankhandle by Alan Loney.
The winner of the drama prize is Broken by Mary Anne Butler.
The winner…
Our top ten bestsellers of January
We’ve tallied up the numbers to give you our top 10 bestselling books for the month of January. All four of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels are on the list, alongside visiting chef Nigella Lawson’s new book Simply Nigella, and the hilarious Australian memoir The Family Law.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (translated by Ann Goldstein)
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Simply Nigella: Feel Good Food by Nigella Lawson
The Story of a New Name by Elena…
Books to get kids in the back-to-school spirit
Love it or hate it, school is back. If your kids spent their holidays trying to forget everything they learned the year before, these non-fiction titles are the perfect way to sneak in a bit of learning while still having fun.
Wordburger by David Astle
Cryptic crosswords are notoriously tricky, so it’s a good thing David Astle is here to help! In 20 quick bites, the king of crosswords introduces readers to concepts like anagrams, pangrams, spoonerisms, tongue-twisters and homophones…
Story time at Readings in 2016
Story time will resume again in February, 2016!
Readings offers free weekly half-hour story time sessions at our Carlton, Malvern and St Kilda stores, with the aim of promoting literacy and encouraging a love of books and bookshops in our newest generation.
Malvern
When: Thursdays at 10.30am
Where: 185 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern
Find out more: (03) 9509 1952
Carlton
When: Fridays at 10am
Where: 309 Lygon St, Carlton
Find out more: (03) 9347 6633
St Kilda
When: Saturdays at 10.30am…
Our children's and YA top ten bestsellers of the week
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey
Starting School by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (including the film tie-in edition)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers
Adam Spencer’s Enormous Book of Numbers by Adam Spencer
The Singing Bones by Shaun Tan
Friday Barnes Book 4: No Rules by R.A. Spratt
Our top ten bestsellers of the week
Simply Nigella: Feel Good Food by Nigella Lawson
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (translated by Ann Goldstein)
The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante (translated by Ann Goldstein)
The Moroccan Soup Bar by Hana Assafiri
Gut: the Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Under-Rated Organ by Giulia Enders
The Whites by Richard Price
Reckoning by Magda Szubanski
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante (translated by Ann Goldstein)
…
What we're reading: Martin McKenzie-Murray, Leanne Hall and Kurt Vile
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.
Stella Charls is watching The Jinx
I’m obsessing over crime right now. Not committing it, but consuming it, from true-crime tales to fictional thrillers. I’ve binge-watched Making a Murderer on Netflix (refusing to acknowledge 2016 had started until I finished all 10 episodes), am stuck into Season 2 of the podcast Serial, and…
Our Stella Sparks
The Stella Prize has recently announced their Stella Sparks campaign, which celebrates writing by Australian women. A Stella Spark is the book by an Australian woman that struck a spark for you, igniting ideas, creativity and a passion for great writing. You can find out more about this fantastic campaign here.
Here, our staff share their own Stella Sparks.
My Stella Spark is Tara June Winch’s Swallow the Air. I read this when I was about 19 and…
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