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FREE FEBRUARY 2012 Readings Monthly Gregory Day on Carrie Tiffany • Mark Rubbo on Peter Carey EE P18 S . OLD IDEAS CD IMAGE ADAPTED FROM COVER OF LEONARD COHEN'S NEW Leonard Cohen is back with some Old Ideas February book, CD & DVD new-releases. More new-releases inside. AUS. FICTION AUS. FICTION YOUNG ADULT AUS CRIME PHILOSOPHY DVD POP CD CLASSICAL $39.95 $29.95 $19.95. e $16.99 $16.95 $29.95 $35.00 $29.95 $39.95 $26.95 $21.95 $36.95 >> p5 >> p4 >> p9 >> p10 >> p13 >> p17 >> p18 >> p19 February event highlights : George Megalogenis with Barrie Cassidy, Kirsten Tranter, Elliot Perlman and Arnold Zable. More events inside. All shops open 7 days, except State Library shop, which is open Mon- Sat. 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 Readings at the State Library of Victoria 328 Swanston St 8664 7540 email us at [email protected] Browse and buy online at www.readings.com.au and at ebooks.readings.com.au Programme one Bookings n ow oPen With 200+ events per year, there is something for everyone. The majority of events are free and book out quickly. Don’t miss out go to wheelercentre.com 2 Readings Monthly February 2012 to Australian literature as well as a single work. Open to Victorian residents, all writing genres are eligible. The $5000 From the Editor Civic Choice Award 2012 will be offered during the finalist exhibition at Federa- A LONG GOODBYE ThisREADINGS EXC LUSIVEMonth’s most importantly News from Readings custom- tion Square in November 2012. To register ers. All donations to The Readings Founda- your interest to receive information (when When I first arrived in Melbourne, aged LOVE AND DEVOTION tion over $2 are tax deductible. The 2012 it becomes available), please visit 21, it was my weekly ritual to stop in at GUIDED TOUR AT STATE grant committee included author Helen www.melbourneprizetrust.org, or call Readings on Lygon Street, on my way LIBRARY OF VICTORIA Garner, Readings staff, Peter Donoghue the Prize on 9696 4410. home from work, and buy a book. Having (ex-managing director of publisher John moved from Adelaide [go on – insert your Wiley Australia) and Gerald Smith (Phase READINGS favourite Adelaide joke here], I was awed by III Accounting). For all enquiries, or to CONTEMPORARY my good fortune at having such an eclectic make a donation to The Readings Founda- BOOK CLUB local bookshop, one where the new release tion email Ingrid Josephine at foundation@ fiction shelves would regularly reveal authors The Readings Contemporary readings.com.au. I was about to love. I was also, I confess, Book Club will read and a little awed by the staff, who seemed way discuss contemporary fiction more sophisticated than me (I had recently NATIONAL YEAR – generally new release worked at a bookshop in Adelaide, but one OF READING books or books released within the last year, with a where we wore uniforms with navy polyester Celebrate the beauty of Persian manuscripts The National Year of Reading 2012 will be floral shirts, where reading literature meant launched on 14 February. This initiative is, balance of both Australian and the stories of human and divine love that and international fic- you were semi-secretly seen as ‘up yourself’ they tell in this captivating landmark exhibi- most of all, about Australia becoming a na- by management). I longed to hang around at tion of readers. Nearly half the population tion. The meetings are held at the Readings tion of works from the Bodleian Libraries of office in Drummond Street, Carlton from the counter and talk books, but could never the University of Oxford. State Library of struggles without the literacy skills to meet think of anything to say. the most basic demands of everyday life and 6.30 – 8pm in the second week of each Victoria, 328 Swanston Street, Melbourne. month. The first pick for 2012 will be 9 March – 1 July 2012, 10am – 5pm daily work. There are 46% of Australians who can’t Later, after I’d worked for two publishers, had read newspapers, follow a recipe, make sense Steven Amsterdam’s What the Family a child, and worked part-time at the ISBN (to 9pm Thursday), closed Good Friday. Free Needed (Sleepers, PB, $24.95) and it will be entry. www.love-and-devotion.com of timetables, or understand the instruc- Agency, matching rogue numbers with book tions on a medicine bottle. It is a particular discussed at the first meeting in March. titles (yes, that was an actual place and job), Readings invites you to an exclusive viewing concern among indigenous communities. I became a bookseller again. It was a good We currently have vacancies for 2012. The of the Love and Devotion exhibition at the The inability to read puts people at a serious year is split into two terms, each consisting bookshop, but quite a few of us staff members State Library of Victoria on Wednesday disadvantage in our society. People from low aspired to work at Readings instead, where, of five sessions per term. The first term runs 14 March 2012, from 6–8pm. The cost is socio-economic backgrounds are less likely to from March – July 2012 and the second we mused, we would have a wealth of litera- only $25 per person, includes drinks and complete secondary education and under- ture-and-politics-loving customers, enabling from August – December 2012. The cost is canapés in Mr Tulk cafe before an inspiring take further education and more likely to be $250 per member for five facilitated sessions, us to order and sell the books we really loved. guided tour. For bookings and enquiries, unemployed and face long-term economic (And where we would, at last, get to ditch our wine and snacks. The cost includes a $150 please call Emily Harms at Readings on disadvantage. Typically, 60% of offenders Readings gift card, which members can use to embarrassing uniforms.) We used to read the 9341 7726 or email emily.harms@readings. in prison cannot read or have low levels of Readings newsletter at the counter together to purchase books. Membership of a Readings com.au with ‘SLV’s Love and Devotion’ in literacy. If we can improve the level of literacy Book Club will also entitle you to a discount preview new releases and I decided editor of it the subject line to book a place – but hurry, in our society, we can help to break the cycle would be my perfect job – being paid to write of 20% off the recommended retail price of limited spaces available. The beautifully of disadvantage. all full-priced fiction books at any Readings about new books and working at Readings. illustrated book of the exhibition, Love and I had a couple more career moves next, but In July 2011 the Federal Government an- shop (except online) in 2012, on presentation Devotion: From Persia and Beyond, will be of your Book Club Membership Card. Please when I read a job ad for newsletter editor available at the special Readings pop-up nounced funding of $1.3 million to support one day, I knew my time had come. this campaign. Sign up to receive the monthly contact Ingrid Josephine by emailing ingrid. shop in the foyer of the Library, and at [email protected] by Monday 13 I was working at a PR agency then and my www.readings.com.au, for $69.95. newsletter, if you haven’t already, by visiting colleagues were puzzled to hear me enthuse www.love2read.org.au. The subscription form February 2012 for more information, or to that this bookshop newsletter was my dream is on every page. express interest in joining the Carlton Book 2012 READINGS Club. (Please specify whether you would job. (‘It’s the bookshop newsletter,’ I told FOUNDATION GRANTS them. Then I politely harassed Mark Rubbo MELBOURNE PRIZE like to attend on a Tuesday, Wednesday or The Readings Foundation was established until I got the job.) FOR LITERATURE Thursday evening.) When organising each by Readings managing director Mark Rub- night’s book club, we work on a first-come, The $60,000 Melbourne Prize for Lit- That was seven years ago. Since then, I’ve bo in 2009 to support Victorian individuals first-serve basis. erature 2012 and $30,000 Best Writing had countless entertaining bookish (and oth- and organisations that wish to further the Award 2012 will be open for entry in May. er) conversations with my fellow Readings development of literacy, community work KIDS' STORYTIME The prize and awards will recognise and staff (who are still way more sophisticated and the arts. Money is raised from 10% of reward both an outstanding contribution Bring the kids down to – and far better dressed – than me, but I can Readings profits, individual donations and Readings St Kilda for Story cope with that now). I’ve read hundreds of Time every Thursday, from new release books; made the acquaintance of 10.30 to 11am. Story Time so many brilliant, personable authors – par- is for all children aged two ticularly the Australian ones whose support to five. Readings Carlton helps make Readings what it is; slipped in hosts Story Time every free to countless literary events; befriended Thursday at 10.30am, customers and my fantastic guest reviewers; starting on Thursday 2 February 2012. tried (and unexpectedly loved) new music It’s a free event at both shops – no need to after reading reviews by Readings staff, and book, just turn up and take a seat! had the enormous privilege of being at the helm of Readings Monthly, with the freedom 3 FOR 2 VINTAGE CLASSICS to experiment with it and the wonderful im- perative to read and review new books, and interview their authors.