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Our Best Books, Music & Film of 2014

Every year our staff vote for their favourite books, CDs and DVDs of the past twelve months. And 2014 has truly seen a bumper crop of new releases!

Here’s a round up of the blog posts featuring all of our best books, music & film of the past year:

The Best Fiction Books of 2014

The Best Non-Fiction Books of 2014

The Best Crime Books of 2014

The Best Young Adult Books of 2014

The Best Picture Books of 2014

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The Best Picture Books of 2014

Here are our top ten picture books of the year, voted for by Readings staff. Displayed in no particular order.

A Lion in Paris by Beatrice Alemagna

A young lion with an explorer’s heart ventures forth from the familiar grasslands of his home to the bustling streets of Paris. There, he is mesmerised by its wonders until he discovers a plinth where he can rest – and hold centre stage! Artfully produced in the style of montage this book will…

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The Best Classical CDs of 2014

Here are our top ten classical CDs of the year, as chosen by our classical music specialists Kate Rockstrom and Alexandra Mathew. Displayed in no particular order.

Prayer by Sol Gabetta

Ernesto Bloch has been following me in the last six months. I’ve been performing, listening and teaching his repertoire, which has made me wonder why he’s not more popular. Sol Gabetta takes two of his works and through her cello sings the praises of Bloch, along with Shostakovich and…

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The Best Young Adult Books of 2014

Here are our top ten young adult fiction books of the year, voted for by Readings staff. Displayed in no particular order.

Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang

When an accident puts the most popular girl at school in hospital, it’s as if everyone has turned up to find out if she will live or die. But was it an accident? Why would the girl who appeared to have it all throw it all away? This is a fascinating, beautifully…

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The Best Food & Garden Books of 2014

Here are our top ten food and garden books of the year, as chosen by our resident foodie and gardener Chris Gordon. Displayed in no particular order.

Nonna to Nana by Jacqueline & Jessie DiBlasi

Melbourne sisters Jessie and Jacqueline DiBlasi explore the connections between love and nourishment, inspired by their grandmother, Nonna Giovanna. The book shares stories and recipes from the living culinary traditions of 15 Australian grandmothers across diverse cultural backgrounds.

Mr Hong by Dan Hong

This is…

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The Best Non-Fiction Books of 2014

Here are our top ten non-fiction books of the year, voted for by Readings staff. Displayed in no particular order.

The Wife Drought by Annabel Crabb

Don’t be bemused by the title: this is an essential and hilarious book for everyone. Journalist and Kitchen Cabinet host Annabel Crabb takes a fresh and amusing approach as she unravels the rusty idiosyncrasies of Australia’s work–life systems and assumptions. Crabb’s vivid analysis and interviews with prominent career–family jugglers of both sexes combine to…

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The Best DVDs of 2014

Here are our top ten DVDs of the year, as chosen by our film specialist Lou Fulco. Displayed in no particular order.

Chef

Chef is a rich and vibrant comedy – the story of Carl Casper (Jon Favreau), who loses his chef job and cooks up a food truck business in the hope of re-establishing his artistic promise. At the same time, he tries to reconnect with his estranged family.

True Detective: Season 1

The lives of two detectives, Rust…

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The Best Junior Fiction Books of 2014

Here are our top ten junior fiction (ages 5 to 9ish) books of the year, voted for by Readings staff. Displayed in no particular order.

My Heart is Laughing by Rose Lagercrantz and illustrated by Eva Eriksson

An irresistibly appealing story, every page is alive with wonderful line illustrations. It’s impossible not to love our plucky little protagonist, Dani, as she navigates the challenges of school life with wonderful optimism and resilience. Perfect for children aged 5 and up who…

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The Best Art & Design Books of 2014

Here are our top ten art and design books of the year, as chosen by our art & design specialist Margaret Snowdon. Displayed in no particular order.

Superlight: Lightness in Contemporary Houses by Phyllis Richardson

Superlight houses combine two strands of thinking: that lightweight buildings have less impact on their environments, and that this lightness (visually, materially, ecologically) can lead to more open living and greater communion with the surroundings. These beautiful, high-tech, hyper-intelligent houses take many forms – residences…

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The Best Fiction Books of 2014

Here are our top ten fiction books of the year, voted for by Readings staff. Displayed in no particular order.

Heat and Light by Ellen van Neerven

Ellen van Neerven’s Heat and Light is an exceptional debut. This work of fiction could be called a short-story collection, or a novel in three parts – categorising these powerful portraits of Aboriginal women is irrelevant. With spare, controlled language, emotional intelligence and wit, van Neerven effectively captures the strength of these women…

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