It's been another fantastic week of new book releases this week with some great new book arrivals at Books N Gifts and in our sister store Berry Newsagency. Below are some of my chosen highlights of the latest new book arrivals this week;
Apples Never Fall
Liane Moriarty
Adult Fiction
From the outside, the Delaneys appear to be an enviably contented family. Even after all these years, former tennis coaches Joy and Stan are still winning tournaments, and now that they've sold the family business they have all the time in the world to learn how to 'relax'. Their four adult children are busy living their own lives, and while it could be argued they never quite achieved their destinies, no-one ever says that out loud. But now Joy Delaney has disappeared and her children are re-examining their parents' marriage and their family history with fresh, frightened eyes. Is her disappearance related to their mysterious house guest from last year? Or were things never as rosy as they seemed in the Delaney household?
Praise for Apples Never Fall 'I loved it. Apples Never Fall is an absolute page-turner with all the wit and nuance that has put Liane Moriarty head and shoulders above the crowd and shows once again why she leads the pack.' - Jane Harper
Praise for Apples Never Fall 'I loved it. Apples Never Fall is an absolute page-turner with all the wit and nuance that has put Liane Moriarty head and shoulders above the crowd and shows once again why she leads the pack.' - Jane Harper
After Story
Larrisa Behrendt
Adult Fiction
When a mother and daughter take the overseas trip of a lifetime, they discover that the past is never quite behind them.
When Indigenous lawyer Jasmine decides to take her mother Della on a tour of England's most revered literary sites, Jasmine hopes it will bring them closer together and help them reconcile the past.
Twenty-five years earlier the disappearance of Jasmine's older sister devastated their tight-knit community. This tragedy returns to haunt Jasmine and Della when another child mysteriously goes missing on Hampstead Heath. As Jasmine immerses herself in the world of her literary idols - including Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters and Virginia Woolf - Della is inspired to rediscover the wisdom of her own culture and storytelling. But sometimes the stories that are not told can become too great to bear.
Ambitious and engrossing, After Story celebrates the extraordinary power of words and the quiet spaces between. We can be ready to listen, but are we ready to hear?
When Indigenous lawyer Jasmine decides to take her mother Della on a tour of England's most revered literary sites, Jasmine hopes it will bring them closer together and help them reconcile the past.
Twenty-five years earlier the disappearance of Jasmine's older sister devastated their tight-knit community. This tragedy returns to haunt Jasmine and Della when another child mysteriously goes missing on Hampstead Heath. As Jasmine immerses herself in the world of her literary idols - including Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters and Virginia Woolf - Della is inspired to rediscover the wisdom of her own culture and storytelling. But sometimes the stories that are not told can become too great to bear.
Ambitious and engrossing, After Story celebrates the extraordinary power of words and the quiet spaces between. We can be ready to listen, but are we ready to hear?
Dear Son
Thomas Mayor
Adult Non-Fiction
Dear Son shares heartfelt letters written by First Nations men about life, masculinity, love, culture and racism. Along with his own vivid and poignant prose and poetry, author and editor Thomas Mayor invites 12 contributors to write a letter to their son or father, bringing together a range of perspectives that offers the greatest celebration of First Nations manhood.
This beautifully designed anthology comes at a time when First Nations peoples are starting to break free of derogatory stereotypes and find solace in their communities and cultures. Yet, each contributor also has one thing in common: they all have a relative who has been terribly wronged , enslaved, raped and dispossessed because of their Aboriginality.
Featuring letters from Stan Grant, Troy Cassar-Daley, John Liddle, Charlie King, Joe Williams, Yessie Mosby, Joel Bayliss, Daniel James, Jack Latimore, Daniel Morrison, Tim Sculthorpe and Blak Douglas.
A gentle and loving book for families from anywhere in the world. Artwork by proud Kaurna/Ngarrindjeri/Narrunga/Italian Australian artist Tony Wilson, with illustrations and design by Gamilaraay designer Tristan Schultz of Relative Creative.
This beautifully designed anthology comes at a time when First Nations peoples are starting to break free of derogatory stereotypes and find solace in their communities and cultures. Yet, each contributor also has one thing in common: they all have a relative who has been terribly wronged , enslaved, raped and dispossessed because of their Aboriginality.
Featuring letters from Stan Grant, Troy Cassar-Daley, John Liddle, Charlie King, Joe Williams, Yessie Mosby, Joel Bayliss, Daniel James, Jack Latimore, Daniel Morrison, Tim Sculthorpe and Blak Douglas.
A gentle and loving book for families from anywhere in the world. Artwork by proud Kaurna/Ngarrindjeri/Narrunga/Italian Australian artist Tony Wilson, with illustrations and design by Gamilaraay designer Tristan Schultz of Relative Creative.
Love of My Life The Life and Lovers of Freddie Mercury
Lesley -Ann Jones
Music
If you are one of the many millions who watched the Oscar-winning film Bohemian Rhapsody you may suppose that Mary Austin was the love of Freddie Mercury's life, the woman who he could never quite let go of. The truth is more complicated. Respected biographer and music journalist, Lesley-Ann Jones explores Freddie's romantic encounters - from his boarding school years in Panchgani, India to his final days spent bed-ridden at his sumptuous Kensington home. Here the author reveals why not a single one of his lovers ever really perfected the art of being his life partner. Love of My Life charts Freddie's many obsessions from Mary Austin, Barbara Valentin and final live-in lover Jim Hutton. From a string of male love interests to his chaste passion for Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe; from fellow rock stars Dave Clark, Elton John and his own co-band members in Queen, to 'cats and curios': his fascination for felines and his relentless extravagant shopping and collecting; from favourite cities around the world - New York, Montreux and Munich, in which he purchased lavish homes - to the 'food of love' - his music, and his voracious addiction to sex. Which of these was the real love of Freddie Mercury's life? Based on personal interviews and encounters the author tells of Freddie Mercury's lesser known loves in order to paint a comprehensive picture of the legendary musician. Published on the 30th anniversary of his death, and what would have been Freddie Mercury's 75th year.
Dear Prime Minister
Martyn Lyons
Current Affairs
"I am sir [sure] you will act as human bean", wrote one distressed pensioner to Prime Minister Robert Menzies in 1953, pleading for assistance. Robert Menzies received 22,000 letters during his record-breaking 1949-1966 second term as Australian Prime Minister. From war veterans, widows and political leaders to school students and homespun philosophers. Ordinary citizens sent their congratulations and grievances and commented on speeches they had heard on radio. They lectured him, quoted Shakespeare and the Bible at him and sent advice on how to eliminate the rabbit problem. In Dear Prime Minister, Menzies' fabled "Forgotten People" write back. Revealed here for the first time, the letters respond to the royal visit of 1954, Communism, Australia's British connection and the dire poverty of aged pensioners. For many writers, these were not post-war boom years, but a time of anxiety and conflict, punctuated by fears of war, another Great Depression, or a nuclear Armageddon. Dear Prime Minister is a fascinating insight into the concerns, assumptions and political beliefs of 1950s and 1960s Australians. 'An elegantly wry testament to a lost era of letter-writing, as Menzies' "Forgotten People" lay bare their assorted fears, gripes, hopes, sycophancy, paranoia, generosity, smugness, ingrained racism, sectarian prejudices, sometimes desperate poverty, and often atrocious spelling.' ! Richard White
Landslide The Final Days of the Trump Presidency
Michael Wolff
Current Affairs
Politics has given us some shocking and confounding moments but none have come close to the careening final days of Donald Trump's presidency: the surreal stage management of his re-election campaign, his audacious election challenge, the harrowing mayhem of the storming of the Capitol and the buffoonery of the second impeachment trial. But what was really going on in the inner sanctum of the White House during these calamitous events? What did the president and his dwindling cadre of loyalists actually believe? And what were they planning? Drawing on an exclusive and wide range of sources who took part in or witnessed Trump's closing moments, Michael Wolff finds the Oval Office more chaotic and bizarre than ever before, a kind of Star Wars bar scene. At all times of the day, Trump, hunched behind the Resolute desk, is surrounded by schemers and unqualified sycophants who spoon-feed him the 'alternative facts' he hungers to hear - about COVID-19, Black Lives Matter protests, and, most of all, his chance of winning re-election. In this extraordinary telling of a unique moment in history, Wolff gives us front row seats as Trump's circle of plotters whittles down to the most enabling and the least qualified - and the president overreaches the bounds of democracy, entertaining the idea of martial law and balking at calling off the insurrectionist mob that threatens the hallowed seat of democracy itself. Michael Wolff pulled back the curtain on the Trump presidency with his globally bestselling blockbuster Fire and Fury. Now, in Landslide, he closes the door on the presidency with a final, astonishingly candid tale.
All Day Baking
Michael James with Pippa James
Cooking
For every two lovers of sweet baked treats, there is at least another who will take the gruyere gougere or the curry pastie every time, thank you. All Day Baking: Savoury, Not Sweet is a baking cookbook at last for them. Its mission is to deliver comforting, inventive and wholegrain-forward ideas for pies, sausage rolls, pasties and myriad other mostly pastry-based recipes, alongside gutsy accompaniments that equip the reader with the tools to transform delicious bakes into nourishing any-time-of-day meals.
Author Michael James is a Michelin-restaurant chef by training who was drawn early to the art, precision, and satisfaction of baking. In All Day Baking, his second book, he turns his attention to the pasties of his UK childhood, the pies he creates today for his young family, and the quiches, sausage rolls, palmiers and galettes that have earned him a cultish following in Australia and beyond. As well, he delivers a master class in pastry " from puff to rye to vegan and gluten-free " gifting readers a foundation knowledge that sets them on a path to their own freewheeling baking adventures.
The book is structured across the arc of a day but the recipes at their heart are interchangeable ; if you fancy beetroot & shallot galette for breakfast or bacon & onion quiche for dinner , that's perfectly ok. And throughout there is a nod to Michael and wife Pippa James' ethos, rooted in sustainability, seasonality and a desire to minimise their waste footprint.
Author Michael James is a Michelin-restaurant chef by training who was drawn early to the art, precision, and satisfaction of baking. In All Day Baking, his second book, he turns his attention to the pasties of his UK childhood, the pies he creates today for his young family, and the quiches, sausage rolls, palmiers and galettes that have earned him a cultish following in Australia and beyond. As well, he delivers a master class in pastry " from puff to rye to vegan and gluten-free " gifting readers a foundation knowledge that sets them on a path to their own freewheeling baking adventures.
The book is structured across the arc of a day but the recipes at their heart are interchangeable ; if you fancy beetroot & shallot galette for breakfast or bacon & onion quiche for dinner , that's perfectly ok. And throughout there is a nod to Michael and wife Pippa James' ethos, rooted in sustainability, seasonality and a desire to minimise their waste footprint.
Warndu Mai (Good Food)
Damien Coulthard & Rebecca Sullivan
Cooking
This gorgeous illustrated, informative and contemporary cookbook and compendium of native foods will show you how to create truly Australian food and drinks at home. With a few small adjustments and a little experimentation you can prepare delicious food that is better for the Australian environment, is more sustainable and celebrates the amazing ingredients that are truly local. Warndu Mai (Good Food) contains information about seasonal availability, hints, tips and over 80 illustrated and accessible recipes showcasing Australian native foods, using ingredients such as Kakadu plum, native currants, finger lime and pepperberry to create unique dishes and treats - from wattleseed brownies, emu egg sponge cake and bunya nut pesto to native berry, cherry and lime cordial, strawberry gum pavlova and kangaroo carpaccio. It's a must-have for every kitchen.
Drover
Neridah McMullen & Sarah Anthony
Childrens Book
The true story of an important pioneering woman in Australian history.
Courageous, clever and daring, Drover is one of a kind. Travelling through the heart of the outback, Drover delivers a mob of cattle. Searing heat, dust and flies, hardship and danger: these are just part of the job. But there's no place Drover would rather be.
The truly remarkable story of legendary drover Edna Jessop is celebrated through stunning oil illustrations and evocative text.
Bluey Charades
Board Book
Based on the hit ABC KIDS TV show!
At Nana's house, Bluey and Bingo play a game of Charades. Can they help the littlies stick to the rules?
Bluey has been a phenomenal success since airing on ABC KIDS in October 2018, amassing legions of dedicated fans and hugely popular ranges of books, toys, clothes, games and more. It holds the coveted position of being the most watched program ever on ABC iview, with over 260 million plays for Series One, and is the winner of an International Emmy for Most Outstanding Children's Programme.
At Nana's house, Bluey and Bingo play a game of Charades. Can they help the littlies stick to the rules?
Bluey has been a phenomenal success since airing on ABC KIDS in October 2018, amassing legions of dedicated fans and hugely popular ranges of books, toys, clothes, games and more. It holds the coveted position of being the most watched program ever on ABC iview, with over 260 million plays for Series One, and is the winner of an International Emmy for Most Outstanding Children's Programme.
These are just some of the highlights of the great new book releases this week at Books N Gifts. To checkout more please visit us online at www.booksngifts.com.au or visit us instore at our sister store Berry Newsagency. Our staff are always more than happy to assist you with advice on our latest new book arrivals and on selecting that special new book release for you.
Head Bookseller
Tammy