Books

3 great books to buy if you need some motivation right now

It’s not weak to admit that you lack motivation right now. Yes, sure, social media and toxic positivity have made it so we feel instantly ashamed and overwhelmed when we aren’t operating at our peak. But that’s largely bullshit. Identifying that you need a push, and then seeking that push – even if it takes…

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John McPhee's Tabula Rasa

Book Review: Anecdotes, accidents and antecedents fill the page in Tabula Rasa

If you’re not familiar with John McPhee, he’s considered “a pioneer of creative nonfiction” and won the Pulitzer Prize for his 1999 book Annals of the Former World. That book is the complete collection of two decades worth of road trips he took with eminent geologists, through which he tells the history of North America’s…

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Book Review: Josephine Rowe’s Here Until August is a collection to savour

Josephine Rowe‘s newest collection of short stories, Here Until August is a slim but beautiful looking collection. It’s striking blue and purple cover makes you want to pick it up. And you should, because what is inside is just as fascinating as out. It begins with the story “Glisk” (winner of the 2016 ABR/Elizabeth Jolley Prize)…

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2018 Miles Franklin longlist announced, with three former winners making the cut

Peter Carey, Michelle De Kretser, and Kim Scott head up an eleven strong list of contenders for the prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Award. The past winners are up against eight other established authors, contending for a $60,000 prize. One of Australia’s most important literary awards, the Miles Franklin was established with funds from the estate…

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On the Shelf: “Chocolate” by Kirsten Tibballs

Australian pastry chef Kirsten Tibballs enjoys a sterling reputation across around the globe, no doubt fueled by the title of “Queen of Chocolate” that follows her around wherever she goes. She has won gold medals at international pasty events, judged chocolate competitions in Paris and Japan, and has well and truly become one of Australia’s…

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2016 Miles Literary Award shortlist revealed

At the Australian Booksellers Association Conference in Canberra, the 2016 shortlist for the prestigious Miles Literary Award was announced. With a focus on uniquely Australian identities and struggles, this year’s nominees, including three authors shortlisted for the first time,  are in the running for a $60,000 prize. Making the 2016 shortlist are: Hope Farm by Peggy Frew…

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