It is always exciting when reviews begin to arrive for a new issue of the Readings Monthly. Volunteers to review Lisa Gorton’s first novel, The Life of Houses, for the April issue were numerous and swift. Readings Managing Director Mark Rubbo was the first to put his hand up by mere seconds and his review has reassured me that hype won’t be the agent of disappointment with this much-anticipated book.

One of the most wonderful things about working…

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Emily Harms and Chris Gordon discuss two new anthologies, Mothers & Others and Mothermorphosis, featuring women writing about their experiences of being – and not being – a mother.

Chris: Reading two books about women’s experiences of motherhood back-to-back was quite engulfing. I found myself reflecting on my kids’ birth stories quite a lot. Essentially the stories and experiences, even the short fiction included among the essays in Mothers & Others, were about the inner thoughts of women…

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The winners of the Indie Book Awards 2015 have been announced!

Each year, independent booksellers from around the nation get together and vote for their favourite titles in four different categories, as well as their favourite book overall.

Here are the winners for each category, along with comments from booksellers across Australia and thoughts from our own staff:

The Non-Fiction winner and the overall Indie Book of the Year winner is…
The Bush: Travels in the Heart of Australia by…

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In an attempt to cheer myself up and make myself feel a little better since my literary hero Sir Terry Pratchett passed away, I thought I’d list a few authors whose work Terry has influenced, or who simply remind me of him in their work.

Frances Hardinge

The first Frances Hardinge book I read was A Face Like Glass and the day after I finished it, I ordered every other book she’s ever written. The Pratchett influence shows in…

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Chris Gordon chats with local foodie Alice Zaslavsky about her new fact-filled, kid-friendly cookbook.

Alice, it’s all going on for you! You must be super busy with your new book, your television show, your new business, being the face of Prahran Market – and goodness, do you have time to relax?

Ha! When you put it like that, it does sound like I should have way less time on my hands. I’m pretty sure that most of the people I…

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Dear Life - On Caring for the Elderly (Quarterly Essay 57) by Karen Hitchcock

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Bad Behaviour: A Memoir of Bullying and Boarding School by Rebecca Starford

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

The Story of Australia’s People Volume 1: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Australia by Geoffrey Blainey

Hello, Beautiful!: Scenes from a…

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We’re delighted to announce the six books shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize 2015!

The Prize recognises and celebrates Australian books that children love to read, and raises the profile of debut and on-the-rise Australian children’s book authors. The Prize judges are a panel of Readings children’s book specialists.

The six shortlisted titles are…

Rivertime by Trace Balla

This book is delightfully unique, it is an absolute thrill that it has been shortlisted for our award. Produced in a…

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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 The Well by Catherine Chanter

I was handed a copy of The Well last Friday and I read it in one big gulp over the weekend. It’s a book chock-full of ideas, and interesting ones at that. The story is set in a world where it hasn’t rained in…

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Our staff bring us an update from the Alliance Française French Film Festival – what they’ve seen so far and what’s still to come!

Mark Rubbo on Gemma Bovery:

I had the privilege of attending the opening night which included a viewing of Gemma Bovery – a funny retelling of Madame Bovary’s classic story. The film is based on a popular graphic novel by Posy Simmonds. Skilfully directed by Anne Fontaine, who also made the similarly sumptuous Coco Before…

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For one day only, we’re offering 30% off a range of Bloomsbury books on our website!

To receive the 30% discount, apply the promo code BLOOMSBURY on the final payment page of online checkout. Please note, this sale is online only and ends at midnight on Thursday 19 March. Shipping times may vary if in-stock items sell out.

If you’re looking for a meaty novel to sink your teeth in try The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, which…

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