Christmas Footnotes 2017 Farrell’s Footnotes: Christmas Edition
“A book is a gift you can open again and again.” Garrison Keillor
Christmas is a time of giving, and it’s very apparent from our side of the counter that our customers are a generous and thoughtful bunch. In order to make your gift choosing a little easier, our staff have compiled a list of their favourites. These are the books we will be buying (or wishing for) this Christmas.
Adult Fiction
From all the Farrell’s family, we wish you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season.
TABOO COMMON PEOPLE Kim Scott, PB $33rrp Tony Birch, PB $29.95rrp Taboo tells the story of a group of From the critically Noongar people acclaimed author of who revisit, for the Ghost River comes this first time in many collection of short stories of people from decades, the site of a massacre. They come all walks of life. These at the invitation of are common people, an elderly farmer who hopes to cleanse dealing with daily struggles, told in a the moral stain from his farm. But the sins way that is poignant, heart-warming of the past will not be so easily expunged. and hopeful. COMPLETE POEMS OF BANJO PATTERSON Banjo Patterson, HB $30rrp
HE John Connolly, PB $30rrp he was Stan Laurel. Stan Laurel was a fiction. So who was the man behind the fiction? This is a complicated re-imagining of the life of Stan Laurel, of Laurel and Hardy fame. With he, John Connolly recreates the golden age of Hollywood for an intensely compassionate study of the human frailties behind even the greatest of artists.
THE SILENT COMPANIONS Laura Purcell, PB $25rrp Recently widowed newlywed Elsie discovers inside her late husband’s Victorian house lies a locked door. Beyond this door is a painted wooden figure - a silent companion - that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. A Victorian ghost story for modern readers.
AUTUMN Ali Smith, PB $23rrp Autumn 2016: Daniel is a century old. Elisabeth, born in 1984, has her eye on the future. And the UK is in pieces, divided by a historic once in a generation summer. Hope is hand in hand with hopelessness. This is a tender tale of unlikely friendship, set against the backdrop of Brexit and inspired by the works of
HERE WE ARE Oliver Jeffers HB $25rrp Oliver Jeffers, arguably the best picture book maker of his generation, is said to have written this book for his newborn son. Written with his trademark playfulness, Here We Are is a guide to being human in a complicated and fragile world. It's a reminder that despite our differences, we're all in this together.
JUNIOR CLASSICS BOXED SET Various authors, HB with slipcase, $90rrp Including Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book and Peter Pan. Each hardcover book is a masterpiece in paper engineering and illustration, featuring pop-up elements, cut outs and moving parts. Normally retailing for $40 per book, this box set is amazing value.
ZOOM Sha’an d’Anthes HB, $27rrp Scout is an inventor, a dreamer, a do-er. After breakfast, Scout builds a rocket and flies to outer space to explore our solar system and the animals that make up the universe. Zoom is a beautifully illustrated picture book from a debut Australian illustrator.
REAL FRIENDS Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham (ill.) PB $20,rrp Real Friends is a book for anyone who knows the snakes and ladders game of school friendships, the desperation to be in ‘the group’ and the sting of finding yourself, inexplicably, on the outer. Despite all this, there is hope – there are real friends. For readers aged 8+
TALES FROM A TALL FOREST Shaun Micallef HB, $30rrp In this trio of tales, satirist Shaun Micallef unravels the traditional fairy story and nimbly weaves familiar characters into new and surprising adventures. A big staff favourite. For readers aged 10+
A SEMI-DEFINITIVE ELEANOR & PARK LIST OF WORST Rainbow Rowell, NIGHTMARES PB $20rrp Krystal Sutherland Eleanor & Park is a PB $20,rrp coming-of-age Ever since Esther’s romance about two grandfather was high-school misfits cursed by Death, who meet and fall in everyone in Esther's love on the school family has been bus, aided by 80s mix consumed by their tapes and many, fears. An unlikely friendship forces many late-night conversations. Esther to face her fears in an attempt to For readers aged 15+. break the curse. For fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell. Ages 14+
This is a stunning keepsake for any fan of Banjo Patterson or Australian poetry.
Children’s Young Adult
NB: Age guides are approximate. Staff can provide personalised advice in store.
Nonfiction & Gift
THE WOODEN BICYCLE AROUND THE WORLD Kiriakos Iosifidis, HB $70 rrp The Wooden Bicycle provides an in-depth look at the latest trends in specialist bicycle craftmanship that are sustainable, ecologically viable, user friendly and dynamic. A highly original, inspiring and beautiful book. A THOROUGHLY UNHELPFUL HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN SPORT Titus O’Reily, PB $35rrp From Don Bradman’s singular focus to Steven Bradbury’s heroic not-falling over, sport has shaped Australia’s sense of self. But how did we get here? Part history, part social commentary and a lot of nonsense.
AUSTRALIAN BUSH SUPERFOODS Lily Alice and Thomas O’Quinn, PB $30rrp This is a unique cookbook that combines bush foods and recipes in a way that is sensitive to the environment. It will suit anyone interested in health, the outdoors and alternative lifestyles.
1947: WHEN NOW BEGINS Elisabeth Asbrink PB $30rrp As the clock strikes the end of the war, the time begins to turn towards a new age — the one we call now. Winner of the English PEN Award, 1947 chronicles the creation of the forces that govern the modern world as told through the story of the author’s own father.
NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE DEAD William McDonald (Ed) HB, $60rrp Who doesn’t want to read the obit for Annie Oakley or Harry Houdini? This is a truly great book, from the world’s preeminent newspaper, containing 320 print obituaries of famous (and infamous) people, with digital access to a further 10,000.A perfect gift for that hard-to-buyfor but perpetually curious relative.
WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR Paul Kalanithi, PB $20rrp On the verge of completing neurosurgical training, 36-year-old Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, the next he was a patient struggling to live. This memoir asks what it takes to lead a meaningful and worthwhile life. A brilliant, life-affirming read.
PENTRIDGE: VOICES FROM THE OTHER SIDE Rupert Mann, HB $50rrp An important book for anyone interested in Melbourne’s history, Pentridge gives voice to 15 former inmates, staff members and other public figures who bore witness to the brutality and hope of the former gaol. Coupled with haunting and beautiful photographs, here the people who were once silent have been given a voice.
MUSE: A JOURNEY THROUGH AN ART COLLECTION Terri-ann White (Ed.) HB, $65rrp Muse is a truly beautiful art book that takes an in-depth look at the development of the contemporary Australian art collection of the Holmes A. Court family. Covering a wide variety of artists and styles, this is a book driven by a passion for art as human expression, and curiosity about artists and their creative processes.
MADE TO LAST: A COMPENDIUM OF ARTISANS, TRADES & PROJECTS Vanessa Murray, HB $60rrp In a world full of mass-produced, disposable goods, there is a movement focused on sourcing unique and durable products that reflect true craftsmanship. Made to Last is a celebration of 50 artisans from around the world, full of inspiration and DIY projects for the craftsperson or keen maker.
AUSTRALIAN GYPSIES: THEIR SECRET HISTORY Mandy Sayer, PB $35rrp Roughly 100,000 Gypsies call Australia home, yet until now their experiences have been hidden from our history, and from our present. Here, award-winning memoirist and novelist Mandy Sayer weaves together a wide-ranging, exuberant and fascinating history of Gypsies in Australia.
EXPLORE AUSTRALIA BY CAMPER TRAILER Lee Atkinson, PB $40rrp The perfect gift for the traveller looking to traverse our wide brown land. With regional maps and suggested activities for each area, this is a really handy guide to the hard-to-reach spots the travel guides miss.
THE MOTH: ALL THESE THE SECRET LIFE OF WONDERS COWS Rosamund Young, Catherine Burns (Ed.), PB, $30rrp HB, $20rrp This is the story of Kite’s From global storytelling phenomenon The Moth Nest Farm, where the comes a collection animals roam free. A charming and funny about risk, courage, and facing the unknown, little book, this will change the way you drawn from the best look at farm animals and stories ever told on their stages. Fifty truth tellers modern farming share their ventures into practices. For fans of James Rebank's A Shepherd’s Life. uncharted territory - and how their lives were changed forever by what they found.
101 MOVES TO WATCH BEFORE YOU DIE Ricardo Cavolo, HB $30rrp From Nobrow Press comes this wild, fully illustrated guide to some of the best films ever made. From the inception of cinema to the current day, children’s to adult, this is the ultimate cinematic bucket list.
KILTED YOGA Finlay Wilson, HB $30rrp Beards, kilts and yoga - a winning combo it would seem. An irresistibly cheeky book based in the stunning Scottish highlands, this is the perfect stocking stuffer.
SEASONS: MORNINGTON PENINSULA Kate O’Donnelly, HB $79.95rrp A stunning, large-format photography book from local photographer Kate Donnelly. Go on a journey of discovery as she explores the Mornington Peninsula from end to end, capturing its beauty and hidden secrets.
Extended Trading Hours for December Mon 4th to Fri 8th Dec: 9am to 6pm Sat 9th: 9am to 5pm Sun 10th Dec: 10am to 4pm Mon 11th to Fri 15th Dec: 9am to 6pm Sat 16th Dec: 9am to 5pm Sun 17th Dec: 10am to 4pm Mon 18th: 9am to 6pm Tues 19th: 9am to 6pm Weds 20th Dec: 8am to 6pm Thurs 21st Dec: 8am to 7pm Fri 22nd Dec: 8am to 7pm Sat 23rd Dec: 8am to 6pm Sun 24th Dec: 9am to 4pm CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY AND BOXING DAY
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‘LOVE YOUR BOOKSHOP’ KEEP CUPS
Do your bit for the environment with these reusable takeaway coffee cups. Various colours, $14rrp