Our latest blog posts

Five books that quietly awed me this year

by Annie Condon

Bookseller Annie Condon shares five books that left her quietly awed in 2014.

The Shock Of The Fall by Nathan Filer

The Shock Of The Fall, which won the UK’s Costa First Novel Prize, seems to have missed out on publicity in Australia but I’d highly recommend you seek it out. Nathan Filer presents a realistic portrayal of young man’s battle with mental illness. I liked how there was no romantic notion of mental illness – no easily fixed…

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Staff recommendations for Christmas

Staff from our St Kilda shop have some fantastic recommendations this Christmas – perfect for a gift, or for your own summer reading.

Our St Kilda shop is located at 112 Acland St, St Kilda. Find their opening hours and contact details here.

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Books we wouldn't have read without a recommendation

Our staff share the books they loved in 2014, but wouldn’t have read without a recommendation.

My colleague Nina introduced me to one of my favourite books of the year: The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. by Adelle Waldman. I somehow missed this one when it came out and Nina recommended it as soon as I mentioned that I needed something new to read. She thought I would love it – she was right! It is clever, observant and witty…

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Ten Melbourne literary journals we loved in 2014

In 2014 we featured some terrific Melbourne-based literary journals on our event calendar. Here are ten of our favourites.

Alquimie, edited by Joshua Elias

Distinguished by its content-rich approach and striking design, Alquimie is a new voice in the world of drinks. Forgoing trends and phases in lieu of deeper perspective, this publication presents a wide array of opinion and objectivity, and simplifies the complexities of beverage culture without pretension.

Find their most recent issue

Kill Your Darlings

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What we're reading: Jill Lepore, Kyoko Wada and Nora Ephron

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.

Bronte Coates has been dipping in and out of The Most of Nora Ephron

Last weekend I read Helen Macdonald’s memoir H is for Hawk, which was wonderful and moving. I never thought a goshawk playing with paper would make me burst into tears (this statement basically sums up the entire joy…

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Gifts with hidden messages

Make the most of this Christmas season by selecting gifts that will subtly persuade and inspire your friends and family to your own (naturally superior) way of thinking.

Want your co-worker to take a long holiday?

Try: An Innocent Abroad: Life-Changing Trips from 35 Great Writers
Because: Travel will change your life and for the better. Allow your co-worker to discover this through stories.

Want your partner to stop buying lunch out at work?

Try: Salad Love: How to Create

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Our picks for children's and young adult prizewinners in 2014

Australian

The Readings Children’s Book Prize

Song For A Scarlet Runner by Julie Hunt

The Inkys (Australia’s teen choice awards)

The First Third by Will Kostakis

CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers

Wildlife by Fiona Wood

YABBA Award (children’s choice book award for Victoria) for Younger Readers

Billie B Brown: The Best Project by Sally Rippin

Speech Pathology Australia Awards, Indigenous children category

Deadly D & Justice Jones – Making the Team by Scott Prince and Dave Hartley

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Five debut Australian books I loved this year

by Nina Kenwood

Digital marketing manager Nina Kenwood selects her favourite debut Australian books from this year.

The Feel-Good Hit of the Year by Liam Pieper

This was the first book I came across in 2014 that made me want to start shouting from the rooftops, ‘Everyone should read this!’.

It’s a memoir about Liam’s early life – his childhood through to his twenties – and it tells of how drugs, addiction and loss came to loom over his family. It’s a dark…

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The best book I ever received (or gave) as a gift...

Our staff share the best literary gifts they’ve ever received, or given. And also the worst (see here)…

My bookish world is a total mystery to my partner, so as you can imagine he never ventures into a bookshop when it comes to choosing presents for me. This is why I was so staggered and thrilled when he gave me a memoir one year. For Better For Worse was written by a couple, using a very funny dual narrative…

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