Our latest blog posts
Ask Agatha: Hilary Mantel, The Leftovers and romantic comedies
The latest installment of our book advice column where you can ask our wise bookseller Agatha all your tricky (book-related) questions.
I’ve really enjoyed the Hilary Mantel Cromwell novels. Can you recommend other historical novel writers/titles?
Isn’t Mantel spectacular? If you haven’t yet tried her previous books it’s worth testing a title from her backlist. Beyond Black is one of the best.
Other writers of historical fiction who draw comparisons with Mantel include Vanora Bennett (try Portrait of an…
Cookbooks we love (and actually use)
Our staff share stories about their favourite cookbooks!
Chris Gordon:
Pork and Sons is the archetypal pork cookbook. This book provides handy information into the history of the pig, the farmers and, of course, how to transform pork into meals suitable for any occasion.
In the book are 150 recipes presented by a three-generation-old family of pig butchers and farmers in rural France. Honestly, if my bloke didn’t work in data management, and didn’t reside in urban Melbourne, he would…
What we're reading
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.
Ann Le Lievre is reading My Salinger Year by Joanna Smith Rakoff
My favourite ‘read-in-one-night’ book of this month is My Salinger Year.
It was that title which first caught my attention. Mmmm someone has met the elusive writer, or perhaps spoken to him briefly, enough anyway to write a book with…
The editors of three literary journals tell us what they're reading
Throughout winter, we are celebrating Melbourne literary journals with a new event series, Journal Assembly. In June, we’ll hear from Sam Cooney, Jeff Sparrow and Amy Middleton. Here, they share their current reading lists.
Amy Middleton, editor of Archer Magazine:
Having only recently sent the second issue of Archer Magazine off to the printers, I’ve spent the last couple of weeks reading, and re-reading, an incredible slew of articles on sexuality.
Outside of Archer, I’ve been thinking…
A Girl is a Half-formed Thing wins the 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction
Eimear McBride’s debut novel, A Girl Is A Half-Formed Thing, has been named the winner of the 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Chair of judges Helen Fraser says, “An amazing and ambitious first novel that impressed the judges with its inventiveness and energy. This is an extraordinary new voice – this novel will move and astonish the reader”.
With astonishing insight and in brutal detail, the novel tells the story of a young woman’s relationship with her brother…
Interviews with our work experience students
by Matilda MorleyOver the next few weeks we’re participating in a work experience program with students from high schools across Melbourne. Here, Matilda Morley tells us about her favourite books.
How would you describe your taste in books? Do you like romance or adventure, science fiction or history, etc?
In general, my taste in books is pretty varied. A few years ago my favourite genre was fantasy and I do still love it, but over the past year or so I’ve been…
Meet the bookseller with Savannah Indigo
We chat with bookseller Savannah Indigo about her penchant for organising bookshelves and the parallels Frankenstein draws with cosmetic use in the twenty-first century.
Why do you work in books?
When I was younger, I had a fascination with organising bookshelves. I would obsess over mine at home and reorganise any shelves at bookshops that I thought weren’t up to scratch (much to staff frustration). I think from around age 10, I knew that I needed to work with books.
…
Five reasons to attend Graphic Contents at the Emerging Writers' Festival
by Veronica SullivanThis Thursday night
1. You like to get a little bit naughty.
Anything goes when Graphic Contents takes over Bella Union for one night. Expect to be challenged, offended and aroused by artwork that pushes all your buttons. This artwork is a far cry from the pleasant picture book illustrations, and the artists will explore topics ranging from taboo, to provocative, to sexy.
2. You need some advice.
Unlucky in love? Lost and directionless in life? Searching for an explanation…
Guess the winner of the 2014 Miles Franklin Literary Award!
We’re running a competition to guess the winner of the upcoming Miles Franklin Literary Award. Anyone who correctly guesses the winner goes in the draw to win a $100 Readings gift voucher. To enter, simply fill in the form below
Fill out my online form.
Sam Cooney on Kurt Vonnegut's sense of humour
by Sam CooneyIn primary school, I learned pretty quickly that there were two ways to find yourself lying on the playground concrete, holding your stomach and gasping for air. A fist or a knee from an older or bigger kid straight into the guts: that’d do it every time. The other way was by laughing so much I couldn’t possibly stay vertical. Many of my school years were punctuated by equal parts roughhousing and cacking myself, but it is the latter that…
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