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Our favourite picture books (that are 50 years and older)
We were sad to hear of the recent death of children’s book illustrator Margaret Bloy Graham, who was 94.
Although you may not recognise Margaret Bloy Graham by name, it’s very likely you’ll know Harry the Dirty Dog, her famous character, which she created alongside her then-husband Gene Zion (followed by No Roses For Harry, Harry By The Sea, and Harry and the Lady Next Door).
Harry was originally published in black-and-white. Margaret added colour in…
Our February Book Club Pick: Anne Tyler
Each month we choose a newly released book that we feel is perfect for a book club. Then we roadtest it. We read the book (and encourage you to read along with us), and at the end of the month, we’ll share our thoughts about its potential for book clubbers, and also our own book club discussions about the book.
Our pick for February is Anne Tyler’s A Spool of Blue Thread.
If you’re also planning to read A…
Winners of the Caldecott, Newbery and Printz awards
The American Library Association (ALA) have announced their top books for children and young adults, including the influential Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards.
The winners include:
Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished picture book for children:
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat
Coretta Scott King Award for an author:
Jacqueline Woodson (author of Brown Girl Dreaming)
Printz Award for young adult novel:
I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
John Newbery…
Read the first chapter from Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson’s memoir, Just Mercy, is a profoundly important work.
Lauded as a real-life Atticus Finch, Stevenson grew up a member of a poor black community in the racially segregated South. He was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young black man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he…
Our top ten bestsellers of the week
The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help by Amanda Palmer
The Story of A Prime Minister: Paul Keating by David Day
We are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity by Norman Doidge
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
2015 February Highlights
February is already a tremendous month. On the fiction front James Bradley returns after a lengthy spell between books with a wonderful novel entitled Clade. As many of you may know, James is a regular book reviewer, so when I caught him a few weeks ago describing a book under review as ‘thrillingly taut and idea-rich’, I couldn’t help but feel he had involuntarily penned a brilliant encapsulation of his own new book. If you are ever stricken with…
A calendar of Australian books to look out for in 2015: Part 1
Here is our literary calendar of books by Australian authors due for release in the first half of 2015!
We’ve included a wide range of books we’re already excited about, but we’ve also overlooked quite a few, so to that end, we’ll be updating the calendar on an ongoing basis.
FEBRUARY
Before I Sleep: My Life Fighting Crime and Corruption by Ray Whitrod
Clade by James Bradley
Earth Dances: Music in Search of the Primitive by Andrew Ford
What we're reading: Elizabeth Strout, Phil Klay and John Berendt
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 Redeployment by Phil Klay and Hot Little Hands by Abigail Ulman
I’ve been simultaneously reading two very different short story collections: Phil Klay’s Redeployment and an early copy of Abigail Ulman’s Hot Little Hands (this release will hit stores in late February).
Winner of the 2014 National Book Award…
The most anticipated books of 2015
Here is my panoramic survey of titles on the horizon for later in the year – rather a feast, I’m sure you’ll agree! From this (of course very early) vantage point I have the following on my radar:
Australian fiction:
In April a simply great debut novel from Readings’ own A.S. Patric, Black Rock White City; Alice Robinson also on debut with Anchor Point; Robyn Cadwallader’s medieval tale The Anchoress, that is being published around the world…
The Indie Awards Shortlist for 2015
The shortlist for the 2015 Indie Awards have been announced! The Indie Awards are voted for by independent booksellers from around the country.
The shortlisted titles for 2015 include:
Fiction Award Shortlist:
When the Night Comes by Favel Parrett
Amnesia by Peter Carey
Golden Boys by Sonya Hartnett
The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion
Non-fiction Award Shortlist:
This House of Grief: The Story of a Murder Trial by Helen Garner
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