Our latest blog posts

Murray Middleton wins the 2015 Vogel's Literary Award

Murray Middleton has been named the winner of the Vogel’s Literary Award 2015 for his short-story collection, When There’s Nowhere Else To Run.

The characters of Middleton’s 14 stories are all seeking refuge across the country, from the wheat belt of Western Australia to the limestone desert of South Australia, but they all discover that no matter how many thousands of kilometres they put between themselves and their transgressions, sometimes there’s nowhere else to run.

As the recipient of…

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Anthony Doerr wins the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

We’re delighted that Anthony Doerr has been awarded the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel, All the Light We Cannot See, which was ten years in the writing!

The jury described the book as, ‘an imaginative and intricate novel inspired by the horrors of World War II and written in short, elegant chapters that explore human nature and the contradictory power of technology’. Our own reviewer writes, “…it’s impossible to do Doerr’s novel any justice with paltry…

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Getting to know our shortlisted authors: A. L. Tait

Over the next few weeks we’ll introduce you to the six shortlisted authors on the Readings Children’s Book Prize 2015. Who are they? Where do their ideas come from? What do they love to read? What do they love to snack on?

We hope you’ll share these mini interviews with your children.

MEET A.L. TAIT

A.L. Tait is the author of The Mapmaker Chronicles: Race to the End of the World and the newly released second book in…

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Interview with Emily Bitto

Emily Bitto has been named the winner of the 2015 Stella Prize for her debut novel, The Strays. Find out more here.

What does winning the Stella Prize mean to you?

Winning the Stella Prize is one of the most incredible, life-changing things that’s ever happened to me. I’m only just beginning to contemplate what it will mean in terms of my career as a writer, but even being on the shortlist has had a huge impact on…

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Getting to know our shortlisted authors: Tony Wilson

Over the next few weeks we’ll introduce you to the six shortlisted authors on the Readings Children’s Book Prize 2015. Who are they? Where do their ideas come from? What do they love to read? What do they love to snack on?

We hope you’ll share these mini interviews with your children.

MEET TONY WILSON

Tony Wilson is the author of Stuff Happens: Jack, which is part of a brilliant new series that fosters emotional literacy in…

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Resurface Noise, April 2015

by Roland Bisshop

Resurface Noise is a new column from our music specialist Roland Bisshop, dedicated to new vinyl reissues and first time on vinyl releases.

And don’t forget that for the month of April, we’re offering 20% off vinyl. Please note, the offer only applies to vinyl currently in stock in our shops, and is not available online.

The World Circuit label has the distinct honour of having on its roster, the biggest-selling world music title of all time in the Buena…

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What we're reading: Leo Tolstoy, Mikhail Bulgakov and Jock Serong

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.

Jemima Bucknell is reading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

I have begun reading an old film tie-in edition of Anna Karenina that I found on the shelf. Surprised at how a text of such daunting length and repute should be so easy to read, I mentioned this to some people who advise that…

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What we're listening to on Record Store Day

This Saturday 18 April is Record Store Day. Here, we share a selection of terrific music that our staff are listening to right now.

Emily Harms recommends Vulnicura by Björk

I am loving listening to Björk’s recent release. The album is loosely arranged around the chronology of a relationship break up following hers with artist, Matthew Barney. Vulnicura documents the period before the breakup as well as the dazed and confused moments after, right through until the painful and slow…

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April Round-up of Kids' & YA Books

by Emily Gale

This month I’ll begin in the middle, for a change, with a crop of great new books to feed your eager 9+ year olds.

For kids who like something out of the ordinary – think magical realism meets different periods in history meets a mysterious quest – plus the challenge of multiple storylines, Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan looks really promising and is recommended for (roughly) grades 5-9.

And I’m certain that a lot of people will sit up when…

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