NEW IN OCTOBER CHARLOTTE TONY TIM THE DAVE WOOD BIRCH WINTON LEGACY RAWLINGS SERIES 2 $29.99 $29.95 $39.99 MACHINE $44.95 $24.95 page 6 page 6 $31.95 page 21 page 22 page 13 READINGS MONTHLY OCTOBER 2015 3 News READINGS ST KILDA’S WANGARATTA FESTIVAL OF MELBOURNE JEWISH COMEDY 10TH BIRTHDAY JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL It’s Readings St Kilda’s 10th birthday on 2015 is a year of change for the Wangaratta The Melbourne Jewish Comedy Festival Saturday 17 October! To celebrate, we are Festival of Jazz and Blues (30 October–2 (MJCF) offers a celebration of culture offering 20% off any full-price item in the November) with a new stage in the King through comedy. From 10–15 October, 44 St Kilda shop on the day, and we have two George Gardens and the festival precinct performers will appear in ten events, across special events. Join us at 10.30am for kids’ moving to the Riverside. Change too for six locations. As part of the festival, MJCF story time and a birthday party morning tea, the artistic program with the stellar jazz and Readings present ‘What’s so funny? or join us at 5pm for bubbles as comedian and blues line up complemented by ‘cross- A Literary L’Chaim’ with panel host Dr Greg Fleet talks about his new memoir, over’ acts to introduce a new generation Clare Wright and four fabulous writers: These Things Happen (please see our events to the festival and to the world of jazz Bram Presser, Eli Glasman, Lee Kofman page for bookings and further information). and blues. Readings is the official retailer and Leah Kaminsky at the Glen Eira Town at the festival and will be selling at all Hall at 7.30pm on Wednesday 14 October. events at the Wangaratta Performing Arts Visit melbournejewishcomedyfestival. com 25% OFF LONELY PLANET Centre and the Blues Marquee. Tickets for bookings and more information. Spring is upon us – what better time and full program details are available at to begin planning for your next travel wangarattajazz.com. THE READINGS FOUNDATION adventure? Luckily, the Readings’ Lonely GRANTS 2016 Planet sale is on once more, with 25% off all titles from now until 31 October. MELBOURNE FESTIVAL Applications for The Readings Foundation Whatever your travel style, Lonely This year marks the 30th anniversary of 2016 grants are now open. The Readings Planet is brimming with inspiration Melbourne Festival, an 18-day showcase Foundation was established in 2009 to support to help you prepare for your perfect of international acts and exhibitions. Victorian individuals and organisations that trip. The sale is on in all Readings Through cross-platform collaborations and wish to further the development of literacy, shops and online at readings.com.au. unique works, expect the city to explode community work and the arts. This year, with music, dance, theatre and visual The Readings Foundation grant funding arts. Highlight events include Headlong’s had a strong focus on those organisations 3 FOR 2 TEXT CLASSICS directly supporting disadvantaged PROMOTION adaptation of Orwell’s 1984, Opera Australia and Barking Gecko Theatre Company’s communities by way of literacy and Looking to complete your collection of co-production of The Rabbits (based on educational assistance programs, including Australian classics? Well, now is your the book written by John Marsden and Reading Out Of Poverty, Somebody’s Daughter chance with our special 3 for 2 Text illustrated by Shaun Tan), Laura Marling Theatre, Mallee Family Care, The Asylum Classics offer throughout October. The at Hamer Hall and Patti Smith’s Horses Seeker Resource Centre, Migrant Information Text Classics series is designed to unearth performed by Courtney Barnett, Jen Centre, Aboriginal Literacy Foundation, some of the lost marvels of Australian Cloher, Adalita and Gareth Liddiard. Church of All Nations Community Support literature. Including works by Elizabeth Readings is a proud partner of Melbourne and the HUSH Music Foundation. This focus Harrower, Madeleine St John, Helen Festival, which runs from 8–25 October. will continue in 2016. For more information Garner, Gerald Murnane and JM Coetzee, Visit melbournefestival.com.au for more visit readings.com.au/the-readings-foundation. Readings Monthly these classics are only $12.95 each. This information. Applications must be completed and lodged Free independent monthly newspaper offer is exclusively available in all Readings electronically by 5pm, Friday 30 October 2015. published by Readings Books, Music & Film shops and online. Editor Elke Power [email protected] Editorial Assistant Alan Vaarwerk [email protected] Advertising Stella Charls [email protected] (03) 9341 7739 Graphic Design Cat Matteson [email protected] Front Cover Readings Monthly cover design by Cat Matteson using elements from the cover of Charlotte Wood’s novel The Natural Way of Things, courtesy of Allen & Unwin. The Natural Way of Things cover design and illustration by Lisa White, photographic elements Getty Images/iStockphoto. Cartoon Oslo Davis oslodavis.com Readings donates 10% of its profits each year to The Readings Foundation: readings.com.au/the-readings-foundation MELBOURNE JEWISH COMEDY FESTIVAL A celebration of culture 10 - 15 OCTOBER 2015 44 Performers 10 Events 6 Locations through comedy TICKETS & PROGRAM www.melbournejewishcomedyfestival.com 4 READINGS MONTHLY OCTOBER 2015 October Events MELBOURNE PETER GARRETT 14 JEWISH COMEDY 17 BOOK SIGNING SUSAN MIDALIA IN MARGI GIBB ON FESTIVAL We are delighted that well-known musician, 1 CONVERSATION KISSED BY A DEER 10 The Melbourne Jewish Comedy Festival activist and politician Peter Garrett will join WITH MARION Kissed by a Deer tells the story of Gibb’s and Readings present ‘What’s so funny? A us to sign copies of his new memoir, Big CAMPBELL search for meaning as she journeys through Literary L’Chaim’ with panel host Dr Clare Blue Sky, which reflects on his life so far, America, India and Tibet after the death of Wright and four fabulous writers: Bram including his time as a founding member of Susan Midalia and Marion Campbell her beloved father. Not afraid to bare her Presser, Eli Glasman, Lee Kofman and Leah Midnight Oil, as president of the Australian will discuss Midalia’s third short-story soul, this is a story of courage and honesty. Kaminsky. After the event there will be an Conservation Foundation and his years in the collection, Feet to the Stars. Subtly rendered opportunity to buy the books and have them ministry for the Rudd–Gillard governments. and emotionally engaging, this collection Free, no booking required signed by the authors. speaks of the transformative capacities of Saturday 10 October, 3pm Free, no booking required the heart and mind. Readings Hawthorn Ticket and program information available at Saturday 17 October, 2pm melbournejewishcomedyfestival.com.au Readings Hawthorn Free, but please book at readings.com.au/events Wednesday 14 October, 7.30pm Thursday 1 October, 6.30pm JANE GODWIN Glen Eira Town Hall, corner Glen CELEBRATIONS AT Readings Carlton 11 AND ANNA WALKER Eira and Hawthorn Roads, Caulfield 17 READINGS ST KILDA Davina Bell will launch What Do You Wish BEN GOOK & For? by much-loved children’s author Jane TONY BIRCH IN It has been 10 years since Jack and Helen 7 ALISON LEWIS Godwin and illustrator Anna Walker. From Halliday retired and passed the bayside 15 CONVERSATION baton to Readings and Cosmos Books ON RE-UNIFIED GERMANY this fantastic creative partnership comes a sparkling and beautiful story, full of the Award-winning author Tony Birch will be & Music became Readings St Kilda. To This October marks the 25th anniversary of wonder of Christmas, the magic of wishing, in conversation about his new novel, Ghost celebrate Readings St Kilda’s 10th birthday, German re-unification. Join Professor Alison and the timeless dreams of a child. River. The river is a place of history and we are offering 20% off any full price item Lewis and Dr Ben Gook for the launch of secrets, offering different opportunities – for the day (St Kilda shop only), and we Divided Subjects, Invisible Borders, which Free, no booking required freedom, refuge and escape – to Birch’s have two special events. Join us at 10.30am details how the national unity of Germany Sunday 11 October, 3pm central characters as he asks questions about for kids’ story time and a birthday party after the fall of the Berlin Wall conceals Readings Hawthorn courage, survival and the cost of both. morning tea, or join us at 5pm for bubbles, persistent division in the lives of eastern and as funny man Greg Fleet talks about his new Free, but please book at readings.com.au/events western Germans. DRUSILLA memoir, These Things Happen. Or pop in and Thursday 15 October, 6.30pm browse our books anytime! Free, no booking required. 12 MODJESKA IN Readings Carlton Wednesday 7 October, 6.30pm CONVERSATION WITH Free, but please book for Greg Fleet at Readings Carlton readings.com.au/events MARK RUBBO MARGARET Saturday 17 October Join Mark Rubbo and Drusilla Modjeska as 15 SIMONS ON Readings St Kilda JANE CARO ON they celebrate the publication of Drusilla’s LIFE LESSONS FROM 7 ANXIETY memoir, Second Half First, with a chat THE GARDEN STEPHEN KNIGHT Jane Caro is known for saying what she about Drusilla’s lifetime of writing and A moving and heartfelt memoir, Six Square 19 IN CONVERSATION thinks. In her new memoir, Plain-Speaking the work of the organisation she founded, Metres is a thoughtful and beautifully Jane, she talks frankly about her battle SEAM (Sustain Education Art Melanesia) WITH STUART MACINTYRE observed book. Join journalist and with anxiety, offering hope to the one-in- to support community-based projects in gardening enthusiast Margaret Simons for Stephen Knight’s The Politics of Myth three Australian women affected by the Papua New Guinea.