In a new series, each Friday we will be suggesting a particular book that you may like to consider for your book club. We will look at new releases and bestsellers; fiction, non-fiction and young adult; books you may have heard of and some that have passed you by. In short we will be covering the breadth of our publishing list to find you the right book for your club.

The first in our series is a classic Australian novel, Kate Grenville’s award-winning The Secret River. From one of Australia’s most acclaimed authors, The Secret River powerfully examines our nation’s origins through the story of William Thornhill, convict turned free man. Settling on the Hawkesbury River, a place flowing with tensions between white settlers and the indigenous Darug people, Thornhill is confronted with a choice that will define his life. This is a gorgeously written novel that does not sidestep our dark past.

Dealing with issues of race, language and identity, and notions of ownership, this is a book that arouses much discussion. At the time of its release, The Secret River ignited a public debate about the role of fiction in depicting history. If your book club has not visited The Secret River, we would highly recommend taking the journey. Kate’s new novel, the third in the series that started with The Secret River and The Lieutenant, will be published in September this year.

Visit our resources page to download the reading notes that may help generate discussion within your groups.

Every Friday we’ll be suggesting titles for your book club and providing accompanying resources, so visit us on our website, Facebook or Twitter to find out which title we’ve chosen as our Friday Book Club pick of the week.