Ceridwen Dovey - Readings · Susanna Clarke, Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels, The English Patient...

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FEBRUARY2018

10 Steps to Nanette

BOYS WILL BE BOYS

Man Out of Time Stephanie Bishop

CLEMENTINE FORD

Chloe Hooper

ANNA KRIEN

Ceridwen Dovey

page 6

The most anticipated books of 2018

JULIAN BARNESpage 8

ZADIE SMITHpage 13

PENNI RUSSONpage 18

MARLON WILLIAMSpage 22

ALI’S WEDDINGpage 21

LLOYD JONESpage 4

The range includes Mythos by Stephen Fry; Where Song Began by Tim Low; Everywhere I Look by Helen Garner; Not Just Lucky by Jamila Rizvi; Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari; Curing Affluenza by Richard Denniss, Gut by Giulia Enders and many more. This offer is exclusively available in all Readings shops except Readings Kids until 28 February on stickered, in-stock items only, while stocks last. This offer is not available online.

3 for 2 Bloomsbury Modern ClassicsThe Bloomsbury Modern Classics are a beautifully designed set of 10 limited edition paperbacks. Throughout February, if you purchase two books from the Bloomsbury Modern Classics range, you can choose a third book for free! The 10 books includes The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, The Little Friend by Donna Tartt, Restless by William Boyd, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke, Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels, The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale.

This offer is exclusively available at our Carlton, Malvern, Hawthorn and Doncaster shops until 28 February on in-stock items only, while stocks last. This offer is not available online.

Win dinner with Tim WintonWe’re delighted to announce that we’re offering our customers a very special opportunity to win a dinner with Tim Winton! 10 lucky Readings customers will be invited to attend an exclusive dinner with Tim Winton on Friday 27 April at 6.30pm at Jimmy Watson’s restaurant on Lygon St, Carlton. To go into the draw, simply pre-order Tim Winton’s highly anticipated new novel The

Shepherd’s Hut (to be released on 12 March) from any Readings shop or the Readings website. When pre-ordering in our shops, you will need to fill in the competition form at the counter. When pre-ordering online (readings.com.au), simply write DINNER in the notes field during checkout, and you’ll automatically go in the draw. See the competition form or our website for terms and conditions and further details. All pre-ordered copies will be signed by the author.

Indie Book Awards shortlistThe Indie Book Awards have announced the shortlists for the best Australian books of 2017, as chosen by independent booksellers around the country. The fiction shortlist includes Force of Nature by Jane Harper, The Choke by Sofie Laguna, On the Java Ridge by Jock Serong and City of Crows by Chris Womersley. The

The Readings Foundation grants announcedThe Readings Foundation has announced $184,692 worth of grants to support a range of projects and organisations within Victoria in 2018. This round of funding has a strong focus on organisations that are delivering literacy and education support to the most disadvantaged people in our community.

Readings donates 10% of its overall profit to The Readings Foundation each year, and the generous donations from Readings’ customers make a crucial contribution. The successful grant recipients for this year are:Ardoch Youth Foundation ($10,000); Asylum Seeker Resource Centre ($14,550); Banksia Gardens Community Services ($20,000); Brotherhood of St Laurence ($5,000); Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre ($8,040); Church of All Nations ($20,000); Jesuit Social Services ($15,000); Kids Under Cover ($7,000); Meadow Heights Education Centre ($14,102); Reading Out of Poverty ($16,000); The Smith Family ($10,000); The Stella Prize ($5,000); Wirrpanda Foundation ($10,000); The Wheeler Centre ($20,000) and The Hope Prize ($10,000).

3 for 2 nonfiction favouritesThroughout February, we’re offering a special deal on a select range of award-winning and popular non-fiction titles. If you purchase two books, you can choose a third book in the range (of equal or lesser value) for free!

nonfiction shortlist includes Working Class Man by Jimmy Barnes, The Museum of Words by Georgia Blain, Saga Land by Richard Fidler & Kári Gíslason and The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein. See indiebookawards.com.au for the full shortlist of every category.

Readings Prize guest judges announcedWe’re delighted to announce the three brilliant authors that will be the guest judges for our literary prizes in 2018. Davina Bell will be the guest judge for the Readings Children’s Book Prize 2018, Melissa Keil will be the guest judge for the Readings Young Adult Book Prize 2018, and Tony Birch will be the guest judge for the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction 2018. In each case, the guest judge joins our staff judging panel after the shortlist has been decided, and helps the panel to select a winner.

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E D I TO RElke Power [email protected]

E D I TO R I A L A S SI S TA N T Judi Mitchell [email protected]

PR O O F R E A D E R SIsabel Baranowski and Judi Mitchell

K I D S / YA C U R ATO R Alexa Dretzke

M USI C C U R ATO R Dave Clarke

CL A S SI CA L M USI C C U R ATO R Phil Richards

DV D S C U R ATO R Lou Fulco

E V E N T S C U R ATO R Chris Gordon

A DV E R T I SI N GNina Kenwood [email protected]

G R A PH I C D E SI G NCat Matteson colourcode.com.au

F R O N T C OV E RThe February Readings Monthly cover highlights some of the titles from our list of the most anticipated books of 2018. Read the full feature on page 6.

CA R TO O NOslo Davis oslodavis.com

PR I CE S A N D AVA I L A B I L I T YPlease note that all prices and release dates in Readings Monthly are correct at time of publication, however prices and release dates may change without notice. Special price offers apply only for the month in which they are featured in the Readings Monthly.

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Tim Winton

pre-order the new novel from “Can you say a book grabs you by

the throat and doesn’t let you go? You can, if it’s about The Shepherd’s Hut!”

- Mark Rubbo

Special price $29.99 (was $39.99)

Signed by the author

Go into the draw to win dinner with Tim Winton!*

* Conditions applyAvailable 12 March readings.com.au

February News

3February 2018

R E A D I N G S M O N T H LY

EVENTS + L AUNCHES

Thursday 8 February, 6.30pm

JOE WILLIAMS IN CONVERSATION WITH TONY BIRCHFormer NRL player, world-boxing-title holder and proud Wiradjuri First Nations man Joe Williams was always plagued by negative dialogue in his head, and the pressures of elite sport took their toll. He turned to drugs and alcohol, before attempting to take his own life in 2012. In the aftermath, determined to rebuild, Joe took up professional boxing and got clean. Defying the Enemy Within is his powerful story of recovery and strength. Come along to hear Joe discuss the book with award-winning author Tony Birch.

Readings Carlton, 309 Lygon Street, Carlton

Free, but please book at readings.com.au/events

Friday 9 February, 6.30pm

CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE ON LOVE-CRAZED COMPOSERSJoin ABC Classic FM broadcaster Christopher Lawrence for a glass of wine as he discusses his charming new book, Symphony of Seduction, in which he explores the romantic misadventures, tragedies and occasional triumphs of some of classical music’s great composers, and traces the music that emerged as a result.

Readings Hawthorn, 701 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn



KATE YOUNG IN CONVERSATION WITH SHARLEE GIBB AND CHRIS GORDONWe have all fallen in love with Kate Young’s The Little Library Cookbook. Perfect for literary lovers, this tremendous cookbook features 100 delicious recipes taken from the author’s favourite works of fiction – try Paddington Bear’s marmalade, or enjoy an afternoon tea at Manderley!

Come along to hear Young chat about the joys of reading and eating with creative producer, cook and Fully Booked founder Sharlee Gibb (Mr & Mrs Wilkinson’s How It Is At Home), as well as bookseller Chris Gordon.



Tuesday 27 February, 6.30pm

KILL YOUR DARLINGS FIRST BOOK CLUBKill Your Darlings’ First Book Club is a monthly gathering for booklovers to come together and celebrate the work of a debut Australian author. This month sees Readings’ own Ellen Cregan in conversation with author Heather Morris about The Tattooist of Auschwitz – an extraordinary novel that is based on the true story of Lale and Gita Sokolov, two Slovakian Jews, who survived Auschwitz and eventually made their home in Australia.


Free, no booking required.

Coming Up

Thursday 1 March, 6.30pm

MICHAEL PEMBROKE IN CONVERSATION WITH ABC’S CATHY VAN EXTELJoin author, historian and Supreme Court judge Michael Pembroke for a discussion of his timely new book, Korea: Where the American Century Began. It tells the story of the Korean peninsula with compassion for the people of the North and South, understanding and insight for the role of China, and concern about the past and present role of the United States. Pembroke will address the changing roles each country is playing in our future.



Saturday 3 March, 12.30pm - 1.30pm

BRIAN MAY ON QUEEN IN THREE DIMENSIONSWe are beside ourselves with excitement about legendary guitarist Brian May joining us to talk about his book, Queen in Three Dimensions. It is the first book about Queen written by a member of the band, and is a unique collection of original, highly personal snapshots from the band’s inception in the early ’70s right up to the present day.

Readings St Kilda, 112 Acland Street, St Kilda


Monday 5 March, 6.30pm

MICHAEL MOHAMMED AHMAD IN CONVERSATIONThe Lebs is a confronting new novel from Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Novelist Michael Mohammed Ahmad. This wonderfully compelling story examines identity and rebellion, and centres on Punchbowl Boys High, often dubbed ‘NSW’s most troubled school’.



Wednesday 21 February, 6.30pm

CHRISTINE MILNE IN CONVERSATION WITH MARTIN FLANAGANJoin former Greens leader Christine Milne and journalist Martin Flanagan for a discussion of Milne’s memoir, An Activist Life. It’s the story of an apparently ordinary woman – a high-school English teacher from northwest Tasmania – who became a fiery environmental warrior, pitted against some of the most powerful business and political forces in the country.




REMEMBERING THE SUNBURY POP FESTIVALJoin us to reminisce about the festival sometimes referred to as “Australia’s Woodstock”: Sunbury Pop/Rock Festival. The evening will include words from Peter Evans, who was heavily involved with the festival from the beginning and whose book, Sunbury: Australia’s Greatest Rock Festival, provides fascinating insight. There will also be a live performance by one of the festival’s original musical acts, as well as a screening of rare archival footage from the very first Sunbury Pop Festival in 1972.

Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon Street, Carlton

Entry is $10 per person, redeemable off the book, if purchased on the night. Please book at readings.com.au/events

Tuesday 6 March, 6.30pm

SALLY HEPWORTH IN CONVERSATIONWe are delighted to have the bestselling author of The Secrets of Midwives talking to us about her compelling new novel, The Family Next Door. This delves into the secrets we all hold close, until we cannot anymore.




ART AND POETRY WITH JOHN YOUNG AND BRIAN CASTROJoin us for a conversation about the collaboration between conceptual art and literature based on the history of Macau. Macau Days is a tri-lingual publication including poetic texts by Brian Castro and artworks by John Young, as well as classic Macanese recipes designed to engage shared histories of Macau.




TIME’S UPJoin artist and activist Rayna Fahey, author of Really Cross Stitch, in making your very own cross-stitch statement to celebrate International Women’s Day. Create a slogan, craft it and wear it!

Readings St Kilda, 112 Acland Street, St Kilda

Tickets $30 per person including wine, cross-stitch activity and a copy of Really Cross Stitch.

Saturday 3 March, 2pm

STORYTIME WITH DANIEL GRAY-BARNETTDaniel Gray-Barnett’s beautiful picture book Grandma Z celebrates the power of vivid imagination through a magical story and spectacular illustrations full of bold colours and strong brushstrokes. Join us as the author– illustrator reads from his very first picture book.

Readings Kids, 315 Lygon Street, Carlton

Free, no booking required. Suitable for children 3–10 years old.

KIDS

Monday 26 February, 6.30pm

LLOYD JONES IN CONVERSATIONJoin us in Hawthorn to hear Lloyd Jones, the award-winning New Zealand author of Mister Pip, discuss his newest book. The Cage is a profound and unsettling fable-like tale of two strangers who arrive in a small country town. The townspeople want answers, but the strangers are unable to speak of their trauma. And before long, wary hospitality shifts to suspicion and fear, and the care of the men slides into appalling cruelty.



February Events

February Launches This I Would Kill For Join Anne Buist for the launch of This I Would Kill For, book three in the gripping Natalie King, Forensic Psychiatrist series. Natalie King has been hired to do a psychiatric evaluation for the children’s court, for a custody dispute. It’s not her usual territory, but now that she’s pregnant she’s happy to do a simple consult. Of course, things are never as simple as they seem.Thursday 1 February, 6.30pmReadings Carlton | Free, no booking required.

Cthulhu Deep Down Under: Vol 1 Celebrated horror writer H. P. Lovecraft’s first major tale of his Cthulhu Mythos began an entire sub-genre of the macabre, and in that story he made Australia a crucial location in his supernatural universe. Now, a group of Australia’s most accomplished writers of speculative fiction return to the promise of the master. Come along to the launch of Cthulhu Deep Down Under: Volume 1, a series that not only collects the best Australian Lovecraftian fiction but also begins a series that will provoke with fresh new imaginings of cosmic horror visited upon the land down under.Thursday 1 February, 6.30pmReadings St Kilda | Free, no booking required.

New Philosopher ‘The meaning of life’Curious eight-year-olds, heartbroken teens, and expiring octogenarians alike reflect on life’s meaning, if only in difficult or dull moments. And, much like the legions of thinkers before them, they can’t agree on an answer. Some say it’s ‘love’; others ‘learning how to die’; or ‘flourishing’; or, one that’s particularly popular among teens and philosophers, ‘there is no meaning’. Come along to the launch of the new edition of New Philosopher, on ‘Life’, and listen to New Philosopher’s editor Zan Boag and philosopher and writer Patrick Stokes discuss life, death, and our search for meaning.Wednesday 7 February, 6.30pmReadings Carlton | Free, no booking required.

Designing the Compassionate City Come along as Trevor Budge and Mark Sheppard join MC Steven Ingrouille (principal of renewable energy firm Going Solar) to launch Jenny Donovan’s new book, Designing the Compassionate City. This book outlines an approach to urban design that is centred on an explicit recognition of the inherent dignity of all people. It suggests that whether we thrive or decline – as individuals or as a community – is dependent on our ability to fulfil the full spectrum of our needsWednesday 7 February, 6.30pmGreen building, 60 Leicester St, Carlton Free, no booking required.

Ironheart Join Jodi McAlister for the launch of Ironheart, the second page-turning book in her thrilling Valentine series. Seventeen-year-old Pearl Linford is back, but she’s stuck: her best friend won’t talk to her; the internet thinks she is a murderer; and the right moment to forgive Finn Blacklin never seems to come. On top of this, Unseelie fairies have infiltrated her town, and they’ve unleashed a new horror.Thursday 8 February, 6.30pmReadings Kids | Free, no booking required.

Criss-Crossing Paris Join creators Fiona Sinclair and Sally-Anne Hayes for the launch of Criss-Crossing Paris. With wonderful cross-stitch interpretations of photo-perfect Parisian moments, Sinclair and Hayes have fashioned a perfect, crafty inspiration. And it’s not your typical counted-thread, cross-stitch book! It encourages the reader to ‘step off the grid’ at times and

create their own unique response to the imagery – just like when you deviate from the map while travelling.Wednesday 14 February, 6.30pmReadings Carlton | Free, no booking required.

Faerie Apocalypse Join us for the launch of Jason Frank’s Faerie Apocalypse, a fantasy novel about the corruption of fairy land at the hands of a handful of mortal adventurers, and Steven Paulsen’s short-story collection, Shadows On the Wall, which deals with life in the shadows. Thursday 15 February, 6.30pmReadings Hawthorn | Free, no booking required.

Between Us Join us for the launch of a stunning new young adult novel from Clare Atkins, the award-winning author of Nona & Me. Between Us is the story of two teenagers separated by cultural differences, their parents’ expectations and 20 kilometres of barbed-wire fence.Monday 19 February, 6.30pmReadings Hawthorn | Free, no booking required.

Joining Loose Ends Come along to the launch of this travel memoir for our times. Rescope Radio podcast host Anthony James will talk with author and former corporate executive Keith Badger about his memoir, Joining Loose Ends, the inspiring story of how Badger and his wife walked 2,801 kilometres across the UK and how that walk unexpectedly transformed their lives. Tuesday 20 February, 6.30pmReadings Carlton | Free, no booking required.

Small Is Necessary: Shared Living on a Shared Planet

Come along as Eco-polis urbanist Paul Downton launches Anitra Nelson’s Small Is Necessary: Shared Living on a Shared Planet, a book that advocates low-impact living via smaller and eco-collaborative housing, such as co-housing. Using international case studies and personal experiences of collective living, Nelson speculates on urban futures where sustainable neighbourhoods and grassroots democracy develop out of well-connected and productive neighbourhoods, where ‘alternative’ becomes mainstream.Thursday 22 February, 6.30pmReadings Carlton | Free, no booking required.

Rapture Join Jeremy Stanford for the launch of his novel, Rapture. Rapture is the tale of an atheist couple whose child is born with a halo. While Jeremy has previously written a memoir about his time with the Australian stage production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Rapture is his first novel. Thursday 1 March, 6.30pmReadings St Kilda | Free, no booking required.

What the Light Reveals Join Mick McCoy for the launch of What the Light Reveals. This new novel is about secrets and lies, loyalty and betrayal, and the urge for survival. In an increasingly divided and intolerant world, What the Light Reveals is a novel that brilliantly captures the sometimes devastating consequences of individual belief.Thursday 1 March, 7pmAlphington Bowls Club, 28 Parkview Rd, Alphington | Free, no booking required.

Mark’s Say

Sydney teacher and writer Catherine Walsh caused a bit of a storm when the Fairfax papers published a talk she gave on

volunteering and charities, ‘Volunteering

doesn’t make the world a better place’, (Sydney Morning Herald, 5 January). The crux of her argument was that volunteering and donating to charities transfers the collective obligations of society and government to individuals, and those who volunteer or donate are just propping up a broken system. Walsh’s piece attracted a lot of counter-attention from people who volunteer or donate. Yes, bits of the system are broken and many of us feel that government has let down some parts of society, but to ignore that while waiting for government to change would mean that lots of people go without help. Also, governments aren’t necessarily that efficient in targeting need. For example, huge amounts are spent in the Indigenous space, often with little apparent impact.

We support the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, which works in remote communities, both with donations and by soliciting donations. Their fundraiser at Fitzroy Town Hall last November raised $65,000. In the same month, The Readings Foundation approved a record $184,000 in grants. One of the recipients, Kids Under Cover, came in last week to receive the Foundation’s cheque for $7,000 to fund seven scholarships to help cover the basic costs of schooling for young people aged between 15 and 25. Kids Under Cover works with other agencies to provide housing for young people at risk of homelessness. For many low income families or grandparents taking on full time care of grandchildren, it’s often difficult to provide accommodation and space for young adults to grow and study. Kids Under Cover solves those problems by building studios in the backyards of homes. Walsh is right tha`t the opportunity for every child to get an education should be a basic right but the children Kids Under Cover support can’t wait.

The bulk of The Readings Foundation’s grants support literacy and education projects. From the most recent round, money will be given to a VCE support program in Melbourne’s north, an early literacy program in the City of Yarra, and English language classes for migrants and refugees in Meadow Heights. The Foundation is also continuing to fund the Wheeler Centre’s Hot Desk Fellowships, which provide a space and a small stipend for 20 new and emerging writers each year. Many Hot Desk alumni are now published authors who started or finished their books during their time at the Wheeler Centre.

The Victorian Government’s support for the arts is pretty good, but sometimes someone else’s vision and support can do something that governments can’t. John Wylie and his partner Myriam Boisbouvier-Wylie had the vision of endowing a Chair of Australian Literature at the University of Melbourne in partnership with State Library Victoria. Their $5 million donation provides an Australian writer with the opportunity to work and engage with the community and a major university. The appointment isn’t overly prescriptive and gives the occupant financial and creative independence during their tenure. The first chair was Man Booker Prize-winner Richard Flanagan, and just before Christmas the university announced that it had appointed Indigenous writer Alexis Wright as the second Boisbouvier Chair. Wright won the Miles Franklin Award for her novel Carpentaria, and Tracker, her biography of Aboriginal activist Bruce Tilmouth, was published late last year to wide acclaim. The Age’s Jane Gleeson-White called it ‘superb’ and our reviewer Bronte Coates wrote that it pushes ‘new boundaries of the written form’. I reckon a culture of volunteering and philanthropy is a good thing – it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t put pressure on governments to step up too.

5February 2018


from emerging Australian writers, including Michael Mohammed Ahmad’s The Lebs (whose The Tribe was shortlisted for the inaugural Readings Prize), Eleanor Limprecht’s Passengers, and debuts from Robert Lukins (The Everlasting Sunday), Tracey Sorensen (Lucky Galah), Laura Elvery (Trick of the Light) and Irish-Australian writer, Dervla McTiernan: Ruin promises to satisfy those who have found a taste for Australian-penned literary crime-fiction. Actually, March is itself a huge publishing month, with new books on their way from David Mamet, Marilynne Robinson, Sonya Voumard, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Martin Flanagan, Willy Vlautin, Eileen Myles, Steven Pinker, Geoffrey Robertson, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Lidia Yuknavitch – not to mention the publishing event that is Tim Winton’s first work of fiction in five years, The Shepherd’s Hut, which is such a big deal that it gets its own special release date: 12 March.

Tim Winton’s first work of fiction in five years is such a big deal that it gets its own special release date

It is set to be a great year for emerging Australian writers. Brow Books is building its reputation for bold literary publishing, and this year they’ll publish Apple and Knife by Intan Paramaditha (March), feminist short fiction in translation from its original Indonesian; and the debut of their ‘new literary prodigy’ Jamie Marina Lau, Pink Mountain on Locust Island (April). Laura Elizabeth Woollett impressed last year with her stories, The Love of a Bad Man. One such bad man, Jim Jones, and his Peoples Temple, form the subject of her novel, Beautiful Revolutionary (May, Scribe). Sarah Bailey’s The Dark Lake was a 2017 Readings staff favourite: Into the Night is due in June (A&U), as is Aoife Clifford’s second book, Second Sight (S&S). Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus run the ‘Books on the Rail’ project in Melbourne, their co-authored novel is

The Book Ninja (S&S, May). Following in the footsteps of other local musicians who happen to write lovely novels (Peggy Frew, Holly Throsby, I’m thinking of you) Sally Seltmann will publish Lovesome in May (A&U). Melissa Ashley’s book, The Birdman’s Wife, won the 2017 ABA Bookseller’s Choice Award; her new book is The Orange and the Bee (Affirm, October). Jenny Ackland has a second novel too: Little Gods (A&U, April). The award given to an unpublished manuscript at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards is always a harbinger of new talent; Affirm will publish The Nowhere Child by 2017’s winner, Christian White, in July. Jay Carmichael was shortlisted for the 2016 round of that award: Ironbark comes out in April (Scribe). Text has Tasmanian author Robbie Arnott’s debut, Flame, in May. HarperCollins is excited about two debuts, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (Holly Ringland; April), and Boy Swallows Universe (Trent Dalton; July). Black Inc. has the first novel of screenwriter Mira Robertson, The Unexpected Education of Emily Dean (April).

We’ll also hear from authors we know well. Gail Jones’ new book is The Death of Noah Glass (Text, April). Acclaimed nonfiction writer Anna Krien publishes her first work of fiction in September, Act of Grace, which Black Inc. describes as ‘searing, complex and moving’. Melissa Lucashenko’s Too Much Lip will be with us in August (UQP). Giramondo collates the collected short fiction of Gerald Murnane (April). Robert Drewe, Tom Keneally and Nikki Gemmell will all publish books this year. Simon & Schuster’s literary imprint, Scribner, launches locally in October with Kristina Olsson’s novel set in 1960s Sydney, Shell. Bonnier Publishing Australia’s imprint, Echo, is doing interesting things: SA Jones’s The Fortress (April) taps into the current interest in feminist speculative fiction. Gregory Day has a new novel in May, A Sand Archive (Picador). Blockbusting superstar Liane Moriarty has a book due out in October (Macmillan). Rosalie Ham of The Dressmaker fame will have a new book in October (Macmillan).

Chloe Hooper’s new book, The Arsonist, will be out later this year (Penguin). Journalist and refugee Behrouz Boochani has written a series of powerful articles in the

Dear Reader,

As 2017 drew to a close, a previously unknown writer, Kristen Roupenian, sparked an intense social media frenzy when her short story, ‘Cat Person’, was

published in the New Yorker (NB: though the internet does love cats, the story is not about cats). By the end of December, the New York Times reported that Roupenian had secured a seven-figure, two-book deal (and in 2019 we’ll no doubt be talking about her debut collection, You Know You Want This… I don’t envy the weight of expectation there).

Then 2018 began with the drama of Fire and Fury, Michael Wolff’s explosive exposé of the Trump administration, which rapidly became the book that everyone just had to have, as publisher and bookseller alike scrambled to meet unprecedented demand. These kinds of publishing stories give a sense of the excitement that new writing can elicit. But to be honest, dear reader, I don’t mind telling you that I feel a similar sensation every month when I start ordering a new month’s releases; the feeling is even more acute at the beginning of a new year as eyes become fixed on the year of books ahead. All those words yet to be read, and stories waiting to be revealed … this anticipation is part of the pleasure of working with books, and I’m happy to report that a typically mind-boggling array of new titles will arrive this year.

I begin with the excellent news that not one, but two former recipients of The Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction will deliver us new novels in 2018, the fifth year of the prize. First comes a book from the inaugural winner, Ceridwen Dovey, In the Garden of the Fugitives (Penguin, March). I’m lucky to have read this book already and I can say it is a triumph – an unsettling and unusual novel that provides a totally compelling reading experience. Then, in August, 2015’s winner, Stephanie Bishop, will give us Man Out of Time – I really couldn’t be more excited about this news, and I’m already waiting by the proverbial mailbox for a proof from Hachette (hint, hint …).

March will bring us a number of anticipated books

The most anticipated books of 2018

6February 2018


Summers is writing a memoir, also for Allen & Unwin: Becoming. Hannah Gadsby famously retired from the comedy circuit in 2017 after a sellout tour of her prize-winning show, Nanette. It’s not an unlikely leap to turn her erudition to the page; her memoir is Ten Steps to Nanette (A&U, June). The First Lady of Salads, a title I rightly bestow upon Hetty McKinnon, will have a new book in September. I’ve left out so many worthy titles due to space restrictions, so for a full list of forthcoming Australian titles due out in 2018, visit the Readings blog (readings.com.au/news).

And we are promised new books from international authors such as Melissa Broder, Rachel Kushner, Lauren Groff, Sebastian Faulks, Curtis Sittenfeld, Andrew Miller, Raymond Feist, Lisa Genova, Laura Bates, Rachel Cusk, William Gibson, Sloane Crosley, Sheila Heti, Michael Ondaatje, Kate Atkinson, Charles Frazier, Sally Vickers, Kevin Powers, Haruki Murakami, Louis de Bernieres, William Boyd, Sergio de la Pava, Madeline Miller, Olivia Laing, Soraya Chemaly, Simon Winchester, Mario Vargas Llosa, Leslie Jamison, Louis de Bernieres, Jeff VanderMeer, Jesse Ball, Meg Wolitzer, Vikram Seth, Parker Posey, Julie Andrews, Tina Turner … This is not even the half of it, dear reader: there are many omissions, including things so confidential that my contacts couldn’t tell me about them yet. Yes … that’s driving me crazy too!

But before all the rest of 2018 happens we have February’s books to discover, including Australian fiction from Jennifer Mills, whose Dyschronia adds to the literary refrains of warning around climate change; the author of 2015’s Useful (and the TV show Offspring) Debra Oswald’s new work, A Whole Bright Year; Kali Napier’s The Secrets at Ocean’s Edge; Dustfall by Michelle Johnston; The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. We have the new work of beloved Man Booker Prize-winning author Julian Barnes, The Only Story, our Fiction Book of the Month, and new novels from Lloyd Jones (The Cage) and Craig Sherborne (Off the Record). Look out for US buzz titles including An American Marriage by Tayari Jones; Oliver Loving by Stefan Merrill Block; The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin; a local edition of Carmen Maria Machado’s acclaimed

Guardian while imprisoned on Manus Island, and will publish The Long, Dark Night: Writing from Manus in June (Macmillan). Kon Karapanagiotidis, founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, will publish his memoir, Power of Hope, with HarperCollins in July. Black Inc. has some great nonfiction coming our way, including: a collection edited by Anita Heiss, Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia (April); a future classic of Australian history writing, Deep Time Dreaming: Uncovering Ancient Australia (March); and Paddy Manning’s Inside the Greens, an account of the political party that many are turning to in the current climate – both metaphorical and actual (September). Can you believe it is thirty years since Expo 88? Jackie Ryan has written We’ll Show the World (UQP, May) about that bizarre event at which I spent four memorable days with my late grandma (I still have the diary I kept! There is still time to include my analyses of the pavilions in your book, Jackie!).

I’m (almost) alone at Readings in my dispassion for AFL, but I understand that lots of people will be excited about Bob Murphy’s Leather Soul (Nero, October). Maria Tumarkin is a personal heroine of mine, so I wait patiently for May when Brow Books will publish her new book of nonfiction, Axiomatic. Scribe likens the writing of journalist Kate Wild to that of Helen Garner and Chloe Hooper: her debut is Waiting for Elijah (June); Scribe also publishes an essential critique of poker machines in Australian culture, Drew Rooke’s One Last Spin (May). NewSouth has a book from Sam Twyford-Moore, The Rapids: Ways of Looking at Mania, in the second half of the year.

Bruce Pascoe’s fabulous book about Aboriginal agriculture, Dark Emu, was published in 2014 and continues to find new readers (including young ones this year when a junior edition of the book is released in July); Magabala will publish his work of adult fiction, Imperial Harvest in October. Clementine Ford’s 2016 book, Fight Like a Girl, should be on every Australian bookshelf. Her new book, Boys Will Be Boys, will be out in the second half of the year (A&U). It explores the negative effects of patriarchy on male children. Feminist legend Anne

collection, Her Body and Other Parties; and a book-club pick from publishing’s newest intermediary, Sarah Jessica Parker, No One is Coming to Save Us by Stephanie Powell Watts. The first translation of Homer’s Odyssey by a woman (Emily Wilson) is a significant event. The beginning of the Saint Etienne Quartet by French author Sabri Louatah is Savages: the Wedding; this series is being compared to Ferrante, Knausgaard and The Wire (I know, right – wow!). Jim Crace, Lloyd Jones, Dave Eggers, and the late Sam Shepard also bring us books to start the year.

Zadie Smith’s Feel Free is our nonfiction book of the month; our reviewer compares these essays to a series of smart conversations with a friend. I really must read Smith’s take on The Buddha of Suburbia, one of the great novels of the 1990s that I plan to return to some day. Jeff Goodell’s book about our near future, The Water Will Come, terrifies with title alone. The logical next step after we’ve educated ourselves about brains, hearts and guts is The Story of Shit; and maybe after that, it’s Letting Go: How to Plan for a Good Death (though hopefully we’ve lived A Life Less Stressed before that). In spite of my admission about AFL above, even I can get on board with Roar, Samantha Lane’s story of the AFLW. The political cartoons of the late Ron Tandberg have been a source of satire and critique for over 40 years: A Year of Madness is a collection of 2017’s cartoons. Amy Goldstein’s Janesville was one of Obama’s favourite books of last year. Johann Hari’s Lost Connections will impact the discourse around depression.

And finally, dear reader, though Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari was published back in 2014 it still came in at number 12 on Readings’ 2017 bestseller list! Harari has a new book coming out in June (attention Readings warehouse: you guys need to start making space for the incoming boxes soon). If you are yet to own a copy of this breakout title, you can take advantage of our nonfiction sale this month – buy three books for the price of two on a fantastic range of titles, which includes Sapiens (and his second book, Homo Deus) and a stack of other great books to see you through the last month of summer.

Alison Huber is the head book buyer for Readings.

Clockwise from left: The Lebs by Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia edited by Anita Heiss, In the Garden of the Fugitives by Ceridwen Dovey, Pink Mountain on Locust Island by Jamie Marina Lau, The Death of Noah Glass by Gail Jones and The Shepherd’s Hut by Tim Winton.

FICTION

February Fiction

migraine-induced visions of the future since childhood, so why did she not warn the town of this impending catastrophe?

Mills conveys Sam’s increasingly confused perception of time through an appropriately nonlinear narrative structure, weaving together past, present and future to question ideas of fate and causality. Chapters move between Sam’s story and the story of the town as a collective, told in the first person plural: we. This ‘we’ makes the reader part of a group formed and bound together by our hubristic attempts – and ultimately our failure – to dominate a harsh, unforgiving landscape; we are complicit in environmental catastrophe and vulnerable to the unleashed forces of nature.

Freya Howarth is from Readings St Kilda

The Whole Bright YearDebra Oswald Viking. PB. Was $32.99

$29.99Debra Oswald has been writing since

she was a teenager and is perhaps best known for her scriptwriting for both stage and screen (she is the creator and main writer of the TV series Offspring). In

2015, Oswald released her first novel for adults, Useful, a humorous and entertaining story about finding the meaning of life. Oswald’s second foray into adult fiction is a more serious tale of what can happen when you try too hard to protect the ones you love.

Set in the summer of 1976, The Whole Bright Year, is the story of single mother Celia and her teenage daughter Zoe. Before she was born, Zoe’s father was killed in an armed robbery. Heartbroken, Celia decided to move from the city and

Australian Fiction

DyschroniaJennifer Mills Picador. PB. Was $29.99

$26.99 In recent years, a number of

Australian authors have turned their attention to the interrelated effects of climate change, the disintegration of rural communities, the

growing power of corporations and the omnipresence of social media. Lois Murphy’s Soon and Briohny Doyle’s The Island Will Sink are examples of this trend. When faced with unprecedented and alarming changes to everyday life, it makes sense that authors are seeking new ways to tell a story, borrowing elements from fantasy and science-fiction to write about an increasingly surreal reality. Jennifer Mill’s Dyschronia adds a new voice to this growing chorus.

The residents of the seaside town of Clapstone wake one morning to find that the sea has vanished, leaving behind detritus in the form of rotting sea creatures. This is just the latest in a series of setbacks and tragedies that have befallen the embattled town, and the consequences of this natural disaster play out with a frightening inevitability, as the residents struggle to survive and adapt. Although scientists fail to predict or explain the disaster, a young woman from Clapstone has seen it all happen before. Sam has suffered from

raise her daughter on a stone-fruit farm in the country. For sixteen years mother and daughter share a close bond. Things change when two itinerant workers arrive to help with the peach harvest.

Sheena has also decided to get out of the city in order to keep her younger, 18-year-old brother, Kieran, out of trouble. When Sheena’s car breaks down, the two are forced to seek work in order to pay for the repairs. Celia is at first wary of the pair, but having no other help on hand and a crop of peaches to be picked, she agrees to hire them.

Zoe and Kieran are instantly attracted to each other and a relationship develops, to the concern of both Celia and Sheena. The trouble begins when Celia, in an effort to protect her daughter, decides to take matters in hand.

Given Oswald’s background, it should come as no surprise that The Whole Bright Year is a great drama and a thoroughly enjoyable read, with a few twists and turns towards the end, just to keep the reader guessing.

Sharon Peterson is from Readings Carlton

Dustfall: A NovelMichelle Johnston UWAP. PB. $26.99

Dr Raymond Filigree, running away from a disastrous medical career, takes charge of the small hospital in the isolated town of Wittenoom, where, he discovers an asbestos mining corporation

with no regard for the safety of its workers and no care for the truth. Thirty years later, another medical fugitive, Dr Lou Fitzgerald, stumbles across the abandoned Wittenoom Hospital. Here she discovers faded letters and barely used medical equipment, and, slowly the story of the hospital’s tragic past comes to her.

Off the RecordCraig Sherborne Text. PB. $29.99

Miles Franklin shortlisted novelist, memoirist and poet Craig Sherborne is one of Australia’s finest – and most black-wittedly funny – writers. In Off the Record, former tabloid journalist

Sherborne stylishly skewers his old profession – and male vanity. When after-work drinker and dangerous flirt Callum Smith blows up his marriage after a night of drinking goes too far, he takes a pay cut to work with a new online publication covering local crime. There the plum role of editor will soon be his, he reasons. Will he win back his family? Or is a comeuppance around the corner?

The Secrets at Ocean’s EdgeKali Napier Hachette. PB. $29.99

1932. Ernie and Lily Hass, and their daughter have lost almost everything in the Depression. Abandoning their failing wheat farm and small-town gossip, they make a new start on the west coast of

Australia. Then Lily’s shell-shocked brother, Tommy, returns after three harrowing years on the road following his

incarceration. Inspired by the author’s own family history, The Secrets at Ocean’s Edge is a haunting, memorable and moving tale of one family’s search for belonging. For fans of The Light Between Oceans.

SignColin Dray A&U. PB. $29.99

Young Sam is recovering from an operation that has left him unable to speak. Their father abandoned the family long ago, but when their mother begins to date again, Aunt Dettie (who lives with them), packs

Sam and Katie into her car and tells them that she’s taking them to Perth to be reunited with their father. As they cross Australia in the middle of a sweltering bushfire season, Dettie’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic, and the children begin to realise that something is very wrong.

The Tattooist of AuschwitzHeather Morris Echo. PB. $29.99

Lale Sokolov is a well-dressed ladies’ man … and a Jew. On the first transport from Slovakia to Auschwitz in 1942, Lale stands out. In the camp, he is assigned the privileged position of tätowierer – the tattooist.

One of them is a young woman, Gita, who steals his heart. The smitten Lale does his best to use his position for good. This story, full of beauty and hope, is based on years of interviews with a real-life Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz−Birkenau tattooist.

A Week in the Life of Cassandra Aberline Glenda Guest Text. PB. $29.99

A tender, thoughtful story about a woman’s journey back to her home town − and a life-changing moment. After 45 years in Sydney, Cassandra Aberline returns to the Western Australian wheatbelt the

same way she left: on the Indian Pacific train. As they cross the emptiness of the vast Australian inland, Cassie travels back through her memories, too, frightened that she’s about to lose them − and her last chance to answer the question that has haunted her almost all her life.

International Fiction

Her Body & Other PartiesCarmen Maria Machado Serpent’s Tail. HB. $24.99

Her Body and Other Parties is an

exhilarating fiction debut – a wild, sprawling collection of stories that explore the reality of being a woman. Carmen Maria Machado draws from fairy tales, science

Julian Barnes’ writing has always dealt with the complicated notions of history and truth. We saw this clearly in his Man Booker Prize-winning title, The Sense of an Ending, which prompts the reader to ask whether truth is fundamentally elusive. In his latest beautifully succinct novel, The Only Story, Barnes raises a comparable question: is there only one love story in us all? The novel commences with protagonist Paul stating: ‘Most of us have only one story to tell. I don’t mean that only one thing happens to us in our lives: there are countless events, which we turn into countless stories. But there’s only one that matters, only one finally worth telling. This is mine.’

The novel is divided into three acts: the beguiling beginning, the middle, and the pitiful end. In each section, with the power of hindsight, Paul reflects on each inevitable crossroad he encounters. Set in London in the early 1960s, it begins with Paul as a university student, falling hopelessly and wholly in love with Mrs. Susan Macleod, a woman more than twice his age, a married mother of two nearly grown-up daughters. Paul and Susan enter an irregular relationship that lasts years.

This is not an easy story, and it reminded me, not in style, but certainly in context of Erich Segal’s 1970 Love Story. It is the pathos of young love occupied with endless possibilities but ending with an inevitable conclusion. Told

with particular heartbreak, The Only Story allows us to consider exuberance and its partner in crime, grief. In this work, Barnes forces us to reflect on the very essence of what makes a love story. Of course, he raises more questions than he answers but, surely, this is his gift to us. The Only Story will lead you to ruminate, pleasurably. Truly.

Chris Gordon is the events manager for Readings

BOOK OF THE MONTHFiction

The Only StoryJulian Barnes Jonathan Cape. HB. Was $32.99

$27.99

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fiction, queer theory, pop culture and horror to craft something that is exquisitely strange, yet devastatingly relatable.

Familiar stories and tropes are turned on their head. ‘The Husband Stitch’ opens the collection and it’s a knock-out. Machado reimagines the macabre campfire ghost tale of a woman who refuses to remove a green ribbon from around her neck, transforming it into a blistering indictment of societal expectations on women. Tucked into the middle of the book is the brilliantly inventive ‘Especially Heinous’. Structured around the first 12 seasons of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, this novella renders the well-trod beats of the ubiquitous police procedural into something otherworldly and utterly original. In Machado’s vision, the show’s continual violence against women has supernatural consequences that will haunt readers along with the characters.

Women are never safe in the world of this book. They’re assaulted or murdered, harassed by doppelgangers, haunted by ghosts, sewn into fabric. In one story, women are simply evaporating into thin air. All too frequently, it is their own bodies that betray them and Machado powerfully evokes the physicality of our lives. Her prose bubbles with energy – voracious and sensual, playful and acerbic, tender and brutal. There are moments of pure pleasure to be found; Machado has a barbed sense of humour and she writes joyously of sex: ‘I come fast and hard, like a bottle breaking against a wall’.

Machado’s book sits easily alongside the works of authors such as Angela Carter, Shirley Jackson, Helen Oyeyemi, Kelly Link and Karen Russell. As with them, she writes the kind of fiction that reveals truths about our world where non-fiction couldn’t. Her Body and Other Parties is a thrilling, queer, feminist delight; I want everyone I know to read it.

Bronte Coates is the digital content coordinator and The Readings Prizes manager

The ImmortalistsChloe Benjamin Tinder. PB. Was $32.99

$27.99 If you knew the date of your

death, how would you choose to live the rest of your life? In the late ’60s in New York’s Lower East Side, word spreads of a psychic who can predict the

date a person will die. The four Gold children visit this mysterious seer, unprepared for what they will hear and how this knowledge will define each sibling’s life.

First, we travel with Simon, who escapes his predestined role in the family business to run away to San Francisco and become a dancer. Part two follows Klara, whose childhood fascination with stage magic and the children’s mysterious grandmother leads her to a career on stage and a tenuous grip on reality following Simon’s death. Eldest son Daniel tries to control fate as an army doctor, and becomes compelled to track down the gypsy woman the children visited. Finally, the eldest, Varya, is a studious longevity researcher testing the boundaries of science and mortality but living a life paralysed by fear.

The Immortalists is a novel about fate

and agency, about family and self-identity, and the subsequent struggle between guilt and forgiveness. Mortality is something that’s never far from my mind, but The Immortalists is not about death; rather it’s about life and what we do with the time we have. Chloe Benjamin’s clear writing and clever structure weave threads of magic, destiny, Jewish lore and complex family ties into an engrossing, tender and thought-provoking journey. It’s an ideal book-group choice with plenty to unpack and discuss.

Pilgrim Hodgson is from Readings Kids

The MelodyJim Crace Picador. PB. Was $32.99

$29.99Available 13 February

It was always going to be a tough act for

Jim Crace to follow. I’d only just finished reading the astonishing Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, when I picked up The Melody to review. But of course, considering

that Jim Crace is also a Man Booker Prize-shortlister, I felt confident that he wouldn’t let me down. And, fortunately, he didn’t.

The Melody is the story of what happens when Alfred Busi – famed singer and ageing local icon – is attacked one night in his own home by a creature that he is convinced is not an animal but a child, ‘wild and innocent’.

Rumours of an ancient race of people living in the bosk surrounding his town have bubbled away for years, but news of the attack on Busi raises the hackles of the township and the decision is made to ‘move on’ the homeless who live on the town’s fringes. However, while much is being made of civic safety as a reason for moving the ‘feral wastrels’ on, it turns out that some in the town have less concern for civic safety, and more of an eye on the prize of real-estate values.

Busi’s architect nephew wants to buy his uncle’s charming but rundown home and redevelop it into a block of upmarket apartments. And given that Busi’s house backs onto the bosk, it’s in his nephew’s best interests to spearhead a campaign to get rid of the homeless. While Busi is determined not to sell, the pressure is mounting for him to sign the papers and be ‘moved on’ himself.

This is a book about the loneliness that can come with growing old, and how a chance encounter with one of society’s forgotten people will help one elderly gentleman reconnect with the world, a place that he finds puzzling and too fast-moving. This is a gentle read that slows the pulse and warms the heart.

Gabrielle Williams is from Readings Malvern

Oliver LovingStefan Merrill Block Atlantic. PB. $29.99

There are many ways to describe

the titular Oliver Loving – his mother’s favourite son, a beloved older brother to Charlie, and an aspiring poet. He has also been comatose

(perhaps even brain-dead) for close to ten years. At seventeen, Oliver was the victim of a school shooting. Now – paralysed and wordless – Oliver lies at the centre of a

town’s tragedy. Closer to home, his condition shapes the trajectory of his family’s lives. His parents and younger brother must contend with their grief and also the possibility that a new medical test will give Oliver the chance to communicate and, finally, shed some light on that fateful night.

The novel operates as a sort of murder-mystery, but instead of ‘whodunnit’ we are trying to figure out why a troubled youth turned the gun on a former class before taking his own life. As the novel progresses, more and more details are revealed, especially those connected to Rebekkah Starling, Oliver’s unrequited crush and another survivor of the shooting.

Beyond the mystery at the centre of the novel, Stefan Merrill Block is primarily concerned with exploring the destruction wreaked by grief. The characters in the novel are insufferable and self-destructive. They struggle to connect and empathise with both the mute Oliver and each other. As an exploration of the toxicity of grief, Oliver Loving is confronting; ‘warts and all’ depictions of each character can make it a difficult read at times. I found myself struggling to even like anyone in the novel, but this makes the journey more true-to-life and, ultimately, more rewarding.

Block has a crafted a lyrical, honest, and genuinely surprising novel about tragedy, grief, and families. Although not the lightest of summer reads, you don’t want to miss out on this one.

Tristen Brudy is from Readings Carlton

Savages: The WeddingSabri Louatah Corsair. PB. $29.99

Savages: The Wedding is the

first instalment in Sabri Louatah’s Saint-Etienne Quartet, a cycle of political dramas centring on an Algerian family in that region of central France. The

novel opens on the wedding day of two young third-generation French Algerians, which also happens to be the day of the French Presidential elections, at which France’s first Arab candidate is tipped to win an historic vote. The Nerrouche family has both distant and close links to the charismatic would-be President, and this dialogue-heavy novel focuses in on the diverging opinions about what role an Arab, specifically Algerian, head of state would play in the lives of marginalised families throughout France.

As is typical of French and Italian political novels, Savages is not afraid to weave discourse and dogma through the plot, which could be challenging for readers unfamiliar with European politics and its obsession with the boundaries of Left, Right and Centre. It is, however, interesting and thought-provoking to read, as an Australian, about debates around racism and colonialism happening overseas. Savages, which begins in 2005, feels intensely contemporary, recalling American and British political upheavals of 2016–17 and full of media and technology, as well as a modern concern with terrorism and political dog-whistling. In this regard, it will be intriguing to local readers who have enjoyed the political fiction and non-fiction published in the last twelve months.

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Despite its complex factual context, Savages reads mostly like a melodrama – tense, quick, gossipy, shifting between a large cast of characters as the lead up to and aftershock from the assassination of the controversial candidate propels the novel forward. Louatah leaves the story on a cliffhanger – and if the hype is true readers in the northern hemisphere are well and truly addicted. Press compares Louatah’s work to Elena Ferrante; I would say that it is more of a political thriller with less of the interiority which typifies Ferrante’s novels. In this way it has broader appeal to an audience that likes its juicy novels to be fast-paced and action-packed without scrimping on substance or dangerous ideas.

Georgia Delaney is from Readings Carlton

The Earlie King & the Kid in YellowDanny Denton Granta. PB. $29.99

A noir thriller, lyric romance and dystopian saga in one fearless debut. Ireland is flooded, derelict. It never stops raining. The Kid in Yellow has stolen the babba from the Earlie King. Why? Something to

do with the king’s daughter, and a talking statue, something godawful. And from every wall the King’s Eye watches. And yet the city is full of hearts-defiant-sprayed in yellow, the mark of the Kid. It cannot end well. Can it? Follow the Kid, hear the tale.

The Cage Lloyd Jones Text. PB. $29.99

A powerful and timely allegory about humanity, dignity and oddly justified brutality, from the Man Booker Prize-winning author of Mr Pip. Two mysterious strangers appear at a hotel in a small country

town. Where have they come from? Who are they? What catastrophe are they fleeing? The townspeople want answers, but the strangers are unable to speak of their trauma. And before long, wary hospitality shifts to suspicion and fear, and the care of the men slides into appalling cruelty.

FallowDaniel Shand Picador. PB. $17.99

Two brothers elude a press witch-hunt by hiding out in the remote wilds of highland Scotland. One of them is a murderer. But it’s the other you have to watch out for ... Daniel Shand’s brilliant debut is at once

a tense psychological thriller, and an unreliable narrative of unsettling force.

The FeedNick Clark Windo Headline. PB. $29.99

Set in a vividly imagined post-apocalyptic world, this timely debut explores what it is to be human in the digital age. The Feed can be accessed by anyone, at any time. Every interaction, every emotion, every image

can be shared through it. Tom and Kate have resisted addiction. And this will serve them well when The Feed collapses … until their six-year-old daughter goes missing. Because how do you find someone in a world devoid of technology? For fans of Station Eleven, and Black Mirror devotees.

The Girl in the TowerKatherine Arden Del Rey. PB. $32.99Available 12 February

For a young woman in medieval Russia, the choices are marriage, or life in a convent. Vasya will choose a third way: magic. The Moscow court is plagued by power struggles and forest raiders. When the Grand

Prince and his companion Sasha discover a young man on a magnificent horse, only Sasha recognises this ‘boy’ as his younger sister, thought to be dead (or a witch) … and perhaps the only way to save the city, from threats both human and fantastical.

An American MarriageTayari Jones Vintage. PB. Was $32.99

$27.99A stunning story about three people at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. Newlyweds Celestial (a budding artist) and Roy (a young executive), are beginning their lives together when

Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years, for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit. Bereft, she finds herself taking comfort in her childhood friend Andre, best man at their wedding. Then, after five years, Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Atlanta ready to resume their life together.

The Adulterants Joe Dunthorne Hamish Hamilton. HB. $35

Brace yourself for a wickedly funny look at modernity from the comic genius behind Submarine. Ray just cheated on his heavily pregnant wife and secretly despises his friends. A freelance tech

journalist, he spends his afternoons churning out listicles in his pants. But no matter how low you sink, things can always get worse ... A tale of sadistic estate agents and catastrophic open marriages, helicopter parents and internet trolls, riots on the streets of London, and one very immature man finally learning to grow up.

Enigma VariationsAndré Aciman Picador. PB. $24.99

André Aciman’s exquisite book Call me by Your Name has been the literary hit of the summer, following the rapturous acclaim for the film version, which won the audience award at last year’s

MIFF. Enigma Variations charts the life of Paul whose loves remain as consuming and covetous throughout his adulthood as

they were in his adolescence. Aciman maps the most inscrutable corners of desire, proving to be an unsparing reader of the human psyche and a master stylist of contemporary literature.

The Great AloneKristin Hannah Pan Mac. PB. $29.99

Alaska, 1974. Cora Allbright and her husband Ernt, a recently-returned Vietnam veteran, uproot their thirteen-year-old daughter Leni to start a new life. Utterly unprepared for the

weather and the isolation, but welcomed by the close-knit community, they fight to build a home in this harsh, beautiful wilderness. At once an epic story of human survival and love, and an intimate portrait of a family tested beyond endurance.

Happiness for HumansP.Z. Reizin Sphere. PB. $29.99

A quirky rom-com for fans of The Rosie Project. Jen is sad. Aiden wants her to be happy. Simple? Except that Jen is a thirty–something woman whose boyfriend has just left her and Aiden is a very

complicated, very expensive piece of software. Aiden has calculated that Jen needs a man in her life for optimum wellbeing. With the whole of the internet at his disposal, he doesn’t have to look far to find a perfect specimen. But what, exactly, makes human beings happy?

I Love You Too MuchAlicia Drake Picador. HB. $29.99Available 13 February

Seeking solace in an unlikely friendship with tear-away classmate Scarlett and the temptation of the numerous patisseries in his elegant neighbourhood, Paul searches for

unconditional love. But what will he do if he can’t find it? Alicia Drake evokes contemporary Parisian life with the subtlety of a latter day Françoise Sagan, and she captures the pains of adolescence with the poignance of Salinger’s Holden Caulfield. A devastating coming-of-age story told from the sidelines of Parisian perfection.

LullabyLeïla Slimani Faber. PB. $27.99

Published in France as Le Chanson and in the US as The Perfect Nanny, this promises to be the most zeitgeisty novel about contemporary motherhood and family since We Need to Talk About Kevin. And yes, it’s

similarly dark. The French mega-bestseller, winner of the prestigious Prix Goncourt, follows what happens when the co-dependent relationship between a Parisian couple (a French-Moroccan lawyer and her husband) and their polite, devoted nanny spectacularly implodes. The New Yorker

writes that Lullaby essentially explores ‘the neoliberal intensification of mothering’, revealing what our conceptions of motherhood do to society in the same way Rachel Cusk reveals what it does to the self. A must-read!

The Mermaid and Mrs. HancockImogen Hermes Gowar Harvill Secker. PB. $32.99

One September evening in 1785, merchant Jonah Hancock discovers one of his captains has sold his ship for what appears to be a mermaid. Its arrival spins him out of his ordinary existence and through the doors of high

society. At an opulent party, he makes the acquaintance of Angelica Neal, a courtesan of great accomplishment. This meeting will steer both their lives onto a dangerous new course, on which they will learn that priceless things come at the greatest cost.

No One is Coming to Save UsStephanie Powell Watts Viking. PB. $32.99

Though billed as an African-American, contemporary The Great Gatsby, the Washington Post asserts that ‘Watts has written a sonorous, complex novel that’s entirely her own’, in this story of a post-Jim Crow

North Carolina beset by factory decline, jobs outsourced to China, and communities (and families) changed by it all. JJ Ferguson returns home to build his dream house and to pursue his high-school sweetheart, Ava. But everyone has changed – including the married, unhappily infertile, Ava. ‘All of this is conveyed in a prose style that renders the common language of casual speech into natural poetry … an indelible story about the substance of one woman’s life.’

On the Bright SideHendrik Groen Michael Joseph. PB. $32.99

Another life-affirming, hilarious and heartwarming fictional diary from the world’s most beloved octogenarian and international bestseller, Hendrik Groen. Picking up where The Secret

Diary of Hendrik Groen left off, at the Dutch care home of the anarchic Old-But-Not-Dead Club, Hendrik describes the quirks and adventures of his fellow residents, nurses and old age in general.

The One InsideSam Shepard Vintage. PB. $27.99

This evocative narrative opens with a man in his house at dawn, coyotes cackling in the distance, as he quietly navigates the distance between present and past. He sees himself in a movie-set trailer, his

young face staring back at him in a mirror surrounded by light bulbs. In visions, he sees his late father – sometimes in miniature, sometimes at war. And, he sees the bygone America of his childhood: the

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w w w . n e w s o u t h p u b l i s h i n g . c o m

Deadly Woman Blues, stunning, original and brimming with life,

is the first of its kind. Part art book, part comic book, part biography and fully deadly, it is a unique graphic history of the black women who made Australian music. Traditional Indigenous music, spirituals, vaudeville, post-war jazz, country, gospel, soul, R&B and hip-hop have been made and re-made by these legendary women, some household names, some forgotten, some totally unknown until now.

farmland and feedlots, the railyards and diners – and his father’s young girlfriend, with whom he also became involved.

Restless SoulsDan Sheehan W&N. PB. $29.99Available 13 February

A stunning debut novel about war and loss, male friendship and the power of home. Tom, Karl and Baz grew up together in down-on-its-luck Dublin. Friends since childhood, their lives diverged when Tom left home to be a war

correspondent. Now, after three years embedded in the Siege of Sarajevo, he returns a haunted shell of the lad who went away. Karl and Baz are determined to see him through the darkness, even if it means travelling halfway around the world. Hearing about an unlikely cure – an experimental clinic called Restless Souls – they embark on a road trip across California.

They Know Not What They DoJussi Valtonen & Kristian London (trans.)Oneworld. PB. $29.99

For fans of David Mitchell and Dave Eggers (and from the boutique publisher of two of the last three Man Booker Prize winners) comes this piercing psychological satire set in the near-future, where

nothing is private and everything is for sale. When Professor Joe Chayefski’s neuroscience lab in Baltimore is attacked by animal rights activists, he receives a phone call from Alina, his Finnish ex-wife, and realises the threats are connected to Samuel, the son he left behind in Finland two decades ago – now an animal-rights activist.

The Which Way Tree Elizabeth Crook Scribe. PB. $29.99

Early one morning in the remote hill country of Texas, a panther attacks a family of homesteaders, mauling a young girl named Samantha and killing her mother, a former slave, whose final act is

to save her daughter’s life. Samantha and her half-brother, Benjamin, survive, but she is left traumatised, her face horribly scarred. Narrated in Benjamin’s beguilingly plain-spoken voice, The Which Way Tree is the story of Samantha’s relentless determination to stalk and kill the notorious panther and avenge her mother’s death.

White ChrysanthemumMary Lynn Bracht C&W. PB. $32.99

The heartbreaking story of Korea during the Second World War is brought to life in this gripping, redemptive debut about two sisters. Hana and her little sister Emi are part of an island community of haenyeo,

women who make their living from diving deep into the sea off the southernmost tip of Korea. One day Hana sees a Japanese soldier heading for where Emi is guarding the day’s

catch on the beach. Terrified for her sister, Hana swims as hard as she can for the shore. So begins the story of two sisters suddenly and violently separated by war but whose love for one another is strong enough to triumph.

Classics

The OdysseyHomer & Emily Wilson (trans.)W.W. Norton. HB. $56.95

Available late February

Having listened to Mary Beard talk

about Women & Power, starting with an incident in Homer’s The Odyssey, (‘I want to start very near the beginning of the tradition of Western literature, and its first

recorded example of a man telling a woman to “shut up”; telling her that her voice was not to be heard in public.’) my attention was caught when I heard that the first English-language translation by a woman of The Odyssey was about to be published. Clearly, this was my chance to tackle a foundation work of the Western canon that I had always managed to dodge.

Every time I mentioned to a colleague that this was the first translation by a woman of, arguably, one of the two most seminal texts of Western Anglophone literature, we all marvelled that it had never been done before. While the political aspect is fascinating, and I highly recommend reading the wonderful introduction that exemplifies why a differing viewpoint on gender and presumption is of such importance, the text itself is a rollicking, joyful and truly odd reading experience.

Emily Wilson’s translation is the same length as the original and it is in iambic pentameter. As Wilson explains, iambic pentameter is the conventional meter for English narrative verse, and the choice brings an understandable spoken-narrative verse to the English-language reader. The great strength of this translation is the way in which this familiarity of form renders the truly odd and foreign choices and actions of the ancient-Greek heroes relatable, and yet also emphasises the strangeness and distance of the text. I recommend reading it aloud to yourself. I did, in the comfort of my own lounge room, and when I stopped to return to reading quietly I missed the wonder and freedom of hearing a great story told.

Marie Matteson is from Readings Carlton

Poetry

The Alarming ConservatoryCorey Wakeling Giramondo. PB. $24.00

Acclaimed poet Corey Wakeling’s second collection continues his inquiry into language and the spatial architectures of history and culture. Set among twentieth-century ruins, the

poems are cast as hallucinations: colonial-style houses are ‘guarded by palm trees’, Royal Park ‘detains two immoveable statues’ while the ‘Wheel of Fortune dizzies’.

1 1February 2018


CRIME

Dead Write

with Fiona Hardy

meeting to sell a show he’s writing. But a terrifying TV producer and a history of defusing bombs is nothing compared to the dangers that await him. Writers are being found dead, and everything’s as suspicious as a plotline in a cop show – and Danny, even with his particular skills in dealing with problems, needs all the help he can get, including from Zan, his neighbour, editor and a possible killer herself. Perfect Criminals is a low-glitz, high-entertainment ride that might make you rethink your summer television schedule.

Redemption PointCandice FoxBantam. PB. Was $32.99

$29.99 In the Queensland town of Crimson Lake, Ted Conkaffey is settling in – as much as you can when you’re a cop struck from the force after being accused of kidnapping a teenage girl, who is now taking

on the job of a private investigator along with Amanda Pharrell, a local woman previously convicted of murder. Ted is still desperate to clear his name, but not everyone wants to hear about it, and distraction comes along when two dead bartenders are found in the Barking Fog Inn. As they work alongside Homicide’s Pip Sweeney, barrelling through her first homicide investigation, they could find the redemption they seek – or a violent end. Candice Fox’s gritty humour and tense writing once again make for a thrilling summertime read.

The Innocent WifeAmy LloydCentury. PB. $32.99

For decades, American Dennis Danson has been imprisoned for murder – a murder the public is starting to believe he didn’t commit. As documentaries and books revealing the lack of evidence and

following his plight stack up, Samantha, a British woman whose life has become dominated by the online message-boards that support him, strikes up a friendship with Dennis that turns into something much more serious when he proposes from behind bars. But the relationship that until this point was only ever experienced behind a Plexiglas wall changes considerably when someone else confesses to the crime, seeing Dennis released – and Sam’s initial thrill is replaced with the worry that this exonerated killer may not be as innocent as she thought. Another unsettling entry into Britain’s growing did-they-or-didn’t-they? psychological thriller genre.

Perfect CriminalsJimmy ThomsonAffirm Press. PB. $29.99

From a career as an army engineer in Afghanistan to a TV writer in Sydney, Danny Clay has taken an unexpected route. His past haunts his dreams, especially when he’s feeling a bit panicked about an upcoming

SeventeenHideo YokoyamaRiverrun. PB. $29.99Available 13 February

Newspaper politics go hand-in-hand with one of the world’s deadliest aviation disasters in the new book by Six Four author Yokoyama (who seems to have decided that numbers are the new ‘girl’ in titles).

Kazumasa Yuuki is a reporter and avid rock climber (yes, I was just as surprised to get two rock-climbing-based crime books in one month, giving a new meaning to ‘niche market’) who abandons a trip with a friend when a single plane crashes into a Japanese mountain and he’s put in charge of his newspaper’s coverage. Years later, he starts the same trip again, fulfilling a promise made years ago, with a new climbing partner and the weight of the past on his shoulders. Yokoyama was a journalist when the real Japan Airlines Flight 123 crashed, and the newsdesk tensions are a forensically detailed, anxiety-inducing reality, when the horror of the carnage and the thrill of the story change the lives of everyone involved.

The StakesBen SandersA&U. PB. Was $29.99

$26.99NYPD Detective Miles Keller has a pretty sweet system going on, if not an entirely legal one. Well, if you’re the type of person who doesn’t think it’s a crime to rob the wealthy criminals that cross your path, it

sounds like a good plan, and Keller knows he’ll be out of the system before anyone really works out who he is. Unless, of course, he’s waylaid by murder charges against him, such as the shooting of a hit-man – another one of those things also in that murky is-it-really-a-crime? grey area. But the charges could really put a spanner in the works, especially when the dead hit-man’s cousin is hired to retrieve Nina Stone, the wife of an LA crime boss, and someone who’s passed through Keller’s life before. She’s got an offer for Keller, and sure, the stakes are high, but since when did that bother him? Another fast-paced, thrillingly entertaining tale from New Zealand’s bestselling Ben Sanders.

This I Would Kill ForAnne BuistText. PB. $29.99

When psychiatrist Natalie King is asked to be an expert witness in a custody battle between Jenna and Malik for their daughter Chelsea, it’s the kind of low-key thing she’s interested in now that

she’s pregnant. However, since this is a crime book and not a resumé, things aren’t quite as smooth as she expects, and while she grapples with her own personal problems, she has to use all her skills to find out which parent is telling the truth about the danger the other represents to their child. Who is lying? What if neither of them are lying – or both? Anne Buist, the chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, lays bare the

Sometimes, when reading a gripping crime novel, you feel almost paralysed with helplessness as things go terribly wrong for your protagonist and all you can do is read in a panic as the author leads them to certain doom.

This feeling is crystallised in If I Die Before I Wake, when, from the very first page, we are in the mind of Alex Jackson, a journalist and rock-climber who is confined to a hospital bed eighteen months after falling from a rock-face and suffering a catastrophic head injury.

one thing is becoming clear – what happened to Alex was no accident

The trauma has left him in what others consider a vegetative state, but Alex is fully aware – he can hear, and smell, and when his muscles involuntarily open his eyes, he can even see a little. None of the tests are showing any sign of this, and those who love him are starting to consider that he will never wake. Just as Alex comes to term with it himself, wishing death over this version of life, there’s a shift in what’s happening around him. Secrets are unfurling, overheard visits get more cryptic, but one thing is becoming clear – what happened to Alex was no accident.

Emily Koch has done a superb job of strapping you down and holding you in place, able only to piece together information from snippets of conversation between friends, gossiping nurses, family spats and mournful girlfriends. Alex’s partner, Bea, is starting to worry that someone is following her. Alex’s climbing mate Tom and his girlfriend Rosie are endlessly indecisive about what should be happening. Alex’s sister is angry about a rift from years before that will never heal. Alex, able only to be talked at and never able to respond, can’t take notes, can’t always guarantee his body won’t lull him to sleep or get distracted, and, if no one speaks, is sometimes only left with smell and noise cues to figure out who is in his room – and why they might be there. This makes for an enthralling, read-between-your-fingers story, where the protagonist can’t blunder in, guns blazing, at just the right time, but is left with his wits and determination to figure out what went on that day on the rocks – and what is happening right now.

BOOK OF THE MONTHCrime

If I Die Before I Wake Emily KochHarvill Secker. PB. $32.99

emotional carnage of these battles in this harrowing thriller.

This is What HappenedMick HerronJohn Murray. PB. $29.99

Sometimes, as a bookseller, it’s so hard to promote books whose surprises are so integral to the plot that all you can do is shove the book helplessly at a customer and say, ‘It’s good because it is.’ With Gold

and Steel Dagger-winning Mick Herron’s This is What Happened, it’s much the same. Maggie, a young woman who has escaped small-town England for London, has an unassuming job and lives a dull, quiet life. When she’s approached by MI5 to indulge in a touch of corporate espionage in her own company, she takes on the challenge. And that is about all we can say: the rest of it is such a surprising, enthralling spy thriller, full of red herrings (red Herrons? Sorry.) Give yourself the afternoon off and settle in.

Zen and the Art of MurderOliver BottiniMacLehose. PB. $32.99

A Japanese monk arrives in a German town, unnervingly silent and dressed only in a cowl. When the town’s inhabitants are frightened into action, a local police officer is dispatched to speak to him, getting no

response but discovering, nonetheless, that the monk is wounded. When Louise Boni – chief inspector with the Black Forest crime squad and your suitably unstable protagonist – joins the investigation, it’s all she can do to follow the monk as he walks purposefully through the German snow in his sandals. Uncovering his motivations – what he’s walking towards, or away from – leads Boni’s team to a horrific crime and deadly consequences. A beautifully translated thriller in which snow is not quite the salve to an Australian summer that we wish it to be.

Also out this month: a local release of the New York Times bestseller, The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn; some books with short titles including Joe Ide’s Righteous (W&N, PB, $29.99), James Lee Burke’s Robicheaux (Orion, PB, $29.99), Robert Crais’ The Wanted (S&S, PB, $32.99), Alafair Burke’s The Wife (Faber, PB, $29.99), Nadia Dalbuono’s The Extremist (Scribe, PB, $29.99), and Anton Svensson’s The Sons (Sphere, PB, $29.99); some man-based books in Jack Heath’s Hangman (A&U, PB, $29.99) and Alan Drew’s Shadow Man (Corvus, PB, $29.99); Alan Parks’ seasonal release Bloody January (Canongate, PB, $29.99). And a whole lot more including Eva Dolan’s This Is How It Ends (Raven, PB, $27.99); C. J. Tudor’s surely-a-movie-soon The Chalk Man (Michael Joseph, PB, $32.99), Peter May’s I’ll Keep You Safe (Riverrun, PB, $32.99), Karen Cleveland’s Need to Know (Bantam, PB, $32.99), Nicolás Obregón’s Sins As Scarlet (Michael Joseph, PB, $32.99), Karen Ellis’s A Map of the Dark (Mulholland, PB, $29.99), Andrea Camilleri’s The Pyramid of Mud (Mantle, PB, $32.99), Greer Hendricks’ & Sarah Pekkanen’s The Wife Between Us (Pan Mac, PB, $29.99), Sarah Vaughan’s Anatomy of a Scandal (S&S, PB, $29.99), W.R. Dean’s Dark Pines (Oneworld, PB, $24.99), and Laura Carlin’s The Wicked Cometh (H&S, PB, $29.99).

February Nonfiction

Midawarr Harvest: The Art of Mulkun Wirrpanda and John WolseleyWill Stubbs & John Wolseley (eds.)National Museum of Australia. HB. $49.95

Two artists, two completely different approaches, but one abiding passion — to celebrate the natural bounty to be found in the floodplains, swamps, savannas and woodlands of northern

Australia. Mulkun Wirrpanda and John Wolseley, her adopted wäwa (brother), have created a powerful body of works depicting many of the edible plants of north-east Arnhem Land.

Australian Studies

Australia: The Vatican Museum’s Indigenous CollectionKatherine Aigner (ed.)Aboriginal Studies Press. PB. $40

From the ancient Etruscans and Romans, to the Renaissance masters of Michelangelo and Raphael, the Vatican Museums represent an aspect of the history of

humanity through art. The Indigenous Australian collection is a little known or explored part of that story. Among some of the earliest-known documentations of Australian Indigenous cultures, the

Art & Design

Living on WaterPhaidon EditorsPhaidon. HB. $59.95Available 14 February

A sumptuous global survey of houses built with strong connections to the oceans, lakes, rivers, and pools around them. These homes have been designed

with water as a fundamental key to their very essence – whether built with a water view, built on water itself, or built to be reflected in water – and the results are stunning. Perfect hot-weather browsing material.

Gustav Klimt at HomePatrick Bade Frances Lincoln. HB. $49.99

Gustav Klimt at Home explores the influences of Vienna – and other places Klimt travelled to and called home. Klimt was one of the most prominent members

of the Vienna Secession movement. He was both influenced by and shaped the city at the turn of the century. Trips to Venice and Ravenna, as well as annual summers on the shores of Attersee, were a source of inspiration and influence. This fully illustrated book features paintings, archive imagery and photographs of the surrounding city and landscape.

collection includes the earliest extant set of Pukumani poles from Melville and Bathurst Islands, alongside more recent contributions of artworks and cultural objects. You’ll discover materials never yet exhibited in Australia.

The Suitcase BabyTanya Bretherton Hachette. PB. $32.99

In 1920s Sydney, dead babies were regularly turning up in public places. Mostly murdered by their mothers, they were a devastating symptom of changing morals and a growing

metropolis. One of these babies turned up on a harbour beach – and from there, an extraordinary story unfolded. Police tracked down Sarah Boyd, the mother of the suitcase baby. The subsequent murder trial of Sarah and her friend Jean Olliver became a media sensation. Sociologist Tanya Bretherton masterfully tells their complex tale, in this gripping true-crime tragedy.

This Time: Australia’s Republican Past and FutureBenjamin T. Jones Redback. PB. $22.99

Benjamin T. Jones charts a path to an independent future, revealing the fascinating early history of the Australian republican movement of the 1850s and its larger-than-life characters.

He shows why we need a new model for a transformed, multicultural nation, and discusses the best way to choose an Australian head of state. With republicans leading every government around the nation, the time is ripe for change.

Trump in Asia: The New World Disorder – Australian Foreign Affairs, Issue 2Jonathan Pearlman Black Inc. PB. $22.99Available 19 February

The second issue of Australian Foreign Affairs (from the publishers of Quarterly Essay) examines the United States’ sudden shift from the Asia Pivot to America First. It provides insights

into Donald Trump’s White House and explores how his unpredictable approach to international affairs is affecting the volatile Asian region. Essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the issues facing Canberra as Australia’s closest ally recasts its alliances.

A Year of MadnessRon TandbergWilkinson. PB. $29.99

Ron Tandberg began producing cartoons for metropolitan newspapers in 1972, when the great Graham Perkin decided to use his work as an integral

part of the layout of the front page of The Age. His insightful cartoons cut through to the essence of the big news stories of the day with razor-like humour. Tandberg’s work has been recognised with eleven Walkley awards including two Gold Walkleys. This final collection showcases Tandberg’s irascible take on 2017, a year of madness like no other.

The Battle Within: POWs in Post War AustraliaChristina Twomey NewSouth. PB. $39.99

This landmark book follows the stories of 15,000 Australian prisoners of war, from their release by the Japanese at the end of World War II. Prize-winning historian Christina Twomey

finds that official policies and attitudes towards these men were equivocal and arbitrary for almost 40 years. The image of a defeated, emaciated soldier held prisoner by people of a different race did not sit well with the mythology of Anzac. Drawing on the records of the Prisoner of War Trust Fund for the first time, this book presents the struggles of returned prisoners in their own words.

Biography

BraveRose McGowan HQ. PB. $29.99

Rose McGowan was one of the loudest, angriest voices in the Harvey Weinstein affair – and this revealing memoir and empowering manifesto is perfectly timed for our moment in history.

McGowan was born in one cult (Children of God) and came of age in another, more visible one: Hollywood. Stardom soon became a personal nightmare of constant exposure and sexualisation. Hollywood expected Rose to be silent and cooperative. Instead, she rebelled. This is a pull-no-punches account of the rise of a millennial icon, fearless activist, and unstoppable force for change.

Fire on All SidesJames Rhodes Quercus. PB. $32.99 See page 23 for the companion CD

For many who suffer from depression or anxiety, the simple act of having to appear ‘normal’, is a daunting, painful and heroic task. James Rhodes attempts to find how to make the unbearable bearable in the most

exposing circumstances imaginable. As he embarks on a gruelling five-month concert tour, the tortuous voices in his mind are his constant companions: he has no choice but to face these wild ramblings head-on. Luckily, there is the music. Bach, Chopin, Beethoven – they are his holy grail, his mechanism for survival. Just.

Zadie Smith’s new collection brings together eight years of eclectic cultural essays written ‘during the eight years of the Obama presidency’.

In her foreword, she is specific about this period, and how it shaped her work: specifically, the ‘ambivalence’ it explores, about life, art, and what the intersection between the two tells us (or attempts to discover) about being human. As she suggests, it’s already a reminder of a time when public intellectuals could afford to wrestle with ambiguities.

There’s a typically revealing reflection on Get Out. (‘Peele has found a concrete metaphor for the ultimate unspoken fear: that to be oppressed is not so much to be hated as to be obscenely loved … in place of the old disgust comes a new form of cannibalism.’) The text of the inaugural Philip Roth Lecture takes us inside the art of novel-writing, and the place of ‘I’ within it – the ‘clean bullets of lived experience’ buried in even the most unautobiographical fiction. She channels Billie Holliday (exquisite!) and communes with Joni Mitchell. In one of my favourite pieces, Smith fangirls over Hanif Kureishi’s The Buddha of Suburbia, and how it influenced her reading and writing. ‘I didn’t know you could speak to a reader like this, as if they were your equal – as if they were a friend.’

It’s a privilege and a thrill to be invited in to these moments of connection and reaction. It’s the kind of writing that inspires you to seek out or revisit what she’s engaging

with, but also to take her myriad observations and apply them to your own reading and writing. Feel Free is like a series of amazing conversations about culture at your favourite pub, with that smarter-than-you, cooler-than-you friend who speaks with you (never at you) as if you were their equal.

Jo Case is from Readings Doncaster

BOOK OF THE MONTHNonfiction

Feel Free: EssaysZadie Smith Hamish Hamilton. PB. Was $35

$29.99

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NONFICTION

The Line Becomes a RiverFrancisco Cantú Bodley Head. PB. $29.99Available 12 February

Descended from Mexican immigrants, Francisco Cantú was a US Border Patrol agent from 2008 to 2012. He worked in the desert along the Mexican border, at the remote crossroads of drug routes and smuggling

corridors, tracking humans through blistering days and frigid nights across a vast terrain, detaining the exhausted and the parched, and hauling in the dead. Haunted by nightmares, he abandoned the Patrol for civilian life, but when an immigrant friend is caught on the wrong side of the border, Cantú faces a final confrontation with a world he believed he had escaped.

When They Call You a TerroristPatrisse Khan-Cullors & Asha BandeleCanongate. PB. $29.99Available 7 February

From one of the co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement comes a powerful poetic memoir and reflection on humanity. Leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement have been called terrorists, a

threat to America. But they are loving women whose life experiences have led them to seek justice for those victimised by the powerful. In this meaningful account of survival, strength and resilience, Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele seek to change the culture that declares innocent black life expendable.

Cultural Studies

The Monk of MokhaDave Eggers Hamish Hamilton. PB. $32.99

A vitally important journalistic account of the ongoing Yemeni civil war. Documenting his first-hand research over the past couple of years, Dave Eggers presents an unflinching portrait of the conflict in Yemen.

Imbuing his subject with drama, urgency and compulsive readability, Eggers throws a much-needed spotlight on an ongoing crisis.

Janesville: An American StoryAmy Goldstein S&S. PB. $24.99

This intricately reported, intimate account of one Mid-Western industrial town’s decline and survival was on Obama’s Best Books 2017 ‘playlist’ – and other fans include Bob ‘Watergate’ Woodward, who calls it

‘a gripping story of psychological defeat and resilience’. Amy Goldstein follows the closing of a General Motors assembly plant in Janesville, Wisconsin, and how it tells a larger story of the hollowing of the American middle class. But it’s not the familiar tale. Most observers record the immediate shock of vanished jobs, but few stay around long enough to notice what happens next when a community with a can-do spirit tries to pick itself up.

Radical Happiness: Moments of Collective JoyLynne Segal Verso. PB. $24.99

With new ways to measure contentment, we’re told that we have a right to individual joy. But at what cost? In an age of increasing individualism, we have never been more alone and miserable. But what

if the true nature of happiness can only be found in others? In Radical Happiness, leading feminist thinker Lynne Segal shows that only in the revolutionary potential of coming together it is that we can come to understand the powers of flourishing.

The Story of Shit Midas Dekkers & Nancy Forest-Flier (trans.)Text. PB. $32.99

A wonderfully wry, erudite and altogether charming investigation into the most rarely discussed of bodily functions: defecation. Dutch biologist Midas Dekkers presents a personal, cultural,

scientific, historical and environmental account of shit, from the digestive process and the fascinating workings of the gut, to the act of defecation and toilet etiquette. With irreverent humour and a compelling narrative style, Dekkers brings a refreshing, entertaining and illuminating perspective to a once-taboo subject.

Environmental Studies

The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World Jeff Goodell Black Inc. PB. $34.99

After witnessing the devastation

from Hurricane Sandy which wreaked havoc on the East Coast of the United States, Cuba and parts of the Caribbean in 2012, Rolling Stone journalist Jeff Goodell

headed to Miami to investigate how rising sea levels are endangering this particularly low-lying city. The article he wrote appeared under the headline ‘Goodbye, Miami’ and the dire situation he stumbled into became the basis for this book about climate change, sea-level rise, sinking cities and the inability of human beings to adapt with enough speed.

Thankfully this isn’t just a story about the developed world; Goodell also travels to Nigeria and visits the water slums where tens of thousands of people have already been forced by sea-level rise to live and work in shacks on stilts. At the Paris climate talks Goodell interviewed Tony De Brum, the foreign minister of the Republic of the Marshall Islands where an entire culture is under threat from rising seas, soil salinisation and fresh water contamination and whose population has done almost nothing to contribute to the CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Even when he writes about wealthy cities like Miami and Venice, Goodell is very aware that it is the poorest residents that will suffer the most.

This book is a glimpse into the very near future and, worryingly, it is not necessarily a call to arms about drastically cutting fossil-fuel emissions because, even in the unlikely event this were to happen, when it comes to sea level rise, unfortunately most of the damage has been done and the wheels have been set in motion. Rather, this book is a fascinating and disturbing investigation into what engineering solutions are currently being employed, the corrupt politics behind them, and, tragically, their likely futility.

Kara Nicholson is from Readings Carlton

History

The Amorous Heart: An Unconventional History of LoveMarilyn Yalom Basic Books. HB. $39.99Available 13 February

An eminent scholar unearths the captivating history of the two-lobed heart symbol, shedding light on how we have expressed love since antiquity. Marilyn Yalom tracks the heart metaphor and

iconography across two thousand years, through Christian theology, pagan love poetry, medieval painting, Shakespearean drama, Enlightenment science, and into the present. She argues that the symbol reveals a tension between love as romantic and sexual on the one hand, and as religious and spiritual on the other.

The Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe's Libraries and the Race to Return a Literary InheritanceAnders Rydell Penguin. PB. $27.99

For readers of The Monuments Men, this is the story of the Nazis’ systematic pillaging of Europe’s libraries, and the small team of heroic librarians now working to return the stolen books to their rightful

owners. When the Nazi soldiers ransacked Europe’s libraries and bookshops, large and small, the books they stole were not burned, but compiled in a Nazi library that they could use to wage an intellectual war on literature and history. Armed with extensive new research that includes records saved by the Monuments Men themselves, Anders Rydell joins the effort to return the stolen books.

Hannibal’s Oath: The Life and Wars of Rome’s Greatest EnemyJohn Prevas Da Capo. HB. $39.99Available 13 February

From an internationally acknowledged expert on Hannibal comes the first full biography of Rome’s enigmatic nemesis in over 20 years, exploring Hannibal's extraordinary character in the context of his

legendary success and ultimate failure. In this new biography, John Prevas reveals the truth behind the myths of Hannibal’s life, wars, and character: from his childhood in Carthage to his training in military camps in Spain, crossing of the Alps, spectacular victories in Italy, humiliating defeat in the North African desert, banishment from Carthage, and suicide.

Under the KnifeArnold van de Laar John Murray. PB. $32.99

The history of surgery in 28 famous operations – from Louis XIV to JFK, and from Einstein to Houdini. Surgeon Arnold Van de Laar uses his own experience and expertise to tell the witty history of the past,

present and future of surgery. What happens during an operation? How does the human body respond to being attacked by a knife, a bacterium, a cancer cell or a bullet? And, as medical advances continuously push the boundaries of what medicine can cure, what are the limits of surgery?

We Are Here: Talking With Australia’s Oldest Holocaust SurvivorsFiona Harari Scribe. PB. $29.99

When Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, he quickly began to realise his dream of a racially superior nation free of ‘inferior’ groups. His goal included the eradication of European

Jewry. By 1945, almost two in three European Jews were dead. Now, the last of those adult survivors have reached an age once considered unattainable. They outlasted Nazism, and have outlived most of their contemporaries. Eighteen of these Australians, originally from all over Europe, tell what it is like to have lived through – and beyond – those years.

Music

Deadly Woman Blues: Black Women & Australian MusicClinton Walker NewSouth. HB. $49.99

Stunning, original and brimming with life, this part art book, part comic book, part biography (full deadly) is the first of its kind: a unique graphic history of the black women who

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NONFICTION

made Australian music. Traditional Indigenous music, spirituals, vaudeville, post-war jazz, country, gospel, soul, R&B and hip-hop. In this album of portraits, the long-awaited follow-on from Clinton Walker’s classic Buried Country, more than one hundred amazing artists are reborn.

Symphony of Seduction: The Great Love Stories of Classical ComposersChristopher Lawrence Nero. PB. $29.99

What was love like for the people who could really feel that song coming on? The much-loved Christopher Lawrence tells of the romantic misadventures, tragedies and

occasional triumphs of some of classical music’s great composers, and traces the music that emerged as a result. He takes what we know about these love-crazed geniuses and adds a garnish of imagined pillow talk to recreate stories that are ultimately stranger than fiction – and come with a great soundtrack. See page 23 for the companion CD.

Personal Development

Brain Rules for Ageing Well: 10 Principles for Staying Vital, Happy, and SharpJohn Medina Scribe. PB. Was $32.99

$29.99In his previous bestseller, Brain Rules, developmental molecular biologist Dr. John Medina showed us how our brains really work – and why we ought to redesign our workplaces and

schools to match. In Brain Rules for Ageing Well, he shares how you can make the most of the years you have left. It takes an overview of the ageing brain, hones in on the ‘feeling brain’, then the ‘thinking brain’ and how they change with time, and finishes with an alternately joyful and serious section on your brain’s future.

Letting Go: How to Plan For a Good DeathDr. Charlie Corke Scribe. PB. $29.99

As Australia’s population ages, many individuals are faced with making complex medical decisions, for themselves and for others, in times of great stress. Letting Go is an important and timely

guide through the kinds of decisions that individuals, families, and medical personnel face in a medical crisis. It shows us how to start thinking about our end-of-life stage before we get there; how to make an advanced-care plan that will help people make decisions on our behalf; and how we can maintain our dignity and autonomy for as long as possible.

Discover your next favourite

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock

Imogen Hermes GowarIn 1785, a merchant hears

urgent knocking on his front door. One of his captains has sold his ship for what appears

to be a mermaid.

Feel Free: Essays Zadie Smith

Dazzlingly insightful, explosively funny. Zadie

Smith is back with a second collection of essays.

The Only Story Julian Barnes

From the Man Booker Prize-winning author of The Sense of an Ending.

The Whole Bright Year Debra Oswald

From the creator of ‘Offspring’ and author

of Useful.

“Every moment happens twice: inside and outside, and they are

two different histories.”ZADIE SMITH WHITE TEETH

Read more at penguin.com.au

www.panmacmillan.com.au

DYSCHRONIAJennifer Mills One morning, the residents of a small coastal town somewhere in Australia wake to discover the sea has disappeared. Blazing with questions of consciousness, trust, and destiny, this is a wildly imaginative and extraordinary novel from award-winning author Jennifer Mills.

THE GREAT ALONEKristin HannahFrom the bestselling author of The Nightingale, comes a glimpse into a vanishing way of life in America. Set in Alaska in 1974, The Great Alone is at once an epic story of human survival and love, and an intimate portrait of a family tested beyond endurance.

THE ECONOMISTS’ DIETChristopher Payne & Rob BarnettTwo professional men in their forties got obese without meaning to. This is their no-nonsense advice on how they shed the weight and kept it off. By applying economic concepts, The Economists’ Diet provides simple weight loss solutions from a male perspective.

THE HARPER EFFECT Taryn BashfordSixteen-year-old Harper has been ditched by her tennis coach, her sister isn’t speaking to her and she’s pining for the boy next door. As her heart and dreams pull her in different directions, she has to figure out exactly what she wants. And just how hard she’s willing to fight to get it.

A Life Less Stressed: Five Pillars of Health and WellnessDr. Ron Ehrlich Scribe. PB. $35

Life has never been more stressful. It’s no coincidence that chronic degenerative disorders such as cancer, heart disease, autoimmune illnesses, and mental-health conditions are on the

rise. Health advocate Ron Ehrlich untangles how problems in one part of the body are intimately connected to the whole, and how we as individuals are inextricably linked to our own environment. A guide to strengthening the five pillars – sleep, breathing, nutrition, movement, and thought – that support our health.

The Motivation Hoax: A Smart Person’s Guide to Inspirational NonsenseJames Adonis Nero. PB. $24.99

Everywhere you look there’s a motivational quote to greet you. Dreams can come true! Happiness is a journey! You can do anything! But how many of these are accurate? Which of them are based on evidence

you can actually trust? The answer is depressing: not many at all. The Motivation Hoax exposes and unravels the nonsense that permeates the inspiration industry, and in its place offers a suite of tools and insights that are reliable, credible and, most importantly, tested.

Thinking is Overrated: Empty Brain - Happy BrainNiels Birbaumer & Jörg ZittlauScribe. PB. $27.99

Few things scare us more than inner emptiness. The presumed emptiness of coma or dementia scares us so much that we even sign living wills to avoid these states. Yet as zen masters have long

known, inner emptiness can also be productive and useful. Leading brain researcher Niels Birbaumer explains how to overcome the evolutionary attentiveness of your brain and take a break from thinking – a skill that’s more important than ever in an increasingly frantic world.

Philosophy

More Than Happiness: Buddhist and Stoic Wisdom for a Sceptical AgeAntonia Macaro Icon. HB. $24.99

An inspiring, critical and practical look at what we can learn from ancient wisdom. The goal is more than happiness: it’s living ethically and placing value on the right things in life.

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anyone who wonders how the situation on the Korean peninsula has deteriorated to the point it is today.

Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White HouseMichael WolffLittle, Brown. PB. Was $32.99

$29.99Already in reprints around the world, the book that everyone’s been talking about, every day, is here!

With extraordinary access to the Trump White House, bestselling author

Michael Wolff tells the inside story of the first nine months of the most controversial presidency of our time. Brilliantly reported, shocking, and astoundingly fresh, Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury shows us how and why Donald Trump has become the king of discord and disunion.

Psychology

Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression and the Unexpected SolutionsJohann Hari Bloomsbury. PB. $27.99

Award-winning journalist Johann Hari (Chasing the Scream) suffered from depression since he was a child and started taking antidepressants when he was a teenager. As an

adult, he learned that almost everything we have been told about depression and anxiety is wrong. Hari s journey took him from a life-threatening experience in Vietnam, to an Amish community in Indiana, to an uprising in Berlin – all illustrating these insights in vivid and dramatic detail. Just as Chasing the Scream transformed the global debate about addiction, The Lost Connections will radically change the debate about depression and anxiety.

The Other Side of Happiness Brock Bastian Allen Lane. PB. $35

In the modern world, we have become addicted to positivity. We try to eradicate pain through medication and by insulating ourselves from risk and offence. Yet social psychologist

Brock Bastian shows that hardship and sadness are neither antithetical to pleasure nor incidental: they are necessary for happiness. Here, he draws on psychology, neuroscience and internationally acclaimed research from his own laboratory to demonstrate how difficult experiences are ultimately proven to make us stronger, happier and more connected to those around us.

Buddhism and Stoicism have a lot to offer modern readers seeking the good life, but they’re also radical systems that ask much of their followers. Antonia Macaro delves into both philosophies, focusing on the elements that fit with our sceptical age, and those with the potential to make the biggest impact on how we live.

Politics

The Dawn of Eurasia: Following the New Silk Road Bruno Maçães Allen Lane. HB. $49.99

In this original and timely book, Bruno Maçães argues that the best word for the emerging global order is ‘Eurasian’, and shows why we need to begin thinking on a super-continental

scale. Weaving together history, diplomacy and vivid reports from his six-month overland journey across Eurasia from Baku to Samarkand, Vladivostock to Beijing, Maçães provides a fascinating portrait of this shifting geopolitical landscape.

Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2001-2016Steve Coll Allen Lane. PB. $35

Following on from the Pulitzer Prize-winning Ghost Wars, this takes up the story of America’s grim involvement in the affairs of Afghanistan, from 2001 to 2016. ‘Directorate S’ was a

highly secretive arm of the Pakistan state with its own views on the Taliban, and Afghanistan’s place in a wider competition for influence between Pakistan, India and China – and which assumed, post-9/11, that the US and its allies would soon be leaving. Steve Coll's remarkable new book tells a powerful, bitter story of just how badly foreign policy decisions can go wrong and of many lives lost.

Korea: Where the American Century BeganMichael Pembroke Hardie Grant. PB. $32.99

The failed invasion of North Korea by US-led forces in late 1950 (and the unrelenting three-year long bombing campaign of North Korean cities, towns and villages) help explain why the

Pyongyang regime has been determined to develop a credible nuclear deterrent. The first Korean War became the first of America’s failed modern wars; and its first modern war with China. This lucid book should be compulsory reading for

This year we are all embracing food sustainability and humane food experiences; we are going be eating flowers and we will be eating the entire vegetable, root to tip. We are eating plants of any colour, we are eating meat from animals that run free, and we are all, apparently, going to be looking very well and feeling as if we could change the world with a single tweet. Cookbooks that reflect the 2018 trends include beauties like Celia Brooks’ SuperVeg which celebrates the power of the 25 healthiest vegetables on the planet. (Fried potato, sadly, did not make the list, but watercress is in!) Completely in vogue is Hayley McKee’s Sticky Fingers, Green Thumb which invites your imagination to travel out of the kitchen and into the garden. Here are recipes that use edible flowers with notes on how to utilise their unique flavours, prep them for baking and even grow them yourself. (Truly, it’s not that hard.)

We are eating plants of any colour, we are eating meat from animals that run free, and we are all, apparently, going to be looking very well and feeling as if we could change the world with a single tweet.

There are cookbooks coming from our favourite bars and restaurants. These include CIBI (‘a little one’) which is a book on home-style Japanese cooking, inspired by the eponymous Melbourne café and design space created by Meg and Zenta Tanaka. Just around the corner from there lies one of my favourite Melbourne bars, Naked for Satan. This place has become a landmark destination that epitomises the distinctive Melbourne restaurant/bar scene. In this gorgeous book of the same name are recipes that call out to be shared by all of your nearest and dearest.

If you are purely looking for an overview of our country’s wonderful dining places, wait for the gorgeous edition of Flavours of Australia which includes dishes from the best restaurants, cafes, producers and hotels across all our states and territories. And let us not forget the massive influence that the Country Women’s Association has had on our culinary tastes: Tried, Tested and True: Treasured Recipes and Untold Stories from Australian Community Cookbooks is based on extensive research by Liz Harfull. She brings to light previously untold stories about community cookbooks and the people who created them.

We are heading back in time with one-pot meals that hark back to our grandparents’ era. One Knife, One Pot, One Dish: Simple French Cooking at Home by eminent chef and writer Stéphane Reynaud allows us to consider meals that have been in families for generations and are honest, sustainable, and delicious. And, as we know, in the end cooking is all about who is sitting around the table so I’m thrilled that Hetty McKinnon has a new collection coming out later in the year titled, simply, Family.

Food & Gardening

with Chris Gordon

Science

When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect TimingDaniel H. Pink Text. PB. $32.99

Daniel H. Pink, the bestselling author of Drive, unlocks the scientific secrets to good timing to help you flourish at work, at school, and at home. Everyone knows that timing is everything. But we

don’t know much about timing itself. Pink shows that timing is not an art, but a science. Drawing on a rich trove of research from psychology, biology, and economics, Pink reveals how best to live, work, and succeed.

Sport

RoarSamantha Lane Michael Joseph. PB. Was $34.99

$29.99The inaugural season of the AFL Women’s league was a game-changer for Australian sport – and for Australia, culturally. When women joined the nation’s biggest and most popular sporting code as

players, it gave them licence to become legitimate football heroes. It was personal, political, proud and powerful. With unique insights from award-winning journalist Samantha Lane, including previously untold details behind AFLW’s birth, Roar tells the remarkable tales of a group of trailblazers.

Travel Writing

The Colossus of New YorkColson Whitehead Fleet. PB. $19.99

In this dazzlingly original book, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad recreates the exuberance, the chaos, the promise, and the heartbreak of New York. Colson

Whitehead conveys with almost uncanny immediacy the feelings and thoughts of long-time residents and of newcomers who dream of making it their home; of those who have conquered its challenges; and of those who struggle against its cruelties. Whitehead weaves individual voices into a jazzy musical composition that perfectly reflects the way we experience this gloriously storied city.

1 6February 2018


Young Adult

In Neal Shusterman’s latest dark, dystopian epic, Scythe, the age of mortality is over. All inhabitants of earth are now immune from disease, old age and even suicide in their stable, AI-governed utopia which ensures that famine and war will never occur again. The world’s population now lives in total harmony; all knowledge has been acquired and there is nothing left to learn. However, in order to combat the ever-growing population within this utopia, appointed Scythes must carry out random ‘gleanings’ – true deaths from which one cannot be revived.

The world that Shusterman has created is not like anything I’ve read in a YA novel before; it’s dark, philosophical and sometimes incredibly funny.

The novel follows Rowan Damisch and Citra Terranova, two normal 16-year-olds who by chance witness a gleaning performed by the Honourable Scythe Faraday. Impressed by both Rowan and Citra’s compassion and strength during their chance encounter,

Scythe Faraday offers them both an apprenticeship, after which one of them will become a Scythe. After they both begrudgingly accept the offer, they are thrown into the mysterious world of Scythedom where they must learn the deadly art of Killcraft and witness numerous gleanings.

Over the course of their apprenticeship, both Rowan and Citra begin to learn that not all Scythes are alike and that Scythedom may not be as noble as they have been lead to believe. So, when a new order of Swcythes emerges that takes pleasure in some of the most brutal gleanings imaginable, they are both left to question where their place will lie within Scythedom. If, that is, they survive their apprenticeship.

Scythe is an incredibly original book. The world that Shusterman has created is not like anything I’ve read in a YA novel before; it’s dark, philosophical and sometimes incredibly funny. Given the violent content – the body count is astronomic – it’s perhaps best for sci-fi fanatics aged 14 and up.

Alistair Mathieson Lynn is from Readings Malvern

BOOK OF THE MONTHYoung Adult

ScytheNeal Shusterman Walker. PB. $16.99

maybe at the end of the garden. But the faeries here are beautiful and twisted and you never know what is about to happen. Both romantic and dark, this is an addictive new series for lovers of urban fairy tales aged 14 and up.

Julia Gorman is from Readings Kids

The Hazel WoodMelissa AlbertPuffin. PB. $17.99

Stay away from the

Hazel Wood was the warning Alice’s mother Ella left before she vanished.

Bad luck isn’t new to Alice and Ella though, and they’ve spent years

on the move doing their best to stay one step ahead of it. But when word reaches Ella that her mother – the reclusive author of a cult book of fairy tales whom her granddaughter Alice has never met – has died alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Ella assumes their losing streak is behind them.

Then strange characters who claim to come from the Hinterland, the twisted wonderland where her grandmother's stories are set, begin to pop up in their lives before they snatch Alice’s mother from her own home. With no other option than to seek the help of her classmate and Hinterland super-fan

The Cruel Prince: The Folk of the Air, Book 1 Holly BlackHotKey. PB. $19.99

After witnessing

the murder of their parents, Jude and her sisters have been raised as the only mortals in the world of Faerie by the very man who committed the murders.

Constantly made to feel weaker than the Faerie Folk she is surrounded by, Jude craves the kind of power that will allow her to gain advantage over her tormentors. Seduced by the charismatic Crown Prince Dain, Jude is drawn deep into the dark and dangerous world of the Faerie High Court, where gossip and deceit lie everywhere. Soon, she finds that she is not the only one conspiring to gain more power, but as the stakes become higher and higher, it becomes harder for her to quit the game.

The first book in a new series from YA author Holly Black, the world of the Faerie is so vivid you can almost touch it. Magic reigns and with it both delight and terrible darkness follow. If you are a fan of Holly Black’s previous work then this new one will be a definite hit. If you haven’t read her work before, imagine what it is like to believe that faeries might exist, just around the corner,

Ellery Finch, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world of her grandmother's lore to find Ella and bring her back.

If you thought the old Brothers Grimm fairy tales were strange and cruel then brace yourself as you follow Alice into the Hinterland. Melissa Albert has created a vivid storybook world in The Hazel Wood full of twists and turns and gritty fantasy that bleeds into our reality. A dark but mesmerising journey! Perfect for twisted fairy-tale fans aged 13 and up who enjoyed Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles and Stephanie Garber’s Caraval.

Pilgrim Hodgson is from Readings Kids

WaR: Wizards and Robotswill.i.am & Brian David JohnsonPuffin. PB. $19.99

In 1489 in what is now

Slovenia, a wizard witnesses an entire army and the castle it’s defending being destroyed by ‘mechanical men’. In 2052, in Gainesville, Florida teenager Ada and

her small robot companion, Kipp, celebrate their mum making it as a finalist to the Rodin Challenge, a competition requiring entrants to create a robot that can surpass human intelligence. At the same time in the Pazin Caves in Croatia, Geller, a teenage wizard, wakes up from nearly 600 years of sleep and eavesdrops on his father’s plan to stop the rise of the mechanical men. In 3019, in Rio de Janeiro, Kaku, a research robot stood inside the damaged Christ the Redeemer statue scanning thousands of years of human history, trying to find a way to defeat the Spawn, the alien invaders who are destroying Earth.

There is a lot going on all around the world and all through time in Wizards and Robots but the authors are smart so, as a reader, you always know where and when you are. This is a book about time travel (among many, many other things) that will not leave you with a paradox-induced headache. The inclusion of wizards and magic shouldn’t lead you to believe this is in any way a fantasy book, it’s straight up science fiction (for those in doubt, even Geller, the wizard from 1489, admits magic is just science you don’t understand yet). That being the case, I was slightly disappointed about the lack of hard science in this sci-fi book. In the preface the authors profess everything in this book is based on real science and technology; it would have been nice if they could somehow tie it to something recognisable from our present day. This book is good for kids aged 11 and up, especially those with a budding interest in STEM.

Dani Solomon is from Readings Kids

Between UsClare AtkinsBlack Inc. PB. $19.99

Is it possible for two very different teenagers to fall in love despite barbed-wire fences and a political wilderness between them? Anahita is an Iranian asylum seeker who is only

allowed out of detention to attend school. Lost and depressed, Jono feels as if he’s been left behind with his Vietnamese single father, Kenny. Kenny is struggling to work out the rules in his new job as a guard at the Wickham Point Detention Centre. As Jono and Anahita grow closer, Kenny starts snooping behind the scenes.

The Centre of My EverythingAllayne L. WebsterRandom. PB. $19.99

Justin’s back, and wants to put the past behind him. Corey’s a footy hero and high-school dropout who can’t even find work picking fruit. Tara wants to be loved. But if her mother doesn’t

care, why would anyone else? Margo wants out, and she has a plan to get there. Plans change. Life happens. Some secrets won’t stay buried. Peace isn’t as simple as laying bones to rest.

Indigo BlueJessica WatsonLothian. PB. $15.99

Alex feels like a fish out of water in her new hometown, the sleepy little lakeside village of Boreen Point where she has been reluctantly sent to live with her slightly eccentric aunt for her final

year of high school. None of Alex’s classmates could care less about the new girl, so as a distraction from what is quickly shaping up to be a very lonely year, Alex spends her savings on a rundown little yacht and throws herself into restoring it. But it’s Sam, the sailmaker’s apprentice, that capture Alex’s attention and forces her to question what is real and what matters most. A captivating novel about fate, friendship and finding yourself from Young Australian of the Year 2011, Jessica Watson.

Nobody RealSteven CamdenHarperCollins. PB. $16.99

Marcie is at a crossroads: finished with school, but unsure what to do next. Long abandoned by her mother, she’s drifting away from her dad. Marcie is real, with real problems. Thor is at

a crossroads too. Soon, he’s going to face ‘the fade’. Years ago, before she sent him back to his own world, he was Marcie’s imaginary friend. Thor is not real; that’s a real problem. To fix their lives, Marcie and Thor will have to destroy everything, and build a new world together.

See the next page for Kids Books

1 7February 2018


KIDS

February Kids Books

Middle Fiction

The ListPatricia FordeAffirm Press. PB. $16.99

This dystopian middle-fiction title is set in a world in

the aftermath of great tragedy caused by global warming and human greed. Food and water are heavily rationed, people are not allowed to speak freely and they are controlled in their walled community, known as ‘Ark’, by a dictator named John Noa. There is an ever-restricting list of words

that people are allowed to use, as Noa believes that language is the cause of humanity’s downfall. Letta is apprentice to the sole wordsmith, who is keeper of the words people are allowed to use, so she has access to the ancient words that have fallen out of use. She loves language and is resentful of its forced subjugation.

When a boy stumbles into her shopfront after being shot, Letta chooses to protect him from the malevolent police force, known as gavvers. But this sets her down a dangerous path where she must choose to join the fight for the future of words and go up against their increasingly violent and deranged leader, or stay silent and complicit.

This is a compelling and sophisticated page-turner with a gutsy heroine that has much to say about censorship and the importance of language in making us human. Readers aged 11 and up who enjoy fantasy and thrillers will enjoy it immensely.

Angela Crocombe is from Readings Kids

Picture Books

The FeatherMargaret Wild & Freya BlackwoodLittle Hare. HB. $24.99

This is a story about hope, kindness and redemption, set in a grey, dystopian world. When a great feather drifts from the leaden sky, two children recognise its extraordinariness and take it to their village for its protection. The villagers encase it and the feather loses its radiance. The children take it home and care for it through the

night. In the morning it is again radiant, and when they set it free it leaves behind the first signs of blue sky and colour. Children in mid-primary school and older will get the most out of this beautiful book.

Me TooErika Geraerts, Charl Laubscher & Gatsby (illus.)Walker. HB. $24.99

Two little friends discuss the someones they want to find when they grow up. Perhaps they’ve met them already. Me Too is a picture book about best friends, written by best friends, who wanted to write a story about discovering what you want by realising what you have. It’s about friendship, love,

and loving your friends.

My Worst Book Ever!Allan Ahlberg & Bruce Ingman (illus.)T&H. HB. $21.99

Allan has a good idea for a book about a crocodile, but every time he sits down to write, he’s interrupted. The manuscript gets soaked in tea and nibbled by snails. When Bruce gets started on the pictures, he gets overexcited and draws a hippo, not a crocodile. The publishers get overexcited,

too – they want a dinosaur and experiment with all kinds of different fonts. Allan and Bruce think they’ve straightened things out, but then when the book goes off to the printer, you guessed it, there’s more trouble.

Junior Fiction

Baby Monkey, Private EyeBrian Selznick & David SerlinScholastic. HB. $24.99

Lost jewels? Missing pizza? Stolen spaceship? Baby Monkey can help … if he can put on his pants!

Caldecott medalist Brian Selznick and author David Serlin bring Baby Monkey’s adventures to life in an exciting new format that blends elements of picture book, beginning reader and graphic novel. It is ideal for sharing aloud and for emerging readers. With

over 120 black and white drawings accented with red, Brian Selznick’s extraordinarily detailed pages hold delights for children and adults alike!

Olivia’s Secret Scribbles #1: My New Best FriendMeredith Costain & Danielle McDonaldScholastic. PB. Was $9.99

$5I have so many super-amazing and important things to write about! I’ll tell you all about them: I’ve got a brand-new bedroom – yay! My best friend Lucy moved away last week and I really miss her. I’m planning lots of cool inventions (I’m pretty sure some will work too!) Someone keeps sneaking into my room but I don’t know who!

There’s a new girl at school called Matilda. She looks fun … but why does she act so mysteriously all the time? I’m going to find out exactly what’s going on!

Meet the Outhwaites, a rambunctious family of five children and their bohemian parents.

The Outhwaites live a simple life in rural Victoria – Bunjil Country – and their nearest neighbour, just down the kangaroo track, is Aunty May Wilson, an elder of the Wurundjeri tribe. But life takes an unexpected turn for the Outhwaites when a great aunt passes away and the family become the beneficiaries of a vast inheritance that includes a fully furnished, four-storey mansion in London. With cautious, yet hopeful trepidation the family pack up their belongings and make the bold move to live in England.

This mystery/ghost story is enthralling and just a little bit scary to impress fearless readers aged 10 and up.

Life in their new London home is strange. A sense of restless unease sets the mood of the house and puts the family on edge. Sibbi, the youngest in the family, talks openly about the ghosts she sees there and of the whispers she hears about the endsister. But not even the ghosts remember what binds them to the house or the significance of what or who the endsister relates to. The only tangible trace of memory in the home is a foreboding energy about the attic that cautions all to stay away. This mystery/ghost story is enthralling and just a little bit scary to impress fearless readers aged 10 and up.

Natalie Platten is from Readings Doncaster

BOOK OF THE MONTHMiddle Fiction

The EndsisterPenni Russon A&U. PB. $16.99

KIDS

My Brigadista YearKatherine PatersonCandlewick. HB. $24.99

After visiting Cuba, Katherine Paterson, the

legendary author of Bridge to Terabithia, was inspired to write this fascinating story. When Castro came to power in 1961 he resolved to stamp out illiteracy in Cuba. He recruited a volunteer army of students who moved into farms all around the country, working alongside the families and at night

teaching them to read and write. This warm, engaging novel is of one such student,

thirteen-year-old Lora who, against the wishes of her father, leaves her life and family in the city to teach her fellow countrymen. When she first arrives none of her host family can even write their own names. By the end of Lora’s year, not only her hosts but neighbouring families have learned to read and write, and she has learnt many of their traditional jobs.

Filled with wonderful characters and incredible warmth, this is a fascinating story of a society very different from our own. Even now Cuba has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The author has provided a timeline of Cuban history and more details in an afterword. This heart-warming novel will suit readers aged 9 to 12 interested in learning about different cultures.

Angela Crocombe is from Readings Kids

The Wild RobotPeter BrownBonnier. PB. $14.99

After a fierce storm sinks a cargo ship and dislodges its

contents, boxes of robots are destroyed on the rock of a wild and remote island and only one remains intact.

Cheeky otters explore this robotic gravesite and with playful antics activate Roz, who has a sophisticated computer brain with the capacity to evolve. The

future meets a formidable natural world where instinct is paramount to survival. It’s the one thing Roz lacks – or does she? She is not welcomed by the animals, who fear this big, crazy-looking thing and yet, over time they learn cooperation and respect, and eventually this refugee robot becomes a member of their community.

Who would have thought a story about a robot could be so imaginative, quirky and touching? This is Peter Brown’s first novel, after a very successful career as an award-winning picture-book illustrator, and it is a masterful and charming transition with the added bonus of illustrations that enhance a wonderful book for readers aged between 8 to 12 years.

Alexa Dretzke is from Readings Hawthorn

Nicola Berry and the Petrifying Problem with Princess Petronella: Book OneLiane MoriartyPan Mac. PB. $12.99

When an incredibly tall man interrupts Nicola Berry’s incredibly boring geography lesson, she’s sure that something fantastic and unexpected and unusual is about to happen – and she’s right. The King and Queen of the planet Globagaskar have gone on holiday, leaving their spoilt daughter in charge. The bored Princess decides to turn Earth, the holiday

destination of choice for the discerning Globagaskarian, into a rubbish dump. Georgio Gorgioskio is dispatched to find the Earthling Ambassador, the only person in the galaxy who can change Princess Petronella’s mind.

RefugeeAlan GratzScholastic. HB. $24.99

Josef is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world. Isabel is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America. Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015.

With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe. All three children go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers, from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But there is always the hope of tomorrow.

The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black HoleMichelle CuevasS&S. PB. $16.99

Eleven-year-old, space-mad Stella Rodriguez is followed home from NASA by a black hole who wants live in her house as a pet. The black hole swallows everything he touches, which is challenging to say the least – but also turns out to be quite convenient. Soon the ugly jumpers her aunt made all disappear, then the smelly class hamster, and all the

painful reminders of her dead father. It’s not until Stella, her younger brother, Cosmo, the family puppy and even the bathroom tub all get swallowed up by the black hole that Stella realises she has been letting her own grief consume her.

Nonfiction

Bygone Badass Broads: 52 Forgotten Women Who Changed the WorldMackenzi Lee & Petra Eriksson (illus.)T&H. HB. $29.99

Based on Mackenzi Lee’s popular weekly Twitter series of the same name, Bygone Badass Broads features 52 remarkable and forgotten trail-blazing women from all over the world. Starting in the 5th Century BC and continuing to the present, the book takes a closer look at the bold and inspiring women who dared to

step outside of traditional gender roles for their times. Coupled with illustrations and Lee’s Drunk History-esque storytelling style, this book is an outright celebration of the badass women who paved the way for the rest of us.

Shoe Dog: Young Readers’ EditionPhil KnightS&S. PB. $19.99

When Phil Knight was cut from the high-school baseball team his mother suggested he try out for track instead. Ten years later, Knight borrowed fifty dollars from his father and launched a company. Selling high-quality Japanese running shoes from the boot of his car initially, he and his crew of friends and runners built one of the most successful

brands ever. Despite risks and setbacks, Knight always followed his own advice: Just keep going. Don’t stop. The young readers’ edition of the bestselling Shoe Dog is a story of determination certain to inspire.

This is AustraliaKevin PettmanWayland. HB. $24.99

Did you know: Australia has more beaches than any other country in the world? Over 22 million jars of Vegemite are sold every year? Just one of Australia’s deserts is nearly three times the size of England? And it is home to around 60 million kangaroos! Find out everything you ever wanted to

know about Australia, from its amazing landscapes and fascinating wildlife to the country’s most famous sports people and important dates in history. This glorious guidebook is brought to life in bold, bright graphics, maps and fun visuals.

Classics

The Chinese Emperor’s New ClothesYing Chang Compestine & David Roberts (illus.)Abrams. HB. $24.99

Ming Da is only nine years old when he becomes the emperor of China, and his three advisors take advantage by stealing his rice, gold, and precious stones. But Ming Da has a plan. With the help of his tailors, he comes up with a clever idea to outsmart his devious advisors. He asks his tailors to make magical new

clothes for him. Anyone who is honest, the young emperor explains, will see the clothes’ true splendour, but anyone who is dishonest will see only burlap sacks.

Classic of the Month

My Sweet Orange TreeJosé Mauro De Vasconcelos & Alison Entrekin (trans.)Pushkin. HB. $18.99

Children’s literature is so much richer and more multi-cultural since Pushkin Press began publishing many gems that the English-speaking world had previously missed out on.

And, now, another comes our way and the wonderful Zeze captures our hearts. The cheeky and precocious five-year-old loves

words, singing and make believe and his imagination helps relieve a life of poverty and brutality in Brazil. Left to his own devices, he gets up to mischief and is punished harshly and so he tells a little tree in his garden his woes and wonder.

One day the richest man in town notices naughty Zeze and after a shaky start takes him under his wing; finally some kindness and guidance comes his way. The vibrancy of Zeze’s world leaps from the page and you fall in love with the little boy who is just trying to survive in an, at times, bleak environment.

My Sweet Orange Tree has never been out of print in Brazil since it was published in 1968 and now we have the chance to meet the irrepressible Zeze. Children aged 9 and up will be astonished at what a tough life he has.

Alexa Dretzke is from Readings Hawthorn

19February 2018


BARGAINS

Alphabet Cities: Around the World in 32 Pull-out PrintsDavid Doran PB. Was $45 Now $12.95

Travel the globe with 32 typographic prints inspired by the world’s greatest cities, from Amsterdam to Zurich, with stops in Paris, Rio and Tokyo along the way. The prints are

perfect to pull out and frame and also included is a quirky trivia on each city plus a large double-sided poster.

BlitzedNorman Ohler HB. Was $49.99 Now $13.95

A bestseller in Germany, Blitzed investigates the murky, chaotic world of drug use in the Third Reich and is the first book to show how the entire Nazi regime was permeated with drugs

from cocaine to methamphetamines. While drugs cannot explain Third Reich ideology, their use impaired and confused decision-making, with drastic effects on Hitler and his entourage, who, as the war turned against Germany, took refuge in ever more poorly understood cocktails of stimulants.

ConclaveRobert Harris PB. Was $32.99 Now $12.95

The Pope is dead and behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election. They

are holy men. But they have ambition. And they have rivals. Over the next seventy-two hours one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on earth.

Elmer and ButterflyDavid McKeeHB. Was $29.99 Now $12.95

One day, as Elmer is strolling through the jungle, he hears a cry for help. A butterfly has been trapped in a hole by a fallen branch. Elmer rushes to the

rescue and frees her with ease. In return she promises to help Elmer should he ever need it. But just how can a butterfly ever help an elephant? The tenth picture book about Elmer, the best-selling patchwork elephant.

Fruit & Veg BoxDorling KindersleyPB. Was $45 Now $19.95

The complete library for the grow-your-own gardener and cook, the three books in the Fruit & Veg Box set feature inspiring ideas

for turning pots and window boxes into mini-gardens, step-by-step advice on sowing,

February Bargains

nurturing and harvesting, and more than 100 seasonal recipes for home-grown treats and feasts.

A Great Unrecorded History: A New Life of E.M. ForsterWendy MoffatPB. Was $35 Now $10

E. M. Forster’s homosexuality was the central fact of his life. Between Wilde’s imprisonment and the Stonewall riots, Forster led a long, strange, and imaginative life as a gay

man. Wendy Moffat’s biography casts fresh light on one of the most beloved writers of the twentieth century – revealing his astuteness as a social critic, his political bravery, and his prophetic vision of gay intimacy.

Hockney: The Biography Volumes 1 & 2Christopher Simon Sykes PB. Was $35 Now $10 each

David Hockney’s career has spanned and epitomised the art movements of the past five decades. With unprecedented access to his paintings, notebooks, diaries and the man

himself, Christopher Sykes explores the fascinating world of the most popular living artist in the world today presenting a lively and revelatory account of an acclaimed artist and an extraordinary man.

Invitation to BalletCarolyn Vaughan & Rachel IsadoraHB. Was $19.95 Now $11.95

In Invitation to Ballet young readers learn all about what happens in ballet class. Works of art by French impressionist Edgar Degas bring the ballet vividly to life, while

illustrations by Rachel Isadora picture modern-day girls and boys practising ballet positions and steps. Including a brief history of ballet and a biography of Degas, it is sure to delight every child who dreams of one day becoming a world-class dancer.

Lists of NoteShaun Usher (ed.)HB. Was $34.99 Now $13.95

Shaun Usher, editor of best-seller Letters of Note, has again trawled the world’s archives, this time turning his hand to lists. From Leonardo da Vinci’s to-do list to Charles

Darwin on the pros and cons of marriage or Julia Child’s list of possible titles for what would later become an American cooking bible, Lists of Note is a constantly surprising A–Z of what makes us human.

Lives of the Great Modern ArtistsEdward Lucie-SmithPB. Was $39.99 Now $19.95

Presented here are some of the most engaging life stories of leading artists in our time, eventful, intimate and poignant. Short biographies are illustrated with important

works, self-portraits and photographs.

From Picasso and Duchamp, Joseph Beuys and Louise Bourgeois to present day rising stars, Lucie-Smith guides the reader through the maze of different styles and movements with authority and verve.

Made at HomeGiorgio Locatelli HB. Was $49.99 Now $29.99

From Tuscan tomato and bread soup to monkfish stew, simple spaghettis or lemon and pistachio polenta cake, Made at Home is a colourful collection of the food that Giorgio Locatelli loves to

prepare for family and friends and reflects the places he calls home.

The Most Beautiful Universities in the WorldGuillaume de Laubier & Jean SerroyHB. Was $60 Now $29.95

The Most Beautiful Universities in the World invites readers to discover more than 20 hallowed halls of higher learning, including the University

of Bologna, the Sorbonne, Cambridge University and Yale University as well as many other architecturally significant universities in between. Photographs showcase amphitheaters, libraries, reception halls, and hidden gardens, while the text describes the history of each campus, its architecture, research disciplines, and reference collections.

A Natural History of the PianoStuart IsacoffPB. Was $45 Now $14.95

A Natural History of the Piano distills a lifetime’s study and passion as we learn of the craftsmanship of a modern Steinway, the peculiar speciality pianos built for Victorian homes

and the continuing innovation in keyboards, including electric keyboards. It also explores how the sound of a piano provides the basis for emotional expression and why it has entertained generations of listeners.

No is Not Enough: Resisting Trump’s Shock Politics and Winning the World We NeedNaomi Klein PB. Was $29.99 Now $14.95

Remember when it all seemed to be getting better? Before Trump happened? Naomi Klein, internationally acclaimed journalist, activist and bestselling author, shows

us how we got to this surreal and dangerous place, how to stop it getting a lot worse, and how, if we keep our heads, we can make things better.

On the Move: A LifeOliver SacksPB. Was $34.99 Now $15.95

Few people can claim to have made such a profound impact on the public understanding of the brain and its inner workings. In this book, Oliver Sacks describes his time at Oxford University, his time

spent in San Francisco and Los Angeles in

the early 1960s before moving on to chart his progression from young doctor to his public role as a neurologist and author.

Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work LessAlex Soojung-Kim Pang PB. Was $29.99 Now $12.95

For most of us, overwork is the new normal. Resting means late-night TV binges or hours spent on social media. We never truly recharge. In this revelatory book, Silicon Valley consultant Alex

Soojung-Kim Pang offers a way for us to be more productive and fulfilled in all areas of our lives. Working better does not mean putting in longer hours: it means working less and resting better.

Rick Stein’s Long WeekendsRick Stein HB. Was $55 Now $19.95

Rick Stein’s Long Weekends is a mouthwatering collection of over 100 recipes from ten European cities. Designed to cater for all your weekend meals,

from a quick Friday night supper of Icelandic breaded lamb chops, Huevos a la Flamenca for Saturday brunch or Viennese Tafelspitz for Sunday lunch, Rick will inspire you to re-create the magic of a long weekend in your own home.

A Spool of Blue ThreadAnne TylerPB. Was $32.99 Now $12.95

The whole family on the porch, half-listening as their mother tells the same tale they have heard so many times before. From that porch of their sprawling, lovingly worn Baltimore home we spool

back through four generations of Whitshanks, witnessing the events, secrets and unguarded moments that have come to define the family.

Turkey: More than 100 RecipesLeanne KitchenHB. Was $59.95 now $24.95

Turkey's culinary customs are as rich and varied as its landscape and award-winning Australian food writer Leanne Kitchen does justice to them both

with more than 170 stunning photographs of the country's foods and people that make one want to drop everything and board the next plane. Over 100 recipes from seven diverse regions showcase the best of Turkish cuisine.

Wonders of LifeBrian Cox & Andrew CohenHB. Was $45 Now $19.95

What is Life? Where did it come from? Why does it end? In this beautiful and definitive book, Professor Brian Cox takes us on an incredible journey to discover how a few

fundamental laws gave birth to the most complex, diverse and unique force in the Universe – life itself.

Aaron Sorkin makes his feature film directorial debut with MOLLY’SGAME. A razor-sharp true-life thriller on an Olympic-class skier(Jessica Chastain) turned underground poker maven who was tobecome an FBI target. Based on the memoir Molly's Game: FromHollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-StakesAdventure in the World of Underground Poker by Molly Bloom, herplayers included Hollywood royalty, sports stars, business titans andunbeknownst to her, the Russian mob.

HHHH “Jessica Chastain is phenomenal in Aaron Sorkin’s poker drama”The Guardian

MOLLY’S GAME February 1 (M) The Metropolitan Opera: TOSCA February 10 (E)

Golden Globe Award winning writer-director Greta Gerwig, revealsherself to be a bold new cinematic voice with her acclaimed solodirectorial debut, LADY BIRD. Set in Sacramento, California in 2002and starring Saoirse Ronan as the title character, Gerwig crafts amasterful study of that period of life for teenagers when adulthoodand freedom seems so close and yet so far. An affecting look at therelationships and beliefs that shape and define us, LADY BIRD is amust-see confluence of fantastic women making heartfelt art.

HHHH “A coming-of-age story distinguished by a great script and a perfect cast” Toronto Sun

LADY BIRD February 15 (CTC)

Regarded as one of the most admired and beloved works in thecanon, The Metropolitan Opera premieres a new production ofPuccini’s tragic tale of love and murder, TOSCA. Rivaling the splendorof Franco Zeffirelli’s Napoleonic-era sets and costumes, Sir DavidMcVicar’s ravishing new production offers a splendid backdrop forextraordinary singing. Sonya Yoncheva stars as the title prima donnaalongside Vittorio Grigolo and Željko Lučić.

“Yoncheva triumphs in premier of Met’s new and dazzling Tosca”New York Classical Review

Melbourne’s home of quality arthouse and contemporary cinema

February DVDs

Film

Blade Runner 2049 $29.95

‘Visually, sonically, thematically, tonally, Denis Villeneuve’s sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi masterpiece is absolutely spot-on, mimicking the very

particular look, sound and feel of the earlier film with eerie specificity. It’s a serious cinematic work, Villeneuve’s best film…’ – CJ Johnson, ABC Radio

I go to the cinema quite regularly, but for some reason I overlooked Ali’s Wedding. I probably wouldn’t have picked it up on DVD either, except that I agreed to do our DVD buyer a favour and write this review!

Ali’s Wedding is based on the true experiences of co-writer and lead actor Osamah Sami, an Iraqi refugee. It’s been described as the best Australian comedy since The Castle and it certainly is a fun, feel-good movie about a young Muslim man who wants desperately to do the right thing by his family and make his father (Don Hany) proud.

Ali is about to sit his entrance exams to study medicine at Melbourne University. In spite of his best efforts, he doesn’t even come close to getting the score he needs. To save face with his family and the Muslim community, though, he lies about his score and turns up to classes anyway. Added to all of this is Ali’s infatuation with an Australian-born Lebanese girl, Dianne (Helena Sawires). Although Dianne’s father is against his daughter attending university, Ali manages to convince him it’s a good idea. A secret romance blossoms, as the two attend classes together, even though Ali’s family have already arranged a marriage for him. Inevitably, Ali’s lies are eventually uncovered.

Part of the appeal of the movie for me was the fact it was filmed in suburban Melbourne (some of it on the grounds of Melbourne University), so there are many familiar scenes throughout. AFL features quite a bit too and there’s a classic scene where American border security misinterprets a text Ali sent to his mate about an upcoming footy match – ‘the bombers will slaughter you’ takes on a whole different meaning. Ali’s Wedding is an enjoyable, charming, romantic comedy that I’m glad I got to see!

Sharon Peterson is from Readings Carlton

DVD OF THE MONTHFilm

Ali’s Wedding$29.95

The Dancer $29.95 | Available 7 February

French singer/actress Soko (Augustine) and Lily-Rose Depp star in Stéphanie Di Giusto’s screen biography, inspired by the true story of two rival pioneers of modern

dance and theatrical performance in late 19th-century Paris.

My Life as a Zucchini $29.95 | Available 7 February

After his alcoholic mother’s accidental death a ‘young boy is sent to a children’s home in a frank and affecting animation about abused youngsters finding strength

through solidarity ... [A] French-Swiss stop-motion masterpiece.’ – The Guardian

Suburbicon $29.95 | Available 7 February

Suburbicon is a peaceful, idyllic suburban community with affordable homes and manicured lawns, but the tranquil surface masks a disturbing reality. Matt

Damon plays Gardner Lodge who must navigate the town’s dark underbelly of betrayal, deceit, and violence.

The Limehouse Golem $29.95

Bill Nighy stars as Scotland Yard detective John Kildare in this murder-mystery in which ‘lurid beheadings aside, this unlikely feminist Jack the Ripper-esque thriller

cleverly unpicks late-Victorian London’s social strictures’ – The Guardian

TVGenius Season 1 $39.95 | Available 14 February

Starring Geoffrey Rush and Johnny Flynn, National Geographic’s scripted television drama Genius explores Albert Einstein’s extraordinary professional achievements along with

his volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships, to reveal the man behind the mind.

Friday on My Mind$29.95

‘They formed in a migrant hostel, were told to go back where they came from, and they took on the world. They were The Easybeats, and their story rocks.’ – The Sydney Morning Herald

Jordskott Season 2 $29.95 | Available 7 February

Blending Scandi-noir crime and mythology the critically acclaimed Jordskott returns for a second season. Police investigator Eva Thörnblad moves to Stockholm where

she is soon drawn into the mysterious case of a severely tortured man, barely alive.

Joanna Lumley’s India Joanna Lumley’s Japan$24.95 each

The much-loved Joanna Lumley returns to her roots of India and travels the

far reaches of Japan to explore and celebrate the people, beauty, culture, history and wildlife which make these countries unique.

DocumentaryBlue $24.95 | Available 7 February

With a provocative mix of scientific essay, investigative journalism and arresting imagery Blue tackles themes of habitat destruction, species loss and pollution and takes us

into the ocean realm where we witness ocean change first hand.

Mountain$29.95

Including original music from Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra and narrated by Willem Dafoe, Mountain is a ‘ravishingly beautiful documentary from Jennifer

Peedom, director of Sherpa.’ – The Australian

2 1February 2018


MUSIC

Popular Music

Pop/Rock/Alt

RuinsFirst Aid Kit $14.95 | Also on vinyl

‘Ruins is a lush, expansive release that uses [sisters Klara and Johanna Soderberg’s] uncanny blood harmony to full effect, elevating

their low-key folk songs into something majestic. Like The Staves, Haim and classic rockers Heart before them, something happens when these sisters sing together that defies the boundaries.’ – NME

Mother Xylouris White$21.95

‘This is the third album for the Xylouris White project, and it feels like they're now deep into a conversation in a language only they

speak. Xylouris sings a good deal here, in Greek, and it's by turns rousing and mystically seductive. It's dark and magical music, and there's nothing else like it.’ – theartsdesk.com

The Thread That Keeps UsCalexico $21.95 | Also on vinyl

‘Though it may have been inspired by a sense of chaos around them in the world right now, it is hard not to find real joy in Calexico’s ninth studio

album. It pulsates with energy and light … the arrangements are lush and layered and the band sounds excited to explore the wide

range of sonic elements of these songs. [It] is unlike anything we’ve ever heard from the seven-piece band.’ – No Depression

Marble SkiesDjango Django $21.95 | Also on vinyl

After their 2012 Mercury Prize-nominated debut and 2015's Top 20 follow-up Born Under Saturn, musical adventurers Django

Django are back exploring new sounds ... Marble Skies is a more concise and focused offering which recalls the dynamic, genre-blurring music of their debut.

Don’t Talk About It Ruby Boots $21.95 | Also on vinylAvailable 9 February

Following her award-winning debut album Solitude, acclaimed performer Ruby Boots ushers in a new breadth of sound. Don’t Talk

About It sees her embrace a generous dose of Indie-Rock while continuing to encompass all the Americana sensibilities for which she is known and greatly admired.

Accomplice One Tommy Emmanuel $19.95

Accomplice One is a testament to Tommy Emmanuel’s musical diversity. The songs are a mix of new takes on indelible classics and

brand-new originals from Tommy and his collaborators. Guests include Jason Isbell, Jerry Douglas and Suzy Bogguss.

Between Two Shores Glen Hansard $21.95 | Also on vinyl

The Frames frontman Glen Hansard’s third album, Between Two Shores, is ‘an honest outpouring of emotions ... [It] feels both tender and

raw and while honouring the days of American rock gone by, it doesn’t sound overdone or aged but it’s a warm tribute to the artists who have undoubtedly influenced a generation of songwriters.’ – The Irish Times

Shape the FutureNightmares on Wax$19.95 | Also on vinyl

Nightmares on Wax’s (George Evelyn) eclectic groove continues from the trip-hop heyday of seminal album Carboot Soul with his fusion of

hip-hop, soul, dub and gospel. Evelyn describes the record as ‘[a journey] both inward and outward all over the world... both physically and emotionally.’

Soul

Whatever It TakesJames Hunter Six $26.95 | Also on vinylAvailable 2 February

A permanent fixture in the world of rhythm and soul, English singer James Hunter follows up five critically acclaimed albums with his latest

recording, Whatever It Takes. At the height of his famed recording career Hunter has recorded an elegantly crafted collection of 10 originals with the lyrics, melodies, harmonies, rhythms and phrasing all locking into perfect synchronicity.

Country

Rifles and Rosary BeadsMary Gauthier $24.95Available 2 February

Co-written with U.S. veterans and their families, the eleven deeply personal songs on Mary Gauthier’s Rifles and Rosary Beads reveal

the untold stories, and powerful struggles that these veterans and their spouses deal with abroad and after returning home.

Folk/World

Brasil Various – Soul Jazz Records Presents$26.95 | Also on vinyl

Recorded at the height of the first wave of interest in Brazilian music in London in the 1990s and out-of-print for over 20 years, Soul Jazz Records’

Brasil has been fully digitally re-mastered for this new edition and features a host of legendary musicians including Sivuca, Raul de Souza and singer Joyce Moreno.

Havana Meets KingstonMista Savona Presents & Various$24.95

Havana Meets Kingston is a one-of-a-kind musical project by leading reggae and dancehall producer Jake Savona, aka Mista

Savona, that brings together Cuban and Jamaican music for the first time ever. It includes over 50 Cuban, Jamaican and international musicians playing mostly original material as well as covers of classic Cuban songs.

Jazz/Blues

Chinese ButterflyChick Corea & Steve Gadd Band $21.95

Two iconic artists join together to form The Chick Corea + Steve Gadd Band, culminating a 50-year musical relationship. Chinese

Butterfly finds the two longtime collaborators co-leading a band for the first time, joined by Lionel Loueke, Steve Wilson, Carlitos Del Puerto, Luisito Quintero and special guest Philip Bailey.

Black CoffeeBeth Hart & Joe Bonamassa $26.95

Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa have reunited for another collection of scorching interpretations of ten soul gems which pair

Hart’s breath-taking vocals with Bonamassa’s masterfully expressive playing. Digging deep into the soul catalogue they honour songs from artists including Etta James, LaVern Baker and Howlin’ Wolf. A captivating listen.

AnimarumJonathan Zwartz $29.95Available 2 February

After a four year break, Jonathan Zwartz returns, again bringing together some of the finest musicians in Australia for his third

album Animarum. Barney McAll, Julien Wilson, Phil Slater, James Greening, Richard Magraith, Steve Magnusson, Hamish Stewart and Fabian Hevia caress the melodies and swing the grooves on the eight new Zwartz originals.

Vinyl re-issue of the Month

Nasty GalBetty Davis $44.95 and also available on CD for $24.95

Ahead of its time and showing Betty Davis digging deep into her musical and cultural expression, ‘1975’s Nasty Gal is another classic

from one of the founders of funk. Davis and her band are a little sleazy, a little sultry, and show some surprising range on an album newly reissued on vinyl’. – Pitchfork

Many moons ago, I was privileged enough to witness a very intimate gig at the sorely missed Pure Pop records in St Kilda by a then unknown, fresh-faced Kiwi ex-pat by the name of Marlon Williams. The lucky fifty or so people in attendance were left in no doubt that the young man from the small town of Lyttleton, NZ was every inch a star in the making.

Several moons later, in 2015, Williams burst onto the local and international scene with his wonderful, self-titled debut album. An angelically crooned, Orbisonesque blend of country, folk and bluesy influences, it led to much overseas interest and an eventual appearance on the iconic and hugely influential BBC music program Later ... With Jools Holland. The secret was very much out.

His much-anticipated second album, Make Way for Love, is now upon us and it’s clearly a giant artistic leap for Williams. Whilst at times the songwriting chops on his first record were, understandably, not quite there – as is so often the case for such a young artist’s debut – Make Way for Love displays many moments of a newly found depth and intimacy which ultimately add up to some incredibly brave and nerve-shreddingly raw, emotional gut punches.

Amidst the reverb heavy and gorgeously twangy, swirling guitars there are many revelatory lyrical snapshots which darkly detail a love gone wrong – inspired, no doubt, by the recent ending of his long-term relationship with equally wondrous, fellow-Kiwi musician Aldous Harding, who herself released the stunning Party in 2017. Of particular note on Make Way for Love is ‘Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore’ – a duet that Williams and Harding supposedly recorded via a late night, long-distance phone call.

The two are undoubtedly destined for greatness whether together or apart, and it would appear that their mutual sense of loss is very much our gain.

Declan Murphy is from Readings St Kilda

ALBUM OF THE MONTHPop/Rock/Alt

Make Way for LoveMarlon Williams $21.95 | Also on vinyl

MiragesSabine Devieilhe Erato. 9029576772. $26.95

Two years on from her Mozart

album The Weber Sisters, Sabine Devieihle delivers yet another set of brilliant

top Es, and more besides. Now, in Mirages, Devieilhe explores the music of her native France, ranging from the art songs of Maurice Delage and Charles Koechlin to the operatic music of Delibes, with a French aria by Stravinsky thrown in.

The high-set coloratura title role in Delibes’s Lakmé provided inspiration for Mirages. Devieilhe first performed the role in 2012, and it immediately proved the perfect vehicle for her sweet soprano. Mirages demonstrates why. The recordings of Lakmé’s arias alone will surely secure Devieilhe’s position among the finest sopranos in the world today. Perhaps, I hesitate to suggest, as Natalie Dessay’s long-awaited successor. I struggle to describe how sensational Devieilhe’s voice is in ‘Air des clochettes’ (‘Bell Song’). Her top register is certainly more pure and more beautiful than any bell I’ve ever heard and, amazingly, she manages to sing with an impressively wide dynamic range even on the highest notes. For the uninitiated, these high notes – Devieilhe’s specialty – are difficult, even though Devieilhe again makes them sound effortless. If you want to hear spine-tinglingly good singing, buy Mirages.

Alexandra Mathew is from Readings Carlton

Smetana: Má Vlast - In memoriam Jiří BělohlávekJiří Bělohlávek & Czech PhilharmonicDecca. 4833187.$21.95

In one of his last recordings with the Czech Philharmonic, Jiří Bělohlávek conducts a heartfelt account of Smetana's great set of

symphonic poems: Má Vlast (My Country). Smetana's Czech masterpiece has played a central role during the most important moments of the Czech Philharmonic's history. This is an authoritative recording of Má Vlast performed by musicians with an innate understanding of the music of their homeland.

Elgar & Bruch Violin ConcertosRachel Barton Pine, Andrew Litton & BBC Symphony OrchestraAvie. AV2375. $29.95

Rachel Barton Pine's first recording of Elgar's Violin Concerto and Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 probes the works’ Romantic qualities with

her rich and soulful interpretations, matched by Grammy Award-winning conductor Andrew Litton and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Both works straddle the turn of the 20th century but have in common a Romantic hue which Rachel probes with her rich, soulful tone.

From Darkness to Light: Works for cello and piano by Prokofiev, Shostakovich and RachmaninovCatherine Hewgill & Vladimir AshkenazyDecca. 4816562. $21.95

‘Hewgill and Ashkenazy are consummate musicians and impeccable technicians. They convey to the listener, a deep

understanding not only of each other’s musicianship, but of the music and importantly, the sentiments behind the works which tell of the personal and political lives of the writers ...’ – Shamistha de Soysa for SoundsLikeSydney

J.S. Bach: The Art of FugueOttavio Dantone & Accademia BizantinaDecca. 4832329. $26.95

‘[Dantone] opts for an ensemble of string quartet, harpsichord and organ, dividing the numbers between the instruments in a very

skilful and effective way – the use of the two keyboards together, for instance, is unexpectedly striking.’ – The Guardian

Tesori d’ItaliaAlbrecht Mayer & I Musici di RomaDG. 4797144. $26.95

Passionate about expanding his instrument’s repertoire, Mayer embarked on a quest to uncover some of the buried treasures

of the Italian Baroque. After a long and exciting musical research in numerous libraries and archives throughout Europe, Albrecht brings to light unrecorded music from the Italian Baroque and early Classicism. For this fascinating and musical journey Albrecht counts on the Italian iconic ensemble I Musici di Roma.

Fire on all SidesJames RhodesSignum Classics. SIGCD494. $29.95 See page 13 for the companion book

‘There is real pain in the pivotal chords that shift the mood in the last movement of Beethoven’s piano sonata No 31 in A flat

major; aching tenderness and stately grandeur in two Chopin nocturnes (B major, Op 62 No 1 and C minor, Op 48 No 1) and glorious triumph against the odds in Rachmaninov’s prelude in D flat minor, Op 32 No 13.’ – The Observer

Respighi: Vetrate di chiesa, Il tramonto & Trittico botticellianoAnna Caterina Antonacci & John Neschling BIS. BIS2250. $29.95

‘What a glorious work, and what a find! Anyone inured to Respighi’s gaudy colours and thumping rhythms will be

astonished by the musical and emotional range of this economical score. Neschling, his committed players and a radiant soloist whose bel canto experience is invaluable here, do the composer proud. The highpoint of Neschling’s cycle thus far; the rarely heard Il tramonto is a real find.’ – Music Web International

New Year’s Concert 2018Riccardo Muti & Vienna Philharmonic OrchestraSony. 88985470582. $19.95

The 2018 Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert took place on January 1, 2018, under the baton of Riccardo Muti in the

Musikverein in Vienna. This year’s concert marked the fifth time – after 1993, 1997, 2000 and 2004 – that Riccardo Muti, whose close ties with the Vienna Philharmonic extend over several decades, conducted this prestigious event.

Stravinsky: The Rite of SpringMarc-André Hamelin & Leif Ove AndsnesHyperion. CDA68189. $29.95

Shortly before its notorious Paris ballet premiere in 1913, this was essentially how The Rite of Spring first saw the light of day: Leif Ove

Andsnes and Marc-André Hamelin recapture the heady, visceral thrill which must have been in the air when Stravinsky sat down at the piano with Debussy to create this landmark of modernism.

Classical Specials of the Month

The Carnegie RecitalDaniil TrifonovDG. 4791728. Was $24.95

$12.95 Limited stock at this price‘… what's impressive here is not just the magnificent and reactive pianism on show but also his maturity. His Chopin

Preludes possess a stunning elan ... Perhaps it's no coincidence that Trifonov is also a composer; he has a composerly grasp of the structure of all the works here.’ – Gramophone Magazine

Rachmaninov VariationsDaniil Trifonov, Yannick Nézet-Séguin & Philadelphia OrchestraDG. 4794970. Was $24.95

$12.95 Limited stock at this price‘The opening bars tell you this is going to be a good “Pag Rhap”. As things turn out, it is a great one, up there with the very best. That

includes the indispensable benchmark recording with the composer and the same orchestra made in 1934 … while Trifonov revels in the pianistic gymnastics, he is also alert to the moments of mischief … Trifonov and Nézet-Séguin do seem genuinely to be a meeting of musical minds.’ – Gramophone Magazine

Classical Music

People often remark that Steve Reich’s music can be an acquired taste, one only for those serious, modern-classical music listeners wanting to expand their horizons. As someone who has been firmly entrenched in the romantic orchestral style for most of my music life, I can say that yes, Reich can be challenging, but he can also be inspiring, fascinating and even easy to listen to.

His fans will savour getting to know these recent works, whereas those who haven’t heard him before will enjoy getting their feet wet with this terrific new recording.

Pulse (2015) and Quartet (2013) are two of Reich’s newer works, recorded here by International Contemporary Ensemble and the Colin Currie Group respectively. Both of whom did the premiere performances of each work, which means they bring a new level of understanding to these second performances. The pairing of the works is deliberate, with Reich himself saying that Pulse was: ‘In part, a reaction to Quartet, in which I changed keys more frequently than in any previous work. In Pulse I felt the need to stay put harmonically and spin out smoother wind and string melodic lines in canon over a constant pulse in the

electric bass and or piano ... All in all, a calmer, more contemplative piece.’ This is certainly the case from the opening melodic lines of Pulse, which gently

spins outwards. Reich’s use of the piano as an almost percussive instrument is not revolutionary anymore, but with the gentle, cascading ideas from both wind and strings, Pulse has an edge it might not otherwise have had. The bouncing and energetic Quartet then provides a delightful contrast. Although, as Reich commented above, Quartet has different harmonic ideas, there is no mistaking that minimalistic rhythmic style for anyone but Reich. His fans will savour getting to know these recent works, whereas those who haven’t heard him before will enjoy getting their feet wet with this terrific new recording.

Kate Rockstrom is a friend of Readings

Reich: Pulse/QuartetInternational Contemporary Ensemble & Colin Currie Group Nonesuch. 7559793243. $29.95

ALBUM OF THE MONTHClassical

2 3February 2018


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