Biography and memoir
Miss Ex-Yugoslavia by Sofija Stefanovic
In a world increasingly characterised by large-scale migration, Miss Ex-Yugoslavia offers a fresh, youthful take on what it means to navigate two vastly different cultures and identities. In her debut memoir, Sofija Stefanovic explores the ironies of growing up in…
Girls at the Piano by Virginia Lloyd
Entering the world of some memoirs feels like an intimate conversation with a stranger who will, over the course of your time together, become your new best friend. Reading Virginia Lloyd’s exquisite memoir Girls at the Piano, tracing her…
Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia edited by Anita Heiss
This brilliant collection of short memoir from Indigenous writers highlights an enormous diversity in the life stories of Aboriginal people in Australia, from those who grew up in middle-class suburbia to those in self-determined communities, to missions and reserves, to…
Educated by Tara Westover
Tara Westover grew up on a mountain in Idaho with her parents and six siblings. She was given almost no formal education, as her father kept the family isolated, prepping for the end times, eschewing doctors and schools, and preaching…
Afterglow by Eileen Myles
Afterglow is the ‘memoir’ of Eileen Myles’ dog Rosie, a pitbull-cross who figures in Myles’ earlier work, particularly in sections of Inferno, where the poet describes halcyon months spent in upstate New York with her companion as a young…
Tracker by Alexis Wright
A fiercely intelligent and provocative writer, Alexis Wright is one of the most important voices in our literary landscape. Her singular books – whether a richly surreal imagining of the future (The Swan Book), or an eye-opening account…
The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
I was reluctant to make a start on this diary because I suspected it might, in the spirit of its ur-text, Black Books, engender short-tempered job dissatisfaction and make me feel like I was repeating my workday every time…
The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein
Writer and lawyer Sarah Krasnostein first met Sandra Pankhurst at a conference for forensic support services. Sandra’s business card advertises ‘specialised trauma cleaning’: ‘hoarding and pet hoarding’ and ‘homicide, suicide and death scene’ are just two of the many services…
Danger Music by Eddie Ayres
Eddie Ayres was 12 when he saw Afghanistan for the first time. It was on television. The Soviets had just invaded. He was 49 when he last left Afghanistan after teaching at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music. In between…
Logical Family by Armistead Maupin
Armistead Maupin’s nine-volume Tales of the City chronicle is a cultural icon. Among other things, it’s the story of gay life in San Francisco from the late 1970s, through the AIDS crisis and ending in the present-day. His new book…
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