From a contemporary Aussie crime classic to novels about life, love and literature, here are the best books we read in March 2022!
Olivia Fricot – Senior Content Producer
The Lessons by John Purcell
Why I loved it: After scandalising the publishing world with The Girl on the Page, John Purcell is back with another piercing and clever novel about, well, novelists. In The Lessons, a glamorously acerbic writer named Jane Curtis reflects on her life — the men she loved, the biting feminist novels she wrote, and the love affair, between her young niece Daisy and local boy Harry, that she may have had a hand in ruining. Flitting back and forth between the ‘60s and the ‘80s, The Lessons gradually pieces together the story of Daisy and Harry’s lives. Purcell’s writing sits beautifully in the register of historical fiction, capturing the allure, the sleaze and the barely restrained hysteria of a time that did not know what to do with bold, unrepentant women. Its unforgettable characters and gorgeous reflections on life, love and (of course) literature make this a true page-turner.
Buy it here
Nick Wasiliev – Senior Content Producer
The Dry by Jane Harper
Why I loved it: Recommended to me by my partner, I decided to dive into this debut novel that launched Jane Harper after enjoying the gripping film adaptation released last year starring Eric Bana. Reading the book after watching the movie may be considered sacrilege, but then you actually read it, and even despite knowing the ending you are sucked into this desolate, unforgiving landscape Harper has crafted. Put it simply, it is one of the best Australian crime novels released in the 2010s, and that is saying something. If you know nothing of Aaron Falk, all the better. Dive into this book now.
Buy it here
Ben Hunter – Fiction Category Manager
My Heart is a Little Wild Thing by Nigel Featherstone
Why I loved it: Nigel Featherstone weaves a remarkable story of the possibilities of love, the cruelty of duty and the magic of place. Bringing the Monaro to life in prose that quietly sparkles, My Heart Is A Little Wild Thing is a story of self-discovery that sits separate from anything I’ve ever read. Featherstone’s novels are unforgettable gifts.
Buy it here
Robert O’Hearn – Academic & Professional Category Manager
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki
Why I loved it: A strange and rich novel from my favourite Booker-shortlisted Zen Roshi author, this is the story of young Benny Oh, whose father has died unexpectedly in a truly tragicomic way. In his confused grief, Benny starts to hear voices, and have unusual schizoaffective encounters with inanimate objects that have suddenly become articulate. In a meta twist, Benny even begins a dialogue with this book itself (and the book has a delightfully wry humour too). There is much in this ponderous tale; from neurodivergence to obsessive hoarding, and the heavy challenges of isolation born of mental stress. So heartbreaking in parts I had to put it aside for a while, this is nevertheless a soft, calm and redemptive book. There are also many influences and underlying themes packed within, including Buddhist views on reality and emotions, materialism and our place in the physical world. Thoughtful and rewarding, though challenging, it may not be for everyone.
Buy it here
Shanulisa Prasad – Lifestyle Category Manager
Wake by Shelley Burr
Why I loved it: Another cracking Australian crime debut — with a very interesting take on the genre, delving into how people whose lives have been touched by crime process their grief and how the trauma they have experienced informs their lives many years later. An absolutely compulsive read, with end of chapter hooks that meant there was no way I was putting the book down until it was finished!
Buy it here
Eden Samuel – Assistant Kids & YA Category Manager
We Are Displaced by Malala Yousafzai
Why I loved it: This is an inspiring, timely and moving book on the plight of refugee girls around the world that will have you crying alongside the strong, determined women whose stories it follows. It really humanises the statistics and news stories we read and hear about every day, giving a voice to the stories of the millions of displaced people around the world from places like Pakistan, Yemen and Syria, to Iraq, the Congo and Mexico. Nobel Peace Prize Winner Malala Yousafza’s passion for amplifying the voice of the marginalised and fighting for girls’ rights to education fills this book with so much hope and makes it a must-read for absolutely everyone!
Buy it here
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