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What we're reading: Alejandro Zambra, Mary Norris and Michel Faber
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 reading The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber
When I was a teenager I precociously decided that fantasy and science fiction were for children and I was only going to read “the real stuff” from now on. I didn’t exactly know what “the real stuff” was - Love…
Introducing our writer-in-residence for March: S.J. Finn
Each month of 2015, we’ll be sharing some words from an Australian author of a new work on our blog as part on an online residency. We’re thrilled to announce that S.J. Finn is our chosen author for March!
In Down to the River, Finn explores the complex and painful territory surrounding our perception of child sex offenders and our own moral responses. In the small country town of Dungower, little goes on that local journalist Joni Miller can…
S.J. Finn shares the last five books she's read
by S.J. FinnThe five books I’ve read most recently have all been penned by Australian authors.
Although I read as widely as I can, I do love Australian literature for its form and lyrical language. Generally speaking, there is a lightness about Aussie prose (even when it’s at its most brutal) which plays on the senses in a particular way that I would loosely coin as immediacy. Staying away from explanation and living in the realm of description – like poetry –…
The story of my book: Down to the River
by S.J. Finn26 years ago, a friend told me a detail about their childhood. Simply and without fuss, they described that for a number of years during the winter months they were in charge of lighting the local priest’s fire each morning before school started.
This scenario became a worm in my thoughts. Wriggling its way around my imagination, it multiplied, you could say, until it turned into a can-full, which is perfect if you want to tell a story. All that…
The Stella Prize 2015 shortlist
The Stella Prize shortlist for 2015 was announced today!
The six shortlisted books are:
Foreign Soil by Maxine Beneba Clarke – Read our review
The Strays by Emily Bitto – Read our review
The Invisible History of the Human Race by Christine Kenneally
The Eye of the Sheep by Sofie Laguna – Read our review
The Golden Age by Joan London – Read our review
Heat and Light by Ellen van Neerven – Read our review
For today only, we’re…
Join us for our inaugural teachers’ night
We’re inviting Melbourne teachers to join us for a special information night on Tuesday 24 March at our Hawthorn shop, where you can enjoy a drink, chat with Readings staff members and meet some of our favourite authors: Andrew McDonald, Chris Miles, Gabrielle Williams and Fiona Wood! (Plus, you’ll receive a 20% discount off any books you purchase on the night!)
The evening will be split into two main presentations, and guests are welcome to stay for both.
The Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction 2015 longlist
The longlist for the 2015 Baileys women’s prize for fiction has been announced!
The chair of judges Shami Chakrabarti says: ‘The Prize’s 20th year is a particularly strong one for women’s fiction. All judges fought hard for their favourites and the result is a 2015 list of 20 to be proud of – with its mix of genres and styles, first-timers and well-known names from around the world.’
Here are the 20 longlisted titles:
Outline by Rachel Cusk
Our top ten bestsellers of the week
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
That Sugar Book by Damon Gameau
Bad Behaviour: A Memoir of Bullying and Boarding School by Rebecca Starford
City Limits: Why Australia’s cities are broken and how we can fix them by Jane-Frances Kelly and Paul Donegan
The Happy Cookbook by Lola Berry
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Hello, Beautiful!: Scenes from a Life by Hannie Rayson
We are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
Last chance to sign up to our in-store book clubs
Hawthorn Book Club:
Our Hawthorn Book Clubs meet in the Hawthorn shop, 701 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn on the third Thursday of every month, starting Thursday 19 March. Sessions begin at 6.30pm and last one hour. Our Hawthorn Book Clubs are distinctive because they are primarily about talking about books and only secondarily a social event.
The cost of the book club is $275.00 per member per term. This includes five facilitated one hour discussion sessions, with wine and snacks. You…
Which is the best recipe from Mr. Wilkinson’s Simply Dressed Salads?
We put Matt Wilkinson’s salads to the test this week with six of our staff making recipes from Mr. Wilkinson’s Simply Dressed Salads for a blind-tasting.
These same staff were absolutely delighted (read: horrified) to learn that Matt himself would be acting in the capacity of guest judge, along with three other staff members.
Here are the results.
Stella Charls made Noodles with broad beans, peas & spicy lemon dressing (pg 69.):
I am not a confident cook, and was…
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