Gleaner February/March 2025

Gleaner

February-March 2025

Sara Haddad

How Gleebooks helped her bestselling novella The Sunbird take wing p7

Plus Josie McSkimming on being Gutsy Girls with her sister Dorothy Porter p11

Shop Talk

From David’s desk

Welcome to the 2025 Gleaner. We’re delighted to again offer you the best in new releases, author events, and personal recommendations, for what is (I think), the Gleaner’s 33rd year. More auspiciously, in terms of noting dates, is to acknowledge that 2025 makes Gleebooks 50th birthday. It’s been a long and hugely engrossing journey from our side of the counter and we hope to celebrate in some exciting ways with you on the other side of that counter. We’re working towards a festival of celebration in October, and hoping to salute the year in a way so that everyone can participate.

And to pass on an answer I gave to a well wisher who asked what the secret to our longevity has been, it’s briefly summarised as good timing, good luck, good landlords, and numbinglylong work hours. But seriously, amazingly loyal, knowledgeable booksellers are the real key. Genuine book lovers who embody the essential connection between writers and readers. Real people in real shops, with judgement and care and passion.

Meantime, I’ve been accumulating a tidy collection of new releases. Here’s a selection of what I’ve enjoyed thus far, all of them Australian.

Staff Picks

Time Shelter

ƒ Charlotte McConaghy: Wild Dark Shore (out March) I loved Charlotte’s first two books and we sold heaps of each, but I feel her writing isn’t as acknowledged as it deserves to be. Like the earlier novel, Wild Dark Shore has an amazingly remote setting (Macquarie Island), and an utterly plausible end-of-theworld possibility. Powerful and confronting, and quite beautiful and touching.

ƒ Jacqueline Maley: Lonely Mouth (out May) One of our very best journalists gives us in her second novel an engrossing and richly satisfying exploration of a woman’s conflicted place in the world. (And I learnt an amazing amount about restaurant life from this enticing novel.) An early contender for title of the year.

ƒ Jane Caro: Lyrebird (out April) In a taut thriller set in the stunning wilds of the Barrington National Parks, the multi-talented Caro gives real heft to injustice visited on marginalised women.

ƒ And last year ended in such a rush, that I missed my spot on the very crowded bus of readers already raving about Niall Williams’ utterly gorgeous Time of the Child. Believe the hype, it’s a beautiful, beautiful book.

David, director

Books we love

Georgi Gospodinov

$23, W&N

Like walking through an ever-changing museum with an unreliable but insightful guide. There is no meaningful distinction between the real and imagined, between author and subject, but there is deep wisdom to be found in the journey.

- Tilda, Glebe

Our Evenings

Alan Hollinghurst

$35, Picador

It is a sweeping, gently observed life of a young actor, from the 60s to the present; portrayed through key moments in his life. In the background, a school bully also grows up and progresses to conservative political infamy. And on

every page, prose so perfect and apt that it makes you gasp.

- Andrew, Glebe

Blackwater series

Michael McDowell

$24 (each), Pen Transworld

A flood sweeps through a small town in Alabama and leaves behind devastation and the sudden appearance of Elinor – a mysterious woman with an unknown past. This is a family saga where each part builds upon the suspense and mystery of the previous events. I don’t normally read anything sci-fi or gothic – but I read Volumes I,II & III in three days and can hardly wait for Volumes IV, V & VI to arrive!

- Victoria, Blackheath

Unfinished Business

Shankari Chandran

$35, Ultimo

It’s exciting to see Chandran branching out into the thriller genre, taking on the gritty urgency of a race against time set

in the Sri Lankan civil war. I loved the pacing and drama of it all, and its deep grounding in historical events.

- Imogen, Glebe

Freakslaw

Jane Flett

$35, Doubleday

Gorgeous, razor-sharp language celebrates a collection of carnival folk characters deemed deviants, freaks and outliers by the smallminded inhabitants of Pitlaw, a Scottish village where nothing changes. The two groups are on a dangerous ideological collision course –centuries in the making – and it’s gonna be epic! Raucous, sexy and more than a tad witchy, this is one carnival ride you won’t ever want to get off.

- Tiff, Blackheath

Where the Birds Call Her Name

Claire van Ryn

In 1968, teenager Greta De Winter seeks solace in the Stanley wetlands, a swamp that attracts all manner of wildlife. Her father is the local councillor and her mother a taxidermist, working to create bird dioramas for the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. But while the De Winter household seems harmless from the outside, a dark secret hides within. When her daughter Saskia and her granddaughter Anouk arrive in Stanley, they search for the missing pieces to the puzzle of Greta’s tragic childhood. A moving and highly evocative novel of family bonds and betrayals, by the author of The Secrets of the Huon Wren $35, Penguin. Out March

One Hundred Years of Betty

Debra Oswald

Born into poverty in pre-war London, and growing up fast during the Blitz, Betty grabs the chance at a bigger life by migrating to Australia. In Sydney, she is waitressing at the Trocadero dance hall when she stumbles into a rushed courtship with a wealthy businessman, and dedicates herself to being the ideal 1950s suburban housewife. But life has other plans for Betty, and soon she must find a way to do more than just survive. One Hundred Years of Betty is the saga of a strong, intelligent woman born too early in time to make the most of her talents without having to fight for everything.

$35, Allen & Unwin. Out March

First Name Second Name

Steve Minon

Stephen Bolin leaves a bizarre note by his deathbed, asking his sisters to take his body back to his birthplace in Far North Queensland. When they ignore his request, Stephen’s corpse makes the nocturnal pilgrimage alone. His journey takes him back through his turbulent family history – from his Chinese great-grandfather’s life on the goldfields in 1860s Queensland, to his Scottish grandparents’ migration to Australia as ten-pound Poms, and to his own coming of age and coming out in Brisbane and London. Original and satirical, First Name Second Name follows four generations of one family through a reckoning with racial, familial and sexual identity.

$33, UQP. Out March

Wild Dark Shore

Charlotte McConaghy

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. With sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants, packing up before they are transported to safer ground. Then a woman washes up on shore. As the Salts nurse the woman, Rowan, back to life, their suspicion gives way to affection. But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers the sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realises Dominic is keeping his own dark secrets. Wild Dark Shore is a novel of heartstopping twists, dizzying beauty and ferocious love.

$35, Penguin. Out March

Geraldine

Andrea Thompson

Geraldine is born with an adventurer’s heart. Whether it’s escaping from boarding school in Rhodesia, or buying hormones from the local speed dealer in Weston-super-Mare, Geraldine is open to all the world has to offer. Arriving in Australia as an adolescent, she finds solace through music. As she grows into a woman, she not only inspires others but also learns to be accepted for who she truly is. This is the story of a woman who changes the world that wants to change her.

$35, Fremantle. Out March

Colony

Annika Norlin

One morning, Emelie can’t get out of bed. Her therapist calls it burnout. Her neighbour calls it the tiny work death. Fleeing the city, she goes to the woods – and that’s where she sees the Colony. Who are they? And why do they behave in such strange ways? As Emelie becomes more and more drawn to them, she begins to reevaluate her own lifestyle. Wouldn’t it be nice to live as they do? But groups always have their dynamics and roles. Which are you? And what if you want to change?

$33, Scribe. Out March

After the Great Storm

Ann Dombroski

Forty-year-old Alice Kaczmarek has lost so much. She wants a baby, but her husband Daniel is serving a life sentence, accused of orchestrating an accident on Sydney’s new transport system. When T, the subject of medical experimentation, crawls up the front steps of her house, Alice learns of a strange connection between T and Daniel. In this psychological novel of threat and intrigue, it seems everyone is involved in a scam. After the Great Storm asks an urgent question for our times: When corruption becomes endemic how can we save our own moral code?

$33, Transit Lounge. Out February

Fiction

AUSTRALIAN LITERATURE

After the Fall

Kirsten Alexander

When Giselle escapes to the north Yorkshire village of Hollydale, she doesn’t give much thought to what she might find there. She’s more concerned with what she’s leaving behind – a toxic marriage, the loss of her beloved sister, Lina, and the cloud of suspicion over the circumstances of Lina’s death. Giselle hopes to start life over, but the past cannot be outrun and nor can her husband, who is threatening to arrive at any moment. A story about friendship between women, coercive relationships, and the endless possibilities that new connections can bring.

$35, Ultimo. Out January

The Spirit Circle

Tara Calaby

When Ellen Whitfield’s friend Harriet becomes involved with a spiritualist group led by the charismatic Caroline McLeod, she fears she is losing her friend. She moves into the gloomy East Melbourne mansion where Caroline has assembled a motley court of the bereaved. Ellen’s intention is to expose the simple trickery that must surely lie behind these visits from the departed. What she discovers is altogether more complicated. Tara Calaby weaves a richly detailed narrative around the romance of old Melbourne in this intriguing historical mystery.

$35, Text. Out January

A Piece of Red Cloth

Leonie Norrington et al

Batjani’s beloved granddaughter Garritji is on the cusp of womanhood, about to go through the rituals preparing her for marriage. Batjani uses all means at her disposal to protect her granddaughter from the visiting Macassan trepang fishers, but she is betrayed. Can Garritji be saved? This powerful novel is based on oral history and told through Yolngu eyes, with ancestors as the Yolngu remember them: proud, strong, resilient people in control of their world and interacting with foreigners on their own terms.

$35, Allen & Unwin. Out February

ALSO OUT

Half Truth

Nadia Mahjouri

A moving drama charting families, motherhood, loss, identity and belonging.

$35, Penguin Out February

The Liquid Eye of a Moon

Uchenna Awoke

A Nigerian Catcher in the Rye by a major new literary talent.

$40, Scribe Out January

Love Unedited

Caro Llewellyn

Edna gave up everything when she fell in love with an acclaimed writer, leaving Australia and moving to New York where the publishing and literary scene was the backdrop to their secret story. When Molly, an Australian editor working in New York, discovers a novel by an anonymous author, she is drawn intimately into the story. She becomes determined to find the author and know how the story ends – not imagining that she will uncover shocking truths about her own life along the way. A compelling literary mystery about desire, creativity, food, longing and the ever-shifting power dynamics of love.

$35, Picador. Out February

You Must Remember This

Sean Wilson

You Must Remember This is an eloquent jumble of a family story, as experienced by Grace, an elderly woman with dementia trying to get her moorings in a worsening storm. It contemplates the perils of remembering and forgetting, making your own way in the world and how we seem bound to repeat the patterns of the past. Most profoundly it’s about sensing what it’s like to live on while your faculties dim, and about finding peace.

$25, Affirm. Out January

Somebody Down There Likes Me

Robert Lukins

Against the backdrop of the last decadent gasps of the 20th century, the Gulch family have led a charmed existence in the ultra-wealthy enclave of Belle Haven, Connecticut. Now, as the fraud and criminality that lie beneath the family’s incredible wealth are exposed, the Gulch children are summoned. As tensions rise and conspiracies are forced to the surface, the truth behind the disappearance of a high school friend comes into question, and each one of them must face the complicity of their silence.

$33, Allen & Unwin. Out February

Rural Dreams: Stories From The Bush

Margaret Hickey

Margaret Hickey’s Rural Dreams takes a look at life outside the big smoke, featuring the kind of characters you might expect in the country – as well as some you might not, in a collection of captivating short stories celebrating the Australian countryside. Funny, heartbreaking and true, Rural Dreams highlights the richness of life on the land and showcases the beauty of lives lived outside city walls.

$23, Penguin. Out January

Better Days

Claire Zorn

A story of love, chaos and the music inbetween.

$35, Atlantic Out March

The Knowing Madeleine Ryan

From the author of A Room Called Earth

$30, Scribe Out February

The Bad Bridesmaid

Rachael Johns

When serial dater Winifred Darling – Fred – is asked to be the maid of honour at her mother’s sixth wedding, she’s determined to do everything in her power to stop it. At the island wedding destination, Fred is delighted to discover that the groom’s hot muso son Leo is just as set against the wedding as she is. But as Fred and Leo get to know each other, Fred is forced to rethink her own rigid rules about romance and family. The Bad Bridesmaid is a delightful new romantic comedy by the author of The Other Bridget $35, Penguin. Out January

The Pool

Hannah Tunnicliffe

Prince of spin and life of the party, Baz King, is missing. Nine years ago, at an innocent summer barbecue in Melbourne, everything imploded. For the Kings and the four other young families there that fateful day, marriages fractured, friendships crumbled and lives were upended. Now in their 40s and with teenage children, Baz King cannot be found. With a history of dodgy dealings and no shortage of motives, any one of them could be a suspect. A biting domestic noir, The Pool examines the enduring shrapnel of tragedy.

$35, Ultimo. Out now

Time Together

Luke Horton

Phil is trying to feel closer to his recently passed mother by spending time alone at his parent’s house. But he is lonely, and stupidly he’s invited a bunch of old friends to visit. It’s too late now, and tomorrow Bella and Tim will arrive with their two kids, and the next day Jo and Lucas will come too, with their little one. Then there’s Annie, who will be by herself. Time Together is a novel about different kinds of love, different kinds of loneliness, and the way we can bring out the best and worst in each other.

$35, Scribe. Out March

INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE

Dream Count

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

In Dream Count, Adichie trains her fierce eye on three women in a sparkling, transcendent novel that takes up the very nature of love itself. Is true happiness ever attainable or is it just a fleeting state? And how honest must we be with ourselves in order to love, and to be loved? A trenchant reflection on the choices we make and those made for us, on daughters and mothers, on our interconnected world, Dream Count pulses with emotional urgency and poignant, unflinching observations on the human heart.

$35, 4th Estate. Out March

The Cafe With No Name

Robert Seethaler

It is 1966, and Robert Simon has just fulfilled his dream by taking over a cafe on the corner of a bustling Vienna market. He recruits a barmaid, Mila, and soon the customers flock in. As Robert listens and Mila refills their glasses, romances bloom, friendships are made and fortunes change. And change is coming to the city around them, to the little cafe, and to Robert’s dream. A story of the hopes, kindnesses and everyday heroism of one community.

A unique behind-the-scenes story of love, family and the iconic Australian poet

Killing Time

Alan Bennett

Presided over by the lofty Mrs McBryde, Hill Topp House is a superior council home for the elderly. Among the unforgettable cast of staff and residents there’s Mr Peckover, the deluded archaeologist, Phyllis the knitter, Mr Cresswell the ex-cruise ship hairdresser, and Mr Jimson, the chiropodist. Covid is the cause of fatalities and the source of darkly comic confusion, but it’s also the key to liberation. As staff are hospitalised, protocol breaks down. And the surviving residents seize their moment, arthritis allowing, to scamper freely in the warmth of the summer sun.

$23, Faber. Out February

Darkenbloom

Eva Menasse

It’s 1989, and in a small town on the AustriaHungary border, nobody talks about the war; the older residents pretend not to remember, and the younger ones are too busy making plans to leave – and everyone knows what they are not supposed to say. But as thousands of East German refugees mass at the border, it seems that the past is knocking on Darkenbloom’s door. Darkenbloom is a sweeping novel of exiled counts, Nazis-turned-Soviet-enforcers, secret marriages, mislabelled graves, remembrance, guilt, and the devastating power of silence.

$37, Scribe. Out January

Eurotrash

Christian Kracht

Our unnamed middle-aged narrator embarks on a road trip through Switzerland with his terminally ill and terminally drunken mother. They try unsuccessfully to give away or squander the fortune she has amassed from investing in armament industry shares. Along the journey they bicker endlessly over the past, throw handfuls of francs into a ravine and exasperate the living daylights out of their longsuffering taxi driver. Eurotrash is a bitterly comic tour de force of the tenderness and spite meted out between two people who cannot escape one another.

$33, Bloomsbury. Out March

Flesh

David Szalay

Fifteen-year-old Istvan has moved to a quiet apartment complex in Hungary with his mother. He soon becomes isolated, with his neighbour –a married woman close to his mother’s age – as his only companion. These encounters shift into a clandestine relationship that Istvan himself can barely understand. Years pass and he moves from the army to the realm of London’s super-rich, his competing impulses for love, status and wealth winning him unimaginable riches, until they threaten to undo him completely. Flesh is a propulsive, hypnotic read by a master of realism.

$35, Jonathan Cape. Out March

Q&A with Sara Haddad

Taking flight

Told in two timeframes, Sara Haddad’s The Sunbird is a modern parable that tells the story of Nabila, an 80-year-old Palestinian woman living in Sydney who was expelled from her land in 1948. When Sara selfpublished the novella in 2024, it quickly became a favourite with Gleebooks readers – and beyond. Here, she explains what inspired her to write Nabila’s story, and the importance of independent bookshops.

Tell us a little about The Sunbird.

The Sunbird is my labour of love for a cause that has long been in my life and in my heart – liberation for Palestine and selfdetermination for Palestinians. It’s a novella that tells the story of an elderly Palestinian woman called Nabila Yasmeen who lives in present-day Sydney but who was violently expelled from her home and her country during the Nakba of 1948. The story follows a day in Nabila’s life in December 2023, when she attends a march for Palestine. Interwoven through this are glimpses into Nabila’s past as a young girl in rural Palestine. I describe The Sunbird as a parable because a parable is a short, didactic moral tale in which the characters are humans. To me the idea of a parable is also interesting because, although this book isn’t in any way religious, the word “parable” suggests a biblical connection. After all, Jesus was a Palestinian who was oppressed by a colonising force. From a secular perspective this comparison appeals to me.

What was the journey to publishing this book?

In some ways I think this book has been lurking within me for a long time; it just needed a catalyst to emerge. That catalyst was the horrific collective punishment of Palestinians that I began watching on my phone in October 2023, and the nature of the response – or lack of response – from governments, media, institutions, corporations, public figures, worldwide. But it began as a silent promise to myself and to a Gazan doctor, Dr Mahmoud Abu Nujaila, after I saw his hand-scrawled message on a hospital whiteboard in Al Awda hospital: “Whoever stays until the end will tell the story. We did what we could. Remember us.”

What is your writing process like?

I don’t work as a writer but as an editor so writing for myself is a rare indulgence but one I absolutely love. When I am able to find the time, my writing process usually begins outdoors. I find that moving my body, walking, gets my mind going. I usually begin with a sentence or a phrase or even a word, and a narrative builds from there. So a bit like a painter who begins with a few sketched lines and gradually builds the image to arrive at a complete picture. I rarely know where the writing is going to go.

What do you hope readers will gain from reading this book?

I hope in the first instance that they have an enjoyable reading experience and I hope that the story of Nabila moves them. If they are unfamiliar with the story of Palestine I hope it opens their hearts and minds to one of the great injustices of our age. It’s an invitation to go further, to find out more, to read, watch and listen more widely, with greater empathy and generosity.

You self-published The Sunbird in May last year before it was picked up by UQP in December. How important were

Sara Haddad: “Gleebooks has been there since the beginning.”

independent bookshops in its early success and Gleebooks in particular?

Absolutely vital. The unfortunate reality is that self-published books do not have either the resources or the kudos of commercially published books. A few great independent booksellers around the country got behind the book but Gleebooks has been there from the beginning. I had my launch in what was then the new event space at Glebe, and Andrew, Morgan and David were very supportive. Gleebooks in Blackheath – Victoria and Jody in particular – has been awesome and the shop at Dulwich Hill is my local. Everyone there, but especially Letitia, has been just wonderful. The Sunbird was the No. 2 bestseller in Dulwich Hill for the whole of 2024 and it was the No. 3 bestselling Australian book over all the shops. There is no way that could have happened without the care and dedication of those booksellers. Independent bookshops are so important – for readers, writers, publishers and communities more widely.

Sara Haddad is an editor and writer who has worked in publishing for 35 years. A Lebanese Australian, she lives on Gadigal land with her husband and two children. She hopes that one day all Palestinians will be free to return to their country and live there without fear. The Sunbird is published by UQP, $20.

Fundamentally

Nussaibah Younis

Nadia is an academic who’s been disowned by her puritanical mother and dumped by her lover, Rosy. She decides to make a getaway, accepting a UN job in Iraq. Tasked with rehabilitating ISIS women, Nadia becomes mired in the world of international aid, surrounded by bumbling colleagues. Sara is a precocious and sweary East Londoner who joined ISIS at 15. Nadia is struck by how similar they are. A friendship forms between the two women, until a secret confession from Sara threatens everything Nadia has been working for. Fundamentally is a wildly funny and razor-sharp exploration of love, family and religion.

$33, W&N. Out February

Theft

Abdulrazak Gurnah

Three very different young people Karim, Fauzia and Badar are coming of age, and dreaming of great possibilities in Zanzibar.

But for Badar, an uneducated servant boy who has never known his parents, it seems as if all doors are closed. As the three of them take their first steps in love, work and parenthood, their bond is tested and Karim is tempted into a betrayal that will change all of their lives forever. A captivating story of the intertwined lives of three young people coming of age in postcolonial East Africa.

$33, Bloomsbury. Out March

The Antidote

Karen Russell

An astounding novel about magic, memory and land, set in America’s Dust Bowl.

$34.99, Chatto & Windus Out March

Instructions for Heartbreak

Sarah Handyside

A beautiful, razor-sharp debut about female friendship and self love.

$35, Macmillan. Out January

Sad Tiger

Neige Sinno

Three Days in June

Anne Tyler

It’s the day before her daughter’s wedding and things are not going well for Gail Baines. She has lost her job and her ex-husband Max has turned up to join the festivities, bringing a cat looking for a new home. Just as Gail is wondering what’s next, their daughter Debbie discovers her groom has been keeping a secret. The day after the wedding, Gail and Max prepare to go their separate ways again. But all the questions about the future of the happy couple have stirred up the past for Gail. This is a funny, touching, hopeful gem about love, marriage and second chances.

$33, Chatto & Windus Out February

Neige Sinno was seven years old when her stepfather started sexually abusing her. At 19, she decided to break the silence that is so common in all cultures around sexual violence. This led to a public trial and prison for her stepfather and Sinno started a new life in Mexico. Sad Tiger is a literary exploration into how to speak about the unspeakable. A striking, shocking, and necessary masterpiece.

$39.99, Seven Stories. Out April

Fire Exit Morgan Talty

From the porch of his home, Charles Lamosway has watched the life he might have had unfold across the river on Maine’s Penobscot Reservation. But there’s something deeper and more dangerous than the river that divides him from Elizabeth and the rest of the tribal community: it’s the secret that Elizabeth is his daughter. Charles wants to reveal the truth, but is the secret his to share? Fire Exit is an unforgettable story of family, legacy, bloodlines, culture, and inheritance.

$33, Scribe. Out February

The Boy From the Sea

Garrett Carr

In a close-knit community on Ireland’s west coast, a baby is found abandoned on the beach. Ambrose, a man more comfortable at sea than on land, brings the baby into his home, but it’s a decision that will fracture his family and force him to try to understand himself and those he cares for. Garrett Carr’s The Boy From The Sea is an exploration of the ties that make us and bind us, as a family and community move irresistibly towards the future.

$35, Picador. Out February

Stag Dance

Torrey Peters

From the adventures of a lonely logger who, deep in the forest, joins his workmates to dance dressed as a woman, to the story of an obsessive boarding-school romance, to the dizzying spectacle of a gender apocalypse brought about by an unstable ex-girlfriend, Torrey Peters’ keen eye for the rough edges of trans community and desire reveals fresh possibilities. Acidly funny and breath-taking in its scope, Stag Dance unsettles and delights.

$33, Serpent’s Tail. Out March

Show Don’t Tell

Curtis Sittenfeld

In this compulsive collection of 12 witty stories, Sittenfeld shows why she’s as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels, as she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends. Witty, confronting and full of tenderness, she peels back layer after layer of our inner lives, keeping us riveted to the page with her utterly distinctive voice.

$35, Doubleday. Out February

Perfection

Vincenzo Latronico

Expat couple Anna and Tom are living the dream in Berlin, in a bright, plant-filled apartment. Young, cool digital creatives, they enjoy slow cooking, Danish furniture, progressive politics, sexual experimentation and the city’s 24-hour party scene. It’s exactly the life they had imagined for themselves. But they begin to feel bored. Trapped in a lifestyle optimised for digital perfection, yearning for authenticity, they find themselves doing something they could never have predicted. A razor-sharp novel about a millennial couple’s quest for meaning in a life designed according to social media trends.

$30, Text. Out February

We Do Not Part

Han Kang

Kyungha travels from Seoul into the forests of Jeju Island, to the home of her old friend Inseon. A snowstorm hits the island the moment her plane lands, plunging her into a world of white.

As night falls, she struggles her way to Inseon’s house, unaware as yet of the descent into darkness which awaits her. There, the longburied story of Inseon’s family surges into light. This haunting and visionary new novel from 2024 Nobel Prize winner Han Kang takes us on a journey from contemporary South Korea into its painful history.

$35, Hamish Hamilton. Out February

ALSO OUT

Black Woods, Blue Sky

Eowyn Ivey

A magical story of love and survival from the author of The Snow Child

$35, Tinder. Out February

Elegy, Southwest

Madeleine Watts

An elegy for lost love and for the landscape that makes us.

$35, Ultimo. Out March

Every Man Dies Alone

Hans Fallada

Based on a true story from the files of the Gestapo, this sweeping saga of resistance is more relevant than ever.

$40, Melville House. Out February

Shock Induction

Chuck Palahniuk

In a high school only Chuck Palahniuk could imagine, students must choose between the risk of following their dreams or the security of money and a lifetime of servitude to the world’s wealthiest and most elite – but how much of a choice do they truly have? Shock Induction is a dark, satirical parable about a string of mysterious high school disappearances, the seedy underbellies of billionaires, and the tough choices we make in the face of an uncertain future.

$33, Corsair. Out March

A Thousand Blues

Cheon Seon-Ran

In 2035 two sisters are growing up, helping their mother at the local cafe. Family life is fractious, especially when one of them loses their day job to an automaton. What makes the sisters’ hearts sing is their friendship with Today, a famous racehorse. But after a lifetime of over-racing, Today is being sent to the knackers’ yard. As their plan to rescue their beloved horse unfolds, one of them will commit the bravest act of their life. A Thousand Blues is a healing hymn to the Earth, to animals, to our humanity.

$35, Doubleday. Out June

A brilliant, slyly humorous dissection of wealth, power and the tragedies even money can’t fix for fans The Secret History, The Corrections and Succession.

A stunning comic creation.’ JOCK SERONG

After the success and celebrity of her coming My Brilliant Miles Franklin disappeared. This is the story of the decade that made her second career as a fearless advocate for working women.

A fascinating page turner.’ GILLIAN ARMSTRONG

Twist

Colum McCann

Anthony Fennell, a journalist, is in pursuit of a story buried at the bottom of the sea – the network of tiny fibre-optic tubes that carry the world’s information across the ocean floor –and what happens when they break. He travels to Cape Town to board the George Lecointe, a cable repair vessel captained by Chief of Mission John Conway. But as the mission falters, tensions among the crew simmer – and when Conway disappears Fennell must set out to find him. This is a propulsive and timeless exploration of narrative and truth.

$33, Bloomsbury. Out March

The Fisherman’s Gift

Julia Kelly

When the village is snowed in, Dorothy agrees to look after the child until he can be returned home. But, as the past rises to meet the present, long-buried secrets in her tight-knit community start to come to light. And Dorothy finds herself thrown together again with the reclusive fisherman Joseph, after years of keeping their distance. Bursting with tension and tenderness, this is an exquisite love story that delves into the griefs and hopes that can lie behind village gossip.

$35, Harvill Secker. Out March

Shop Talk

IThe Mix-up

Kylie Ladd

Fourteen years ago, Kelsey and Raf Maccioni left hospital with their newborn daughter, Ammy. Days later, Shona and Nathan James welcomed the birth of their son, Zac. Fast forward to April 2024: Ammy has grown into a rebellious young woman, and Zac is a kind but introverted teenager. When Ammy takes a DNA test, the IVF clinic admits a terrible mistake. A beautifully told novel about a mix-up that leaves two children wondering who they really are and where they belong.

$35, Penguin. Out February

Small Rain

Garth Greenwell

A poet’s life is turned inside out by a sudden, wrenching pain. The pain brings him to his knees, and eventually to the ICU. Confined to bed, plunged into the dysfunctional American healthcare system, he struggles to understand what is happening to his body, as someone who has lived for many years in his mind. This is a searching, sweeping novel set at the furthest edges of human experience, where the forces that give life value – art, memory, poetry, music, care – are thrown into sharp relief.

$35, Picador. Out December

A bookseller at large

n the first gleemail (e-newsletter) of the year* my subject matter – the rise of neo-Nazism in Bernard Schlink’s great novel, The Granddaughter – was deemed rather gloomy for the summer holidays, so I aim to be light and airy and summery in this column.

Richard Ayoade’s hilarious The Unfinished Harauld Hughes fits the bill. Appealing to anyone who has worked in theatre, film and TV, Ayoade’s conceit is that he’s interviewing people for a documentary about the fictional playwright and screenwriter Harauld Hughes. The cover tagline says “Nabokov meets Spinal Tap” and for once it’s true: LOL every page. Ayoade (The IT Crowd) embodies the notion that behind all really good comedy is a huge intelligence.

As does the inimitable Dorothy Parker, whom I’ve been revisiting in Gail Crowther’s Dorothy Parker In Hollywood. To her everlasting chagrin, we identify Dorothy Parker with New York and the Algonquin Round Table, but she spent almost 35 years in Hollywood writing many films, both credited (the original A Star Is Born) and uncredited. Starting the book, I thought, “This is good, I can write light and airy things about the very quotable quipster (‘If you want to know what God thinks about money, just look at the people he gave it to.’) and it will all be funny and very summery. But

then, not far into the book, in the mid-1930s Parker goes all serious on me, becoming a founding member of the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, and going on to become a major activist and fundraiser for left causes for the rest of her life, including a visit to Spain during the Civil War and of course, being blacklisted in Hollywood for her trouble.

“I don’t think these are funny times,” she wrote. “I don’t think I can fight fascism by being comical.” She was infuriated by the apathy of some intellectuals: “Oh God, oh God, that dreary ivory tower, the only window of which looks out on the fascist side.” Apropos is the opinion piece that appeared in the SMH on January 16 by Dennis Glover (Repeat: A Warning From History) in which he urged that what we commonly refer to as a “move to the far-right” be called out for what it is – the global rise of fascism. That’s not funny and not to be ignored. And while I know people who aren’t in an ivory tower, there are those at the beach with their head in the sand.

Morgan Smith

* Read more of my musings in our fortnightly events newsletter, the gleemail. Sign up by going to gleebooks.com.au and scrolling down to the bottom of the homepage.

Gutsy Girls: an ode to sisterhood

Dorothy Porter was one of Australia’s most charismatic and courageous literary figures; an awardwinning Australian poet whose queer, crime verse novel The Monkey’s Mask achieved international acclaim. Her sister Josie chose a very different path, but the pair always remained close. After her sister’s death in 2008, Josie began research for a biography that would eventually become the memoir Gutsy Girls Josie McSkimming reflects on her big sister’s life, the bond they shared, and resilience in the face of grief in this piece written especially for Gleaner readers.

There were six years between me and my big sister, Dorothy Porter, who I always knew as Dod. From my earliest years, I idolised her, seeing her living a life of creativity, rulebreaking and reckless fun while mine seemed pedestrian and predictable. Even her toys were exotic and interesting, played with for hours in her bedroom and then wrapped up carefully and put well away before I could even glance at their mystery. Like many little sisters (I was the youngest of three with my other sister Mary in the middle), I often felt excluded, ignored, and invisible. For many years, Dod saw me as intensely annoying and an incurable whinger, nicknaming me Brat – although I often tried to impress her and even emulate her road to fame and artistic success.

Dod was our protector and saviour from our father’s excesses and unpredictable bouts of rage. Mary and I saw her as our own staunch and stalwart Emily Brontë, called The Major by her family. Even though Dod and I pursued radically different paths in our lives, we surprisingly offered each other something unusual: we understood what it felt like to be an outsider. I became a fervent evangelical Christian trying to convert the world, while she lived the life of a closeted queer woman for many years. While making completely different life choices, we unexpectedly became like closed oysters for each other, offering unconditional support, acknowledgment, and privacy. I think Dod saw me as someone who could look at a situation from the outside and offer perceptive and honest observations about what was happening. I was not a peoplepleaser – which she liked – but it meant I was often less than tactful and fought bitterly with my father. We also guarded a secret: the world admired the very successful urbane barrister, Chester Porter QC, championing the causes of those wrongly convicted like Lindy Chamberlain – while we experienced his terrifying mood swings. Dod appreciated my pluck and boldness, as she often felt fearful and broken by caring for both her sisters and our mother.

to my dead sister incessantly instead – hoping she would give me advice and guidance. Talking to Dod replaced talking to God. I visited a spiritual healer to see if she could tell me something, some reassurance that Dod was watching over me. Only those who are mad with grief know what drives someone to mediums and psychics.

When my parents were ageing, and my mother suffered her first major fall, I wondered bleakly what the future held. I could see the situation of their deteriorating health clearly before my eyes and I felt panicked. Mary was better able to rise to the occasion; I wanted to hide and retreat into a place of over-busyness and excuses. While in this fragile emotional state of yearning for Dod yet again, I had an encounter with a kookaburra who I believe spoke to me about something which may have been fomenting in my deeper consciousness for some time. Dod, like the ancient Egyptians, always believed our spirits came back as birds, and I suspect I do too. The kookaburra looked at me and told me to write Dod’s story. I decided immediately that I would, as a way of connecting with her, to engage my restless mind, and find some important role within the family. It may even impress my father, who I often felt didn’t respect my career choice of social work or the psychotherapy work I had committed myself to.

So, I embarked on a biography of my wild, hilarious, and iconoclastic big sister, reading all her books over and over – both published and unpublished. I then read all her diaries which start from when she was 14 and continue until just a few months before her death at 54. I read her letters, the family’s letters to her, interviewed her friends and partners, and eventually re-worked my bio into a memoir. I realised early on that our lives were entwined and that her life had changed mine. It was her influence and her choices that eventually challenged the rigid and tortured nature of my evangelical Christianity, which I left utterly and completely in 2005.

When Dod died, I felt my insides collapse, fearing I could never feel safe in my family again. I felt alone and frightened to engage, fearing their indifference and rejection – whether real or imagined. From this distance and the perspective of many years, I think it was mostly imagined. Back then, I understood I had to live my life without her protection, and I struggled to do that for some time. I am not often open in my expression of emotions, fearing judgment or misunderstanding from others, so I talked

Grief invites a revisiting of the internal self as well as a whole network of external relationships. The sense of loss never dissolves or resolves. In a very real sense, writing the book restored Dod to me, gave me back my “gusty girl” – the words of one of her best songs written with Tim Finn.

Josie McSkimming is a social worker, psychotherapist, university lecturer and author. Gutsy Girls: Love Poetry and Sisterhood is out in February (UQP, $35).

When the Deep, Dark Bush Swallows You Whole

Geoff Parkes

During his university summer break, Ryan Bradley returns to the remote town of Nashville in New Zealand’s rugged King Country. He’s working long, punishing hours as a woolpresser and he’s increasingly feeling like an outcast in his childhood town. He’s also haunted by memories of Sanna Sovernen, a Finnish backpacker and his secret lover, who vanished the year before. Now her sister has arrived looking for answers. A haunting debut crime novel that transports the reader back to the 1980s and a small rural town in New Zealand.

$35, Penguin. Out February

Unfinished Business

Shankari Chandran

Sri Lanka, 2009. Decades of civil war and bloodshed are being brought to an end at last – by any means necessary. In the capital, Colombo, tenacious journalist Ameena Fernando is murdered. CIA agent Ellie Harper is sent to seek justice for the journalist’s death, with strict instructions: find something, but not too much. It’s her first time returning to the island after her last mission went awry four years before, and Ellie has more than one ghost to lay to rest. Amid the international scheming and jostling for stakes in post-war Sri Lanka, Ellie follows the trail of secrets on a mission to uncover a truth worth killing for.

$35, Ultimo. Out now

The Reunion

Bronwyn Rivers

Ten years ago, six teenagers hiked into the Blue Mountains wilderness – and only five came out alive. The survivors have barely seen each other since the tragic bushwalk. Yet when an invitation arrives to attend a 10-year memorial of their friend’s death, they gather for a weekend at an isolated homestead in the bush. It should be a chance to reflect and reconnect. But each of the friends has been carrying secrets from the fateful hike. And someone will stop at nothing to get the truth.

$33, Constable. Out February

ALSO OUT

Dogs and Wolves

Herve Le Corre

A gripping noir about the blossoming of poisonous passions.

$33, Europa. Out February

Those Opulent Days

Jacquie Pham

In a lavish mansion in Saigon four friends have gathered for an evening of indulgence – but one of them won’t survive the night. As the story creeps closer to the murder, and as each character becomes a suspect, the true villain begins to emerge: colonialism, the French occupation of Vietnam, and the massive economic differences that catapult the wealthy into the stratosphere while the poor starve on the streets.

Those Opulent Days is a pitch-perfect murder mystery with a cast of characters you won’t soon forget.

$35, Ultimo. Out January

Perspectives

Laurent Binet

Florence, New Year’s Day 1557. As dawn breaks, a painter is discovered lying on the floor of a church, stabbed through the heart. Above him, the paintings he laboured over for more than a decade. At his home, a hidden painting scandalously depicts Maria de Medici, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Florence, as a naked Venus. Giorgio Vasari, the great art historian, is picked to lead the investigation. Bursting with characters and colour, Perspectives is a dazzling, hugely entertaining novel of court machinations, murder and art.

$35, Harvill Secker.

Out February

The Body Next Door

Zane Lovitt

When Claire Corral goes missing from her home on Carnation Way, her neighbour Jamie isn’t too concerned. Then the police turn up. Is Claire’s disappearance connected with the body found next door 13 years ago? Does Jamie’s father, now grappling with dementia, know more about these events than he should? As Jamie asks around, he discovers that quiet, respectable Carnation Way is home to the same secrets and heartaches as any other neighbourhood – with a few more murders thrown in. The Body Next Door is a gloriously entertaining and compelling suburban mystery-thriller.

$35, Text. Out March

The Frozen People

Elly Griffiths

A brand new series about a police officer with the ability to travel in time.

$33, Quercus. Out February

The Wolf Tree

Laura McCluskey

A gripping and atmospheric debut crime thriller set on an isolated Scottish island.

$35, HarperCollins. Out February

CRIME & THRILLERS

The Vipers

Katy Hays

The world was shocked by playwright Sarah Lingate’s death 30 years ago at an opulent villa on the island of Capri. Absolved of the crime, the Lingate family maintains that what happened that night was a tragic accident. And every July they return to Capri to prove it’s true. As the investigation into her mother’s death is reopened, Helen Lingate begins to lose trust in everyone around her. And as the family fractures, the secrets they’ve kept from one another boil to the surface – and they might not leave the island alive.

$35, Bantam. Out March

The Grapevine

Kate Kemp

It’s the height of summer in Australia, 1979, and on a quiet suburban cul-desac in Canberra a housewife is scrubbing the yellow and white chequered tiles of the bathroom floor. She is trying desperately to remove all traces of blood before they stain. As the sun rises on Warrah Place, news of Antonio Marietti’s death spreads like wildfire. Twelve-year-old Tammy launches her own investigation, determined to find out what happened, but she is not the only one whose well-meaning efforts uncover more mysteries than they solve.

$33, Hachette. Out February

Three Boys Gone

Mark Smith

On a high school camping trip, three boys slip away for an ocean swim. By the time Grace catches up, the perilous surf conditions are overwhelming the teenagers. Should she have given her life to try and save them? The question haunts Grace as investigations begin and her decision not to attempt a rescue comes under scrutiny. Hounded by grieving parents and relentless media, Grace’s safety is compromised and she must be careful who she trusts. Three Boys Gone is a twisty, unflinching and pacey page-turner. $35, Macmillan. Out Now

Under the Eye of the Big Bird

Hiromi Kawakami

In the distant future, humans are on the verge of extinction and have settled in small tribes across the planet under the observation and care of the Mothers. Some children are made in factories, from cells of rabbits and dolphins; some live by getting nutrients from water and light, like plants. The survival of the race depends on the interbreeding of these and other alien beings. Unfolding over geological eons, it is an astonishing vision of the end of our species as we know it.

$40, Granta. Out February

FANTASY

Water Moon

Samantha Sotto Yambao

Death of the Author

Nnedi Okorafor

Life has thrown Zelu some curveballs over the years, but when she’s suddenly dropped from her university job and her latest novel is rejected, all in the middle of her sister’s wedding, her life is upended. In her hotel room that night, she decides to write a book unlike her others: a science fiction drama about androids and AI after the extinction of humanity. And everything changes – and the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur. Because sometimes a story really does have the power to reshape the world.

$35, Gollancz. Out January

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as a pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike other customers. For he offers help, instead of seeking it. Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father, through rain puddles, hitching rides on paper cranes, across the bridge between midnight and morning and through a night market in the clouds. But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own – and risk making a choice she will never be able to take back.

$35, Bantam. Out January

HORROR

The Penguin Book of Demons

Various authors

For millennia, societies have told tales of their fears incarnate –otherworldly couriers of plague, death, temptation, and moral decline. The Penguin Book of Demons summons these supernatural creatures – and the humans who have hunted and been haunted by them. Here are the nightmares that cross cultures and continents: the daemons of ancient Greece and Rome; the jinn of Islamic Arabia; the child-eating Gelloudes of Byzantium; the seductive incubi and succubi of northern Europe. From demonic possession to black magic, these accounts give life to a spellbinding, skin-crawling history of the paranormal.

$33, Penguin. Out January

ALSO OUT

Crime

The Queens of Crime

Marie Benedict

From the author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie $35, St Martin’s Out February

Fantasy Daughter of Chaos

A.S. Webb

A sweeping, epic fantasy set in ancient Greece.

$34.99, Michael Joseph Out January

Children

PICTURE BOOKS

The First Sunrise

Nessa Stevens; illus. Charmaine Ledden-Lewis

The Creator Spirit, Mulungh, teaches Emu and Kangaroo how to make the first returning boomerang – when it’s thrown, it causes the sun to arc across the sky, forming the creation of day and night. The arrival of the first sunrise teaches Emu and Kangaroo how to read shadows, follow directions and understand the orbit of the earth around the sun. The First Sunrise is a Mbabaram Country story from Far North Queensland and is an engaging and beautiful book for curious minds.

$28, Magabala. Out now

Big Backyard Plan

Kirsten Ealand; illus. Laura Stitzel

Azumi, Theo, Bree and Jack live sideby-side and backto-back. Being best friends as well as neighbours is fun –but imagine if instead of sharing backyard fences, they could share one BIG backyard! Now, they just need a plan to convince their grown-ups ... This is a joyful picture book about big dreams, best friends and removing the things that divide us.

$25, Affirm. Out February

My Big Secret

Felice Arena

Everyone in my family goes for the RED team. My dad goes for the RED team. My mum goes for the RED team ... EVERYONE goes for the RED team. But ... I go for the BLUE team! Will this little pig ever have the courage to tell everyone his big secret? And will that be OK? A fun, funny story about love and acceptance, no matter what team your heart belongs to!

$20, Puffin. Out February

ALSO OUT

All the Colours of the Rainbow

Rae White; illus. Sha’an d’Anthes

Jem is a kid who sometimes loves wearing yellow dresses and sometimes loves wearing blue jeans. They feel like a girl when searching for bugs and lizards in the rain, and like a boy when running around under the sun. And when there’s a rainbow in the sky, they feel like a boy and a girl, like both and neither. Some adults in Jem’s life only want to see in black and white, leaving Jem confused about what choices they have. A gentle look at gender diversity and acceptance by non-binary transgender poet Rae White, with illustrations from award-winning artist Sha’an d’Anthes.

$25, Lothian. Out now

Library of Bears

Cat Rabbit

Every bear in the library has been borrowed except for one. Softie has lived in the library on the shelf for as long as she can remember. For some reason, she never seems to get picked. Sofite hears all about the other bears’ adventures. But she’d really like an adventure of her own. Anyone who has ever felt left out or overlooked will see themselves in Softie and hope for her to be borrowed by a warm, loving friend.

$27, Berbay. Out now

Bigfoot vs Yeti

James Foley

The Bigfoots and the Yetis live on either side of the great rift. Every day, the Bigfoots throw fruit at the Yetis, and the Yetis throw snowballs at the Bigfoots. But one day, one Bigfoot and one Yeti decide to find what lies at the end of the rift. What they find is something completely unexpected. And the relationship between the Bigfoots and the Yetis is about to change forever.

$25, Fremantle. Out March

Brave in Every Which Way

Maddy Mara; illus. Lauren Degraaf

Being brave isn’t always about doing big, dramatic things. It’s small, everyday acts that show your bravery! Whether it’s saying sorry, trying something new, or asking for help – there are many ways to be brave. This is an uplifting reminder that you are braver than you think.

$25, Affirm. Out now

Neville’s Great Escape

Sean Avery

Neville was a penguin known for being somewhat of a risktaker. He was brave, bold, and beloved by all. Until the day he was eaten by a whale. Or so it seemed ... because that was only the beginning of the story. A delightful – and daring – companion tale to the awardwinning and bestselling Frank’s Red Hat

$26, Walker. Out March

Picture book

The Colours of Home

Sally Sowel Han

$27, Thames & Hudson Out March

Poetry Boing

James Carter; illus. Neal Layton

$28, Otter-Barry Out March

Picture book

Mouse by the Sea

Alice Melvin

$30, Thames & Hudson Out March

Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles

Corey Tutt; illus. Ben Wiliams

Bursting with vibrant illustrations and cool facts about more than 60 reptiles, Corey Tutt celebrates First Nations knowledge about animals found on Country, from lizards and snakes to turtles and crocodiles. This is the ultimate children’s science book by the DeadlyScience founder and bestselling author of The First Scientists

$33, A&U. Out February

AGES 9-12

Epically Good Greek Myths

R.A. Spratt

The indomitable Nanny Piggins casts aside classical accounts to reveal what really happened all those years ago on Mount Olympus, and it involves way more cake than you would imagine. Featuring sword-happy heroes, badly-behaved Gods, a monstrous minotaur, a narcoleptic dragon and more nymphs than you can poke a stick at! This book is perfect for bedtime, long bus rides or when you’re stranded on the international space station and the internet goes down.

$17, Penguin. Out March

Brightest Wild

Tania Crampton-Larking

When 11-year-old Alex moves to Adelaide from London after her mother gets engaged to a man across the globe, Alex must negotiate a new country, a new school, and a new stepbrother. What sustains Alex in this strange new world is the wonder of the natural world around her, particularly a magnificent tree that comes to represent magic, resilience and strength. She discovers the mystery of the bush, the true impact of climate change and a passion to fight for what is right.

$17, Lothian. Out now

POETRY

EARLY READERS NONFICTION

Starlight

Solli Raphael

Following on from the success of Limelight and Spotlight, this new book from award-winning poet Solli Raphael, hopes to ignite a conversation around identity and belonging for young people. It covers topics from Australia’s identity to the influence of social media, as well as Solli’s experience of self-discovery and gaining a handle on the idea of belonging. Packed with ideas, tips and plenty of activities for kids and teens, Solli encourages readers to find their voice and reflect on their own individuality.

$20, Puffin

Out February

Picture book Frog, Log and Dave Almost Save the Day

Trent Jamieson; illus. Brent Wilson

$19, Puffin. Out March

Ages 9-12

Jungle Escape

Nathan Luff

$17, Walker

Out February

The House on the Canal

Thomas Harding; illus. Britta Teckentrup

In the middle of Amsterdam, stands a tall, narrow house on a canal. Over the course of four centuries the house has been a home to many – from poor families to wealthy couples, and those hiding from persecution. Like the young Jewish girl who sought refuge with her family in the annex and wrote in her diary of the “old house on the canal”. The girl’s name was Anne Frank, and her diary became world famous. This is the astonishing true story of the Anne Frank House, beautifully illustrated by Britta Teckentrup.

$28, Walker. Out March

Bling Jollygood

Nick Bland

Meet Bling Jollygood: half-penguin, halfcanary, full-time undercover reporter. Bling discovers that an egg-shaped comet is hurtling towards Earth! So she puts together a makeshift crew to blow it up and save the planet. Everyone they meet along the way is extremely helpful. Perhaps too helpful ... This is a witty and slapstick adventure from bestselling creator Nick Bland. $17, HarperCollins. Out March

Children

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Chickenpox

Remy Lai

Abby Lai is sick of being trapped at home with her FOUR younger siblings! All she wants is to spend more time with her friends. But when a case of chickenpox leaves the Lai kids covered in scratchy red spots and stuck at home for two weeks of nonstop mayhem, Abby feels responsible for the situation, since her best friend was Patient Zero and brought chickenpox into their home. Full of heart and hijinks, Chickenpox showcases what gets us through good times and bad: family.

$20, A&U. Out February

RuriDragon Vol 1

Masaoki Shindo

Just after starting high school, Ruri gets hit with the biggest reveal of her life— she’s a dragon! Well, a half dragon. Her mom admits that Ruri inherited her draconic traits from her father, who, yes, is actually a dragon. As if dealing with curious classmates wasn’t already challenging enough, Ruri and her dragon genes literally turn up the heat in the middle of a lecture. Her ordinary life is about to be anything but!

$18, Viz Media. Out March

ALSO OUT

Young adult

All Better Now

Neal Shusterman

$23, Walker. Out February

Nonfiction

The Bee Squad

Judy Friedlander

$28, NewSouth. Out February

Ages 9-12

Little Bones

Sandy Bigna

$17, UQP

Out March

The Last Great Heir

Carinna Finn

Merriment Feast’s life is one constant party, complete with dazzling gowns and delicious pastries. Rue Famine spends her days studying potion-making in an enormous, dusty library and learning how to use her magic to help others. Custom dictates that the heirs of Feast and Famine must duel on their 13th birthday. Only one family can rule the land of Fauret, and Merri and Rue have been raised as rivals. But as the contest draws near and dangers escalate, their true enemy may be a shared one.

$15, Sourcebooks. Out February

YOUNG ADULT

Sunrise on the Reaping

Suzanne Collins

As the day dawns on the 50th annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. As Haymitch’s name is called and the Games begin, he understands he has been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight ... and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

$23, Text. Out March

Sunny at the End of the World

Steph Bowe

In 2018, 17-year-old Sunny and Toby are on the run after zombies have destroyed most of the adults in their world. Cut to 2034 where Sunny is being held in an underground facility. What happened? Was it aliens, a genocide, a video game, biological terrorism, a totalitarian takeover? And who can infiltrate the facility and release the surviving prisoners? The tables will be turned more than once in this thrilling and thoughtprovoking novel.

$23, Text. Out March

How to Be Normal

Ange Crawford

When her dad loses his job, Astrid’s homeschooling comes to an end. Until now, she has lived within the confines of a tightly controlled, contracted world where there’s no room for anything ... except following her father’s rules. As Astrid, and her mum, tentatively expand their world, they struggle to break free of their ingrained wariness and self-doubt. But with hope and new friends, Astrid has a chance to find out what she wants, and who she really is. This is a brilliantly written YA debut that deftly explores timely issues with insight, humour and pathos.

$22, Walker. Out March

KIDS EVENTS AT GLEEBOOKS

Find details of storytime, book clubs and special events at our Instagram: gleebooks_kids

BIOGRAPHY

Chameleon

Robert Dessaix

Robert Dessaix’s Chameleon is about everything that matters, a book of memories that flow so freely they seem to happen as we read. Cartwheeling from story to story, Dessaix describes an identity in flux – his beginnings as an adopted child, his youthful interest in religious thinking, his obsession with all things Russian, his marriage to Lisa and divorce, and his abiding relationship with his partner Peter Timms. At every point he muses on pleasure, art, sex, literature, infatuation, happiness, music, life, death and all the rest.

$37, Text. Out March

Joan Lindsay

Brenda Niall

Joan Lindsay’s Picnic at Hanging Rock has captivated and perplexed generations. But the woman behind the novel is as much an enigma as the disappearance of the fictitious schoolgirls and their teacher. She sacrificed her own artistic talent in deference to her husband, dabbling in painting and writing while playing hostess to guests including Dame Nellie Melba, Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, and Robert Menzies, at the Lindsay country house. Was Joan really the dutiful wife, or was she patiently waiting for her chance? The Hidden Life of the Woman Who Wrote Picnic at Hanging Rock looks at the woman behind one of Australia’s most enduring classics.

$37, Text. Out February

Outrageous Fortunes

Lucy Sussex and Megan Brown

When Mary Fortune arrived in Melbourne with her son in 1855, she was determined to reinvent herself. The Victorian goldfields were just the place. After a time selling sly grog and a bigamous marriage to a policeman, Mary became a pioneering journalist and author. The Detective’s Album was the first book of detective stories to be published in Australia and the first by a woman to be published anywhere in the world. But while Mary was writing crime, her son George was committing it. Crime fiction meets true crime, in this gripping story of Australia’s first female crime writer and her career-criminal son. $37, La Trobe University Press. Out February

Father and Son

Jonathan Raban

Three days short of his 69th birthday, Jonathan Raban suffered a stroke which left him unable to use the right side of his body. Learning to use a wheelchair in a rehab facility, Raban began to reflect upon his own life in the face of his own mortality. Together with the chronicle of his recovery is the extraordinary story of his parents’ marriage, the early years of which were conducted by letter while his father fought in the Second World War. This is a warm, candid memoir about the human capacity to withstand trauma, and the strength, and humour that persist despite it.

$25, Picador. Out February

The Harder I Fight The More I Love You

Neko Case

Neko Case has long been revered as one of music’s most influential artists, whose authenticity, lyrical storytelling, and sly wit have endeared her to a legion of critics, musicians, and lifelong fans. In luminous, sharp-edged prose, Case shows readers what it’s like to be left alone for hours and hours as a child, to take refuge in the woods around her home, and to channel the monotony and loneliness and joy that comes from music, camaraderie, and the shared experience into art.

$35, Headline. Out January

The Golden Throne

Christopher de Bellaigue Istanbul, 1538. The greatest of the Ottoman Sultans is at the pinnacle of world power. For the next 15 years, as Suleyman the Magnificent and his terrifying pirate captain Barbarossa face down imperial enemies across two hemispheres, the self-fulfilling curse of the Ottomans gathers its own unstoppable momentum. From the burning pyres of Paris to the rain-lashed mountains of Transylvania, from Buda to Basra, from Crimea to the coast of India, The Golden Throne is a globe-spanning, groundbreaking reconstruction of the life and world of the most feared and powerful man of the 16th century.

$37, Bodley Head. Out March

Unveiled

Vincent Fantauzzo

Raised amid poverty and violence on the poor streets of Melbourne, Vincent Fantauzzo was just a boy when he accepted he would either die very young, become a gangster or end up behind bars. Virtually illiterate, Vincent used forged papers to hustle his way into art school where dark secrets threatened to sink his brilliant career before it even began. Today his work hangs in galleries around the world. This is the incredible true story of how a street-fighting petty criminal, who was kicked out of school at 14, became one of Australia’s most successful portrait artists

$37, Penguin. Out March

BIOGRAPHY

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This

Omar El Akkad

As an immigrant, Omar El Akkad believed the west would be a place of freedom and justice for all. But in the past 20 years, reporting on the various wars on terror, climate change, Black Lives Matter protests, and more, and watching the unmitigated slaughter in Gaza, he has come to the conclusion that much of what the west promises is a lie.This is a chronicle of that painful realisation, a moral grappling with what it means to carve out some sense of possibility during these devastating times.

$33, Text. Out March

Miles Franklin Undercover

Kerrie Davies

In this real-life sequel to My Brilliant Career, author Kerrie Davies uncovers a little-known period in Miles’ life, from the servant’s quarters of Sydney and Melbourne’s wealthy houses to volatile Chicago, in the turbulent years after her early success. Davies draws on a never-before-published manuscript and diary extracts from Miles’ year undercover as a servant, intimate correspondence with poet Banjo Paterson, and archival sources from Australia and Chicago.

$35, Allen & Unwin. Out March

The Tell

Amy Griffin

When her 10-year-old daughter confronts her about the distance between them, Amy Griffin is propelled to confront what she has spent a lifetime trying to escape. So begins Amy’s journey through the world of MDMA-assisted psychedelic therapy, to the limits of the judicial system, and ultimately, home to Texas, where her story began. Heartbreaking, powerful and raw, The Tell points a way forward for all of us, shedding light on the courage and power of truth-telling that’s required to move through trauma.

$37, Ebury. Out March

Mozart in Italy

Jane Glover

The young prodigy’s musical adventures in Italy.

$27, Picador. Out February

Bonjour, Mademoiselle!

Tom Roberts and Jaqueline Kent

As Britain emerged from post-war austerity in the 1960s, no one embodied its newfound spirit of hedonism and glamour like April Ashley. A fashion model and socialite who rose from poverty in Liverpool to the heights of London society, she was also one of the first Britons to undergo gender-affirming surgery. Ashley was appointed MBE for services to transgender equality in 2012, but her journey towards acceptance was hard-won and bitterly contested. Award-winning biographers Jacqueline Kent and Tom Roberts tell the full story of April Ashley’s extraordinary life and the movement for trans equality.

$37, Scribe. Out January

Trouwerner

Patsy Cameron, Martin Flanagan

Down the gravel road where Patsy lived as a child is a stretch of tall bush. Walking through that bush with Patsy is like entering a crowded room where you are a stranger and your companion seems to know everyone. Trouwerner is an inviting yarn between Elder Aunty Patsy Cameron, the 28th Tasmanian governor, Kate Warner, and journalist Martin Flanagan. It weaves through the coming-into-being time, Trouwerner’s colonisation and the lies of history, to the power of truthtelling and hope for the future. It is a story of kinship and respect, of realism and optimism, welcoming the reader into the conversation. $35, Magabala. Out February

Fully Sikh

Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa

Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa knows a thing or two about telling a story. From her experience on stages and in front of live and television audiences, she now offers us her first book. Sukhjit reflects on her own experience as a Sikh-Australian woman, performing it against a backdrop of comfort and calamity – and the way we live our lives in a messy and multilayered society.

$30, Upswell. Out February

Source Code

Bill Gates

A memoir by one of the most transformative figures of our age.

$55, Allen Lane. Out February

Bill’s Secrets

Belinda Probert

A father presents as an English gentleman and war hero to his wife and subsequent children who catch up with the truth of the impoverished Welsh beginnings only after his death. Why did Roy decide to become Bill and erase Wales and his family? Thirty years after his death his daughter decides to unearth his many secrets. This is the story of the hunt for her perplexing and unpredictable father.

$30, Upswell. Out January

Over the Influence

Joanna ‘JoJo’ Levesque

A teen star’s memoir of heartbreak, redemption and resilience.

$37, Macmillan. Out February

From the Heathens

At this time of year, the heat haze settles over the mountains, often unsettled by torrential rain in the afternoons. Days spent away from the enthusiasm of holidaymakers are filled with time reading languidly by the Blackheath pool or anywhere that is cool. Energy levels have been boosted by salted pistachio affogatos and hot chips.

Tiff couldn’t resist the subtitle of Olga Tokarczuk’s The Empusium: “A Health Resort Horror Story”. Set in what is now western Poland just before the outbreak of WWI, young student Mieczyslaw Wojnicz is boarding at the Guesthouse for Gentleman in the village of Gorbersdorf while being treated at a nearby sanitorium for a variety of afflictions, including tuberculosis. In between treatments, imbibing the local hallucinogenic liqueur and listening to the misogynistic debates of his fellow guests, Wojnicz discovers that men mysteriously go missing at the same time each year. Creeping, sinister and discombobulating, this is Twin Peaks meets The Magic Mountain Victoria loved Rapture by Emily Maguire. Agnes is the wild child of an English priest, who is taught to read and write like a man in 821. To avoid the destiny of becoming a wife and mother, she runs away with the help of a Benedictine monk, who convinces her to disguise herself as a man and join a monastery to devote her life to study. Agnes becomes John, who then becomes the highest priest of them all. How will she keep up the disguise? And does faith win over the needs of the body?

Ava was stunned by the precision and power of Orbital by Samantha Harvey, which plumbs the psyches of individual astronauts on board the International Space Station as it orbits. Some of the astronauts have been aboard before while others are new and have trouble adjusting to the physical and mental demands. Orbital explores the fragility of Earth, something experienced by astronauts when they look back at this precious planet from deep in space.

Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel blindsided Jody with the story of the eight best teenage women boxing for the Daughters of America Cup at Bob’s Boxing Palace in Reno, Nevada. Beauty, brutality and the banality of violence blossom like a bruise in the airless heat of the dust-sparkled boxing ring. The captivating pull lies in the visceral portrayal of each of the girls competing – their hopes, their dreams, and their kick-arse determination to break every boundary and stereotype that society corrals them with. An incandescent and brilliant book that targets the weakness in your heart and delivers a knockout punch that will floor you.

In stark contrast to Headshot, Jody was floored in a different way by Melanie Cheng’s The Burrow. A story of Amy, Jin and their daughter Lucie, a family devastated by the loss of their child and sister, each trying to find their way back to some kind of normality, whatever that means. Fiver the Rabbit is welcomed into the family to help Lucie find some comfort in the sadness that is overtaking the family. This story is simple but is fearlessly told without any trace of sentimentality.

The Burrow is quiet but astonishing in its power to convey the frailty and humanity of its characters.

Bron has gone all in with One Boat by Jonathan Buckley. It is a deeply immersive, interior novel about Teresa and her two trips to Pylos on the west coast of the Peloponnese. Her first visit, nine years ago was after the death of her father; this second visit follows the death of her mother. Using flashbacks and her notebook, Teresa tells us about the locals that she meets the first time around and how things have fared for them nine years later. She is a lawyer and fascinated by issues of justice, punishment, guilt and remorse. Many of her conversations and musings circle around these topics. One Boat connects the past, present and future with day-to-day narratives of grief, loss, memory and fate, reminiscent of Greek tragedies.

And the word is out – Bron is a Janeite. This year is the 250th birthday of Jane Austen. For many Janeites, it is a golden opportunity to reread all six Austen novels and Bron has started with Sense and Sensibility (because if you’re going to reread your favourite author, you might as well do it in chronological order of publication).

What will you, dear readers, start 2025 with?

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POLITICS

Victory

Jonathan Pearlman

What will America’s next president mean for Australia and the world? The next issue of Australian Foreign Affairs looks at the worldview and foreign agenda of the next US president and at how the new leader is likely to reshape America’s role in Asia and the world. The issue considers the consequences of the election for Canberra’s ties with its closest ally, including the impacts on Australia’s defence, trade and diplomatic dealings with the White House.

$30, Australian Foreign Affairs. Out March

What’s the Big Idea?

Various authors

The Australia Institute has spent the past 30 years producing research that matters, and this anthology offers fresh thinking about climate action, how to safeguard our democracy, the importance of bravery in policymaking, and how to address some of the biggest issues of our day, from gender-based discrimination to the housing crisis; from our relationship with the US to keeping cities cooler. The works in this inspiring volume serve as a reminder that the solutions are there; Australia just needs the courage to implement them.

$35, Australia Institute. Out March

The Taiwan Story

Kerry Brown

Taiwan is a flourishing democracy and an economic success story. For the US and the West, the island is a bastion of freedom against China’s assertive presence in the region. And yet China, increasingly bellicose under Xi Jinping, insists Taiwan is part of its territory. Should China blockade the island and mount an invasion, it would set off a chain reaction that would pitch it against the US – escalating a regional war into a global one. This is the essential book delving into Taiwan’s unique story, buried beneath the headlines, told in an accessible, expert and urgent way.

$37, Viking. Out February

How Australian Democracy Works

The Conversation (Ed. Amanda Dunn)

In recent years, the trust in Australian politics and politicians has been at an all-time low. From political polarisation and the spread of disinformation to the lack of trust in the public institutions that underpin our government, the truth can often be hard to find. How Australian Democracy Works is a pulse check of our country’s political health and a helpful guide to understanding our nation’s political history and our place in the world, from government, parliament, the constitution and pressing policy issues.

$35, Thames & Hudson. Out March

A Liveable Future Is Possible

Noam Chomsky & C.J. Polychroniou

Noam Chomsky has been an incomparable model of moral clarity and intellectual courage during his many decades as a scholar, political activist and social critic. In this illuminating collection of interviews, he shares his insights on the pressing challenges facing humanity. A Liveable Future Is Possible addresses artificial intelligence and the potential for such programs to surpass humans in cognitive awareness; what lies ahead for a world engulfed in a deadly climate crisis; the rise of neo-fascism internationally, and why we should organise across borders to confront it.

$25, Penguin. Out January

The World After Gaza

Pankaj Mishra

Memory of the Holocaust, the ultimate atrocity of Europe’s civil wars and the paradigmatic genocide, has shaped the Western political and moral imagination in the postwar era. Fears of its recurrence have been routinely invoked to justify Israel’s policies against Palestinians. In this concise, powerful and pointed treatise, Pankaj Mishra reckons with the fundamental questions posed by our present crisis – about whether some lives matter more than others, why identity politics built around memories of suffering is being widely embraced and why racial antagonisms are intensifying amid a far-right surge in the West, threatening a global conflagration.

$40, Fern. Out February

ECONOMICS

Deficit

Emma Holten

In 2020, Emma Holten read an article stating that women were a net “deficit” to society. Women apparently took more than they gave: they took more parental leave, frequently worked part-time, and typically worked lower paying jobs in the public sector. They also “drained” the public purse by doing expensive things like giving birth. How did we get here?

In Deficit, Holten traces how economic thinkers – from the Enlightenment onwards – created a value framework that left out “women’s work” and acts of care. She reveals how the economic models that drive political decisions today are just as flawed, with terrible consequences for us all.

$37, WH Allen. Out March

The End of Capitalism

Ulrike Herrmann

Capitalism has brought about many positive things. At the same time, it is ruining the climate and the environment, so that humanity’s very existence is now at risk. “Green growth” is supposed to be the saviour. But green energy from the sun and wind will never be enough to fuel global growth. Economics expert Ulrike Herrmann explains in a clear and razor-sharp manner why we need “green shrinkage” instead. Why industrialised countries must bid farewell to capitalism and strive for a circular economy in which only what can be recycled is consumed.

$38, Scribe. Out March

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

100 Ways You Can Help Save the Planet Earthtopia

Want to save the planet? Earthtopia is here to teach you the little things you can do that make a huge difference to our planet. Things like ditching fast fashion; making your school plastic-free; learning to mend your belongings; using reef-safe sunscreen; getting involved in political change; and bamboo-ing your poo?! With these and 100 other tips that make a massive impact, Earthtopia can help you live your best life –without costing the Earth.

$40, Michael Joseph. Out February

ESSAYS

Power Metal

Vince Beiser

Vince Beiser explores the Achilles’ heel of “green power” and digital technology: that skyrocketing amounts of lithium, copper, cobalt, and other materials are all crucial for manufacturing computers, mobile phones, electric cars, and other technologies. Around the world, businesses and governments are scrambling for new places and new ways to get those metals, at enormous cost to people and the planet. Power Metal is a compelling glimpse into this disturbing yet potentially promising new world.

$35, Wildfire. Out February

On Stopping Family Violence: Quarterly Essay

97

Jess Hill

Australian governments have promised to end gendered violence in a single generation. But this bold commitment has not yet been matched by the funding, innovation and resources necessary to achieve it. If anything, since governments made that commitment two years ago, gendered violence has only escalated. Jess Hill investigates Australia’s National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children to find out what’s working and what’s not – and what we can do to turn things around.

$30, Quarterly Essay. Out March

Someone Like Me

Clem Bastow and Jo Case

Autistic gender-diverse and women writers explore their experiences – and explode stereotypes. This groundbreaking anthology ranges from sex, living room dance parties and the natural world, to eating disorders, all-encompassing passions and religion. Autistic people of all kinds are invited to find company in these pages – and maybe even see themselves, too. Contributors include Fiona Wright, Sara Kian-Judge, CB Mako, Jess Ho, Kay Kerr and Khadija Gbla.

$37, UQP. Out March

Songs on Endless Repeat

Anthony Veasna So

Written with razor-sharp wit and an unflinching eye, these essays examine Anthony Veasna So’s youth in California, the lives of his refugee parents, his intimate friendships, loss, pop culture, and more. And in linked fiction following three Cambodian American cousins who stand to inherit their late aunt’s illegitimate loan-sharking business, So explores community, grief, and longing with inimitable humor and depth.

$33, HarperCollins. Out March

Waste Wars

Alexander Clapp

The total mass of the world’s manmade materials has recently come to equal the entire biomass of the Earth. Dumps and landfills around the world are overflowing, and disputes about what to do with the tons of garbage generated every day have given rise to waste wars waged in just about every country on earth. A globe-trotting work of relentless investigative reporting, Waste Wars exposes the multibillion-dollar global garbage trade in which almost everyone in the world unknowingly engages and asks: If the handling of its trash reveals deeper truths about a particular society, what does the global business of trash say about our world today?

$35, John Murray. Out February

LETTERS

Letters

Oliver Sacks

Oliver Sacks, one of the great humanists of our age, wrote to an eclectic array of family and friends. Most were scientists, artists, writers – even statesmen –but many of the most eloquent letters in this collection are addressed to the ordinary people who wrote to him with their odd symptoms and questions. With some correspondents, Sacks shares his struggle for recognition and acceptance both as a physician and as a gay man, with others, his passions for competitive weightlifting, motorcycles, botany and music. These letters trace the arc of a remarkable life and reveal an often surprising portrait of Sacks as he wrestles with the workings of his own brain and mind.

$40, Picador. Out February

ALSO OUT

Essays A Few Rules for Predicting the Future

Octavia E Butler

Written 25 years ago, this is a timeless essay from the legendary writer.

$30, Hachette. Out January

Nonfiction

HISTORY

Between Two Rivers

Moudhy Al-Rashid

Thousands of years ago, in a part of the world we now call ancient Mesopotamia, people began writing things down for the very first time. What they left behind preserves leaps in human ingenuity, like the earliest depiction of a wheel and the first approximation of pi. But they also capture breathtakingly intimate, raw and relatable moments: a lullaby to soothe a baby, instructions for exorcising a ghost, receipts for beer, and the messy writing of preschoolers. In Between Two Rivers, historian Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid reveals what these ancient people chose to record about their lives, allowing us to brush hands with them millennia later.

$35, Hodder. Out February

Melanesia

Hamish McDonald

In Australia, Melanesia tends to make the news only in times of crisis – military coups in Fiji, Kanak unrest in New Caledonia, rioting in Solomon Islands. Travelling from one end of Melanesia to the other, Hamish McDonald speaks with locals from all walks of life, uncovering the histories, values, aspirations and tensions that have shaped their communities. Melanesia offers readers a deeper insight into the people and places behind these headlines, combining travelogue, history and astute political analysis.

$37, Black Inc. Out March

$37, Penguin. Out March ALSO OUT

Memoir

Goodbye Good Girl, Hello Me

Kasey Edwards

Kasey embarks on a journey of learning to like herself.

Politics

The Identity Trap

Yascha Mounk

The origins, consequences and limitations of identity politics.

$25, Penguin. Out January

Sparks

Ian Johnson

A documentary filmmaker who uncovered a Mao-era death camp; an independent journalist who gave voice to the millions who suffered through Covid; a magazine publisher who dodged the secret police – these are some of the people who make up Sparks – China’s Underground Historians and their Battle for the Future, a vital account of how some of China’s most important writers, filmmakers and artists have overcome crackdowns and censorship to challenge the Chinese Communist Party on its most sacred ground – its monopoly on history. $29, Penguin. Out January

The Far Edges of the Known World

Owen Rees

Thanks to archaeological excavations, we now know that the borders of the empires we consider the “heart” of civilisation were in fact thriving, vibrant cultures – just not ones we might expect. This is where the boundaries of “civilised” and “barbarians” began to dissipate; where the rules didn’t always apply; where normally juxtaposed cultures intermarried; and where nomadic tribes built their own cities. Owen Rees explores the powerful empires and diverse peoples in Europe, Asia and Africa beyond the reaches of Greece and Rome. In doing so, he offers us a new, brilliantly rich lens with which to understand the ancient world.

$35, Bloomsbury. Out February

A History of the World in Six Plagues

Edna Bonhomme

With clear-eyed research and lush prose, A History of the World in Six Plagues shows that throughout history, outbreaks of disease have further expanded the racial, economic and sociopolitical divides we allow to fester in times of good health. Science historian Edna Bonhomme’s examination of humanity’s disastrous treatment of pandemic disease takes us across place and time from Port-au-Prince to Tanzania and from plantation-era America to our modern Covid-19-scarred world to unravel shocking truths about the patterns of discrimination in the face of disease. $35, Dialogue. Out March

A Training School for Elephants

Sophy Roberts

Following in the footsteps of four elephants, Roberts pieces together the story of a long-forgotten expedition initiated by King Leopold II of Belgium in 1879. The storytelling brings to life a compelling cast of historic characters and modern voices, from ivory dealers to Catholic nuns, set against rich descriptions of the landscapes travelled. She digs deep into historic records to reckon with our broken relationship with animals, revealing an extraordinary – and enduring – story of colonial greed, ineptitude, hypocrisy and folly.

$37, Doubleday. Out February

India: A Short History

Andrew Robinson

India has had many histories. To pilgrims from ancient China, India was the birthplace of the Buddha; to Alexander the Great it was a land of clever naked philosophers and indomitable, elephantine armies. At the height of the Mughal empire, India boasted nearly a quarter of the world economy, and even under colonial rule it was the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. Today it is the resurgent home to one-sixth of the global population. Andrew Robinson incisively distils India’s many incarnations, from the remarkably advanced cities of the early Indus Valley to the world’s largest democracy.

$22, Thames and Hudson. Out March

Out of the Darkness

Frank Trentmann

In 1945, Germany lay in ruins, morally and materially. The German people stood condemned by history, responsible for a horrifying genocide and a war of extermination. But by 2015 Germany looked to many to be the moral voice of Europe, welcoming almost one million refugees. At the same time, it pursued a controversially rigid fiscal discipline and made energy deals with a dictator. Many people have asked how Germany descended into the darkness of the Nazis, but this book asks another vital question – how, and how far, have the Germans since reinvented themselves? This is a groundbreaking history of the people at the centre of Europe, from the Second World War to today. $43, Penguin. Out February

CULTURAL STUDIES

The Sirens’ Call

Chris Hayes

We all feel it – the distraction, the loss of focus, the addictive focus on the wrong things for too long. We bump into the zombies on their phones in the street, and sometimes they’re us. We stare in pity at the four people at the table in the restaurant, all on their phones, and then we feel the buzz in our pocket. Attention has become a commodified resource extracted from us, and from which we are increasingly alienated. The Sirens’ Call is a powerful reckoning with how the assault from attention capitalism on our minds and our hearts has reordered our politics and the very fabric of our society. $40, Scribe. Out February

Always Take Notes

Simon Akam & Rachel Lloyd

Where do the best ideas come from? How do you stay motivated? What does it take to become a published author? And how do you actually make money from your writing? For over five years the hosts of Always Take Notes podcast have posed their nosiest questions to some of the world’s greatest writers. The result is a compendium of frank and frequently entertaining guidance for living a creative life, featuring Alexander McCall Smith, Anne Enright, Colum McCann, David Mitchell, Elif Shafak, Ian McEwan, Ian Rankin, Irvine Welsh, Jeffrey Archer, Joanne Harris, William Dalrymple and more. $27, Ithaka. Out February

Multitudes

In the 1870s, following the Paris Commune, Gustave Le Bon was the first to claim that the crowd was a dangerous animal that consumed individuals. Since then his thinking has influenced city building, policing, criminology and politics. From scenes of the Nuremberg Rally to the January 6 insurrection on the Capitol, the contagion of mob violence is palpable. But the crowd can also be a place of liberation, passion, collective joy. In Multitudes, Dan Hancox celebrates the history of the crowd, the human embodiment of democracy. He shows how crowds have the power to change history, and how joining crowds changes us for the better. $43, Verso Trade. Out February

The Science of Racism

Keon West

Despite increasingly vocal and polarised opinions on both traditional and social media platforms, as a society we have no more clarity about racism than we did a generation ago. In this ground-breaking book, Prof Keon West cuts through the divisive anecdotes and rhetoric with decades’ worth of clear, factual, rigorous, quantitative science. He reveals the effects of racism on our friendships, relationships, healthcare and justice system. And he exposes the continued prevalence of racism, and the inadequacy of many attempts to address it.

$37, Picador. Out January

AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

Gold

Matt Murphy

Ask Google who discovered gold in Australia and you’ll promptly get “Edward Hammond Hargraves”. But what about the two diggers he met on the Californian goldfields who told him where to look when he returned to Australia? What about the guys who led him to where they’d heard gold had been found before? What about the pioneers whose discoveries had been documented years earlier? This is the story of an oversized layabout who received years of accolades and free lunches, despite lumbering from one embarrassment to the next, and of those who spent decades trying to expose him and seek their share of the glory.

$37, ABC. Out March

TRUE CRIME

The Peepshow

Kate

Summerscale

London, 1953. Police discover the bodies of three young women hidden in a wall at 10 Rillington Place, a dingy terrace house in Notting Hill. On searching the building, they find another body beneath the floorboards, then an array of human bones in the garden. But they have already investigated a double murder at 10 Rillington Place, three years ago, and the killer was hanged. Did they get the wrong man? In this riveting true story, Kate Summerscale mines the archives to uncover the lives of Reg Christie’s victims, the tabloid frenzy that their deaths inspired, and the truth about what happened inside the house.

$35, Bloomsbury. Out February

ALSO OUT

Self-help

The Next Conversation

Jefferson Fisher

A guide to making your next conversation the one that changes everything.

$37, Penguin. Out March

Dan Hancox

SCIENCE

Brainjacking

Brian Clegg

Brainjacking takes us on a journey through advertising and marketing’s attempts to understand and influence our thoughts to discover how science intersects with our desires and decisions.

Expertly pulling together different strands on disparate topics including AI, big data, subliminal advertising and more, this essential investigation shows how new and old technology and science can be combined to influence human behaviour and beliefs.

$47, Icon. Out February

Alive

Gabriel Weston

As Gabriel Weston became a surgeon, a mother, and ultimately a patient herself, she found herself grappling with the gap between scientific knowledge and the unfathomable complexity of human experience. In this captivating exploration of the body, Weston dissolves the boundaries that usually divide surgeon and patient, pushing beyond the limit of what science has to tell us about who we are. Focusing on our individual organs, not just under the intense spotlight of the operating theatre, but in the central role they play in the stories of our lives, a fuller and more human picture of our bodies emerges – more fragile, frightening and miraculous than we could have imagined.

$37, Jonathan Cape. Out March

ALSO OUT

Cooking

The Fermentation Deck

Caroline Griffiths

Fifty of the world’s most popular and flavourful fermenting recipes.

$35, Smith Street. Out February

Self-help

Figuring

Out Thirty

Bridget Hustwaite

An honest account of turning 30, from the host of the Figuring Out 30 podcast.

$37, Penguin. Out January

The Art of Physics

Zahaan Bharmal

Zahaan Bharmal explains eight ideas from physics that have transformed his view of everyday life and will do the same for you. Far from being abstract, he argues, physics can help us answer very human questions like: Why are some relationships unstable, while others last a lifetime? Why does inequality persist? And why do we all make so many irrational decisions? Drawing on quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, chaos and complexity theory, materials science and more, The Art of Physics reveals the hidden, surprising, and sometimes beautiful ways in which physics can help us to make sense of an unpredictable world.

$35, Ithaka. Out February

EDUCATION

Creating Schools

Michael Lawrence and Fabio D’Agostin

Creating Schools reminds us that while we argue about reading and instruction styles, the teaching profession is being strangled, and students (and teachers!) in record numbers are feeling alienated from education. The implications of this play out in crime, violence and an inestimable cost to society. If education leaders do not create change in the best interests of students and the profession, then we risk more than lowered education standards and reputations. The time to act is now. $35, Melbourne Books. Out February

PSYCHOLOGY

The Anxious Generation

Jonathan Haidt

The Anxious Generation delves into the latest psychological and biological research to show the four fundamental ways in which a phone-based childhood disrupts development – sleep deprivation, social deprivation, cognitive fragmentation and addiction. Haidt offers separate in-depth analyses of what has happened to girls, and what has happened to boys, offering practical advice for parents, schools, governments, and teens themselves. Drawing on ancient wisdom and cuttingedge research, this eye-opening book is a life raft and a powerful call-to-arms.

$25, Penguin. Out March

HEALTH

Dare I Say It

Naomi Watts

At 36, Naomi Watts had just completed filming King Kong and was trying to start a family when she was told that she was on the brink of menopause. It is estimated that 75 million women in the US are currently dealing with menopause symptoms, and yet the very word “menopause” continues to be associated with stigma and confusion. Many women feel unprepared, ashamed, and deeply alone when the time comes. Naomi Watts shares the latest research on how to manage menopause symptoms and tackle the physical and emotional challenges we encounter as we age.

$37, Penguin. Out January

COSMOLOGY

Cosmic Bullsh*t

Chris Ferrie

Put on your mythbusting goggles and dig into Cosmic Bullsh*t for a nice, healthy dose of fascinating facts to cure the misinformation sickness so many of us are suffering from. Quantum physicist Chris Ferrie explains why creation myths are bullshit and why humans have loved them for millennia anyway; the misconceptions surrounding extraterrestrial life; the paradoxes and pitfalls of time travel; how to brace yourself for the ultimate cosmic finale as we contemplate the fate of the universe and much more.

$35, Sourcebooks. Out March

Still Waters & Wild Waves

Angela Harding

Angela takes readers with her on her travels across rivers and seas. Featuring more than 50 original illustrations of dramatic seascapes and reflective rivers, alongside stunning photography of the places that inspired the artwork, Angela captures the waters that move us. It is a joyful celebration of water and wildlife across Britain – perfect for art admirers and nature lovers everywhere.

$55, Sphere. Out March

Collared

Chris Pearson

Historian and dog lover Chris Pearson reveals how the shifting fortunes of dogs hold a mirror to our changing society, from the evolution of breeding standards to the fight for animal rights. Wherever humans have gone, dogs have followed, changing size, appearance and even jobs along the way – from the forests of medieval Europe, where greyhounds chased down game for royalty, to the frontlines of 20th-century conflicts, where dogs carried messages and hauled gun carriages. Despite vast social change, however, the power of the human-canine bond has never diminished. By turns charming, thought-provoking and surprising, Collared reveals the fascinating tale of how we made the modern dog. $40, Profile. Out February

We Speak of Flowers

Eileen Chong

Eileen Chong’s sixth collection is a wondrous extended elegy dedicated to her ancestors. Its 101 pieces are a spacious, meditative record of an attempt to make sense of grief in the face of great pain. Chong’s interweaving of memory, history and possibility showcases her mastery of poetic form and craft, all the while displaying her signature light touch in exploring the pathos of things. This is poetry that thrums with feeling, of deep connections to place and ancestral roots, and of the search for meaning in a broken world.

$25, UQP. Out February

White Hibiscus

Loribelle Spirovski

White Hibiscus is a poetic memoir that circles around an archived memory unlocked by a woman during the captivity of a cruise ship journey. While her husband prepares for his piano recitals, she encounters portholes into her childhood, reliving memories of the Philippines with vivid clarity, and, at times, pain. White Hibiscus is a meditation on how trauma casts stones into the strange waters of our lives, creating ripples that stretch on long after the stones have sunk. $30, Upswell. Out March

Blues in Stereo

Langston Hughes

Blues in Stereo is a posthumous collection of early works, in which we see Langston Hughes like we’ve never seen him before. In the intimate pages of his handwritten journals, you will travel with Hughes outside of Harlem as he ventures to the American South and Mexico, sails through the Caribbean, and becomes the only Harlem renaissance poet to visit Africa. He celebrates love as a tool of liberation in his poems and journal entries. The book includes a play he co-wrote with Duke Ellington with a full score that experiments with rhythm and structure.

$25, Dialogue. Out February

The Ancients

Andrew Darby

Prize-winning nature writer Andrew Darby takes us on an island odyssey to discover the world’s oldest surviving trees. First, he seeks the little-known King’s Lomatia, perhaps the oldest single tree of all. Then the primeval King Billy, Pencil and Huon pines – with their vivid stories of admiration and destruction – and the majestic giant eucalypts. Finally, he looks at the “mother tree”, the Myrtle Beech, and Australia’s only native winter deciduous tree, the golden Fagus. On his journey he shares the stories of the people who identified the ancients – scientists and nature lovers who teased out their secrets and came to venerate them.

$35, Allen & Unwin. Out March

SOCIOLOGY

An Architecture of Hope

Yvonne Jewkes

There are 11.5 million prisoners worldwide, and most of them will eventually be released back into society. Yvonne asks: “Who would you rather have living next door to you? Someone who has been treated with decency in an environment that has helped to heal them? Or someone who has effectively been caged and dehumanised for years?” Challenging our expectations of what prisons are for, she takes us along their corridors, into cells, communal spaces, visitors’ areas, and staffrooms, to the architects’ studios where they are designed, and even into her own home, to show us the importance of an architecture of hope in the face of despair.

$40, Scribe. Out March

ALSO OUT

Cooking

Everything

Is Indian

Justin Narayan

Authentic Indian flavours are given new life for the everyday home cook. $40, Murdoch. Out March

ART CRITICISM

Over to You

John Berger, Yves Berger

Composed of letters written between 2015 and 2016, some of the last written by John Berger, along with images of works by old masters, contemporary art and some of the Bergers’ own drawings and watercolours, Over to You is an informal back-and-forth between father and son as they discuss works by Goya, Watteau, Twombly, Joan Mitchell, Dürer, Caravaggio, Manet and Euan Uglow, among many others. This is an exceptional and moving tribute to a relationship between a father and a son and a thought-provoking look at questions we all have about work, time, the universe, life and death.

$40, Tate. Out March

Poor Artists

Gabrielle de la Puente and Zarina Muhammad

Poor Artists follows aspiring artist Quest Talukdar as she embarks on a surreal journey into the creative industry, where she must decide whether she cares more about success or staying true to herself. Featuring dialogue from anonymous interviews with real people who have all had to ask themselves the same question – including a Turner Prize winner or two, a recluse, a Venice Biennale fraudster, a communist messiah, a ghost, and a literal knight – The White Pube tell the story of art like never before. A moving, eye-opening journey through the world of contemporary art from these innovative voices in the field.

$45, Particular Books. Out January

ALSO OUT

Jackson Pollock: The Early Years: 1934-1947

Various authors

$70, Flammarion. Out March

Joan Miro: Sculptures

Joost Bergman

$70, Waanders. Out February

Magritte

Art Gallery of NSW

Magritte provides an engaging, accessible and in-depth survey of the Belgian surrealist’s practice, giving insights into the evolution of his art from the early 1920s until his final works of the 1960s. Produced in association with a major survey of his work presented by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, it features reproductions of the more than 100 works in the exhibition alongside rarely seen archival materials, commercial work and photography. The images are accompanied by four essays and an interview with Magritte.

$60, Art Gallery NSW. Out now

Aboriginal Art

Wally Caruana

This concise survey showcases the incredible, diverse work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait artists. Building on traditions that stretch back at least 50,000 years, these artists have long worked in a variety of contexts from the sacred and secret realm of ceremony to more public spheres. From isolated beginnings to post-colonialism and the present, Wally Caruana explains how Indigenous art has continually developed and responded to change. This new edition has been expanded and updated to include important artists who have emerged in the past decade.

$40, Thames and Hudson. Out March

Instagrammable

Koenraad Jonckheere

What is the relationship between the Holy Trinity and social media? How do hashtags influence us? Why are we so inclined to use filters? Why do we treat digital images differently than analogue ones? Instagrammable explores the paradox of looking without seeing and seeing without looking. Koenraad Jonckheere examines trust in and distrust of images, drawing on 2,500 years of thinking about visual art. With 130 illustrations. $105, Hannibal. Out February

Radical Textiles

Rebecca Evans and Leigh Robb

From William Morris to Sonia Delaunay, Radical Textiles celebrates the cutting-edge innovations, enduring traditions and bodies of shared knowledge that have been folded into fabric and cloth over the past 150 years. Showcasing the work of more than 100 artists, designers and activists, this major publication draws on AGSA’s international, Australian and First Nations collections of textiles and fashion, augmented by sculpture, painting, photography and the moving image, alongside several new commissions as well as important national loans. $80, Art Gallery of SA. Out now

Minami Kobayashi: Paintings 2016-24

Minami Kobayashi’s paintings depict familiar yet surreal scenes, created from an amalgamation of memories, places and ordinary people. In her dreamlike ambiguous narratives, nature, animals and humans are given equal status; her realms are symbiotic societies with multiple creatures. Rendered in a postImpressionist palette, her compositions are a potent mix of playfulness and deeper themes of human and natural life. This publication documents Kobayashi’s paintings chronologically, from 2016 to 2024.

$77, Anomie. Out February

Story of the Century

Michael Downes

The Ring is one of the most epic and compelling stories of the 19th century. But the story of how Wagner created the work is one full of intrigue and triumphs against unlikely odds – as well as controversy, due to the composer’s antisemitic views and popularity with the Nazi party. In Story of the Century, Michael Downes tells the story of how and why this extraordinary masterpiece came into being, why it takes the form it does, why it fascinates and obsesses so many and horrifies others, and why it matters.

$45, Faber. Out February

McCartney Legacy: Volume 2: 1974-80

Allan Kozinn, Adrian Sinclair

Picking up immediately after The McCartney Legacy, Volume 1, authors Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair have brought the same exhaustive research ethos to Volume 2 that made the first volume a critical success. Arguably the most authoritative text on the life of Paul McCartney, Volume 2 follows McCartney the man, establishing himself as a musician beyond Beatlemania and his legacy throughout the 20th century through the present day.

$60, HarperCollins. Out March

OUT

Marianne von Werefkin

Beatrice Van Bormann

$85, Waanders. Out February

DESIGN

Scandinavian Home

Patricia G. Berman

Egon Schiele: Living Landscapes

Christian Bauer

$115, Prestel. Out February

Nora Ephron at the Movies

Ilana Kaplan

With her singular voice, Nora Ephron flourished as a dominant force in the entertainment industry, focusing on the idiosyncrasies of romance that were universally relatable. Nora Ephron at the Movies offers an unfiltered look at Ephron as a champion of the rom-com and as a feminist Hollywood trailblazer. It explores her life and work by pairing detailed criticism with exclusive interviews with Ephron’s key collaborators, including Andie MacDowell and Jenn Kaytin Robinson, adding color and nuance to her life and legacy.

$70, Abrams. Out now

Box Office Poison

The arts played a crucial role in reinforcing a shared sense of belonging among Nordic countries as they strove to identify and celebrate authentic local and national identities; home was a central metaphor in the nation-building activities of each country. The links between land, landscape, handicraft and domestic dwellings are embedded in this survey of the extensive David and Sue Werner Collection of Scandinavian art. With 164 colour illustrations of paintings, drawings, furniture, textiles, glass, metalworks, ceramics, works on paper and rare tapestries.

$110, Giles. Out March

75 Architects for a Sustainable World

Agata Toromanoff

Driven by the desire to reduce environmental impact and reimagine the possibilities of their discipline, architects around the world are creating cutting-edge buildings that make use of the latest technologies while drawing from traditional techniques and materials. This book profiles 75 of those pioneering architects in stunning double-page spreads, including Anna Heringer, who employs local craftspeople and uses natural elements to create life-improving, harmonious structures; Pekka Littow, who creates off-grid, self-sufficient structures, and Shigeru Ban, known for using unconventional building materials, such as paper and cardboard tubes. With 250 colour illustrations.

$110, Prestel. Out January

Tim Robey Freaks, Land of the Pharaohs, Dune, Speed 2, Catwoman, Cats: what can these films tell us about the Hollywood system, the public’s appetite – or lack of it –and the circumstances that saw such box-office disasters actually made? From grand follies to misunderstood masterpieces, disastrous sequels to catastrophic literary adaptations, Tim Robey’s hugely entertaining Box Office Poison tells an alternative history of Hollywood through a century of its most notable flops.

$37, Faber. Out February

ALSO OUT

For the Love of Diamonds

Rachael Taylor

$125, teNeues. Out March

Hokusai’s Method

Kyoko Wada, Ryoko Matsuba, Katsushika Hokusai

$70, Thames and Hudson Out February

The Sticker Treasury of Blooms and Butterflies

$45, Smith Street Out February

Nonfiction

COOKING

Monsoon

Asma Khan

Sylvia Plath’s Tomato Soup Cake

Various authors

Have you ever wondered what your favourite classic authors cooked –whether as an intimate snack for one or as their showstopping dinner party special? Here’s your chance to wine and dine with famous writers in a gorgeous new collection of their most-loved recipes, curated from their archives, letters and diaries, including Agatha Christie’s hot bean salad, Jack Kerouac’s green pea soup, Daphne du Maurier’s sloe gin, Joan Didion’s Mexican chicken and George Orwell’s plum cake. $27, Faber. Out February

GARDENING

Internationally renowned chef and award-winning author Asma Khan returns with a masterclass on building flavour in your cooking through the intuitive principles of Indian cookery. Structured around the six core ayurvedic tastes – tangy, bitter, hot, sweet, sour, and salty – and how they correlate to the six seasons in Bengal, this book aims to illuminate Indian cookery by giving you the foundations you need to build balanced flavours, dishes and sumptuous feasts. $50, Dorling Kindersley. Out March

A Heide Harvest

Maximillian and Alice Crowe In 1934 when John and Sunday Reed bought an acreage in Heidelberg they had a vision of a bohemian artistic community living in harmony with the earth. The Heide gardens became a place where everyone contributed and heritage roses grew side-by-side with herbs and heirloom vegetables, and it remains so today. Inspired by the Reeds’ values of nourishment and communality, this seasonal cookbook features 90 original recipes from leading Australian chefs. Combining food, art and history, A Heide Harvest is an ode to Sunday’s kitchen and garden and the continuing legacy of Heide Museum of Modern Art. $65, Thames & Hudson. Out March

WE’RE ON THE WEB

Find more new releases at www.gleebooks.com.au

The Book of Garden Flowers

Angie Lewin, Christopher Stocks Christopher Stocks feeds our affection for British flowers by revealing the fascinating stories behind some of the most familiar and unusual plants to be found in our gardens. The book focuses on about 15 of Angie Lewin’s favourite garden flowers, and includes reproductions of her paintings and illustrations, many of them created specially for the book. A practical guide as well as visual feast, it also includes tips for care and cultivation.

$35, Thames and Hudson. Out February

PETS

The Hidden Language of Cats

Dr Sarah Brown

One of the characteristics cat owners admire most in their feline is their ability to remain mysterious, but because of this, we often misread their signals, and some of their behaviours still perplex us. Drawing on the latest research, cat behaviourist Dr Sarah Brown reveals the previously unexplored secrets of cat communication. By understanding how your cat communicates and what their behaviours really mean, you can build a deeper, more meaningful relationship with your cat.

$25, Michael Joseph. Out January

SELF-HELP

Open When

Dr Julie Smith

This is a book for when you feel overwhelmed – whether you’re facing grief, fear, self-doubt, relationship issues, difficult decisions, burnout, regrets or don’t know how to ask for help. Each chapter begins with a letter from Dr Julie to the reader offering comfort and perspective. She then follows with her trademark simple and straightforward advice to help you see clearly how best to respond and act. Showing you how to re-frame life’s complex problems, this book will help you navigate any crisis or tough moment and return to a place of calmness, strength and positivity.

$37, Michael Joseph. Out January

We Need Your Art

Amie McNee

Using her own experiences as a novelist and the inspiration she’s shared as a creative coach, Amie explains why we need your art and how you can make it happen. This isn’t about writing your great novel in a month or painting a masterpiece in a flurry of inspiration. Rather, this process is about practicing small, sustainable creative steps every day over time – 500 words of writing each day, a pencil sketch every evening – so that you avoid burnout, produce consistent, reliable content on your own terms, and begin to see yourself as an artist.

$37, Penguin. Out March

Pain Free

Mark Stephens

Chronic pain affects one in five adults, affecting mental health and overall quality of life. Despite trying various methods for relief, many people continue to live with pain every day. Mark’s easy-to-follow guide to living pain-free can be practised by anyone. Within these pages, you’ll discover a proven combination of breathing exercises, meditation techniques, selfhypnosis scripts and memorable mantras, making it possible to manage and reduce emotional, acute and chronic pain.

$35, Hachette. Out January

The Book Of Humans Adam Rutherford

Digging for Richard III Mike Pitts

Homo Irrealis André Aciman

Land of Wondrous Cold Gillen D’Arcy Wood

Art in Australia Christopher Allen

City of Echoes Jessica Wärnberg

Mitch Tonks

Mark Bittman

of Snackery David Sedaris

in the World Simon Garfield

The Candy House Jennifer Egan

A Dog’s World Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff

Hummus to Halva Ronen Givon and Christian Mouysset

Red Line

Joby Warrick

Simply Scandinavian Trine Hahnemann

Unruly Waters Sunil Amrith

Why Don’t Fish Drown? Anna Claybourne

Radical Wordsworth Jonathan Bate

Rumbles Elsa Richardson

The Nazi Conspiracy Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

Roman Emperor Zeno Peter Crawford

The Guilt-free Kitchen Jordan Bourke and Jessica Bourke

Were Blackwater Barrie “Baz” Rice

Hilary Mantel

Redback Graphix

Anna Zagala

Spicebox Kitchen Linda Shiue

Reid All About It

Summer reading

Cher: The Memoir. Part One

$50, HarperCollins

Cher’s upbringing was turbulent and hardscrabble. Generational poverty from a Montana backwoods family, constantly moving as a child, being looked after by babysitters, neighbours, nasty nuns. Placed in foster care.

The core of this memoir is her tumultuous, loving, torturous, supportive relationship with her 11-year older husband – singer Salvatore “Sonny” Bono (1935-1998) – whom she married in 1964. Without his vision and enthusiasm Cheryl Sarkisian would likely never have transformed into Cher. Her talent also lifted Bono from a small-time fringe player in the entertainment industry to stardom. Regrettably, Sonny turns out to have been an even nastier control freak than I imagined. Yet their friendship – if not their marriage – endured.

Famed boyfriends and future husbands, encounters with other celebs all get listed along with juicy anecdotes: Warren Beatty (went swimming with him when she was 15 – wearing Natalie Wood’s bathing suit); Phil Spector (who pulled gun on her), Salvador Dali, the Rolling Stones, Kiss etc, etc.

Part One concludes with Cher venturing to New York to undertake acting lessons in the early 1980s despite being told by casting agents that she was: “Too old, too ethnic, too tall.”

Fame, heartbreak, rebirth. This is how a drifting, barefoot, vulnerable 60s girl transformed herself into a “global icon”.

The Rejects: An Alternative History of Popular Music

Jamie Collinson, $35, Constable

A music insider recounts the fate of some three dozen musicians who got kicked out of various famous bands – sometimes before the bands became (really) famous or were already famous.

The usual well-known victims are listed: Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones, Beatles drummer Pete Best, John Cale – a founding member – from the Velvet Underground. One chapter is entitled “All the Musicians Kicked Out of Fleetwood Mac” .

Nirvana guitarist Jason Everman joined the band in January 1989. He appears on the cover of their debut album Bleach and is credited, but did not actually perform on it. He was fired after a tour in 1989 – “for moodiness”. Moodiness was a sacking offence in Nirvana? Really!?

More recent casualties include two members of Destiny’s Child and Sugababe Siobhán Donaghy.

A musician friend of mine – a very talented guitarist – politely dismissed my offer of this book as a Christmas gift: “Sounds too depressing” was his crisp reply. Given his devotion to his music and his various bands, I understand his view. As a non-musically talented individual I found it informative, entertaining, sometimes tragic and oftentimes refreshingly absurd.

A perfect summer read.

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The Gleebooks Gleaner is published from February to November with contributions by staff, invited readers and writers. ISSSN: 1325 - 9288. Feedback and book reviews are welcome Prices and publishing dates correct at time of going to print

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