To quote C. S. Lewis: ‘We read to know we are not alone.’
Never have those words had quite the same resonance as they do now, with billions of people around the world self-isolating to help deal with the worst pandemic in a century. It’s a difficult time for so many people, but the humble book is proving its worth as a companion during the solitude. Whether you’re taking this time to educate, escape or engage, we hope our April releases will offer the right mix of entertainment, information and distraction during this period of self-exile.
Grandmothers: Essays by 21st-century Grandmothers edited by Helen Elliott
An unmissable anthology by twenty-four Australian grandmothers. Featuring contributions from Helen Garner, Gillian Triggs, Maggie Beer, Ali Cobby Eckermann and more, this thoughtful and provoking essay collection reflects on the many aspects of being a grandmother in the 21st century.
Read an extract from Grandmothers.
Norah is told that on 11 February she will kill a man she doesn’t know. She’s just moved to Berlin to leave her old life behind, but could she be running into an even more dangerous future? A page-turning psychological thriller about the slippery nature of time and destiny by bestselling author Melanie Raabe.
‘Another unsettling and slippery psychological thriller that keeps you guessing up to the last page.’ Readings on The Stranger
The List of Things that Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead
A sensitive and heartwarming novel about love, change and forgiving ourselves. When Bea’s parents divorced, some things changed but lots stayed the same. Now her dad is marrying his boyfriend Jesse and, as the wedding approaches, Bea is haunted by a terrible secret.
‘A beautiful reminder of the importance of making mistakes, feeling feelings, and forgiving yourself.’ Carly Nugent
Friends and Rivals: Four Great Australian Writers by Brenda Niall
In the late 19th century four pioneering writers – Ethel Turner, Barbara Baynton, Nettie Palmer and Henry Handel Richardson – changed Australia’s literary landscape, dispelling the myth of bush heroism and mateship. Now, one of Australia’s most eminent historians offers readers an inside look at the intricacies of their intersecting and entwined lives.
‘Few other writers have such an ability to understand and describe the relationships that create the characters of her subjects.’ Sydney Morning Herald
Time without Clocks: Text Classics by Joan Lindsay
The charming autobiography of Picnic at Hanging Rock author Joan Lindsay is now a Text Classic, introduced by Phillip Adams. A reminiscence of her marriage to Sir Daryl Lindsay and their life and travels, Time Without Clocks also reveals Lindsay’s fascination with the ambiguities of time.
‘Chilling…still sends a shiver down my spine.’ Sara Foster on Picnic at Hanging Rock
Exploded View by Carrie Tiffany
NEW FORMAT
A sinister man moves in with a young girl’s family. She resists him with silence – and finally with sabotage. Stella Prize winner Carrie Tiffany’s latest novel is raw, fearless and powerful – like nothing you have read before.
‘Superbly controlled, like dark, secret music rising from an abyss.’ Helen Garner
The Italian Teacher by Tom Rachman
NEW FORMAT
Bear Bavinsky’s artistic genius trumps everything, even parenthood. Living in his father’s shadow, Pinch strives to make himself worthy. But when Bear dies, Pinch hatches a scheme to secure his legacy. A grand, moving family drama set against the prestige of the international art world.
‘Rachman’s fiction is a distinctive blend of narrative zest and emotional subtlety…The Italian Teacher may well be his most impressive yet.’ Financial Times
This is the place you’d normally expect to see details of our monthly giveaway. Sadly, while we remain in isolation, working remotely, we are unable to send out prizes. We’re sorry about this. These are uncharted waters for all of us and we ask you to bear with us as we learn how to navigate them.
