DEc 2008 – Jan 2009

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yourReadings independent book, music and DVD newsletter Monthly • events • new releases • reviews t is 's Lunc h . Photogra p her: Sarah R hode s Image from cover of THE Ar Best Books, CDs and DVDs for Summer December book, CD & DVD new releases. More inside >>

POP CD classical Fleet Foxes Schumann: Violin Fleet Foxes Sonatas 1 – 3 Fiction Non-Fiction NON-Fiction DVD $29.95 Carolin Widman >> p 27 $32.95 The Girl Who Say When The Footy Almanac Celebrity: >>p 30 Played with Fire Catherine Deveny 2008 ~ John Dominick Dunne Stieg Larsson $24.95 Harms & Paul $29.95 $32.95 $27.95 >> p 8 Daffey. $29.95 >> p 25 >> p 9 >> p 16

age 1 .art 3/11/08 2:42 PM P 131496 readings_cover VIC

Our Summer Reading Guide is packed with special offers on books, CDS and DVDs. Pick up a copy at any Readings shop or view the Guide online at www.readings.com.au.

Win tickets to the family Plenty of book, CD and The Tale of Read about the best movie hit Win a library of books DVD gift ideas to make Despereaux Fabulous deals and books, CDs and DVDs Christmas special worth at least $5000, available this summer exclusive offers on a or a $100 book voucher great range of titles All Shops Open 7 Days • Carlton 309 Lygon St 9347 6633 • Hawthorn 701 Glenferrie Rd 9819 1917 • Malvern 185 Glenferrie Rd 9509 1952 • Port Melbourne 253 Bay St 9681 9255 • St Kilda 112 Acland St 9525 3852 • email [email protected] • web www.readings.com.au Best Books of 2008 Mark Rubbo Martin Shaw funny but this book is!’ Joel James Hooper’s blend of insightful, For a politician, We were blessed says Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight empathetic investigative journalism Barack Obama with two of the series is ‘blood-suckingly good’ and captivating word-pictures is writes frankly and strongest books in and Hawthorn store manager Desi reminiscent of Helen Garner and mostly genuinely years in 2008: one Boardman calls her book of the Joan Didion. Susan Johnson’s about the things he a debut collection year, Paul Auster’s Man in the Dark blackly comic novel Life in Seven believes in. In The of short stories, the (Faber, PB, $29.95) ‘unforgettable’. Mistakes (Bantam, PB, $32.95) Audacity of Hope other a first captured the irritation, affection (Text, PB, $24.95), non-fiction book Emily HarmS and entrenched patterns of he sets out his views on key policy from one of our most talented I'm proud to say behaviour that govern family areas such as health, education and novelists. Nam Le's The Boat that this year a lot dynamics, likening them to wider foreign relations and calls for a new (Viking, PB, 29.95) and Chloe of my favourite social changes, in the way that kind of non-adversarial politics that Hooper's The Tall Man (Hamish books are by local Jonathan Franzen did in The has the community interest at its Hamilton, PB, $32.95) were each Melbourne authors. Corrections. Christos Tsiolkas’s heart. It should be essential reading in their own way breathtaking Dmetri Kakmi's passionate, dynamic, sharp and debut memoir thoughtful social novel The Slap for all citizens of the world. reads; works which shared a rigour Mother Land dissects and reflects the diversity In her third novel, Home (Virago, and a sense of responsibility to (Giramondo, PB, $29.95) is the of Australian society through a Normally $45, Our special price their material that will surely mean story of his childhood on the small network of family and friends $39.95), Marilynne Robinson they are read and admired for years Aegean island of Bozcaada, at a time of various ages and backgrounds. returns to the mid-western town of to come, I suspect. For a marvel- when the historical animosity Bristling with life and ideas; Gilead. Retired Presbyterian minister lous new Eurocrime experience, the between resident Greeks and Turks beautifully done. And Joseph James Boughton lives alone in his big first two volumes of Stieg Larsson's was intensifying, and in a time O’Neill’s lyrical, meditative old house. His daughter Glory, es- Millennium trilogy were excep- when, in his own family, unexpected post-9/11 novel Netherland caping an unsatisfactory life, returns tional; and Ella Anic's Evil Penguins secrets were revealed. Another (Fourth Estate, PB, $27.99) is a home to care for her father, but he (S&S, PB, $14.95) always managed (non-fiction) interesting Summer strange beast, but a fascinating yearns for his errant son Jack. On to put a smile on my face! read by a local author is Damon one, with self-conscious echoes his return, Jack becomes the unwill- Martin Shaw is Books Buyer Young's Distraction (MUP, PB, of The Great Gatsby. Definitely ing focus for the hopes of his sister at Readings Carlton $26.95). Read it on the beach, when the best of the ‘post-9/11’ genre. and ailing father. A beautiful novel. Readings Malvern you can afford a few distractions. Jo Case is Editor of Readings Monthly Kate Grenville’s The Lieutenant (Text, For Bruno Moro, the book of the Nam Le's award-winning The Boat HB, Normally $45, Our special year was Anne Enright's Taking Pic- (Viking, PB, $29.95) is the most Jason Austin price $39.95), about the friendship tures (Jonathan Cape, PB, Normally extraordinarily diverse collection of Someday This Pain Will be Useful to between a First Fleet lieutenant and $27.95, Our special price $16.95): short stories. Andrew Davidson's You by Peter Cameron (Scribe, PB, a young Aboriginal girl, has all the ‘Incisive and beautifully written (US) debut novel The Gargoyle $19.95) is a coming-of-age story of trappings of tragedy, but the mu- short stories about women's lives.’ (Text, PB, $32.95) is an absolute a young man whose parents have di- tual affection and respect between For teens and adults combined, he breath of fresh air, Janet Frame's vorced; he wants them to not waste the two gives hope to the story and ‘can't better The Knife of Never posthumous book of poetry The their money on college but rather to us: their descendants. As usual, Letting Go by Patrick Ness Goose Bath Poems (WilkinsFarago, buy him some property. It's about Grenville delivers her message in a (Walker, HB, $29.95) for intelli- PB, $32.95) is magnificent and I'm the awkwardness in-between time compulsively readable narrative. gent, imaginative, edge-of-your- currently reading Christos Tsiolkas' of life when you're not a child and In American Journeys (Knopf, HB, seat suspense’. For Jackie Redlich The Slap (A&U, PB, $32.95), is not an adult but trying to find your was $49.95 now $29.95), the it was The Believers by Zoe Heller wonderful, unputdownable. place in that adult world. The Other curmudgeonly, wise and witty (Viking, PB, $32.95): funny, Emily Harms is Marketing Hand by Chris Cleave (Hodder, Don Watson travels through middle clever and sharp. Manager of Readings PB, $32.99) is about a middle-class America by road and train, observing magazine who editor finds herself Readings Hawthorn Jo Case in a fix when a Nigerian refugee is an America that we see little of. found hiding at the bottom of her Dmetri Kakmi’s Mother Land (Gira- Danielle Mirabella’s pick is Tim I couldn’t stop talking about Emily garden in Surrey. She has met the mondo, PB, $29.95), a memoir about Winton’s Breath (Hamish Hamil- girl before, on an African beach growing up on the Turkish/Greek ton, HB, Normally $45, Our price Perkins’ Novel About My Wife and saved her life. This story stayed Island of Tenedos, was a real find. $39.95): ‘stunning, Tim Winton back to his best’. Araxi Mardirian (Bloomsbury, PB, with me for weeks as it contrasts the ‘Flaneur’ means something like chooses People of the Book (Geral- $29.95), a taut, almost ridiculously frivolous lives we ‘to idly stroll about’. In The Flaneur dine Brooks, HarperCollins, PB, darkly comic live in the Western world as com- (Bloomsbury, PB, $23.95), Ed- $33), saying, ‘Geraldine Brooks has psychological pared with those trying to escape mund White strolls about Paris; done it again; a great storyteller’. thriller about a middle-class couple the horror of war and violence in telling us, in his taut prose, what Katherine Dretzke calls The Lucy finally becoming ‘grown-ups’ on the their homelands. makes the city great. It's a highly Family Alphabet (Judith Lucy, Vi- cusp of their forties; rich with Jason Austin is from personal, often idiosyncratic view king, PB, $29.95) ‘rude, mean and spot-on social observation. Ditto for Readings Carlton that combines history, personal totally hilarious’. Ruth Pirrett’s pick Kathleen Stewart’s bewitching mem- anecdote and opinion. I went to is Steve Toltz’s Booker-shortlisted oir of a childhood trapped with Kathy Kozlowski Paris for the first time this year and A Fraction of the Whole (Penguin, intensely narcissistic, destructive I really enjoyed Robyn Scott's with Edmund White in my head, PB, $24.95): ‘Oh, how I laughed’. parents, The After Life (Vintage, PB, memoir of growing up in Botswana it was even more enjoyable. Alexa Dretzke says of her choice $27.95) and Chloe Hooper’s in the 1990s, Twenty Chickens for a Mark Rubbo is Managing Toni Jordan’s Addition (Text, PB, brilliant, excoriating The Tall Man Saddle (Bloomsbury, PB, $32.95). Director of Readings $29.95): ‘obsessive compulsive isn’t (Hamish Hamilton, PB, $32.95). Enjoyable as much for her depiction 2 of a colourful childhood – her father family. After much hardship (some Claire Jones issue of new Australian journal was a sort of flying doctor, and her self-inflicted), he gets on the right In The Secret of Lost Things Harvest (Colonel Mustard Produc- mother a strong believer in home track, works hard, and eventually (Sheridan Hay, HarperPerennial, tions, PB, $15) was also a treat, schooling and plenty of freedom – as achieves his dream. It was one PB, $25), Rosemary, a Tasmanian combining beautiful design with for the fascinating insight into every- of the first books I read when I innocent, embarks on a journey varied and quality local content. day life in Botswana. On a different started with Readings, in the mid- of self-discovery when she travels Amy Tsilemanis is from note, Maggie Hamilton's What's dle of winter. The story helped to New York and secures a job at a Readings Carlton. Happening to Our Girls? (Viking, PB, me endure the long, cold, tram grand rare and used bookshop. The $29.95) has turned me into a bit of a journey to the other side of town Arcade is staffed by a collision of Annie Condon crusader. It is a must-read for anyone and I felt that I too would one day experts, eccentrics, obsessives and A novel in stories, with little children of either gender, be rewarded for my suffering (the misfits (sound familiar?). Add to Bloodletting and or tween and teenage girls. Her three tram journey) and hard work! the mix whispers of the rumoured Miraculous Cures years’ research into the world they are Sharon Peterson is from existence of a 'lost' manuscript by (Vincent Lam, growing up in, so different from that Readings Carlton Herman Melville, and you have a Fourth Estate, PB, of their siblings only 10 years ago, page-turning literary gem. $28) examines is mindblowing and serious. And I Mike Paterson Claire Jones is from Readings Carlton medical practice am really looking forward to reading My favourite book through four Marilynne Robinson's Home (Virago, was Julius Kara Nicholson diverse characters. Initially we meet HB, $39.95). Her previous, Gilead, Winsome by Gerard Looking back through the books I them in medical school, and follow is one of my all-time favourites. Donovan (Faber, have read in 2008, it is with much their lives – professional and Kathy Kozlowski is from PB, $22.95). surprise that Breath (Tim Winton, personal – over a ten year period. Readings Carlton An understated Hamish Hamilton, HB, Normally I’ve been a fan of Curtis Sittenfeld marvel. A novel $45, Our price $39.95), stands out since her debut novel Prep came out Kevin Clark of solitude, loss, as the best. I found Dirt Music a in 2005. American Wife (Curtis My favourite books male reticence and revenge that little dull. But in Breath the writ- Sittenfeld, Doubleday, PB, $32.95), for 2008 were the reads like a snow-bound Cormac ing is effortless and beautiful, the loosely based on the life of Laura Stephanie Meyer McCarthy. Utterly compelling. characters familiar and exquisitely Bush, is big in scope and imagina- Moon quartet for Mike Paterson is from drawn. My favourite part of the tion. Sittenfeld’s strength is the young at heart, Readings Port Melbourne experience was the deceptive sim- characterisation, and her protago- and David Sedaris’s plicity of the plot, so deceptive that nist, Alice Blackwell, has a rich and When You Are Michael as I read the last page I was more interesting inner life. Engulfed in Flames Awosoga-Samuel unexpectedly moved (I never saw The Boat (Nam Le, Viking, PB, (Little Brown, PB, $32.99) for The Given Day by Dennis Lehane it coming) that I have even been $29.95) was a bestseller at the 2008 those who need a laugh. With (Doubleday, PB, Normally before upon finishing a book. Melbourne Writers’ Festival. Le has Christmas coming, we could all $32.95, Our special price $27.95) Kara Nicholson is from the wonderful ability to write utilis- do with one or more of those! is a great American story, told Readings Carlton ing diverse settings and voices, but Kevin Clark is from Readings Carlton by an excellent chronicler of the all the short stories here are credible human spirit. Lehane’s novel is Amy Tsilemanis and gripping. Unaccustomed Earth Judith Loriente powerful and touching; the most Two stand out (Jhumpa Lahiri, Bloomsbury, PB, As always, I was complete novel I have read. In non-fiction reads $29.95) is a beautifully imagined on the lookout for Northline (Faber, PB, $29.95), of 2008 were John collection of eight short stories. comic novels and Willy Vlautin captures a spirit of Berger's collec- Lahiri is an empathic writer who satires, and this the American mid-west in the life tion of essays Hold places her characters in moments of year there were of Allison, an ordinary 22-year-old Everything Dear transition and transformation and three crackers. waitress trying to seek a better life. (Verso, PB, $26) examines both their actions and Steve Toltz’s Touched by tragedy, but ultimate- and Best Creative emotions. The collection debuted at The New York Times A Fraction of ly optimistic; this is a little gem. Non-Fiction Volume Two edited number one of the Whole (Penguin, PB, $24.95) Michael Awosoga-Samuel is by Lee Gutkind (W. W. Norton, fiction charts and won the prestig- deserves all the praise that has from Readings Carlton PB, $22.95). Hold Everything Dear ious Frank O'Connor International been heaped upon it; Jesse Pente- should be compulsory reading with Short Story Award. Annie Condon is a freelance cost’s The Con (ABC Books, PB, Scott Noble Berger's capable hand laying before write and reviewer $24.95) showed his remarkable Following on from his extraordi- us modern humanity's suffering r gift for writing witty one-liners; narily prophetic novel Incendiary alongside its hope. Best Creative Sybil Nolan and Toni Jordan’s Addition (Text, (which has just been made into Non-Fiction – while solely American PB, $29.95) had plenty of comic a film starring Ewan Mcgre- – covers a vast range of stories and It’s hard to narrow it down, so I’ve insights into the human condi- gor), Chris Cleave's new novel styles, with an introduction by each chosen a theme: books for women Life in Seven tion, and the nature of genius. The Other Hand (Hodder, PB, contributor on what they consider baby-boomers. Mistakes Judith Loriente is from $32.99), tells the story of a young creative non-fiction to be, and how (Susan Johnson, Bantam, Readings Hawthorn girl claiming asylum in the UK, they came to write it. Nathaniel PB, $32.95), is an accomplished and is sad, funny and horrific. It Rich's debut novel The Mayor’s novel about a middle-class Austral- Sharon Peterson is, though, a beautifully written Tongue (Random House, PB, ian family’s ghastly Christmas reunion. Johnson casts an ironic My favourite for 2008 would have novel that engages and challenges, $32.95) was a great read, with two and insightful eye over the gulf of to be The Road Home by Rose and leaves you yearning for the parallel story lines coming together incomprehension separating the Tremain (Vintage, PB, $24.95). world to be a better place. to combine the everyday business remarkable generation who were The main character, Lev, dreams Scott Noble is Assistant Manager of life, love, and relationships with young adults in the 1950s from of a better life for himself and his of Readings Carlton a fantastical literary twist! The first 3 Best Books of 2008 (cont. ) their rebellious offspring. For me, Laurie Steed Feature Article The Spare Room (Helen Garner, Kate Cole-Adams’ Text, HB, $29.95) is Garner debut, Walking to back to doing what she does best: the Moon (Text, writing the narrative of her own PB, $29.95) has generation’s lives. Terminal cancer been well worth Events 2008 is the topic of her beautifully the wait. Part TheTop Five observed novel, but the subject is still-life, part By Christine Gordon rising to the occasion. The narra- waking dream, it is  A Readings Books, Music & Film Event  A Readings Books, Music & Film Event

ilm Event A R ea d ni g s  A Readings Books, Music & F tor is a memorable GOW (grumpy K diE s’ ve n t even better in hindsight, given time  ic & Film Event A Readings Books, Mus r e n Gr a n e oH nl e T h eS p a re R o o m old woman) – older and wiser s a k l o i T s s o t s wC i ihr t Sophie Cunningham T h u rs d a y 2 9 M a y, 6 .3 0 to reflect on a tale so simple and A n d y Petty Bruce atCinema Nova pm o n T h e S la p

Do nM davi The r a Henson Case 42 M y a dno N o v e m b e r, 6 .3 0 than she used to be, tetchier and pm ffi i G r October, 7.00 pm yet so beautiful. Like Orwell on ! s h t Thursday 9 Christos Tsiolkas will talk with Meanj Sophie Cunningham about his work and new Join us as David Marr – author, journalist and in editor novel, e Slap. tougher, but kinder as well, and former presenter of ABCTV’s Media Watch – talks about his new book, e Henson Case . At a suburban barbeque, a man slaps a child who acid, Oink, Oink, Oink (Hunter, is not his own—and this has e author of Monkey Grip In May 2008 NSW police went into an Art gallery a shocking ricochet and Joe Cinque’s effect on a group of people, mostly f riends, wh n Consolation will talk about in Sydney and seized a number of photographs e Spare Room For more than forty years, Bruce Petty has bee her first book of fiction for fifteen years. , directly or indirectly affected by what comes after. o are Australia. His brilliant of a teenage girl by Australian artist Bill Henson. still supremely sentient. one of the best cartoonists in e Spare Room is the stor y of two f riends, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called one photograph e Slap is a powerful, h one of whom is dying of cancer. e Daily Telegraph aunting novel about love, PB, $29.95), Eric Yoshiaki Dando’s drawings have shown Australians, over nine of the girl ‘absolutely revolting’. sex and marriage, parenting and children, and the governments, how mad, and sad, everyday an Oscar-winning ‘A perfect novel ... how is it that she can enter called the closing of Henson’s show a ‘victory for fury and intensity—all the passions and conflicting government can be. Bruce is also this heart-breaking territor y  the dying f riend – decency’. Artists including J.M Coetzee and beliefs—that family can arouse. filmmaker and animator. Join us at this special event who comes to stay  and make it not only – M e e t h e a u th o ro f some of Cate Blanchett sent a letter to the Prime Minister where Bruce will talk about his work, and bearable, but glorious, and funny? ere is no Christos Tsiolkas is the author of the nove T h e D a y M y B u m e shown. We n tP sy ch o his best film work will b to tell him that the seizure had already done ‘untold Girls Like Us (Sheila Weller, second novel, is one hell of a ride. , J u s t S h o c k i n g answer except: Helen Garner is a great writer; Loaded (filmed as Head-On) and Dead Europels damage to our cultural reputation’. a n d m o r e ! Bruce will also sign copies of Petty’s Parallel Worlds, e Spare Room (winner of the 2006 Age dclife. is a great book.’ — Fiction Prize). He is R ea d ni g Ps o Mrt ebl o u rn e a new book of his cartoons edited by Russ Ra Peter Carey e Henson Case tells the story of this controversy,also a playwright, essayist and screen writer. Sunday 23 November, 2.30 R e a d in g sH a w th o rn and examines the continuing debate about Sophiewhat Cunningham is an editor and author e Spare Room 701 Glenferrie Rd. is is a f ree event, of the novels Geography and Bird. Text. HB. $29.9 is art, and what is pornography. e Henson Case Thursday 23 October, 6.30 pm 5 Melbourne in the future is a mix of F re B! u bt o o k o n 9 6 8 1 p m . but please book by calling 9819 1917. Random House, HB, $54.95) is a Petty’s ParallelWorlds was written after exclusive interviews with Bill Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon St. is event is free, 9 2 5 5 . Scribe Publications. 6633. HB. $39.95 but please book on 9347 Henson, as well as interviews with NSWR police, e a d in g s C a rl to n Australian artists, art critics, e Slap. Allen arts & Unwin. administrators,309 Lygon St. is event is f ree, and campaigners against childPB. abuse. $32.95 e Henson Case but please book on 9347 group biography of three eminent big-screen ads, small time drug Text, PB, $24.95 Don’t miss this important event. 6633. Cinema Nova 380 Lygon St. is event is free, 6633. female singer-songerwriters – Joni dealers and one particularly but please book on 9347 A Readings Books, Music & Film Kids’ Event I asked everyone. Watson, Tim Winton, Helen Mitchell, Carole King and Carly pig-obsessed scientist. Everyman Fwitha Anna i r Pignataro y D a y I said to them, Garner, Christos Tsiolkas, James Simon. Girls Like Us is another Squirly Fern finds himself alone, ‘What was it? Halliday, Anne Manne, and so evocative read for those who and at battle with Pauline, the Give me your many more. grew up in the 1960s and 70s. mother of all hogs. top five’.

Readings Port Melbourne  Readings Books, Music & Film and Asialink present She does a particularly good job Laurie Steed is a freelance reviewer Sunday 12 October, 10.30 a m Each event Bring the kids down for a special Fairy event with fun craft activities, prizes and a special reading by Anna I asked our Pignataro of her lovely new book, Princess and Fairy:

A Very Sparkly Christmas. Readings Port Melbourne i n conversation w i t h Cate Kennedy 253 Bay St. Free, but please book on 9681 9255. N a m L e involves many of explaining why some of the audiences of Thursday 17 July, 6.30 pm Cate Kennedy, author of Dark Roots, will talk with Nam Le about his extraordinary new short period’s weirder and more harmful Maloti Ray story collection, e Boat. people, even “Mr. Le writes with an authority and poise rare young people, even among longtime authors his sympathy for his characters and his ability to write with both lyricism and emotional urgency lend his portraits enormous visceral power.” before the author idealism seemed to make powerful —New York Times. William Bern- “A breathtakingly assured collection of stories kids, dressed-up people, older   powerful, moving, unsparingly honest exhibiting a narrative confidence and range that is as remarkable as it is mature. sense at the time. A tremendous debut.” — William Boyd has entered the stein’s A Splendid “A fearless new Australian voice that accepts people, people drinking vodka, no geographical limits: these are stories of leaping power and the most breathtaking Sybil Nolan is a freelance grace and intimacy.” — Helen Garner venue. I asked Exchange Asialink Centre those drinking wine, those who e Boat University of Melbourne, Swanston St, Parkville. Hamish Hamilton. PB. Normally $29.95. Now $24.95 Free, but please book on 9347 6633. these people for editor and reviewer. (Atlantic, HB, don’t drink. I asked those who mix their top five $55) is an music, those who listen, those who events. I asked our marketing Vicky Booth engrossing tale understand computers, those who manager, graphic designer, web The elegant of global trade are luddites, those who are parents, programmer, cleaners, book memoir The Two ‘from Sumer to and those about to be. I asked buyers, academics, book receivers, Kinds of Decay Seattle’. Bernstein captures this people squashed on the floor, those sound engineers, booksellers, (Sarah Manguso, history by focusing on themes standing up, and those craning publicists, caterers, wine mer- Hunter, of successive economic routes. their necks to see. ‘Give me at least chants, accountants, publishing HB, $27.95) is Stone Age river trade is superseded just one event.’ a poet’s response by Asian sea routes. Missionar- houses, the media, photographers, to chronic illness. ies and colonials wage bloody  A Readings Books, Music & Film Event Readings hosted recorders, and our bloggers. I Chloe Hooper in conversation with Sally Warhaft over 260 events in asked Readings’ owner! Whilst Sarah Manguso’s style is conquests for souls and resources. Thursday 3 July, 6.30 pm Chloe Hooper, author of the bestselling novel A Child’s Book of True Crime, will talk about her new book, e Tall Man: Death and Life 2008. We hosted on Palm Island, with Sally Warhaft, Editor spare and unsentimental, she Modern political economy and of e Monthly magazine.  A Readings Books, Music & Film Event e Tall Man is an extraordinarily powerful Among all these account of the circumstances surrounding the death of a young indigenous man, Cameron Doomadgee. Cameron swore at a policeman, book launches, communicates the intensely the economist are born. Bern- and forty minutes later lay dead on the floor of a watch-house cell. Richardo n Wa n t i n g Flanagan e Tall Man is also the story of that policeman: audiences and the tall and quiet Christopher Hurley. is is the Wednesday 12 November, 6.30 pm story of what Hurley did, and of the struggle to lectures, personal experience of nine years stein concludes with Thatcher’s bring him to trial. e bestselling author of Gould’s Book of Fish will Chloe Hooper won a Walkley Award for her talk about his extraordinary new novel, Wanting. first article, published in e Monthly, on life It is 1839. A young Aboriginal girl, Mathinna, is workers, there on Palm Island and the death of Cameron running through the long wet grass of an island Doomadgee. celebrations, at the end of the world to get help for her dying father, an Aboriginal chieftain. Twenty years later, battling a rare blood disease neoliberal catchphrase, ‘there is Readings Carlton on an island at the centre of the world, the most e Tall Man: Death and 309 Lygon St. is is a free event, famous novelist of the day, Charles Dickens, realises Life on Palm Island Penguin. PB. $32.95 he is about to abandon his wife and risk his name, had to be but please book by calling 9347 6633. because of his inability to control his intense pas- cocktail parties, sion. with an immediacy that is no alternative’, dismissing global Connecting the two events are the most celebrated explorer of the age, Sir John Franklin - then governor of Van Diemen’s Land - and his wife, something in Lady Jane, who adopt Mathinna, seen as one of discussions, music the last of a dying race, as an experiment. inequality as ‘a significant minor- Based on historic events, Wanting is an extra- powerful and moving. ordinary new novel about art, love, and the way in which life is finally determined not by reason, but by wanting. common. This is events and diatribes. Over the year, Palace George Cinema, Wanting (Knopf, Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. ity of citizens unavoidably harmed HB, Normally $34.95 Vicky Booth is Program is event is free, but please book on 9681 9255. what I learned. we managed audiences of up to Administrator CAE Book Groups in the process’. There are no top 1000 people in our shops and at five events there is just one Narrating global conflict in recent many different venues across - Ingrid Josephine theme. It is our desire to share history is Samantha Power’s Melbourne. Thank you to Asialink The Boat (Viking, PB, $29.95) ideas, stories and experiences, and Chasing the Flame (Penguin, HB, at the University of Melbourne, is a collection of seven short it is this that makes our events so $69.95), the biography of UN Cinema Nova, Palace Cinemas, stories spinning across the globe enjoyable and keeps us all coming High Commissioner Sergio Vieira and the Melbourne Athenaeum for and revealing the diverse lives of back for more. de Mello, simultaneously ‘the use of those venues. We were seven characters. Though Nam biography of a dangerous world’. fortunate enough to have events Le describes an array of cultures Thank you everyone. See you next Vieira de Mello died in the 2003 with Shaun Tan, Patti Smith, DJ and settings, the stories are bound year! suicide bombing of the UN head- Spooky, Germaine Greer, David together by the characters who, quarters in Iraq, having previously Marr, Maggie Beer, Judith Lucy, Chris Gordon is Events Coordinator when confronted by a crisis, reveal witnessed Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nam Le, Andy Griffiths, Don of Readings a prevailing strength and complex- Bosnia, Zaire, Rwanda, Afghani- ity of emotions. The intricacies of stan, Serbia and East Timor. Ms A Readings Event  A Readings Event Event A Readings Books, Music & Film A Readings Books, Music & Film event family obligations, friendship and Power, advisor to Barack Obama, y r en a Fml T i A ni ba s C i hr o n a S u s ta in a b le F u tu r e y k o o p S J D o n S o n g f o r N i g h t T h u rs d a y 2 5 S e p te m b e r, 6 .0 0 no S Uoun dn boun d political histories are sensitively S CI E V E N T Tales From Outer Suburbia MU So nh au nT an A RE A D NI G Spm BO O K S & considers the commissioner’s ap- Tu e s d a y 1 6 F ri d a y S e p t e m b e r, 6 .3 0 Professor Flannery will speak on ‘A Vision for 5 O, o1r b7e t c m p pm Australian Sustainability,’ and his new Join us for a special event as Chris Ab Essay 31: Now or Never: A Sustainable Future fo Quarterly expressed with deeply moving about his extraordinary new book, Australia? ani talks r proach to conflict engagement. is landmark essay by Tim Flannery is abou Song for Night. Chris will deliver the Opening Night IXTEEN search for sustainabilityS in the twenty-first ce t our at the Brisbane Writers Festival and then Address and the impact it might have on the enviro ntury, Readings Carlton to have Paul Miller, aka DJ Spooky, aka a visit threats that confront us today. Flannery d nmental TRE The Boat Song for Night narratives and I think liminal Kid is an electronic and e by the President of Amnesty Internatio IME t Sub- launched in detail three potential solutionsMILL to the mostiscusses Maloti Ray is a freelance reviewer tal hip hop musician. His debut L xperimen Part Inferno nal. pressing of the sustainability challenges: climat - , part Paradise Lost Dead Dreamer P, Songs of a epic, Song for Night , and part Sunjiata change. He argues that Australia has a special , is now widely regarded as one of is the story of a West Af rican e the most important albums of the last t boy soldier’s lyrical, terrifying, yet beau responsibility when it comes to climate chang influencing dub, groove, hip hop, tr en years, is an extraordinary voyage. through the nightmare landscape of a bru tiful journey that our prime minister could be a critical p e, and illbient music makers. DJ Spooky ’s ip hop, and the global stage in Copenhagen in Decem in search of his lost platoon. tal war layer on have played in a variety of institu soundscapes – but only if we take swift and effective action a Sound Unbound and art festivals, including the And tions, galleries ber 2009 MIT Press. . B P Song for Night make sharp cuts in emissions. Brilliant an $ 4 59 . 5 Museum and the Venice Bienni y Warhol is a devastating portrait of a nd al. Hear D J boy holding onto the shreds of his in ing, Now or Never is a call to arms by Australia’d terrify- Spooky talk about his work and on the possiblilties of sampling and rem his new book Ingrid Josephine is Program during a war that deliberately, remorsele leading thinker and writer on the natural wor nocence s 7 June, 2pm music— Sound Unbound ixing works to yank it away. — ssly Saturday ld. . Los Angeles Times H aw th o rn B M W E d g e T h e a tr e If you want to get at the heart of cont R e a d ni g s Rhythm Science R e a d in g sC a rlt o n Federation Square, City. FL GI H T MIT Press. e author and illustrator of e Arrival and Quarterly Essay 31: F GI H T O R . B P 309 Lygon St. is event is f ree, fiction, Song for Night emporary Never: A Sustainable Future for Now or . e F r S FROMTHEIR DEBUT ALBUM $ 3 5 .9 5 Australia? Presented with Monash University’s 50th PLAYINGTUNE but please book on 9347 6633. Administrator CAE Book Groups is the starting point. Black Inc. PB. $14.95. —Dave Eggers e Lost ing will talk about his extraordinary Anniversary Lecture Series. 6PM SEPTEMBER, 19 FRIDAY ST new book, Tales from Outer Suburbia. Readings N O T L R A C 9 0 3 S , P O H N O G LY R e a d in g s C a r lt o n Hawthorn, 701 Glenferrie Rd. is is a free 1917. event, Song for Night Scribe. PB. $22.95 701 Glenferrie Rd. is is a f ree event, but bookings are essential: please call 9819 FL GI H T AVAILABLE NOW FREEEVENT. F GI H T O R but please book by calling 9819 4 1917. ThisLiterary news of all kinds,Month’s award winners, guest News reviewers, Readings offers and promotions. Australia/Asia HIPPY Fitzroy [email protected] with Ubud Writers’ Festival Literary Prize The Brotherhood of St Laurence ‘Obama competition’ in the sub- Rashida Murphy, The shortlist has would like to thank Readings cus- ject header. The first correct entry winner of the trip been announced tomers for their ongoing and won- received will win. for two to the for the Australia- derful commitment to improving Ubud Writers’ Asia Literary the lives of disadvantaged children Frost/Nixon Festival, reports Award, the region’s and their families. For several years, Film giveaway back for Readings: richest literary Readings’ customers have supported Oscar-winning ‘My journey to this prize, valued at the Brotherhood’s Home Interaction director Ron incredible festival $110,000. The Program for Parents and Youngsters Howard brings to started with a book, which is fitting candidates are: Michelle De Kretser (HIPPY) Fitzroy. Over the past year life the electrifying for a Writers’ and Readers’ Festival. for The Lost Dog (A&U, PB, the two-year home-based parenting battle between The book in question was Kate $23.95); Mohsin Hamid for The and early childhood enrichment disgraced president Atkinson’s When Will There Be Reluctant Fundamentalist (Penguin, program received a wonderful Richard Nixon and Good News, bought at Readings PB, $22.95); David Malouf for $7,295 in donations from Readings David Frost, a during the Melbourne Writers Complete Stories (Vintage, PB, customers. Of this donation, $158 jet-setting television personality Festival. There was a raffle; my $25); Ceridwen Dovey for Blood was spent to furnish a special Read- with a name to make – in the husband filled it in; we dropped it Kin (Atlantic, PB, $24.95) and ings corner at the HIPPY Fitzroy untold story of their historic 1977 into a box … and won a trip for Janette Turner Hospital for Orpheus office, including a Winnie Sofa and TV interview. Frost/Nixon opens at two to the Ubud Festival! The Lost (HarperCollins, PB, $25). chair and table where children can Cinema Nova on December 26. Festival was a feast of conversa- sit and read together. $2,753 was Buy The Conviction of Richard tions, readings, lunches, dinners I heart readings: spent on books to celebrate and Nixon: The Untold Story of the Frost/ and cocktails with about 100 Calling for acknowledge the children’s work Nixon Interviews (James Reston, writers, poets, moderators and contributions up to week 15 of the program and Scribe, PB, $24.95), the book that festival organisers. My husband Was your first job at Readings in $4,384 funded the employment of the film is based on, at any and I came back with more books the heady days of 1970s Carlton? a home tutor for six children and Readings shop and receive one of than we went with! We would go Did you meet your husband via their families. From the HIPPY 100 ‘buy one get one free passes’. back again: it was one of the most the share house accommoda- Fitzroy families and children, thank Valid from 6 January 2009 until diverse festivals we’ve ever been to tion notices? Did you find the you Readings customers for your the end of the theatrical season at in terms of language and regional- book that changed your life on support. Cinema Nova. ity. Thank you Readings, for the Readings’ Famous Bargain making this possible.’ Table? Do you have any photos/ Obama in Print Readings Book Quiz Visit www.readings.com.au to read memorabilia/ephemera related The world is We thought it Rashida’s complete rundown of the to Readings stashed away in the caught up in would be fun to Ubud Writers’ Festival. back of a cupboard – how about Obama fever at run a little a receipt for the original hardback the moment – and end-of-year Sacred Heart: of Monkey Grip? If so, we want to what better way to literary quiz in Santa Cause hear from you! understand the this issue: the This year, Sacred Heart Mission newly most perfect thing has a range of online Christmas As part of our 40th Birthday powerful man in to while away the gifts called ‘Santa Cause: Gifts with Celebrations next year we’ll be the world than by reading his time with when lying poolside, Meaning’. Shop online at www.san- publishing the Readings Anthol- books? See page 15 for informa- picking at Christmas Day left- tacause.org.au to purchase gifts such ogy, a collection of writing by tion on his new book, Change We overs, or during the ad breaks for as the ‘Sleep Tight’ Accommodation established and emerging writers Can Believe In (Text, PB, $24.95) the Boxing Day cricket match. Package or ‘Soul Food’ Meals Pack- who’ve had a connection with and his previous titles, The See page 19. To win a brilliant age. Each gift represents the kinds of us. As part of the anthology one Audacity of Hope (Text, PB, prize, donated by the kind folk activities and services Sacred Heart of our current staff members is $24.95) and Dreams From My at Orion, email your answers, Mission provides. All proceeds go writing a potted history of the Father (Text, PB, $24.95; Audio with your name, address and directly to the Mission. When a store, and wants to include your CD, read by Barack Obama, contact number to clare.mcken- gift is purchased, an e-certificate is memories of Readings alongside $39.95). We’re offering the chance [email protected] with ‘Read- generated and will either be emailed the more ‘official’ story of the to win an Obama pack (worth ings Quiz’ in the subject header. directly to the gift recipient or to the company’s success. There will be $89.95) courtesy of Text Publish- The first three correct entries purchaser. It’s a great, stress-free way a prize for the most interesting ing, containing Audacity of Hope received will each win two Orion to shop for a gift that reflects the anecdote, so send us your stories and Dreams From my Father in audiobooks. Orion audiobooks true spirit of Christmas. (of up to 300 words) and make both book and audio form. available this Summer include; your memories part of Readings’ DK Eyewitness Just answer this question. Which of The Goon Show Compendium Vol history. Travel winner the following did vice-presidential 1 ($120); Brideshead Revisited, If you’re interested in contribut- candidate Sarah Palin NOT say: 10XCD ($59.95); Provence A- Z The winner of the DK Eyewitness ing, please send an email to: a) ‘I can see Russia from my house’; ($59.95); Doctor Who: Collected Travel competition as part of our alison.huber@ readings.com.au, or b) ‘there is hope and opportunity Stories ($110); Harry Potter and 20% off DK Eyewitness Travel address your post to Alison Huber in our neighbouring country of the Philosophers Stone ($65); Guides that was run across Read- c/o Readings Anthology, Readings, Afghanistan’; c) ‘I’m the mayor, His Dark Materials, MP3 ($120); ings shops in October was won PO Box 1066, Carlton, VIC, I can do whatever I want until the Alan Bennett Children’s Collection by an ecstatic Michelle Stockley 3053. All contributions must be courts tell me I can’t’. Email your ($79.95). Please note that only of Elwood. Michelle won a $4000 received by the end of the year to answer, with your name, address winners will be notified. travel voucher with STA Travel. be considered for inclusion. and contact number to clare. Competition ends 31.01.09. Congratulations! 5 New Australian Authors 2008Kate Holden This year, Readings has partnered with the Copyright Agency Limited to described the present a regular series of special features introducing new and emerging bewitching Australian writers and their work, written by established Australian writers memoir The After Life (Vintage, like Alex Miller and Cate Kennedy. Discovering a fantastic new writer is PB, $27.95) as always a pleasure – but it’s often a gamble, too. We’re delighted that so many ‘an exposure of suburban family of our customers have taken a chance on the new writers we’ve featured, life that, though it reads as darkly helping to make these titles – and this series – a success. as one of her beloved fairy tales, in uncompromising in its dissec- tion of a tragic adolescence and the As Christmas and the New Year approach, we’ve decided to look back at our people who formed it’. And Candy featured writers and their books – perfect Christmas and summer reading picks. author Luke Davies raved about it elsewhere: ‘exquisite, haunting, And we’ve asked each writer to name their own favourite books of 2008. gripping, intense and so beautifully written’.

This article proudly supported by Copyright Agency Limited Dmetri Kakmi Who would have thought that Toni Jordan and lively imagination’. Addition is Alex Miller called Patrick White’s Michelle de the story of an obsessive-compulsive Landscape of Desire paramour was more Kretser’s The Lost counter who tries (uncharacteristi- (Scribe, PB, imperious and Dog (A&U, PB, cally) to become ‘normal’ to please $29.95) ‘one intellectually $23.95) was my her new love, but ends up question- of the most satisfy- rigorous than the great man himself? favourite book this ing just what ‘normal’ is and ing and original A literary My Dinner with Andre, year, by a nose in a whether it’s so desirable after all. first novels I’ve the freewheeling dialogue Recollec- strong field. I loved her prose (when read for some tions of Mr Manoly Lascaris (Vrasidas Kevin Rabalais cleaning ornamental figurines, time’, praising ‘the consistent Karalis, Brandl & Schlesinger, PB, ‘Audrey murmured to small Gil Adamson’s The intelligence of the writing’ and $26.95) sheds surprising light on porcelain people of love while Outlander (A&U, the writer’s ‘gently ironic humour’. White’s work and influences. From holding them face down in soapy PB, $29.95), set in The novel uses the ill-fated Burke one of Australia’s best writers comes water’), her sly humour (the the wilds of Alberta and Wills expedition to explore Sydney Journals (Antigone Kefala, professor dressed in beige whose in 1903, is the kind love and identity, desire and Giramondo, PB, $27.95), a book ‘thoughts were leaking’) and an of novel that death, against the backdrop of that rewards with its complex engrossing plot. Yes, there’s a lost Cormac McCarthy might have the Australian outback. counterpoint of themes and dog, but there’s a lot more written had he grown up in Toronto worldliness. This serene and erudite Kathleen Stewart happening as well. Actually there’s instead of Tennessee. Its many reflection on a passionate life is so much happening that in lesser mysteries surface through flickers of Daphne du literature at its most rewarding. hands, it would be a mess: The Lost poetic description, such as Maurier was one Almost everything by Irene Dog is about colonialism, neo-colo- Adamson’s introduction of her of my favourite Nemirovsky rewards, especially Fire nialism, art, literature, academia, heroine: ‘Nineteen years old and authors as a child in the Blood (Vintage, PB, $29.95). longing, belonging, deception, already a widow. Mary Boulton. and, though This novella peels back the skin to identity, inner-urban arty preten- Widowed by her own hand.’ Closer popular with devastating effect. For effortless tions, and cultural and literal to home, in Melbourne’s western readers, she was severely under- plotting and ruthless insight into the excrement. But it’s not a mess. It’s suburbs, you’ll find rated as a writer in her lifetime human heart you cannot do better elegant and layered and just a Nick Gadd’s thrilling Ghostlines and, I believe, since. I was than her. A wit once said that if it’s delight. I also loved Debra (Scribe, PB, $29.95), a page-turning intrigued by and yet dubious worth saying, it’s worth saying Adelaide’s The Household Guide to literary crime novel about an about Justine Picardie’s Daphne briefly.With A Life’s Music (Hodder, Dying (Picador, PB, $29.95), Helen investigative journalist’s descent into (Bloomsbury, PB, $32.95); PB, $22), Andre Makine has taken Garner’s The Spare Room (Text, HB, the world of art theft and political I thought her tone had missed the lesson to heart and produced a $29.95) and Emily Perkins’ Novel intrigue. Ghostlines forms a bridge the mark in the initial pages; novella that contains the world in its About My Wife (Bloomsbury, PB, on the bookshelf between David I dillied and dallied, and then I brevity. One runs out of superlatives $29.95). A common thread through Mitchell and Peter Temple. Also this succumbed and bought it. Once to describe his work. His prose all these books, and the thing I love year, Vintage reissued the heart- I began reading, I was so en- produces a euphoria close to tears. the most in a novel, is compassion. breaking novels and story collections thralled and taken over by the of Richard Yates. Revolutionary Road mood and pull of the multiple Arnold Zable spoke Louise Swinn (Vintage, PB, Normally $24.95, layers of story, and the literary to Dmetri Kakmi described the Our Price, $19.95) unfolds in mystery at its heart, concerning about Mother Land quirky, clever mid-50s suburban America and Branwell and Emily Bronte, that (Giramondo, PB, romantic comedy is one of the great rediscoveries of I spent a misty, rainy weekend $29.95), his Addition (Text, PB, twentieth-century fiction. Trust in bed with it and copious cups account of growing $29.95) as ‘the Kurt Vonnegut, who called it ‘The of tea; one of my happiest reading up on a once-Greek product of a fast Great Gatsby of my time.’ experiences of 2008. island annexed by 6 Turkey in 1923. He wrote: ‘The Jacinta Halloran thought and feeling. Closer to ther, the more history and fiction memoir is distinguished by Kakmi’s Helen Garner’s The home, I enjoyed Maria Tumarkin’s intertwine. Ultimately, it’s vivid portrayal of island characters, Spare Room (Text, exemplary Courage (MUP, PB, all about forgiveness. and his seamless weaving of history, HB, $29.95) and $32.95). Maria interviewed me for folklore and myth, ritual and daily Readings Monthly, and I don’t want Mandy Sayer was Nam Le’s The Boat Gary Bryson’s reality, rendered with the sensuous (Viking, PB, to seem nepotistic. But I shouldn’t immediacy of a young boy.’ be craven: it’s a fantastic, ferocious creative writing $29.95) are my lecturer at UTS choices for this book. Nam Le and interviewed year. Garner’s portrayal of the dying Maria Tumarkin him for Readings. For its humanity friend – her affectations, her summed up the She says that Turtle and compassion, maddening refusal to admit the appeal of Distrac- (A&U, PB, its formal tensility, truth about her illness – was deeply tion (MUP, PB, $27.95), his novel exploring a its unyielding affecting. The Spare Roomis a novel $26.95) beautifully: dysfunctional Glasgow family and a interrogation of full of painful truths and steely ‘The best kind of narrator who communes with a consciousness, tenderness. And the prose is popular philosophy turtle, was ‘one of the finest debut Salvatore Scibona’s debut novel brilliant; not a word out of place. … popular in the novels [she’d] read in years’ and that The End (Graywolf Press, HB, Read Nam Le’s The Boat and you real sense of the word, owing to its ‘Bryson’s storytelling is, quite $47.95) is one of my favourite will understand the hype. That he overriding, passionate concern with simply, enchanting.’ books of the year. It follows, in can so convincingly inhabit so many the business of living well, right now corkscrew fashion, the lives of varied characters is testament to and not a second later, in this world Vivienne Kelly several characters which dramati- both his talent and painstaking in front of our eyes.’ The stand-out book cally converge on one day in 1954 attention to his craft. This is such for me in 2008 was Cleveland. Scibona writes about accomplished writing. Gary Bryson family, work, displacement, Addition (Text, PB, disappointment and race with Georgia Blain In a year full of $29.95), in which tremendous cumulative power; he wrote about books, two books Toni Jordan reminds you what a novel is Dissection (Scribe, about books stand explores a painful capable of doing. And ultimately PB, $27.95), a out in my mind as compulsive The End is a novel in portrait of a particularly good. condition with sympathy and wit. a mould rarely seen any more: Melbourne GP Not for their book- It’s a remarkable novel. It’s so funny slow-burning, often demand- whose life is ish interplay alone, it has you falling about, so sad it ing – but well worth it if you’re as disintegrating as a though this, I admit, is irresistible; makes you weep. It is generous and patient, as confident, as the book result of one mistake: ‘With this long, spiral dive into fictions big-hearted: Grace’s perversities are is in its wisdom and Woolfian com- precision and skill, Halloran lays about fiction and writings about examined with meticulous clarity, plexity. Another debut: Atmospheric McBride bare, examining her as she writing, down and down to the but they are never scoffed at; she Disturbances by Rivka Galchen cracks and disintegrates, page by cosy warm space inside ourselves commands our sympathy and (Fourth Estate, PB, $27.99). Here’s page.’ Launching the novel, Helen where books – if they’re any good attention throughout. Firmly rooted a book with its brain on its sleeve Garner said, ‘I recommend it as an – live and thrive. Both these books in suburbia, the novel nevertheless and its heart in its mouth; a man unputdownable and richly do exactly that for me. People of the deftly weaves the exotic story of comes home one day to a woman rewarding read.’ Book by Geraldine Brooks (Harper Nikolai Tesla and his obsessions he’s convinced is not his wife – is Collins, PB, $33) is a dazzling through Grace’s narrative, giving her an imposter acting as his wife. Damon Young fictional history of the life of a real own obsessions and fantasies an What follows is an account of his I wolfed down (and very rare) book, the Sarajevo extra and unexpected dimension. search that’s at once compelling, The Same Man by Haggadah. We travel backwards Most tellingly, this novel consumed disorienting, playful and incredibly David Lebed- through time, from war in the me with jealousy: it is original and moving. Finally, two books con- off (Scribe, PB, Balkans to fifteenth-century Spain, intelligent and moving and I wished taining some of the best sentences $29.95). It’s more in the course of which Brooks so much I had written it! It’s a great out there – Peter Carey’s His Illegal than a biography manages to say something beautiful read and a funny, lovely book, but it Self (Vintage, PB, $32.95) and Jo- of Evelyn Waugh and profound about religious also says profound things about the seph O’Neill’s Netherland (Fourth and George Orwell. It explores class, differences and the conquering ways in which grief and love tangle Estate, PB, $27.99). status, literature and the state of one-ness of the human spirit. in our lives. civilisation. Orwell and Waugh were By contrast, Homecoming by Bern- It’s funny how Nam Le’s dazzling opposites in politics, religion, looks, hard Schlink (Orion, PB, $33) is a things come full short story literary style and temperament. Yet narrative steeped in the unresolved circle ... Toni collection The Boat they respected one another’s work, moral quagmire of Germany’s Jordan wrote our (Viking, PB, and shared suspicions: of totalitari- war-time past; not the guilt or final Australian $29.95) is, of anism, technology and hollow con- otherwise of the actors in that Feature for 2008, course, an sumerism. This is why Lebedoff sees awful drama, but the rupturing of about the ‘witty, international them as ‘the same man’: they both identity and moral certainty of the layered’ Cooee success story. feared our modern age. Lebedoff is a generation which followed them. (Scribe, PB, Normally $32.95, Our Everyone who’s anyone has raved fine storyteller, with Schlink’s damaged narrator, Peter, special price $24.95), a satirical about it. And Cate Kennedy was no an eye for character and scene. And searches for a father who didn’t novel about a fractured family, and exception: ‘Allow yourself to be The Same Man is wonderfully return from the war and believes the delusional, acerbic matriarch at seduced, this is a terrific collection; written. Like Orwell and Waugh, he has found him in the pages of its core – who harbours a dark intelligent, exhilarating and the author loves the English an incomplete novel. However, the secret. ‘Utterly entertaining and moving.’ language, and its power to liberate closer Peter gets to finding his fa- darkly funny,’ wrote Jordan. 7 Feature Interview

CatherineJo Case talks to Catherine Deveny aboutDeveny her new book Say When Catherine McGuire. They see life as a pissing Deveny, like competition and women as slaves, her Age colleague trophies or bitches. Michael Leunig, is a Melbourne Sam Newman has been a icon, loved favourite target of yours, (and sometimes loathed) for particularly over the past year. consistently calling it as she What have been some of the sees it in her columns on televi- highlights (or lowlights) of your sion and on the opinion pages. stoushes with Sam? What is it Jo Case talked to her about that you find most offensive and/ her new collection of her best or dangerous about him? writing over the past year or I’ve never stoushed with him; just so, Say When. railed against him. He’s a bully, a misogynist, a megalomaniac and a What is your favourite article in vain opportunist. The extent of his Say When, and why? exposure and his popularity norma- Like all mothers, we pretend that lises offensive and sexist behaviour we don’t have favourites but we which is reinforced by the pigs in do. Actually every night before my suits who laugh at him. three kids go to sleep, I whisper into each of their ears: ‘You’re not You write eloquently about the messy business of parenting – my favourite, but you’re getting (Dr. Who) was nice and all but let’s including the idea that men I was really moved by the heart- pretty close.’ You know, just to face it: he was shit. Malcolm’s all need to step up and be equal felt article you published on the keep them on their toes. I think tally ho, sense of entitlement, smell partners when it comes to eve of last year’s election, calling my favourite column this year is that born-to-rule patriarchy; but he responsibility for raising children. for Australians to base their votes the one on Getaway because I got seems to be a bit more in step with (I love your apt point about men on their conscience over their hip to bag Channel Nine (would you real life than any of his predeces- referring to looking after their pockets; ‘not just for the white like a dumb blonde with that?), sors. Not that that’s saying much. own children as ‘babysitting’.) middle-class working families Catriona Rowntree (a woman I He’s still a knob. have an irrational desire to back How would you sum up your who have never had it so good’. over if I ever see in a carpark), parenting philosophy? How much work did it take to It seems that crap TV is easier to Australian travellers (loud drunken write that piece? write about (or at least, easier to There’s a book called The Good bogans whose nasal accents cut be funny about) than good TV. Enough Parent. I’ve never read it, That piece had been brewing away through the humid Phuket air like What are the worst shows you’ve but it sums me up, There’s a lot of: for weeks. I had decided at the a chainsaw) and Jules Lund (part written about this year? And what ‘she’ll be right’, ‘you’ll get over it’, start of the election campaign that man part Boonie Doll). are the best? ‘bad luck’, ‘run it under some wa- I would just take the piss ‘til the ter’, ‘calm down’, ‘not my problem’ last week then try to write a ‘light Worst? Download, Benny Hinn and I loved your article on missing and ‘I don’t know where it is, where on the hill’ kind of piece. During The Moment Of Truth. Best? Flight John Howard (or rather, missing have you looked?’ There’s a term, the election there were no rousing Of The Conchords, Boston Legal hating John Howard) after the ‘helicopter parent’ – always hover- speeches; just talk about money and Nigella. election – I’m sure you weren’t ing. I’m the opposite. Whatever the and interest rates. It was all lawyers the only comedian (or leftie) to opposite is of hovering is. Lying on and accountants. As I wrote it I Who are your favourite ‘targets’ feel that way. Do you still miss the couch ignoring, I imagine. had tears pouring down my face and why? him, or have you come to terms and I thought I was going to be Wankers, uptight white honkies, with his passing? sick. It was a relief to finish but I The article ‘Just Keep Going’, bullshit artists, fakers, people who felt so emotionally alive; as soon as Only just. But I do miss hanging it about the everyday bravery should know better and anyone I finished I wanted to go straight on the little bloke who should have of people battling depression who uses media, power or religion back in. been running a newsagency in Moe or hardship, had an amazing to oppress the rest of us. instead of inflicting the dreams of response when it was first pub- After the election (before the new his uptight white honky parents lished in The Age. What inspired Liberal leader was announced), Last Christmas, you wrote that on the rest of us. I hope he’s sitting you to write the article, and were you wrote: ‘I can’t really hate ‘having children and a vagina in a pair of fawn slacks somewhere you surprised by the response? Malcolm Turnbull yet; I just basically means being a slave suffering relevance deprivation. I was in a bit of a black hole at the like laughing at him in the same and an emotional potty for the time and that’s what was going on in way I would laugh at a dog last two weeks of December’. If Channel Nine went bust, my head. I was amazed and thrilled with a bucket on its head’. What are your plans for escap- would you miss them, too? by the response. Many sad people How do you feel about him now ing or embracing that fate this No. I’d be thrilled. They are cul- were extremely touched by it. These that he’s become Liberal leader – Christmas? or ‘Head Boy’, as you put it? tural rapists and creative vandals. people were really suffering and feel- Alcohol. Sleep. Repeat until 2009. The station is run by a pack of ing very alone. I was so honoured Look, we’re all pretty rapt that blokes in bomber jackets who to have been able to make them feel finally we have an opposition leader Say When (Black Inc., PB, $24.95) get an erection at the thought of that someone knew what they were who seems to be, how can I put is available from all Readings shops having a car park next to Eddie going through and someone cared. this, leading. I mean Dr. Nelson, and at www.readings.com.au.

8 Feature Article

BookReviewed byof Martin the Shaw Month TheStieg Man WhoLarsson Played with Fire The Girl who dogs lie if any authority figure tries Played with Fire to cross her path again! By Christopher MacLehose Stieg Larsson The Girl who Played with Fire Stieg Larsson died had to take precautions for both MacLehose. PB. Normally $32.95 kicks off with Salander taking on the anniversary himself and his life-long partner, Our special price $27.95 some well-deserved R&R in the of Kristallnacht, in Eva Gabrielsson. Friends say that he Staff review Caribbean. It seems too good 2004, aged 50. was always unafraid, but the strain I’m not a huge to be true, and sure enough she He had done of those years, especially in the late reader of crime soon finds herself aware of a do- everything that '90s, must have been severe. In one fiction – I think mestic abuse situation in which any one man could of the worst times, terror tactics of it more as a she feels compelled to intervene possibly have done were used against Expo's printers: guilty pleasure – in a typically direct fashion! to expose and document and turn windows were smashed and their from time to time Back home in Stockholm, she back the resurgence of neo-fascism employees threatened. if I chance on moves into her lovely new city in his native Sweden. He worked something that apartment, acquired with the day and night, sometimes in fear By night, Larsson began writing the really rocks my boat! But I’m as proceeds from events readers of of his life, with a small group of crime novels that would form part excited as if it were a new Cormac the first book will be familiar political activists who founded a of his bequest to Sweden and the McCarthy when I receive an with. But the forces she has tried crusading magazine called Expo, literary world. By this time, Larsson advance copy of the second to avenge the previous year – like which exposed the activities of had read so voraciously, especially instalment in Larsson’s Millenium her warden Nils Bjurmann, have Sweden’s far right. The work and among the English-language crime trilogy, following up the epic no intention of disappearing the magazine go on. writers, had so often reviewed their page-turner The Girl with the from her life: not surprising, work for a summer or winter round- Dragon Tattoo (new small-format since Bjurmann’s navel is Stieg Larsson was born 400 miles up for the agency – mass graves, as edition available Dec 19 at tattooed ‘I am a sadistic pig north of Stockholm and grew they were known – that his mastery $22.95, original edition, $32.95). – a pervert and a rapist’!

up there in Umeå. Telling stories of the form came as no surprise to There are many aspects to the remains a habit in these sparse com- those friends who were sent the Intent on his own revenge, he books’ success. Partly, they are munities. Even as a boy, Larsson was texts of all three novels, sometimes soon sets some particularly nasty inspired by and show a love of the a tireless writer. The drumming of chapter by chapter. The first of his characters in Salander’s direc- genre. As his English publisher, his typewriter was such that he had completed ‘millennium trilogy’, The tion ... Meanwhile, over at the Christopher MacLehose, relates to be moved into a basement room Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was Millenium magazine – which on this page, Larsson regularly in the apartment building his family published in Sweden in the year fol- is still running strong after its reviewed crime fiction for the lived in, and when that did not lowing his death; it was published in huge success the previous year, magazine where he worked as a quell the restlessness of the neigh- the UK, US and Australia in 2008. an academic and her partner graphic designer. And he was a bours, he had to move to a room in have an especially explosive very engaged man, socially and another building altogether. Publisher John-Henri Holmberg story on the illicit sex trade in says that in all the time he knew politically. The sinister worlds of Sweden, which they propose He finished school and did his Larsson, he never forgot a single organised crime, the sex industry to publish in book form. But national service. He put his army detail even of a conversation; that and neo-Nazism were aspects of when they are found murdered, combat training to use while this gift, along with his persistence, contemporary Swedish society – the team is startled to discover journeying in Africa. He saw civil was the cornerstone of his brilliant for so long considered a model that none other than Salander’s war in Eritrea, where he is said to work at Expo: the patient building liberal democracy – that both prints have been discovered on have taught women soldiers how to of cases, the ability to outwit the appalled him and provoked his the murder weapon! This isn’t use hand-grenades. Somewhere in enemy, to defeat all comers with social conscience. In his books, the woman that Blomquist in Africa, he caught malaria. When he facts and reason. good and evil are clearly defined; particular knows after the events returned to a job in the post office, the perpetrators must be called to at the Vanger household the year it allowed him to (on occasion) On 9 November 2004, Larsson was account. Having such remarkable before, so he makes it his mission plead exhaustion and stay at home, going to be taking a public meeting sleuths as his two main characters to better understand the woman reading. He edited a Trotskyite with Kurdo Baksi to mark – as they (Mikael Blomquist and Lisbeth who saved his life: What exactly magazine; he wrote, designed and did every year – the date of Kristall- Salander) on the case certainly makes her tick? What is that mimeographed 30 science fiction nacht. Baksi rang on the morning of must have given him a sense of period in her life she kept refer- fanzines; he was an artist, photog- the meeting and was told that Lars- poetic justice. ring to (‘all the evil’)? And not

rapher and graphic designer. For 30 son had been taken ill and had gone least, he is determined to find For me though, Larsson’s crowning years, he was the Scandinavian cor- to a hospital. Baksi took the meeting her before she is stitched up for a achievement is to reproduce and respondent of the British anti-fascist alone; then he went to the hospital. murder she surely didn’t commit.

magazine Searchlight; he lectured at Stieg was no longer alive. describe a world that ‘we’, the At close to 600 pages, The Girl Scotland Yard on the cross-Europe- Western middle classes, imme- Christopher MacLehose is a former who Played with Fire is a thump- an neo-fascist networks and the way diately recognise and relate to (I publisher at Harvill Press and ing great read – though one of they used the internet. particularly enjoyed the descrip- founder of the MacLehose Press. tion of the shopping trip to Ikea my colleagues devoured it in very But Larsson will be remembered in this book), but then put a nearly one sitting! I, too, was most of all as a man of exceptional Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy is fire-cracker under it in the form of transported by such fine storytell- moral conviction. He spent his life published by the MacLehose press. The Salander, the diminutive (four-foot ing, with characters you really fighting racial and religious intoler- Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will be nothing) 25-year-old ward of the care about. It’s been described ance. Larsson and his Expo colleague published in a small format edition on state who – after almost losing her in a French newspaper as ‘more Kurdo Baksi were under no illusions December 19 ($22.95), simultane- life to her appointed guardian – than a book, a drug’. And yes, I’m about the risks they ran. Both were ously with the new volume, The Girl has no intention of letting sleeping addicted! threatened; for a long while, Larsson Who Played with Fire.

9 Australia’s most popular writers ception that Australian poetry is dry, of contemporary women’s fiction. inaccessible and preoccupied with Her warm, funny tales of life, love landscape, has set out to change Fiction New Australian and friendship are grounded in the that perception with this collection. Australian stories universal truths of everyday women’s Poets and eras range from the early Aviva Tuffield (ed.) lives, while providing a colourful nineteenth century work of Francis Fiction Scribe. PB. $29.95 and hugely enjoyable escape into Macnamara to C.J. Dennis and Best Australian Staff review imagination. This first collection Henry Lawson, to the modern era stories Short stories of McInerney’s short fiction will of A.D. Hope and Kate Jennings. Delia Falconer (ed.) seem to be delight fans of her novels – and Black Inc. PB. $29.95 enjoying a is perfect summer reading. These Best Australian Guest review resurgence of stories include a fashion-chal- Poems Delia Falconer late. New lenged grandmother who weaves Peter Rose (ed.) writes in her annuals devoted some magic in a dusty charity Black Inc. PB. $24.95 introduction to to them (like shop and a grieving young mother This year’s this collection, Black Inc.’s taking a healing journey. edition of ‘most stories in Best Australian Black Inc.’s Australia are Stories and the Sleepers Almanacs) Pescador’s Wake much-loved written for seem to be thriving; while writers Katherine Johnson anthology of pleasure, for like Cate Kennedy and Nam Le HarperCollins. PB. $27.99 the year’s best the sheer joy of have built high profile careers and Amid the poetry is once cutting loose.’ This is apparent in devoted followings with short fic- storms and again edited by the twenty-six stories Falconer has tion alone (so far). Scribe enters the icebergs of the Peter Rose, chosen for this annual delight. fray this year with New Australian far Southern editor of Australian Book Review Plots dive and dovetail with Stories, a mix of new and previously Ocean‚ a deadly and a respected poet. Poets include idiosyncratic characters and published fiction with the potential chase is Dorothy Porter, Robert Adamson, surprising situations. Each piece to become a series. An impressive underway. The Lisa Gorton and Clive James. has a strong clear voice, and in collection it is, too; leading with Uruguayan- many the language is sumptuous. a characteristically dry, stylish and flagged Best Australian Some of the stories were commis- surprising story from Cate Kennedy, Pescador has been spotted fishing Poetry 2008 sioned by Falconer; some ‘Flexion’, about the unexpected illegally for Patagonian toothfish in David Brooks (ed.) submitted for the anthology, and aftermath of a farm accident where a the waters off Heard Island. The UQP. PB. $24.95 others chosen from journals and tractor falls on its driver. It’s replete crew of an Australian patrol vessel‚ Poet and anthologies. Recognisable names with crisp images like this one of the Australis‚ has been given novelist David include Frank Moorhouse, the accident scene: ‘shattered glass instructions to pursue the Pescador Brooks is the Deborah Robertson and our 2008 strewn around him like crushed and not let her out of its sight. editor of literary sensation Nam Le. ice’. Other favourites of mine Equally determined‚ Carlos‚ the UQP’s annual Falconer states, ‘I did not want to include Max Barry’s ‘How I Met My Pescador’s master‚ sets an escape offering of the be able to guess from the outset Daughter’ – sharp, funny, sad and course south‚ directly into a storm. best poetry of where a short story was going.’ brutal; Virginia Peters’ ‘The House As the drama unfolds at sea‚ so too the year. UQP The stories with the most power to Guest’, which cunningly plays do the stories of the human lives boasts a long surprise include Tony Birch’s with the reader’s expectations and caught in its nets. and continuing dedication to ‘Gardening for Pleasure’ about a prejudices; Georgia Blain’s knowing, poetry, and that is reflected in this mentally ill man living in reflective ‘The Other Side of the volume, which showcases a broad a residential unit, and ‘Turning River’ and Abigail Ulman’s brilliant, Australian Poetry variety of local poets and poetry. off the Lights’, Anna Krien’s story uncomfortable ‘Chagall’s Wife’. 100 Australian Poems of a daughter dealing with her Highly recommended. You Need to Know The Penguin father’s early onset dementia. Anthology of Jo Case is Editor of Readings Jamie Grant Standout pieces from new writers Monthly Australian Poetry include Rudi Soman’s ‘Crackers’ Hardie Grant. PB. $39.95 John Kinsella (ed.) This beautifully presented, lov- and Davina Bell’s ‘All the Things All Together Now Penguin. PB. $26.95 ingly compiled book is the perfect You Couldn’t Say’. Renowned poet John Kinsella has Monica McInerney gift – and a lively introduction to Annie Condon is a freelance gathered together a selection of the Michael Joseph. PB. $32.95 Australian poetry. Acclaimed poet writer and reviewer very best of Australian poetry. Monica McInerney is one of Jamie Grant, frustrated by the per-

CINEMA NOVA RECOMMENDS Jakob Beer’s adult life is haunted by childhood experiences TIM MINCHIN “a really in World War II Poland, where he was orphaned. unusual and FUGITIVE PIECES brilliant story Directed by Jeremy Podeswa from the international ...fascinating” best-selling novel by Anne Michaels Beat Magazine “Nuanced, Comic Tim Minchin’s meteoric rise to fame is scrupulous and captured in this intimate documentary about a powerful.” Time Out New York NOVEMBER 20 musician who broke the mould. NOVEMBERNOVEMBER 20 20 Make a purchase at Readings for your chance C I N E M A 380 LYGON ST CARLTON to receive one of 25 double passes to either film. www.cinemanova.com.au

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with most of his works languishing Bernhard Schlink’s bestselling novel out-of-print. He has retained a small The Reader (Phoenix, PB, $22.99) but utterly devoted following, which is about a young man’s love affair BInternationallack Orchid FictionThe Casebook of has slowly expanded through the with an older woman in Nazi Ger- Gillian Slovo Victor Frankenstein sterling efforts of high profile many. Years later, as a law student Virago. PB. $29.99 Peter Ackroyd admirers like David Sedaris, Richard observing a trial, Michael realises When the Chatto & Windus. PB. $32.95 Ford and Nick Hornby. His that Hanna, his former lover, is the genteelly This inventive and intriguing book ‘neglected’ status looks set to change criminal. Her seemingly illogical impoverished reinvents Mary Shelley’s classic tale this summer, with a Hollywood film behaviour during the trial gradually and rebellious in his own exploration of Romantic adaptation by Sam Mendes (of makes sense, as a deeper, darker Evelyn marries ideals gone wrong. Told in the voice American Beauty fame) of Yates’s secret comes to the fore. debut novel, Revolutionary Road. It’s the charming of Victor Frankenstein, with Mary Schlink is all the rage for filmmak- Emil, scion of Shelley and her husband, Percy Bys- the story of a young couple trying to live out the dream so many of us ers at the moment. Richard Eyre, a privileged she Shelley as characters (along with director of Notes on a Scandal, has Sinhalese Byron and others), this darkly at- have – a good job, a nice house, prospects ... you detect my irony, of adapted a Schlink short story for family, she thinks that her dream mospheric book brings nineteenth- his new film The Other Man, star- of a life in England can now at last century London vividly alive for the course. The nightmare that suburbia can ring Antonio Banderas, Laura Lin- come true. So the family travel, reader, with its resurrection men ney and Liam Neeson. The story with their young son, Milton from (who provide the experimenting become is now a familiar fictional trope. But remember, this was is one of seven from his collection Ceylon to Tilbury Docks. But this doctor with corpses), Romantics, Flights of Love (Phoenix, PB, $23). is England in the 1950s and, no foggy wharves and Newgate hang- written towards the end of the matter how hard Evelyn wishes ings. And amateur literary detectives 1950s, when this way of life was Another short that it would, England does not will have hours of fun with all the rarely questioned. April and Frank story adapted take kindly to strangers, especially literary and historical allusions and Wheeler both dream of escape from for film is F. families who are half black and shapeshifting. As in the original, their humdrum lives – in particular, Scott Fitzger- half white. A profound and Victor Frankenstein is a Romantic to follow their perceived artistic ald’s The moving novel, this is the story idealist who wishes to create a better callings, symbolised by their refrain Curious Case about the search to feel at home in man. And yes, it all goes horribly ‘why don’t we move to Paris?’ – of Benjamin your own skin. wrong. But in between, the story is but their quest for fulfilment Button (Quirk, to the original as Wide Sargasso Sea becomes all the more elusive as their PB, $22.95), The China Lover is different from Jane Eyre. relationship continues to degenerate by Fight Club director David Ian Buruma (over who has thwarted whom). Fincher, starring Brad Pitt. A new, It is a very poignant book, but Atlantic. PB. $32.95 Grace Notes faithful graphic novel adaptation also a mordantly funny one, acutely Ian Buruma, a Jenny Pattrick is the perfect introduction to the observed – and, as in Fitzgerald film buff who Scribe. PB. $27.95 story – or a chance to revisit it from (whom Yates revered), utter stylistic has written Letter-writing a new angle. It follows the fortunes mastery is on display in the choice extensively on is about to give of Benjamin Button, a man who of every word and phrase. No Asia, uses the way to email, ages in reverse. doubt a fine film as well; don’t true story of but elderly miss this sensational book! Fugitive Pieces (Bloomsbury, PB, Japanese Grace will resist Martin Shaw is from $23.95), by Canadian writer Anne actress the trend. Readings Carlton Michaels, has a faithful following – Yamaguchi Through letters but will likely win a new legion of Yoshiko as a lens for understand- and stories, we admirers with its on-screen version. ing the shifting relationship learn of her Orphaned Jewish boy Jakob Beer between Japan, China and friendships, the interactions of the is swept away from Poland just America, both during and after argumentative bowling club, her Books as Films months before the Nazi occupa- World War II. Manchurian-born growing attraction to and It’s the time of tion, saved by a humanist geologist, Yamaguchi built a career playing relationship with Max, and the year for big sum- who takes him into his Greek island Chinese beauties who fall in love jealousy this engenders in her mer movies – home and takes him on as a student. with Japanese empire builders, closest friend, Mildred. As the story and as a result, Living in the shadows of the Holo- softening her audiences towards unfolds, Grace faces new chal- there’s a swag of caust, the trauma of Jakob’s early life their occupiers. Threatened with lenges: the problems of younger books with film refuses to leave him – and he must execution for her collaboration people invade her solitary life. adaptations due steel himself to excavate the horrors after the war, she revealed that she Grace touches the lives of many out this month. of his own history. was really Japanese and had been with her warmth, her feistiness, her Vikas Swarup’s forced to play the roles – then intelligence, and her frailty. highly popular debut novel Q & A read Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of reinvented herself in US-occupied like a film waiting to be made from Bees (Headline, PB, $22.99) has Revolutionary Road Tokyo, in films designed to the start: the story of a penniless been a publishing phenomenon: promote American-style democ- Richard Yates waiter from Mumbai who becomes an emotive coming-of-age story racy. Juxtaposing her experiences Vintage. PB. Normally $24.95 the biggest quiz show winner in set in 1960s North Carolina, at a with those of three male narrators Our special price $19.95 history – and is arrested as a result. time when racial segregation was in three different times and places Staff review Forced to prove how he could considered worth fighting for. When (Manchuria, Tokyo and Beirut), American answer the questions that paved the 14-year-old Lily’s only friend, black Buruma re-imagines her life, using novelist and way to his big win, he explains by servant Rosaleen, is arrested and the conflicts and changes in her short-story linking each nugget of general beaten, the pair flee both the law life to reflect those of modern writer Richard knowledge to the colourful incidents and Lily’s unyielding father, finding Japan. Yates passed in his own extraordinary, tenacious sanctuary in the home of three away in 1992 life. The tie-in edition is retitled beekeeping sisters. (aged 66) all Slumdog Millionaire (Black Swan, PB,  SPECIAL PRICE but forgotten, $24.95) to match the film.

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It all got me thinking about what happens as the boundaries between humans and animals erode — ge- NEW TITLES netically, ethically, environmentally and so on. Also I wanted to play with the way television, popular FROM SCRIBE culture, and consumerism affect language and a reader’s attention span and capacity to read a story. special feature You describe the book as a savage Q&A with modern fable about science, eric dando family, television and love gone Melbourne-based writer Eric Dan- wrong. Why did you choose to do’s second novel Oink Oink Oink write a fable? (Hunter, PB. $29.95), is a satirical I was lucky, I suppose, to grow up adventure that skilfully skewers in a house crowded wall-to-wall some of our sacred cows. Laurie with books and to have parents Steed spoke to him for Readings. and siblings and partners who love Oink Oink Oink is your first stories and puns and jokes and novel since Snail in 1996. What appreciate tragedy and humour. have you been up to in the I was luckier still to be a student twelve years since Snail was first of both Ania Walwicz and Antoni published? Jach, studying myth and fable and Obama’s Challenge Bird by Bird folklore in their amazing RMIT Well. You know. I’ve been teaching writing classes. special education and gardening and trying to make a dollar and Reviewer Peter Pierce once just hanging out in front of Mc- claimed your strength was in Donalds with my friends drinking your ability to write acerbically Coca-Cola. about the places where your sym- pathies lie. How do you main- When did you get the idea for tain the balance between the two your latest novel? extremes when writing about I was staying with this hardcore- places so close to your heart? hillbilly-hippy family in a place I suppose we are entering into a called No Name, in New South relationship, the reader and I. We Wales.They had caught some are best friends now. And good razorback pigs and were keeping relationships are based on trust them as pets. One of the pigs was and honesty. I don’t think about just about to give birth and the maintaining a balance, but I do The Annotated Grace Notes boys, Cedar and Jasper, made sure believe in the maxims of ‘to thine that we all ran down to watch the own self be true’ and ‘write what Pride and Prejudice piglets being born. I remember you know’, but also ‘paint what Jasper’s mum telling him why the you see.’ And then I cut things up mother pig ate the placenta and and get fractal. that sometimes, in some cultures, some women ate the placenta too. Your work has been described Later that night Cedar and Jasper as satirical. How do you decide came running up to the house which topics to skewer – and are yelling ‘Quick, come quick, the there any no-go zones in your mother pig is eating her babies.’ writing? And we all ran down there just I don’t like people touching my as the big mother razorback was neck, especially when I am writing. slurping down the last piglet. I I don’t like liars and try not to tell think I was more shocked and hor- lies myself. But also, I understand rified than Cedar and Jasper, who that lies are useful. Lies are neces- were used to this give-and-take sary. I use cut-up and Ern Malley- between the animals and plants type divination techniques to around them. generate text. I am not sure what The Canon Buffett Then I met this guy called Athol is meant by no-go zone, because if who worked on his father’s pig someone has been in this zone, or farm. He didn’t want to work on been forbidden from entering it by his father’s pig farm no more — some authority, then it becomes he wanted to do fantastic pencil interesting and worthy of scrutiny. www.scribepublications.com.au drawings of native water birds. But he told me a lot of coarse and A longer version of this interview is vulgar stories about pig breeding. online at www.readings.com.au.

12 New Crime Fiction with Judith Loriente DeadScarpetta Writeday internet fraud and high-tech Wilde and the Ring of Death (John When Red is Black (Sceptre, PB, Patricia Cornwell money laundering, Breakneck is a Murray, PB, $33), Guillermo $24.99) marked his Inspector Chen Little Brown. HB. Normally $49.99 fast-paced thriller about the Martinez’s The Book of Murder series as one to watch. For fans of Our special price $39.95 all-too-familiar dangers lurking (Abacus, PB, $30) and Barbara vintage crime, the last two volumes Leaving out there in cyberspace. Vine’s The Birthday Present (Viking, of Sjowall and Wahloo’s seminal behind her Judith Loriente is from PB, $32.95) are other not-to-be- police dramas were reissued this forensic Readings Hawthorn missed recommendations. year (Cop Killer and The Terrorists, pathology Perennial, PB, $20 each). practice in Kate O’Mara Also reissued South Ken Bruen’s was Darren Carolina, Kay True Crime bleak, violent Gomorrah: Italy’s Goodsir’s  SPECIAL PRICE Scarpetta tales of urban NSW Police takes up an Other Mafia decay and corruption assignment in New York City, where Roberto Saviano disgraced exposé Line the NYPD has asked her to examine Pan. PB. $25 coppers may of Fire (Allen an injured patient in a psychiatric This searing not be for & Unwin, ward. The handcuffed and chained indictment everyone, but $24.95), patient, Oscar Bane, has specifically of Naples’ his seventh Jack the basis for Blue Murder and asked for her, and when she literally organised Taylor novel Sanctuary (Transworld, one of the best true crime books has her gloved hands on him, he crime network, PB, $32.95) is a ripper and Karin ever written. Books to watch out begins to talk – and the story he has Camorra, has Fossum’s psychological thriller for before year’s end include the to tell turns out to be one of the been a smash- Broken (Harvill, PB, $34.95) is an second instalment in Stieg Larsson’s most bizarre she has ever heard. He hit of Harry interesting departure from the brilliant Millennium Trilogy says his injuries were sustained in Potter propor- Inspecter Sejer mysteries she’s (The Girl Who Played with Fire, the course of a murder ... that he tions in Italy. The gutsy, passionate known for. Both Peter Robinson Maclehose, PB, $32.95, Our did not commit. Is Bane a Saviano has received so many death (All the Colours of Darkness, Hodder, special price $27.95) and the latest criminally insane stalker who has threats that he has been assigned PB, $32.99) and James Lee Burke from my favourite crime writer fixed on Scarpetta? Or is his police protection. The Camorra is (Swan Peak, Orion, PB, special price in the world Arnuldar Indridason paranoid tale true, and it is he who a far messier organisation than the $27.95) turned in solid police (Arctic Chill, Harvill, $32.95). is being spied on, followed and Sicilian mafia – a changing network procedurals using their regular stalked by the actual killer? of warring gangs with high stakes in detectives, and Qiu Xiaolong’s construction, high fashion, drugs and BREAKNECK toxic-waste disposal. Accordingly, this Erica Spindler ripper of a book is a raw hybrid of Sphere. PB. $33 autobiography, undercover investiga- Staff review tion, political polemic and history. In Rockford, ‘A kaleidoscopic personal testimony Illinois, a rooted in a visceral rage and revulsion 21-year-old at what organised crime has done to computer one of the most beautiful places on science student earth.’ – Guardian and hacker is murdered in cold blood. Detective Mary Best Crime 2008 Catherine Riggio is determined to Judith Loriente From Russia With Lunch: Leisureville: Adventures in a solve the case, but soon finds herself This year saw A Lithuanian Odyssey World Without Children facing her own demons when her heaps of David Smiedt Andrew D. Blechman Non-fiction $24.95 Non-fiction $32.95 beloved fiancé, Dan, is murdered. outstanding ISBN: 978 0 7022 3656 3 ISBN: 978 0 7022 3709 6 Not only that, but soon after Dan’s crime fiction; death, in an apparently random basically, shooting, she begins receiving everything that anonymous letters informing her made pick of that he wasn’t such a nice guy – and the month. But that she is better off without him. to narrow it Clearly, he was deliberately targeted. down a little, Philip Kerr’s A Quiet Finding out why becomes increas- Flame (Quercus, PB, $29.95) was as ingly paramount when yet another good as I expected anything by Kerr young computer hacker is murdered to be – how much longer do I have

– then another – and she realises she to wait for the next Bernie Gunther 2009 COM IN G J AN U A RY is on the trail of something huge, mystery? In May, we had Jarad and dealing with a professional Henry’s magnificent Blood Sunset Robert Helpmann: criminal, who is determined to exact (Arena, PB, $29.95), while Lisa A Servant of Art Guilt about the Past Anna Bemrose Bernhard Schlink payback upon those who have Unger’s Black Out (Bantam, $32.95) Biography $49.95 Non-fiction $26.95 dared steal his ill-gotten gains. gave it a run for its money as pick of ISBN: 978 0 7022 3678 5 ISBN: 978 0 7022 3714 0 Filled with details about modern- the month. Gyles Brandreth’s Oscar University of Queensland Press www.uqp.com.au

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Books GABRIEL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ A Life

The first official biographyography of the author of Onee HundreHundredd Years of Solitude aandnd LoLoveve in a Time of Cholerara. Gerald Martin has interviewednterviewed the novelist over a fifteenfifteen year research period,d, but this biography is based not onlyonly on his unique experiencerience ofof García Márquez. Martinartin has interviewed over 30000 people including Fidel Castro,tro, Felipe González, several presidentspresidents of Colombia, writerss includingincluding Carlos Fuentes, Marioario VargasVargas Llosa and Alvaro Mutisutis and the author's family andand friends.friendds.

OUT NOW

c/Jan.indd 1 17/11/08 10:20:22 A Why are people successful?

In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an invigorating journey to show us what makes an extreme overachiever. He reveals that we pay far too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where successful people are from: their culture, their family, and their generation. Gladwell examines how the careers of Bill Gates and the performance of world-class football players are alike; what top fighter pilots and The Beatles have in common; and why it is correct to say that the mathematician who solved Fermat’s Theorem is not a genius. Just as he did in Blink, Gladwell overturns many of our conventional notions and creates an entirely new model for seeing the world.

For the latest news and subscriber only benefits sign up to our monthly Penguin newsletter at penguin.com.au/readmore

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compelling memoir-essay ‘The Obama’s Challenge Forgiven’, on a past relationship Robert Kuttner gone wrong, was one of the most Scribe. PB. $27.95 Non-fiction amazing things I read this year. man’s dross, the laughter quotient Solutions to often governed more by the reader And Rachel Robertson’s ‘Reach- our multiple Humour ing One Thousand’, joint winner Say When than the writer. This collection challenges of the 2008 Calibre Prize for an Catherine Deveny does a fine job in covering the won’t be found Outstanding Essay (hosted by in overly Black Inc. PB. $24.95 various comedic genres. While Australian Book Review) deeply cautious or Staff review some selections are slightly mystifying (Gideon Haigh’s history moved me with its account of expedient finding autism in her family (and quick fixes. I read Cath- of The Bulletin is a brilliant but not her obsessive counter child): sharp, With his erine Deveny’s remotely funny example), much of funny, thoughtful and revealing. exceptional skill at appealing to previous book, the book showcases an impressive David Marr’s BAS is lively, eclectic our better angels, Barack Obama It’s Not My array of comedic writers. Danny and – most important of all – could be the right leader at the Fault They Katz, Phillip Adams and Kaz chock full of superb writing. right time to re-awaken America Print Them Cooke all make welcome appear- Jo Case is Editor of Readings to the renewed promise of shared (Black Inc., ances, and Mark Dapin’s ‘Adven- Monthly prosperity coupled with responsi- PB, $19.95) tures in LA-land’ is a scathing and bility towards future generations on a 12-hour train journey from hilarious take on Hollywood’s ‘love Guilt about the Past and the international community Melbourne to Adelaide. The other me, I’m famous’ mentality. The list Bernhard Schlink with whom we share the Earth. passengers glanced worriedly at of contributors is a veritable who’s UQP. PB. $26.95 Invoking America’s greatest the crazy lady (me) guffawing and who of Australian comedy, with Just as leaders, Robert Kuttner explains knee-slapping and murmuring comedians Julia Zemiro and Bernhard how Obama must be a transfor- ‘yes!’ and ‘absolutely!’, but I had Wendy Harmer finding their voice Schlink’s mative president—or a failed one. a grand old time. I don’t always alongside contemporary commen- tators Marieke Hardy and bestselling agree with CD, but when I do, novels, The Also available: I really, REALLY do. (She’s spot-on Catherine Deveny, each with their Reader and The deeply thoughtful memoir when it comes to 4WDs, private own axe to grind. This particular Homecoming, Dreams From My Father (Text, PB, schools, Sam Newman and Home writer is considering elevating Ms. tackle the $24.95), a meditation on grow- and Away, for instance.) And Deveny to deity status, having long burden of ing up as a black man in America, when I don’t, I generally enjoy shared a similar dislike for 4WDs German guilt about events during was written before Obama entered the experience of reading her argu- on suburban roads. All in all, this is World War II, so too the six essays politics. The Audacity of Hope ment anyway. This year’s offering an odd, yet intoxicating mix of that make up this compelling (Text, PB, $24.95), which sets is another ripper. Some examples: satirical barbs and more light- book view the long shadow of past out Obama’s policy ideas and this she describes The Farmer Wants a hearted navel-gazing. guilt that is not just a German guiding political framework, was Wife as ‘a bachelor and spinster’s Laurie Steed is a freelance reviewer experience, but also a global one. the book tour that turned into ball set in Saudi Arabia’. Judge Judy Schlink explores the phenomenon his campaign for the Democratic ‘is a total mole but in a good way’. of collective guilt and how it presidential nomination. After a few episodes, Lost made her Essays attaches to a whole society. feel ‘like a 19-year-old guy who’d Best Australian Down to the been dating a girl for two months Essays 2008 Crossroads: who wouldn’t put out’. And that’s David Marr (ed.) On the Trail of the just the TV stuff ... There’s also a Black Inc. PB. $29.95 Politics 2008 US election Change We wonderful piece written before the Staff review Guy Rundle 2007 federal election about voting Can Believe In Best Australian Penguin. PB. $24.95 for the sake of the not-so-well-off Barack Obama Essays has a The surprise rather than the hip pocket that Text. PB. $24.95 new editor hit of last I think is one of the best things He hasn’t even this year: the December was Deveny has ever written. Not been inaugu- always-inter- The Battle for particularly funny – but spot-on. rated as esting David Bennelong, Jo Case is Editor president, and Marr. Margot Saville’s of Readings Monthly already he’s I was excited on-the-road, recognised as to see his pick campaign trail Best Australian America’s most of the year’s best, and wasn’t account of the Humorous Writing eloquent and disappointed. Christos Tsiolkas nail-biting 2007 federal election. Andrew O’Keefe & exciting opens the collection with ‘Into a This year, Crikey correspondent Steve Vizard (eds) president since JFK. Certainly, he’s Liquid Ether’, a lyrical, reflective Guy Rundle gives us the play-by- MUP. PB. $32.99 one of those rare politicians who piece on his fear, then embrace, play scoop on America’s historic Staff review can not only write, but has the of the dark – and with it, the 2008 election. Read it and revel Our special price $27.95 power to galvanise and inspire embrace of new experience, of in Obama’s ousting of George W. I approached with his words. This new book risk, even of danger. Kate Jennings Bush’s Republican party, as repre- this title with collects eight of his best campaign writes on the US mortgage crisis. sented by John McCain and the some trepida- speeches and sets out Obama’s David Malouf reflects on the ever-amusing (if horrifying) Sarah tion. For what, vision for a new, changed America. Bill Henson debate. Robert Palin. It’s the election that Aaron exactly, is An important insight into the Dessaix mounts an indignant Sorkin couldn’t have scripted bet- humourous newly most powerful man in the defence of Helen Garner’s The ter, as observed by one of writing? One world, at a time when we’re on the Spare Room, rebutting the whis- Australia’s savviest political tragics. man’s comedy pers of ‘but is it fiction?’ Craig cusp of major global change. is another Sherborne’s shocking, candid and

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The concept for the blog Literature Sport started with a conversation Gabriel Garcia The Footy about your love of The Wire, Marquez: A Life Almanac 2008 one of the 150 things spot- Gerald Martin John Harms lighted in the book as a ‘white Bloomsbury. HB. $65 & Paul Daffey (eds) person’ fetish. What is it about This compre- Viking. PB. $29.95 The Wire that gives it ‘white hensive official The first person’ status? What are some biography of edition of The other TV series or films that one of Footy Almanac ‘white people’ like? literature’s was a surprise greatest living special feature The Wire has the elite status of hit for sports figures is based Q&A with having great critical acclaim writers and on interviews christian lander and low ratings. This prevents football tragic with the writer it from ever getting so popular John Harms over a 15-year period. Martin has Christian Lander started his blog, that the critical success is deemed and Paul also interviewed at least 300 Stuff White People Like, to amuse worthless. Other shows: Arrested Daffey. A game-by-game collection others, from Fidel Castro and himself and his friends. Now, Development, The Simpsons, Twin of reflective, passionate pieces on several presidents of Colombia the book of the same name is a Peaks, and The Sopranos. the 2008 season by football lovers publishing phenomenon (Hardie to writers like Carlos Fuentes and (not all of them professional Grant, PB, $24.95). Jo Case spoke Hating corporations is one Mario Vargos Llosa. writers), it was a warm and genuine to him for Readings. of the ‘white person’ hobbies celebration of football, with a grass- you mention, thanks to Naomi After the Celebration roots supporters’ feel. This is the Stuff White People Likestarted Klein’s No Logo – that is, except Ken Gelder ideal gift for a lover of reading and life as a blog long before it was Target, Apple and IKEA. How & Paul Salzman (ed.) football – and the perfect way to a book. How did you get the does that work? MUP. PB. $37 indulge in a bit of footy in the idea for the blog – and how Guest review off-season. It’s very tough. But white people did it end up as a book? With this generally prefer to hate compa- publication, The idea came from an instant nies that don’t make the stuff English messenger conversation that my they like. This makes it much professors History friend Myles and I were having easier to maintain vitriol. Reporting America: Ken Gelder about the TV show The Wire. The Life of the Nation and Paul Myles, who is Filipino, said he David Sedaris is high on your 1946-2004 Salzman have didn’t trust any white person list. Why do white people love Alistair Cooke who didn’t watch the show. David Sedaris? produced a Allen Lane. HB. $59.95 Then we started talking about state-of-fiction It still remains a mystery about Alistair Cooke what they were doing instead report for Australia. The period why is he so uniformly loved. was the greatest of watching the show and we is meaningful: 1989 is the first It’s quite impressive considering of all twenti- came up with things like going post-bicentenary year and 2007 how quickly white people will eth-century to yoga, watching plays, getting is the last year of the Howard turn on writers who find success. reporters of life divorced. And I said ‘ok, blog administration. In six essays, I think since none of his books in America to time’. And that was it! Gelder and Salzman look at 125 have been made into films, and Australian writers organised by the rest of the It’s obvious that ‘white people’ that he is consistently the funni- ‘key genres, themes and issues’. world. This is really shorthand for a certain est writer of books in the world Writers and excerpts selected book presents kind of white person. Who are are probably two of the biggest are representative of the cast the cream of his writings on the ‘white people’, for the purposes reasons. pursuing an Australian canon events that shaped modern of the book? – novelists, publishers, critics, American history, from the end of Irony and self-deprecating academics, politicians and the World War II to the assassinations It can be hard to say, but these humour are two of the ‘white Australian public. Two insights of John and Bobby Kennedy white people generally have an person’ traits that you identify. stand out. The first is the identity (Cooke was actually present for the extensive though not practical Both are at the heart of the dilemmas of Australian fiction, latter), the moon landings and the education (save for Law degrees), book and the blog, aren’t they? Monica Lewinsky scandal. Almost are very into organic food, and best illustrated by a discussion on Yes. I believe accuracy to be more all the material is previously generally spend a lot of their Frank Moorhouse. Grand Days important than consistency. unpublished in book form. time upset with the white people (1993) follows an Australian they blame for ruining the earth. representative in the pre-UN What is your favourite entry League of Nations, using ideas The Baader-Meinhof (or entries) in the book, and complex In your author photograph, rare in Australian fiction: political why? you’re sporting a lot of ‘white institutions and global interests. Stefan Aust person’ affectations: a bike, ‘Knowing what’s best for poor It was rejected by Miles Franklin Jonathan Cape. HB. $45 glasses, iPod, The New Yorker, people.’ This is because it always judges for a lack of ‘Australian’ This book a water bottle, etc. Are you stands out to me as the entry qualities. This leads to the second provided the making fun of yourself and the where I went after myself in the insight, on the state of literary underpinnings people you mix with? most merciless way possible. I criticism in Australia. Gelder and for a controver- was really attacking all of the Salzman conclude that progres- sial new film, Oh yes, people often ask me rather arrogant and egotistical sive eclecticism is still pitted The Baader- where I get inspiration for posts, views that I believed were actu- against conservatism and anti- Meinhof and I generally respond by saying ally altruistic. intellectualism. Complex, that I have a large mirror. Maloti Ray is a freelance reviewer. Germany’s entry for the 2009 Academy

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Awards. Germany’s radical Third Reich. He shows the left-wing Baader-Meinhof Gang (or madness of the Nazis’ conduct of the Red Army Faction, as they their empire, even within their own called themselves) were infamous in terms of reference.’ – The Times the 1970s for their violent 21-111.xpse!cpplt!cz!tpnf!pg!BvtusbmjbÖt!cftu!uijolfst-! confrontations with the German London: state: bombings, kidnappings, The Autobiography qbdlbhfe!bt!fnjofoumz!dpmmfdubcmf!ibsecbdlt! murder. This book tells the story of Jon E. Lewis (ed) the group’s evolution from the Robinson. HB. $75 HJGU!CPY!pg!5!cpplt! student movement of the 1960s How is this book different from and its moral indignation about the Peter Ackroyd’s acclaimed London: POMZ!%71/11! Vietnam War and the injustices of The Biography?Look closely at the )5!gps!uif!qsjdf!pg!4-!tbwf!%31"* capitalist society. Stefan Aust, who title. This is not a narrative history has spoken to gang members as of a city, so much as a collection Hfsnbjof!Hsffs-!Ebwje!Nbmpvg-!Cmbodif!eÖBmqvhfu-!Cbssjf!Lptlz!! part of his research, tells how anger of writings by Londoners over the Epo!Xbutpo-!Hbz!Cjmtpo-!Boof!Tvnnfst-!Nbmdpmn!Lopy turned to violent activism – and centuries, which come together started a terrorist movement that to assemble a varied, nuanced, lasted nearly 30 years. Written like fascinating view of the place as it has a fast-paced thriller, this excellent evolved over time – from Roman account is both entertaining and times to the twenty-first century. illuminating. Contributors include George Or- well, Virginia Woolf, Tactitus, Win- The Art of War ston Churchill and Samuel Pepys. Andrew Roberts Quercus. HB. $59.95 Hitler’s Private Military history Library buffs and Timothy W. Ryback curious readers Random. PB. $34.95 alike will be Hitler was a intrigued by passionate Bmtp!bwbjmbcmf!joejwjevbmmz!%2:/:6!fbdi this sumptuous reader; his and authorita- worldview was Uif!qfsgfdu!Disjtunbt!hjgu!///! tive survey of formed largely the greatest from the books bwbjmbcmf!opx!bu!Sfbejoht!tupsft commanders of the ancient and he read. This mediaeval worlds. Hannibal, Julius book provides a Caesar, Alexander the Great and remarkable Attila the Hun are all brought to insight into his thinking, via life by a distinguished team of hundreds of volumes from Hitler’s historians, who meticulously private collection – unearthed analyse their tactical and strategic complete with his marginal gifts. Writers include Robin Lane annotations. Ryback traces key Fox, John Julius Norwich, phrases and ideas from his writing, Jonathan Sumption and Félipe speeches and actions to titles such Fernàndez-Armesto. as Henry Ford’s anti-Semitic tract The International Jew and the The Third Reich Nordic epic Peer Gynt, as well as at War selected German philosophers and Richard Evans classics such as Don Quixote and Allen Lane. HB. $69.95 The Merchant of Venice. The final volume in Richard Evans’ Cultural Studies acclaimed The Zürau Aphorisms Readings Summer trilogy on the Franz Kafka history of Nazi Harvill. HB. $32.95 Germany Reading Guide The philosoph- covers the years ical writings of is year’s Guide is packed with the best 1939-45: literary giant Germany at war. Interweaving a new books, CDs and DVDs for Summer. Franz Kafka are broad narrative of the war’s collected in this Pick up a copy at your nearest Readings progress with personal testimony beautiful little from a wide range of people, from shop or view at www.readings com.au. volume, generals to front-line soldiers, from unearthed from Hitler Youth activists to middle- Kafka’s original class housewives, Evans lays bare notebooks. Here, he settles his the dynamics of a society plunged accounts with life, marriage, his CARLTON s HAWTHORN s MALVERN into war at every level. ‘The author family, guilt and man’s condition. s ST KILDA s PORT MELBOURNE displays a masterly understanding s WWW.READINGS.COM.AU of the politics and sociology of the

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Stormy Weather: The Challenge of Climate Change and Displacement David Corlett Climate change is predicted to dislocate millions of people in regions already vulnerable to economic, political and environmental disruption. Stormy Weather looks at the effects of climate change as experienced by the people of Tuvalu, a tiny, picturesque Pacifi c nation. RRP $16.95 www.unswpress.com.au

December’s The Pleasure Instinct Why We Crave Adventure, Best Non-fiction A USTRALIA Choclate, Pheromones, and Music The Garnaut By Gene Wallenstein, PhD Climate Change Review Cigarettes and alcohol, sex and by Ross Garnaut chocolate … somehow just so much more appealing than salad and Join in the debate ... while there’s still time! herbal tea. So what makes bad Prof. Ross Garnaut’s complete review of the economic impact things fun? The Pleasure Instinct of climate change on Australia and proposed solutions is now explores the purpose of pleasure available in book format, enabling anyone to participate in the in our evolutionary development. debate on the most significant public policy issue of our time. Find out why laughter is contagious, PB 978-0521-74444-7 $79.95 688 pages Wiley • Hardback what causes attraction and why $37.95 sinning is so much fun. Charles Darwin in Australia Anniversary Edition By F.W. and J.M. Nicholas Five Easy Decades 2009 is the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of Origin of Species. As part of the global How Jack Nicholson Became the anniversary celebrations, we announce a new anniversary edition Biggest Movie Star in Modern Times of the definitive history of Darwin’s time in the antipodes. With the addition of over 100 illustrations - many in full colour, this is By Dennis McDougal the perfect gift for any nature lover. For over 50 years Jack Nicholson has HB 978-0-521-72867-6 $49.95 280 pages starred in some of the greatest films produced such as Easy Rider and The Proud 6th One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. An Illustrated History of the Unconventional, uninhibited and 6th Australian Division 1939-1946 unrestrained, Jack is a famous — and By Mark Johnston infamous — pop-culture icon. But beyond the celebrity is a man whose Following Johnston’s acclaimed histories of the 7th and 9th Divisions, comes what is arguably the most anticipated volume, private life has remained largely Wiley • Paperback and the first to feature in the official Australian Army History hidden. $24.95 series. Illustrated throughout with over 200 photographs, the heroes of the Proud 6th are brought vividly to life. www.johnwiley.com.au/trade HB 978-0-521-51411-8 $49.95 288 pages

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The Other questioning and eternally vigilant tralia’s foremost media baron talks Ryszard Kapuscinski in her quest to understand this about the rapidly changing media Verso. PB. $32 complex and contradictory country, landscape; its impact on society Staff review McGregor is a marvellous travel today and in the future. This looks Best known for companion. to be a timely and fascinating memoir and Jo Case is Editor of discussion, in a year in which the reportage, or, Readings Monthly threat to traditional media outlets more accurately, has become increasingly apparent. Readings Book Quiz a mix of the two, the late Journals 1. Why did David Foster Wallace Ryszard Meanjin Vol 67 No. 4 Religion add the ‘Foster’ to his name? Kapuscinski Sophie Cunningham (ed.) There is a God spent a lifetime MUP. PB. $24.99 Antony Flew 2. Who wrote his best known documenting the lives of those The latest HarperCollins. PB. $23 novel because ‘I felt like poison- affected by war and totalitarianism. edition of the This surprising book by one of the ing a monk’ – and what was The Othercollects several lectures he new-look world’s pre-eminent (former) athe- the name of that novel? gave in the later years of his life Meanjin looks ists discloses how his commitment 3. Which iconic book was meditating on the relationship to be another to ‘follow the argument wherever it originally titled ‘A Jewish Patient between white Europeans and the cracker. David leads’ led him to change his mind Begins His Analysis’? different cultures they encountered Astle describes – he now believes in ‘God as Cre- through history. What is it about the white noise ator’. An intriguing read for anyone 4. What was the first James Bond the European psyche that in the past in his head and interested in the religion debate. compelled them to colonise and how he turned that into a career novel? conquer? How do they react to ‘The constructing cryptic crosswords; 5. How many books are in Other’ in the modern age of James Bradley shares his passion for Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s globalisation? Drawing on history, Battlestar Galactica; and Sophie Business Guide to the Galaxy ‘trilogy’? anthropology, philosophy and his Cunningham interviews Morris Buffett: The Making of an own tumultuous life, Kapuscinski Gleitzman about his Holocuast 6. The title for Aldous Huxley’s puts forward a contentious argument novels Once and Then and the dark American Capitalist Roger Lowenstein Brave New World is taken from that the modern European’s sense of side of writing for kids. Features which of Shakespeare’s plays? otherness is stronger than ever, and it new fiction from Caroline Lee, Scribe. PB. $35 is this that holds harmonious global Damon Young and more. In the midst of 7. What is Toad obsessed with relations back. the world in Wind in the Willows? Kate O’Mara is Academic financial crisis, Buyer at Readings Media it’s a good time 8. Which novel did the The Man Who Owns to be looking at expression ‘tilting at windmills’ the News one of the come from? Michael Wolff world’s savviest Travel investors and 9. What inspired Samuel Taylor Strange Museums Knopf. HB. $49.95 richest men. Coleridge’s poem ‘Kubla Khan’? Fiona McGregor How did Warren Buffett is known for his UWA. PB. $24.95 Rupert seeming contradictions: a 10. What does the ‘C.S.’ in C.S. Staff review Murdoch amass billionaire who lives a modest Lewis’s name stand for? I was first drawn to this book when a $70 billion lifestyle, a phenomenally successful Christos Tsiolkas recommended media 11. What is the name of Kurt investor who eschews the revolv- it as one the books he has most kingdom, with Vonnegut’s alter-ego in some ing-door trading of modern Wall enjoyed reading lately. And I’m roots in of his novels? Street. Drawing on three years of grateful to him for the introduction Australia and access to friends, family and to this highly original, strangely worldwide 12. Who was the first writer to colleagues, this definitive inside bewitching, intensely thoughtful reach, including domination of the describe his work as ‘essays’? account tells the story of an book and its author. In Strange biggest media market there is – the American original and explains his Museums, performance artist Fiona US. Award-winning Vanity Fair 13. Who said, ‘The mass of men investment strategy: a long-term McGregor meshes travelogue and columnist Michael Wollf has had lead lives of quiet desperation’? philosophy grounded in buying memoir, reflecting on history, art, extensive access to Murdoch and stock in companies that are 14. Who is the only person to religion and politics along the way. News Corp, and has used it to probe undervalued on the market and have won Pulitzer Prizes for both McGregor and her recent ex-part- the Murdoch family dynasty in hanging on until their worth fiction and poetry, winning a ner, AñA, toured Poland in 2006 intimate detail. Drawing upon invariably surfaces. Pulitzer in 1947 for All the King’s with Arterial, a ‘blood-based’ per- hundreds of hours of interviews, he Men, and two Pulitzers for poetry formance art show. She writes about offers accounts of the Dow Jones in 1957 and 1979? her experiences of the country and takeover as well as plays for Yahoo! its people in meticulously observed, and Newsday as they’ve never been Books 15. In A Clockwork Orange, who Books That Changed frequently poetic prose, inevitably revealed before. A fascinating (but is Alex’s favourite composer? returning to the subject of Poland’s by no means partisan) look at one of the World changing identity: its occupation the world’s most influential men. Andrew Taylor 16. Who said ‘All literature is by the Nazis and then Communist Quercus. HB. $39.95 gossip’? Russia, and its new incarnation as The Boyer This book profiles 50 important a capitalist country. The coun- Lectures 2008 and influential books in the history See page 5 for details on how try’s lingering anti-Semitism and Rupert Murdoch of the world, from every field of to win two Orion audiobooks. entrenched homophobia are never ABC Books. PB. $24.95 human creativity and intellectual Answers will be published online far below the surface. Relentlessly In this year’s Boyer lecture, Aus- endeavour. on February 2, 2009.

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THE FEDERATION PRESS Homophobia An Australian History Shirleene Robinson (ed) Homophobia is a prejudice with eff ects that extend far beyond the gay and lesbian community. While its physical, emotional and social eff ects have been charted to some extent, the development of homophobia in Australia has yet to be fully explored. Homophobia: An Australian History considers homophobia in a distinctively Australian context. In this collection, thirteen well-known scholars examine the embedded homophobic attitudes that Australian gay and lesbian activists have fought to change. The book traces the evolution of homophobia, from its expression in Australia’s past as a colonial settler society, through to manifestations in present day society. ISBN 978 1 86287 703 0 RRP $39.95 The Immigration Kit 8th edn Suhad Kamand, Rowena Irish, Peter Bollard, Kerry Murphy & Mark Webster This comprehensive step-by-step plain language guide to Australia’s immigration laws is written by Australia’s leading community-based migration advisory service. It brings together Australia’s Migration Act, regulations, departmental policy and relevant case law in an easily readable style. The Kit explains: • how the immigration system works • who can apply to come to or stay in Australia • the distinction between permanent and temporary visas • the rules and process for every visa • challenges to immigration decisions and visa cancellation • visa holders’ obligations and entitlements • the rules on acquiring and retaining Australian citizenship. ISBN 978 1 86287 681 1 RRP $125.00 www.federationpress.com.au

th Estate

The Good Mayor ANDREW NICOLL Set in the little town of Dot, this is the story of Tibo Krovic, the good and honest Mayor of Dot, and his love for his secretary, the beautiful, lonely but married, Mrs Agathe Stopak. The Good Mayor is a novel of love, loss, magic, friendship, wonderful food, a brass band, an Italian witch, a large lawyer, an occasional dog and a car chase that takes place at walking pace.

Pescador’s Wake KATHERINE JOHNSON A gripping and timely novel set in the world of illegal fishing in some of the most dangerous waters in the world – the Southern Ocean. In this gripping debut novel, Katherine Johnson evokes the heartbreak of lives at the mercy of the sea, and weaves a breathtaking story of love, loss and hope.

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Magnum Magnum I thoroughly enjoyed the 2008 Art & Design Thames & Hudson. HB. $99 Best Art & Design Sydney Biennale: Revolutions: Gustav Klimt The first Forms that Turn ($66). Some of Rachel Barnes edition of this Books 2008 the artists featured had impressive Quercus. HB. $99.95 landmark book By Margaret Snowdon monographs published this year was an including Niki De Saint Phalle This absolutely Handmade exceptional (Janice Parente, HB, $185). A huge stunning book Nation: The success – now gloomy warehouse on Cockatoo showcases the Rise of DIY, it’s available for Island was dedicated to Mike Parr’s work of Gustav Art, Craft and the first time in career and I was hugely impressed, Klimt. A Design (Faithe a new, more and hugely glad to emerge alive controversial Levine & affordable format. With over 400 from the building at dusk. Much figure in his Cortney images selected by Magnum’s safer to investigate Performances time, today, Heimerl, photographers, this is at once a 1971 to 2008 (Mike Parr, Black his works are Princeton permanent record of many of the Inc., HB, $199), but don’t drop recognised as masterpieces and Architectural Press, HB, $49.95) iconic images from the last 60 years it on your toe. Also out: Fred stand out as some of the most looks at the current diversity and by a legendary creative collective, Williams 1927 to 1982 (Patrick significant paintings ever to come growth of making things by hand. and an insight into what makes a McCaughey, Murdoch, HB, $125), out of Vienna. The book profiles a range of great photograph. Jeffrey Smart: Unpublished Paintings American artists, crafters and On Paper 1947 – 2000 (Christopher Allen, designers who have embraced Lucian Freud Critical Moments: Australian Galleries, PB, $80), and Essays and Reviews traditional techniques with Utopia: The Genius of Emily Kame Jonathan Cape. HB. $160 creative/radical new approaches, of Art in Australia Kngwarreye (Margo Neale, National Drawing is suitable to our times. fundamental to Jeffrey Makin Museum, PB, $59.95). Lucian Freud’s Palgrave. PB. $59.95 It’s just as Dollar development as In this book applicable to Dreaming: an artist. In his Jeffrey Makin, Oz, as Inside the early days, he artist and new-look DIY Aboriginal Art estimates he did long-time visual books have World ‘200 drawings arts critic, been flying off (Benjamin to every presents 150 the shelves all Genocchio, painting’. This glorious volume short essays and year. My Hardie Grant, collects paper-based spanning his reviews of favourite local HB, $39.95) entire career, from his formative individual title was Eco Colour by India Flint explores the history, cultural clashes early work and sketching of his artists’ works under some 16 subject (Murdoch, HB, $59.95): a gal in and contradictions. Other titles on masterpiece Large Interior W11 to categories such as ‘In the Abstract’ the Adelaide Hills (or there- Indigenous art included Beyond the etchings of recent years. It also and ‘Female Sensibilities’. The abouts), inspired by her grand- Sacred (Colin Laverty, Hardie draws on the work of his famous time-frame of these writings extends mother’s traditions for dying cloth Grant, HB, $120) and Becoming sketchbook dating back to January from 1970 to 2008 and sometimes with raw plant material. Her Art (Howard Morphy, UNSW 1940, in Snowdonia with Stephen offers the opportunity to meet beautifully organic work was Press, PB, $45). Spender, and sketches from his life artists at various points within their featured in Selvedge ($25), a developing careers. as a merchant seaman in 1941. magazine from the UK dedicated The city and to all manner of textiles. Printing escaping it, New Beginnings: Chagall: by Hand: A Modern Guide to Print- featured as Classic Paintings The Dream of Life ing with Handmade Stamps (Lena themes for from the Corrigan Jackie Wullshlager Corwin & T.A. Gowdy, Stuart architectural Collection of Allen Lane. HB. $65 Tabori & Cha, HB, $45) also books: A Place 21st Century This elegant, raised the stakes and proved in the Country Aboriginal Art extensively popular. (Stephen Crafti, illustrated Emily McCulloch Childs Craftsman Poussin and biography gives & Ross Gibson House, HB, $69.95), 100 Dream Nature (Keith a full account McCulloch & McCulloch. HB. $79.95 Houses Down Under (Robyn Beavor, Christiansen, of Chagall’s life New Beginnings Images, HB, $59.95), Endless City Yale, HB, for the first highlights new (Deyan Sudjic, Phaidon, HB, $109.95) time, showing paintings from $89.95) and Leisurama Now: The MEDIA RELEASE explores the it to be as the renowned Beach House For Everyone (Paul French artist’s BOOK REVEALS NEW DIRECTIOintense,N FO Rhaunting ABOR andIGI NtheatricalAL AR asT Corrigan Sahre, Princeton, HB, $68). his paintings. The great modernist collection that divine Thérèse Rein to Launch Corrigan Collfledecti orepressive,n Book o ‘potaton Nov 1coloured’2 rank amongst landscapes, and Desirable are czarist Russia in 1911 for Paris, the contempo- Renaissance Sienna (Xavier F. OCTOBER 30, 2008— The new direction that Aboriginal painting has taken since the The Phaidon turn of the century will be revealed when Thérwhereèse Re hein lalivedunch ines anNe wartist’s Begi ncolonynings: Classic Paintings rary master- Salomon, Yale, HB, $103.95) Atlas of 21st from the Corrigan Collection of 21st Centurthaty Ab wasorig alsoinal Athert abreedingt 6pm We grounddnesda y, Novepiecesmber 1 of2 a Australiant art. They features the wonderfully evocative Century World the Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane. frescos of that city’s town hall. In for Modigliani and Leger. Wullshag- include the modern masters of the Architecture “As with many of the artists in this book, collecerto rfollows Patrick hisCo rextraordinaryrigan’s life has life bee n a series Westernof new Desert and the Kimberley, Karen Kilimnik (Ingrid Schaffner, (Phaidon, HB, beginnings,” said author Emily McCulloch Childs. “The artists whose work he collects share with him HB, $75), an exhibition catalogue, an early life that encompassed hardships and throughabrupt ch theang eturbulent that was ntimesaviga tanded a nd overcoasm ewell.” as a large range of other $275) and Le places he survived: Bolshevik Russia, equally powerful paintings by both the artist’s work explores the Corbusier Le A self-made businessman who divides his timeWeimar betwee nBerlin, Sydne yoccupied and the G France,old Coa st, Patricestablishedk Corrigan’s and emerging artists. girliness of pony clubs, ballet class, arts benefaction has grown with his business success. His card, which evocatively reads “Successful Grand (Jean Beggar – I beg for amongst others Art Gallery 1940sof New New Sout hYork. Wale sAnd, Go lofd Ccourse,oast Ci taty Art Gallery, movie stars and pop icons with a Louis Cohen, Phaidon, HB, Queensland State Library…. struggling artists,the jaz zheart mus icofia nthes…”, book indi c–a tandes th ofe pthiserso nal commitment nervy highbred edge. Normally $250, Our price $225). which has led to his donations of many million dollars worth of art and funds to Australia’s cultural institutions over the last 40 years. Already knolifewn –fo arer m atheny dpaintings.ifferent collection streams, post-2000 and moved by the strength of contemporary Aboriginal painting, Corrigan started his new collection. 21 “I fell in love with this work when I first saw paintings by the older artists of Blackstone and Wingellina (Irrunytju) and other art from around that region in 2000,” said Corrigan. “During the 1980s and ‘90s when artists such as Emily Kngwarreye and Rover Thomas were coming up I’d been focussed on other collecting, especially contemporary photography. But this art, with its colour and power, completely bowled me over. I’d never seen anything like it and it started me looking at other contemporary Aboriginal painting as it seemed to have entered a new dimension.”

New Beginnings features the latest in Aboriginal painting by some of Australia’s oldest artists who have newly turned their talents to canvas. In this sumptuously illustrated book, their work appears for the first time alongside those of other classic modern painters of the 21st century.

Featured from the collection are modern masters of the Western Desert, Kimberley and Top End such as Tommy Watson, Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarri, Naata Nungurrayi, Makinti Napanangka, Patju Presley, George Tjungurrayi, Eubena Nampitjin, Jimmy Donegan, Regina Wilson and Wingu Tingima, whose work is featured on the book’s cover, as well as a large and cohesive range of other equally powerful paintings.

A supporter of the new and emerging, Corrigan chose 32-year-old writer and curator Emily McCulloch Childs (co-author also of the newly released McCulloch’s Contemporary Aboriginal Art – the complete guide) as the book’s selector of images and main author. The book features a preface by National Museum of Australia’s Margo Neale and an extensive essay by University of Sydney Professor of Contemporary Arts, Ross Gibson, on the aesthetics of the collection and Aboriginal art.

Patrick Corrigan, Emily McCulloch Childs and Ross Gibson are available for interview. (Biographies follow.)

Publisher: McCulloch & McCulloch Australian Art Books Format: HB, jacketed Extent: 156 pp. Size: 305 mm x 245 mm ISBN: 978 0 9804494 4 0 RRP: $79.95. Orders & enquiries: mccullochandmcculloch.com.au

Further information and interviews: Rée Izett 0418 101 399 [email protected]

As 2008 draws to a close,Best our Marie MattesonKids’ from Readings Books‘a beautifully simple book aboutof 2008dragon or escaped getting eaten fabulous Readings children’s buyers Port Melbourne picked the new life and death, for kids, adults and by giants.’ His adventures are col- reflect on their favourite books version of an enduring favourite: ducks alike’. lected in The Big Big Book of Tashi of the year. Anyone looking for the novelty playhouse Maisy’s House (Anna Fienberg & Kim Gamble, Christmas tips should find plenty and Garden (Lucy Cousins, Walker, Callie Martin has two picks. She PB, $24.95). ‘Top secret mis- of inspiration on these pages, for $29.95). ‘You can play outside and says that the ‘beautifully illustrated’ sions, high-tech gadgets and evil kids of all ages and interests. inside and even the toilet opens!’ Sunday Chutney by Aaron Blabey villains are all in a day’s work for (Viking, HB, $24.95) ‘ celebrates 12-year-old super spy Zac Power. BOARD & FIRST BOOKS Picture Books the wonderful effervescence of the These are so exciting - I think Zac individual’. And on There are Cats Kathy Kathy has the best job in the world!’ The in this Book by Viviane Schwarz Kozlowski from Kozlowski has Zac Pack (HI Larry, Hardie Grant, (Walker, HB, $27.95): ‘Finally, a Readings two favourite $29.95) has a backpack and four book with enough cats in it!’ Carlton loved picture books recent titles in the series. Alison Jay’s for the year. Marie ‘I think if I Nursery The Pencil Matteson loved wasn’t me I’d Collection (Allan Ahlberg, Nobody Owns like to be (Alison Jay, illus by Bruce The Moon Henrietta,’ says Egmont, Boxed Ingman, (Tohby Riddle, Callie Martin. set, $24.95). She says, ‘I have always Walker, HB, $27.95), about a Penguin, HB, Alexa Dretzke loved the modern fresco type art pencil who draws his own world, $24.95). ‘Life also has a soft work in Alison Jay’s board books has a wonderfully dramatic climax is hard in the spot for the and now they are together: Alphabet (when the eraser he draws gets out big city for a ‘quirky and and Numbers in a box.’ There is also of control), and a comfortably fox and a donkey but one delightful’ heroine of Henrietta a matching ABC wall frieze ($9.95). happy ending. Nyuntu Nyinti: wonderful night can reaffirm the Gets a Letter (Martine Murray, What You Should Know (Bob warmth of friendship and the Her second pick, Ten Little Fingers A&U, PB, $13.95). Randall & Melanie Hogan, ABC, wonder of shared experience.’ And and Ten Little Toes (Mem Fox, illus- HB, $27.95) is a photographic Edwina: The Dinosaur Who Didn’t trated by Helen Oxenbury, Viking, MIDDLE READERS picture book about Aboriginal life Know She Was Extinct (Mo HB, $24.95), was also the pick for Kathy Kozlowski says that and values which brings to life both Willems, Walker, PB, $15.95). Readings Hawthorn’s Alexa Dretzke: Wish Pony (Catherine Bateson the simple freedoms and common- ‘Reginald knows that dinosaurs are ‘A perfect gift for every new baby’. Woolshed Press, PB, $15.95) sense respect for the land innate in extinct but no one will listen to Alexa also loved Happy Hector (Polly ‘sounds heavy, but it’s not’. It’s a this world so different from ours. him except Edwina – the dinosaur Dunbar, Walker, HB, $24.95): ‘A contemporary Australian story ‘It’s probably the children’s book I who didn’t know she was extinct.’ very cute Hector is happy, but then think about most, of all I have about a family coping with a dif- he’s sad. A colourful, charming look ‘read’ this year.’ YOUNGER READERS ficult pregnancy and the neigh- at friendship.’ bour who is there for them. ‘With Leanne Hall Kathy Kozlowski loved both Audrey its touch of mystery, it’s a sort of Readings raves about of the Outback and Audrey Goes Mary Poppins of the suburbs.’ Malvern’s Holly Little Seed (Gav to Town (Christine Harris, Little Alexa Dretze concurs: ‘the power Harper had two Barbey, Pan, Hare, PB, $14.99 each). ‘Probably of being understood is magical’. favourites. Mix PB, $16.99). ‘I Audrey Goes to Town, when our Alexa also loved The Rules of Cool: Up World love the indomitable heroine finds herself Mac Slater, Coolhunter (Random, (Herve Tullet, colourful staying with a very proper elderly PB, $16.95). ‘When uncool is Hardie Grant, ink-spattered lady, is my favourite. It was a steep surprisingly cool.’ HB, $14.95) pictures that and quite touching learning curve enables young illustrate this gorgeous story about for both of them!’ The OK Team (Nick Place, readers to mix and match to create the travels of a little seed as it visits Leanne Hall was a fan of Mo an elephant on a house, a man trees all over the world.’ Ditto for A&U, PB, Willems’ Elephant and Piggie series $14.95), lifting a mountain or a camel The Very Cranky Bear (Nick Bland, (Walker, PB, $9.95 each) ‘Elephant balanced on a fingertip. In This HB, $14.99). ‘I can’t help but starring Hazy and Piggie are excitable, melo- Retina and Dinosaur is So Big (Ladybird, board, laugh every time I look at the page dramatic and full of energy; their $19.95), the dinosaurs are big where the very cranky bear emerges his team of stories are hilarious and simple misfit novice enough to eat a tree, a house or a from the cave with a huge and enough for beginner readers.’ plane for breakfast. ridiculous pair of moose antlers superheroes, strapped to his head.’ Holly Harper made Leanne Hall ‘laugh constant- Callie Martin from Readings St chooses ly with their Melbourne-based Kilda chose Froggy Green by Anna Holly Harper can’t resist Dexter adventure. misadventures’. She also loved the Walker (Puffin, board, $14.95), ‘a Bexley and the Big Blue Beastie ‘Tashi is brave, ‘gentle, whimsical’ Kenny and the darling little charmer about all the (Corgi, PB, $17.95). ‘Who can clever and goes Dragon (Tony Ditzerlizzi, S&S, colours we love, especially when resist a Big Blue Beastie in a on the coolest HB, $19.95): ‘ Kenny is the cut- those colours involve ice cream’. waistcoat and a bowler hat, even adventures, like est, bravest and most honourable And Charley Harper’s ABC (Ammo, if he is trying to eat you?’ And she the time he rabbit to ever wear a rubbish bin board, $26.95), ‘a unique artistic says that Duck, Death and the Tulip tricked a lid as armour.’ animal A to Z’. (Wolf Erlbruch, PB, $18.95) is

22 Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Holly Harper to the all-white school, thereby Lauren Child has also lent her magic board, $24.95), which answers first highly alienating his rez friends too, is to the ‘cute as pie’ cover of a new Puf- concepts simply with flaps and tabs, recommends a fascinating read. Tough, funny, fin Classics edition of Anne of Green and Inventions: Pop-Up Models from The Incredibly honest and ultimately uplifting, Gables (L.M. Montgomery, PB, the Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci Boring it’s my must-read of the year!’ $7.95), which she also introduces. (Jaspre Bark, Walker, HB, $39.95) Monotonous Marie Matteson loved it, too. She It’s Callie Martin’s ‘all-time favourite features amazing pop-ups from the Family (Phil also loved The Disreputable His- book’. Alexa Dretzke is a big fan of drawings of this brilliant artist and Barry, Pan, PB, tory of Frankie Landau-Banks (E. all the new Puffin Classics with their inventor. $14.95) for Lockhart, Hyperion, HB, $32.95). ‘eye-catching new covers’, and of fans of Roald Dahl. ‘This boring ‘How to become a feminist, infil- Puffin’s ‘handsome’ hardback cente- NON-FICTION family collects twigs and only eats trate the boys club, get the coolest nary edition of Anne of Green Gables Kathy Kozlowski says that the foods that aren’t too colourful, boy in school and bring down the ($24.95). Callie’s second favourite ‘simple, thoughtful, quietly until Ann finds a magic key and establishment when you are 16.’ book of all time, The Tiger Who Came inspiring’ Growing Green: A Young shows them the meaning of to Tea (Judith Kerr, HarperCollins, Person’s Guide to Taking Care of the Leanne Hall says the best book she excitement. This book had me PB, $14.99) reaches its fortieth anni- Planet (Christina Goodings, illus. read this year was Allegra Good- laughing out loud on the tram.’ versary ‘and celebrates by making the by Masumi Furukawa, Lion, HB, man’s The Other Side of the Island The first in Garth Nix’s Keys to the tiger’s fur fuzzy on every page’. $16.95) is ‘a really lovely book to (Scribe, PB, $19.95), ‘an effortless Kingdom Series, Mister Monday share.’ She is surprised by her affec- and completely convincing account Marie Matteson says that Harriet The (A&U, PB, $15.95) is another win- tion for Swords: An Artist’s Devo- of a young girl’s struggles in a Spy (Louise Fitzhugh, Yearling, PB, ner. ‘Arthur Penhaligon must win tion (Ben Boos, Candlewick, HB, dystopian society where climate $12.95) is ‘for everyone who knows seven keys from seven guardians to $29.95). ‘This is a true work of love instability is the justification for a they are really an undercover opera- save Earth and the mysterious and the illustrations are intricate and totalitarian regime’. tive’. Aspiring spy Harriet keeps a realm of the House: a place of beautiful. If one is going to develop journal of all her observations – until powerful, winged Denizens, Pied a love of arms then it should be Callie Martin loved the ‘brilliant it falls into the wrong hands. Piper’s children and pirate rats. and challenging’ Red Necklace by aesthetically!’ Nix is a master of creating amazing Sally Gardner (Orion, PB, $17.99). NOVELTY Alexa Dretzke recommends Word fantasy worlds.’ ‘A fantastical book set in the dark, Kathy Spy (Ursula Dubosarsky & Tohby dangerous days of the French Callie Martin’s pick is Sunny Side Kozlowski says Riddle, Viking, HB, $24.95), ‘an revolution. Sequels to come!’ And Up (Marion Roberts, A&U, PB, that the three entertaining journey through Eng- Simmone Howell’s second book, Ev- $15.95). ‘Set in our very own St Sounds of the lish’ and We Are All Born Free (Am- erything Beautiful (Pan, PB, $16.99) Kilda, in one of our very own heat Wild books by nesty, HB, $34.95), ‘a gorgeously ‘continues to amaze. How does she waves, this is a delightful, funny Nicholas illustrated version of the Universal describe the indescribable?’ story about growing up. Pledger Declaration of Human Rights’. Holly Harper says The Knife of Night-Time, Marie Matteson loved The London Holly Harper says ‘it’s a scientifi- Never Letting Go (Patrick Ness, Jungle, and Eye Mystery (Siobhan Dowd, cally proven fact that science is more Walker, HB, $29.95) is ‘the funni- Oceans (Five Mile Press, HB, Corgi, PB, $17.95). ‘How do you fun when it’s gross’. That’s why she est, saddest, most gripping thing $24.95) ‘combine great pop-ups, disappear from a sealed pod on the recommends Gooey Chewy Rumble I’ve read all year’. Todd lives in a informative text and their special London eye? Ted and Kat work to- Plop (Steve Alton & Nick Shar- world where no thought is private, magic – realistic sounds of the gether to find their missing cousin ratt, Random, HB, $29.95). ‘Go where animals have voices, and animals and their environments as before time runs out.’ ahead and touch the sticky, rubbery his town is hiding a terrible secret. you open the pages. Nothing tinny tongue on the front cover and try Holly Harper says that ‘everybody: This ‘futuristic action thriller’ is or distorted.’The series is Leanne not to get too grossed out!’ young, old, lovers of fantasy, haters Alexa Dretze’s pick, too, along with Hall’s pick, too. of fantasy, should read the His The Declaration (Gemma Malley, Holly Harper calls ABC 3D Callie Martin says Sam Stern’s Stu- Dark Materials trilogy, starting Bloomsbury, PB, $17.95). (Marion Bataille, Bloomsbury, HB, dent Cookbook (Sam Stern, Walker, with Northern Lights (Philip Pull- $26.95) ‘the most inventive ABC PB, $19.95) is ‘a great cookbook man, Scholastic, PB, $20). One CLASSICS I’ve ever seen: pop-ups, sliding parts, for home leavers, teenage boys and day this will be thought of in the Leanne Hall is excited about The mirror images.’ And Wreck This those who have no money and a same way as Lord of the Rings Owl and the Pussycat (illus. Anna Journal (Penguin, PB, $16.95) is ‘so passion for food’. and Narnia, and hopefully the Wilson, ABC, HB, $19.95). ‘I much fun! You do what the title tells Nicole Kidman film will be long- Christmas books adore this classic poem. Anna you. I hung mine out my window forgotten.’ Wilson’s colourful contemporary il- for three months, rain or shine.’ Kathy lustrations breathe new life into the Kozlowski was YOUNG ADULT adventures of these two unlikely Callie Martin loves the Diary of enchanted by Kathy best friends.’ a Wombat Boxset (Jackie French, Applesauce and Kozlowski HarperCollins, $24.99). ‘Now with the Christmas Holly Harper loves Just So Stories raves about added wombat! A smaller version Miracle (Glenda (Rudyard Kipling, Puffin, PB, The Absolutely of the book and the cutest plush Millard, illus. $7.95) ‘Wonderfully quirky True Diary of wombat.’ And The Gruffalo Pop- Stephen stories, and pay attention to the a Part-Time Up Theatre Set (Julia Donaldson, Michael King, captions under the illustrations, Indian (Sher- Macmillan, $45) contains the book ABC, HB, $24.95). ‘This story of which are head-scratchingly man Alexie, and a pop-up theatre set, so you can one Christmas night is set in a hilarious.’ And ‘Lauren Child’s Andersen, perform the story yourself. burnt-out, parched Australian illustrations couldn’t be more per- PB, $19.95). ‘Based on Sherman landscape. The stars are alive in the fect for someone like Pippi’: Pippi Alexa Dretzke recommends Why Alexie’s own life this story of a boy night sky and kindly people are Longstocking (Astrid Lindgren, is the Sky Blue? (Geraldine Tay- who leaves the reservation to go gathering; it’s sheer magic.’ Oxford, HB, $34.95). lor & Amy Schimler, Ladybird,

23 Universal_HPV_Readings:Layout 1 13/11/08 9:07 AM Page 1

AN EXPEDITION FROM IRELAND TO SYDNEY Eternity Following the Michael Hanlon phenomenal It has become received wisdom that our world is doomed, that we success of Long live in the End of Days. Bleak predictions by psychics and scientists Way Round, Race to alike portend extreme weather, droughts, Dakar and Long famines and floods that will overtake humanity within the century, or sooner. If not global Way Down, warming, then supervolcanoes, meteoric adventurer impacts, nuclear war, bioterrorism, or natural extraordinaire plagues will get us. But whatever happens, Charley Boorman is Michael Hanlon believes that humankind will go back with a brand on...and on. new voyage... $49.95 Hb, ISBN 9780230219311 and this time it’s Publish December 2008, 280 pages Palgrave Macmillan by any means possible! Valkyrie Hans Bernd Gisevius When on July 20, 1944, a bomb–boldly placed inside Hitler’s AVAILABLE $ .95 headquarters by Colonel Count Claus von Sauffenberg–exploded ON DVD DECEMBER 3rd 29 R.R.P. without killing the Fuhrer, the subsequent coup d’etat against the Third Reich collapsed. The conspirators were summarily shot or condemned in show trials and sadistically hanged. One of the few survivors of the WINNER conspiracy was Hans Bernd Gisevius, who had of used his positions in the Gestapo and Abwehr SEVEN EMMYS (millitary intelligence) to further the anti-Nazi including plot. Valkyrie, an abridgment of Gisevius’s BEST COMEDY classic insider’s account To the Bitter End, is an New fromintimate Palgrave Macmillan memoir as riveting as it is exceptional. Tina Fey stars as head writer Liz Lemon $26.95 Pb, ISBN 9780306817717 and Alec Baldwin Publish December 2008, 532 pages as a top network Perseus Books Group executive Jack Donaghy, in the workplace comedy that the Arts Centre presents showcases the behind-the- scenes hilarity of a live sketch comedy show.

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Hollywood Singing charge of two children in a stark and Dancing mansion. Chills are summoned NEW WORLD CINEMA $24.95 from bright sunlight rather than A celebration of dark corners and ghostly whispers IN DECEMBER song and dance in emanate from unexpected sources. the movies. Seductively eerie. A major Includes the best influence on The Others in OLIVIA BONAMY and films from every many respects. MICHAËL COHEN star studio and every in this nail-biting French decade, with some 2 FOR $15 DEAL thriller from the directors of the most Great titles abound of THE EYE. A film that important stars and many of the with our new deal: greatest scenes ever filmed. pick any two critics have labelled selected titles and “truly, intensely terrifying” directors pay just $15. (Philidelphia Inquirer) and Werner Herzog Titles include “one of the most intelligent Collection Bad Education, and unnerving horror $79.95 Crossing Guard, films in recent memory” Werner Herzog Girl with a Pearl Earring, Proof, (Chicago Tribune). collected early Romper Stomper and Don Juan $19.95 RRP films. From Signs De Marco. of Life, his 1968 debut, to Where the Green Ants Dream

High camp comedy meets (1982), Herzog Best DVDs 2008 French farce in the most displays a diversity by Lou Fulco outrageous DVD to hit and imagination that is boundless. stores this year! PEOPLE is a hilarious comedy starring RUPERT kids EVERETT, ORNELLA MUTI, ROSSY DE PALMA and Kung Fu Panda JOSÉ GARCIA. $39.95 $19.95 RRP Chosen to fulfil the ancient Claude Sautet’s emotionally powerful masterpiece prophesy, Po the starring ROMY SCHNEIDER and MICHEL PICCOLI. A captivating drama that will have you questioning biggest and what the most important thing is in life, and which clumsiest kung-fu choices are the right ones? $19.95 RRP fan studies alongside his idols AVAILABLE FROM 3 DECEMBER the legendary Tigeress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. When the vengeful snow PLUS QUALITY WORLD CINEMA leopard Tai Lung is headed their AT A GREAT PRICE! $14.95 RRP way its up to Po to defend everyone from the big baddie. Long Way Down: Special Edition $33.95 Ben 10: No Country For Old Men Alien Force Vol. 1 $14.95 $19.95 Summer Heights High: Ben 10 sets out Special Edition $39.95 upon another Control $19.95 adventure, this Flight of the Conchords $29.95 time battling Planet Earth Complete Series aliens. It has been $99.95 five years since Ben Mighty Boosh 3 $29.95 last wore the As It Is In Heaven $19.95 Omnitrix, but Beyond The Fringe $19.95 when Grandpa goes missing, Ben Lives Of Others $15.95 must find a new half-alien ally to (until end December) help stop the highbred invasion! Leonard Cohen: I’m your Man $24.95 BARGAINS Bob Dylan No Direction Home The Innocents $24.95 $19.95 La Vie En Rose $14.95 The classic literary There Will Be Blood $39.95 PROMOTION RUNS gothic tale is (price subject to change) magnificently Assassination Of Jessie James 3 DECEMBER – 28 JANUARY realised in this $14.95

© 2008 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. www.universalpictures.com.au story of a Festen $24.95 governess Pan’s Labyrinth $20.95 (Deborah Kerr) in

26 Best CDs of 2008 Readings’ music buyers and other enthusiastic staff choose their favourite CDs of 2008

Dave Clarke BOOTLEG VOL. 8 there. Another brilliant release from displays their usual literal passion ORCHARD Bob Dylan a world-class artist in our own and gritty musical flavor, but this Lizz Wright 2 CD set. $34.95 backyard. Highly recommended. time with fewer moments of pure The best volume volatility than on their first releases, $29.95 Dilettantes yet in this producing another great album. An absolutely You Am I stunning album fantastic series. James Power is Music Buyer at $29.95 from one of my On this volume, Readings St Kilda. You can always favourite female he revisits music rely on three vocalists. Her from the past things: 1.The deep, beautiful two decades, which includes some Alice Bisits Tigers will finish voice gets me every time. of his finest albums (Oh Mercy, Gossip in the Grain Time Out Of Mind, Modern Times). ninth 2. The Espy will be Ray LaMontagne ALAS I CANNOT SWIM Essential. $29.95 Laura Marling packed on a Sunday Arvo 3. rattlin bones You Am I will deliver a great album. This album $24.95 made my A friend in the UK put me onto Kasey Chambers If the raw rock of their previous ef- fort (the excellent Convicts) was the favourites list in this before its local release. A fine & Shane Nicholson top spot. album of neo-folk. $29.95 perfect soundtrack to a hard drinkin’ and fightin’ night out on the town, LaMontagne has I have never been a Kasey Cham- been incredibly FOR EMMA the broad brush strokes of Dilet- bers fan, but found this record with consistent with all his albums, but forever ago new husband Shane Nicholson to tantes provide the ideal soundtrack for the perfect road trip. this time he’s more adventurous Bon Iver be a country-folk gem. and literate. You just have to listen. $24.95 familiar ghosts No.1s & No.2s Another new artist – dark and Fleet Foxes Shane Nicholson Tex Perkins mysterious Americana. Fleet Foxes $29.95 & His Ladyboyz $24.95 FLEET FOXES And then Shane released his new $29.95 Moving on, this is my next most- Fleet Foxes solo album in November and it is Two of the most magnificent and played disc. You will instantly $24.95 my favourite Australian album of exquisite entities in the current feel cheerful when you hear this From nowhere, the year. musical climate are Tex Perkins and – somehow these songs feel like the Fleet Foxes late twentieth-century emotional they’ve been in my head for years. have quickly bowery rock (or Yacht Rock, the preferred How do they do that? become the new Firekites option in today’s vernacular) and $24.95 thank god they’ve finally come critics’ darling. Alas I Cannot Swim A sumptuous affair, this one. together. And for good Laura Marling reason: probably the most Coming across as an Australian Even interesting of the ‘new guitar’ bands version of Sea & Cake or Kings of $24.95 going around. Convenience. Even Whispers of Joni Mitchell are $24.95 buried in these songs. two men with sift the noise Even is a bloody great Melbourne the blues Skipping Girl Vinegar institution we should all enjoy Two Men with Willie Nelson $29.95 more often. Another cracker of an the Blues & Wynton Marsalis New Melbourne band released a album from one of this country’s Willie Nelson $29.95 wonderful acoustic pop album. critically acclaimed and punter-be- & Wynton Marsalis An unlikely Dave Clarke is Music Buyer at loved bands. Highly recommended. $29.95 pairing Readings Carlton. This unlikely coupling is a pleasant Watch Me Disappear surprise; with its amiable and play- produced a Augie March fantastic album ful performances. Pure good fun! $24.95 of jazz/blues/ James Power lessons to country. An excellent follow up to 2006’s Blue Atlas highly acclaimed Moo You Bloody be learned eleven songs Charles Jenkins Choir. Glen Richards’ superb cere- Gabriela Cilmi Luka Bloom & The Zhivagos bral intimate lyrical touches, plus $29.95 $29.95 $25.95 exceptional melodies and musician- rockferry With his An old favourite of mine delivered ship, cement this band’s place as Duffy trademark one of our country’s finest acts. his best album in years. $29.95 exquisite literal These two gals shook up my SONGS FROM A poignancy and Havilah beautiful musical The Drones sound system in 2008. Where do WORLD APART these teenage girls get such funky landscapes (Blue $29.95 Levon Minassian Motown voices? Just try sitting still Atlas features lush arrangements from Recorded in a mud brick shack at the $34.95 when they belt out those vocals. This is the world music album a 16-piece string section), Charles foot of Mount Buffalo, The Drones’ Alice Bisits is Music Buyer of the year – sublime! Jenkins’ songs take you to a place you new album reflects their surround- want to visit time and time again, ings – beautiful, yet dangerous. at Readings Malvern. until you put down roots and move The follow-up to 2006’s Gala Mill

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CDs Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Morgana Keating Songs from Paul Barr Minor Birds Santogold a world apart Soul Science Down Hills Home Santogold Levon Minassian Justin Adams $24.95 $24.95 $34.95 & Juldeh Camara The above-mentioned McMahon Album of the year! Innovative, I’ve yet to come $29.95 unleashes his country rock side on fresh and gutsy. across a more Justin Adams, this slab of loose rocking tunes, in haunting guitarist for the vein of classic early 70s Rolling Top Ranking release. Robert Plant, Stones and the earlier countri- Diplo/Santogold Sublimely teamed up with fied Wilco. Minor Birds abounds $24.95 mournful, Gambian musi- with guitar riffing and crunchy Remixes/DJ set incorporating the featuring the instantly recognisable cian Camara, a rhythm guitar, with the odd judi- Santogold album – what a corker. duduk. Amazing. master of the one-string fiddle, to cious use of feedback. There’s also create this exciting and raucous blast some tasty keyboard, harmonica Fleet Foxes Because of the Times of bluesy African rock. Nothing else acoustic and steel guitar work on a Fleet Foxes Kings of Leon I heard this year came close to couple of the slower tunes, which $24.95 $29.95 matching Soul Science’s level of recall Neil Young at his best. Down- Second-favourite of the year – I’ve Great rock n roll. No longer just an intensity and spontaneity. It’s hills Home are fantastic players who written enough about these guys, indie band, these guys have hit the unbelievable that these two obviously love playing classic rock let the music speak for itself. big time. musicians had not played together and roll with a 70s feel. A band to prior to recording. One of the watch out for. Vivaldi Concertos Me and Armini underappreciated gems from 2008. Paul Barr is Folk/World Music for Two Violins Emiliana Torrini Buyer at Readings Carlton. $25.95 Viktoria Mullova, Bog Bodies Beautiful, can’t gush enough. Giuliano Carmignola, and Other Stories: Venice Baroque. Orch., Music for Guitar Julia Jackson Kitty Daisy and Lewis Andrea Marcon Gerry O’Beirne Guitar Boy Kitty Daisy and Lewis $29.95 $32.95 Superstar 1970-1976 $25.95 Truly stunning sparkling recording, Anyone who has read the sleeve Sir Victor Uwaifo Delightful sibling rockabilly, beautiful baroque music. notes of Irish albums over the last $31.95 authentic old-time sound, great Morgana Keating is Music Buyer 30 years will have come across This is great album cover. at Readings Hawthorn O’Beirne’s name as songwriter, summer producer and master guitarist. listening! This 10-track album of atmospheric Uwaifo is a guitar pieces is full of beautiful tunes Nigerian played on a range of guitars: steel guitar legend/ and nylon, 6- and 12-string, tiple virtuoso from the 60s and 70s. FROMÊÊAÊVOYAGEÊÊTOÊCLASSICSÊÊ and slide. Some tracks feature up to These recordings mix traditional 5 or 6 different guitars entering, fad- rhythms and chants with soul, ing in and out and adding colour, in funk, rock and African Hi-life. a variety of open tunings that create lush, orchestral effects. Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara Nigeria Special: $29.95 Modern Highlife A fantastic collaboration by these Afro Sounds and talented guys! Great guitars! Track Nigerian Blues 1970-76 10, Nayo, is a standout! 7 2 CD set. $39.95 In a year of several great reissues of Oracular Nigerian reissues from the 1970s, Spectacular this groove-ridden double CD, with K;GJK=K=2EQNGQ9?=L@JGM?@AL9DA9F;AF=E9 MGMT its wonderful sax and guitar playing, FEATURING:Ê Normally $24.95. EQNGQ9?=LGAL9DQ *D9NN=FLMJ90)'* on the Sound Way label – and any It’s addictive … of the other releases on this label that came out in 2008 are contend- Jungle Blues ers for any top 5 list. C.W. Stoneking $25.95 Welcome The new release to Gippsland from this Sean McMahon Fitzroy-based $19.95 hokum blues This late entry is an acoustic gem proponent. The OJALL=FAFL@=OAF< L@=AFFG;=FLK of local storytelling, based around a murder ballad

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CDs Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Best of 2008 Apocalypso skinniest-hipped thing on eight A Piece of What Emily Harms The Presets legs the rock world has to offer. You Need I know you’re $29.95 Having dispensed somewhat with Teddy Thompson Married but I’ve Again, it’s addictive. the Baptist boogie which won them $21.95- got feelings too so many fans, the band have added Son of legends makes a great album: Martha Wainwright great depth to their sound and shock horror! Working closely with Normally $25.95 Declan Murphy issued a statement of intent. KOL his good pals the Wainwrights, Our special price $21.95 For Emma, are here to stay. Teddy has made his best album to This is very date. There are clear similarities to Forever Ago Exit Strategy different his parents’ sound, but Teddy man- Bon Iver of the Soul from Martha’s ages to make a fantastic new set of $24.95 Ron Sexsmith universally tunes that are undeniably his. acclaimed This stunning $24.95 and starkly debut self-titled Ten albums into beautiful debut album, but one of those CDs that an already stellar from Bon Iver Esther Van Doornum grows on you, like the best of them. career, this (aka Justin The Masters Bedroom Canadian Vernon) shows is worth spending To Survive troubadour just how much one man can a night in Joan As Policewoman seems incapable achieve when locked away in a Thee Oh Sees $29.95 of making a bad record. With a woodland cabin in Wisconsin for $29.95 ‘Joan’s follow up album to her who’s who of fans, this man is truly four months. Vernon emerged with My favourite best-selling debut album ‘Real Life’ a songwriter’s songwriter. Gorgeous nine magnificently fragile songs of band at the certainly doesn’t disappoint. melodies and the kind of heartfelt swelling and swirling emotion moment, Thee honesty so often missing from Me and Armini which at times leave the listener Oh Sees hail music these days are what makes breathless. My record of the year. from California. Emiliana Torrini this man so special. Do yourself a The spirit of The $25.95 favour, discover Exit Strategy. And Jungle Blues Cramps lives on in their punk The Icelandic beauty’s new album then delve into this wonderful C.W. Stoneking garage fire-side songs. is an eneretic, operatic romp! musician’s back-catalogue. $25.95 The Living After a quite amazing debut, 7 Songs Fleet Foxes and the Dead Stoneking tops it with a record Fleet Foxes Fabulous Diamonds $19.95 Jolie Holland again so authentically soaked in $24.95 Dixie jazz and Delta blues that With only a saxophone, drums and $25.95 In a year of wonderful debuts none it’s truly like taking a trip back in vocals, these local art-noise kids I certainly ain’t into country but this struck such imaginative chords as ragtime. Voodoo, deepest darkest create haunting, minimal electro- is another knockout album for Jolie. the orchestral folk sounds of this Africa and General MacArthur – its dub soundscapes. One of the most bunch of young upstarts hailing Red Letter Year all there. This man is a national interesting bands I’ve heard in years. from Seattle. Beards abound in this treasure and those who disagree Ani DiFranco band but so too do some of the will surely incur bad JuJu. Jukebox $25.95 most glorious harmonies put to Cat Power This mature album was two years record since Evil Urges Normally $24.95 in the making, but it’s well worth My Morning Jacket Our special price $14.95 the wait. $19.95 Blaise Murphet Not my favourite Cat Power Wildly eclectic album, but this is still a winner. Watch Me Disappear Fleet Foxes Augie March and ambitious Fleet Foxes Ms Marshall is the master of effort from this interpretation. $24.95 $24.95 Kentucky outfit On the local scene, Melbourne’s Album of the year! With their with a reputa- DEVOTION own have certainly not disappoint- perfect harmonies and incredible tion as one of Beach House ed their fans by their third album. instrumentation there is no doubt- the best live bands out there. This $29.95 ing the similarities to early CSNY, Havilah is funky and blisteringly fierce, pop Dreamy lo-fi pop for Baltimore. but hey, that can’t be a bad thing. infused Americana at its best. Haunting organs and woozy vocals The Drones make this a cross between Mari- $29.95 Finally making the trip to our Oracular shores in January for some hotly anne Faithfull and Mazzy Star. This is the band’s fourth bestselling Spectacular album, and contains their usual anticipated Neil Young supports MGMT and side shows. No Pussyfooting melange of melancholy, violent Normally $24.95 Brian Eno and guitars and beautiful poetry. Only By the Night Our special price $19.95 Robert Fripp Kings of Leon This is a super $36.95 Jungle Blues $29.95 blend of Okay, this is C.W. Stoneking The Kings irresistibly cheating, ‘cause $25.95 continue to go catchy party it came out in Another local stand-out who is from strength to tunes. I really 1973. But this originally from the Northern strength and can’t think of a re-mastered Territory but is easily mistaken as once again way to sum this album up, other edition is a Louisianan. His latest CD makes prove them- than to say it is just perfect for a brilliant. Eno looks as weird and you feel as though you’ve stepped selves the slickest, coolest and good-time boogie. I haven’t beautiful on the cover as always. back in time to the 1920s. stopped bopping since I got it! 29 Opera Gala price of two, is value for money. Ondine Maurice Smith buys classical music ODE 1139 2F. 5CD set $59.95 for the City of Boroondara Library Classical CDsBarbara Sings Service Best Classical the Blues Opera Gala is a Barbara Hendricks 5 CD budget box-set Victor Hugo CDs of 2008 Arte Verum Cat. No. ARV005 showcasing the en Musique $32.95 by Phil Richards talents of some Konstantin Wolff, At the top of my list for the year are This latest of the most Baritone, three recordings that featured works release from impressive singers on the Ondine Trung Sam, piano. from J.S. Bach, Mozart and Joseph opera singer roster: Karita Mattila, Elina HMC 901997. $34.95 Haydn, combined with works from Barbara Garanca, Solike Isokoski, Tommi This is an twentieth-century composers Sofia Hendricks has Hakala, Jorma Hynninen and interesting Gubaidulina, Alban Berg and Isang her performing newcomer Juha Uusitalo, who is compilation Yun. The first disc is the Anne her personal selection of blues no less impressive. Isokoski’s – the poems Sophie Mutter recordings of J.S standards. With a nod to old greats, Mozart is as good as you will hear of Victor Bach violin concertos coupled with she includes favourites like Mood and the Finnish baritones Jorma Hugo set to the Gubaidulina violin concerto Indigo and Lady Sings the Blues. Hynninen and Tommi Hakala music by composers ranging from (DG 4777450, $). Next is the Pierre Terrifically supported by the sing many of the great baritone Liszt through to Reynaldo Hahn. Boulez conducting Alban Berg’s Magnus Lindgren Quartet, the arias with certain aplomb – par- Moreover, these songs are sung Chamber Concerto for piano, violin arrangements know how to show ticularly the Rodrigo arias from by a bass baritone, when many of and 13 wind instruments and Mo- off her strong voice. The balance is Don Carlo. The Elina Garanca them are perhaps better known to zart’s Serenade in B Flat Gran partita superb between the musicians and disc is her debut album before she us from interpretations by singers for 13 wind instruments. The third although occasionally she is a little went on to record for Deutsche other than basses. This is not to recording is on the ECM label that too operatic in her tone and Grammophon – here, the Mozart say that Konstantin Wolff does not has Haydn’s Symphonies 39 & 45 structure, this doesn’t detract from and Rossini arias show off her do an admirable job: in fact, his (Farewell) coupled with Isang Yun’s an overall very enjoyable recording. amazing talent at its best. On the flexible voice and uncomplicated Chamber Symphony I for two N.B. While stocks last: This title last disc, we get a snippet of Juha interpretations add, for me at oboes, two horns and strings. What includes a bonus CD, Schubert: Uusitalo’s Wagner and a live least, another dimension to these I really liked about these recordings Ave Maria & Lieder, also per- recording of a concert that Karita delightful songs. The accompanist, was that each work by the twenti- formed by Barbara Hendricks. Mattila gave in Helsinki (2000) Trung Sam, is a worthy partner to eth-century composers paid tribute Kate Rockstrom is from Readings singing a programme of show- this fine young singer. If art song is in a way to the great composers Carlton. stoppers, from Wagner through to your passion, then this disc is one that their works were coupled with. Johann Strauss. At a budget price you will need for your collection. This, I think, is an excellent way Children’s Classics this set, offering five discs for the MS to market classical recordings, as it CD Story Box gives the CD buyer an opportunity Naxos CD Box Set. 7 CDs. $49.95 not only to hear some of the great Tracks include: Prokofiev, Peter classical works, but also a chance to and the Wolf, Cinderella, Romeo discover music that they might not and Juliet; Tchaikovsky, Swan HUSTLE SERIES 3 otherwise listen to. Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker; NEW FROM Phil Richards is from Britten, Young Person’s Guide to the Readings Carlton. Orchestra; Saint Saens, Carnival HOPSCOTCH of the Animals; Ravel, Mother Goose; Rimsky Korsakov, 1001 Schumann: Violin Nights, Sinbad the Sailor; HOW ABOUT YOU Sonatas 1 – 3 Adapted from a short Poulenc, The Story of Babar. story by best-selling author Carolin Widman, What a Maeve Binchy How About ECM New Series You is a heart-warming wonderful gift tale about love, redemption, NOW SCREENING Cat. No. ECM 2047 $32.95 family and second-chances. ON ABC to give to a child TV This is an this Christmas. THE CON IS ON AGAIN! excellent ECM This box-set Available December 11. Series 1 & 2 also available. debut for these brings together two performers. the seven CDs from the acclaimed I have never Naxos Children’s Classic Series. GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS been a great fan Among them are Prokofiev’s Peter of Mr. Schumann, but these works and the Wolf and Britten’s Young in the hands of such accomplished Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, both MONDOVINO BEFORE performers may be enough to narrated by Dame Edna Ever- change my mind. Written at the Featuring 10 x 1 hour THE DEVIL edge. Plus Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker episodes, this beautifully- KNOWS end of his life under the cloud of narrated by Prunella Scales, and packaged set takes the mental illness, and not often Saint Saen’s Carnival of the Animals viewer on an eye-opening, YOU’RE performed in the concert hall, these tantalising journey through DEAD narrated by Johnny Morris, to name the wine regions of the Starring Philip Seymour brilliant performances of the three just a few. This box-set is filled with world. Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, sonatas are full of passion, humour musical gems and I can’t think of a Marisa Tomei & Albert Finney. and energy. The reading of the better way to introduce children to rarely recorded third sonata should the genre that is classical music. Specially priced at $19.95 set the standard for all performanc- Catherine Koerner is from Readings es of this work in the future. Hawthorn 85'*9.5= Highly recommended. PR +4:+8:'/43+4:

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31 As randomly and imminently Winner of the Dylan Thomas Winner of the Indie Award 2008 violent as it is beautiful, The Rip Prize 2008 reveals the fragility of relationships

Shortlisted for the Australia-Asia Winner of the Walkley Award 2008 It’s the year 1964, and fourteen- Literary Award 2008 and the Dylan year-old Robbie Burns is about to Thomas Prize 2008 discover he still has a lot to learn

Read more at penguin.com.au

Winner of the Man Booker Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2008 Prize 2008