October is such a fun month for book releases, and this month saw the arrival of some amazing new books by Elton John, Zadie Smith, Ali Wong and more! You’ll find more than a few of those new releases (plus a sneaky 2020 pre-order) amongst the books that us Booktopians have been reading (and loving) lately.
Read on to see the best books we read in October!
Mark Harding – Brand and Content Manager
Dear Girls by Ali Wong
Why I loved it: This collection of letters to her daughters from writer and comedian Ali Wong is a hilarious and heartfelt journey into the world of relationships, family, and the life of a stand-up comic. Ali Wong effortlessly combines poignant life lessons with some of the best one-liners you’ll find in print this year, cementing her reputation as one of the sharpest and best comedians in the business. Drawn from the lessons she’s learned on her long road to success, this book also serves as a great insight into the realities of life as a performer, and how to cope with both failure and success.
Buy it here
Olivia Fricot – Senior Content Producer
Grand Union: Stories by Zadie Smith
Why I loved it: Nobody squeezes my brain with words quite like Zadie Smith does. In this collection of ten short stories, she takes us into a few small worlds that are rich in detail and filled with characters that sing from the page, from a dejected former police officer in Boston desperate to reconnect with his family to an Antiguan immigrant in the day leading up to his murder. With virtuosic prose and wry, self-assured style, Zadie shows us the empathetic power of short fiction when it’s in the hands of a master.
Buy it here
Bron Eley – Social Media Coordinator
Dead Man Switch by Tara Moss
Why I loved it: Reading Tara Moss’ new crime novel Dead Man Switch reminded me of why I love crime fiction so much! Tara’s new protagonist is Billie Walker, a badass private investigator with a wild heart and sharp mind. I flew through this book and was on my toes the whole time. A great new series from a great Australian author!
Buy it here
Jo Lewin – Head of Trade Product
The Weekend by Charlotte Wood
Why I loved it: 2019 has been a great year for books that describe the female experience in new and insightful ways. What Lisa Taddeo’s amazing book Three Women did for women’s desire, this book does for women’s friendship. The Weekend gracefully and concisely describes the fluctuations of female friendships through all of life’s ages and stages, from the wild chaos of our twenties, through to relationships, child rearing years and beyond. A beautiful book about accepting ourselves and our friends for all their brilliant and infuriating traits.
Buy it here
Ben Hunter – Fiction Category Manager
Yellow Notebook by Helen Garner
Why I loved it: Anyone who read Everywhere I Look will be thrilled to see a whole book of diary fragments from the incredible Helen Garner. Garner is unparalleled in her honesty and perceptiveness, whether she’s recalling dreams, remarking on the weather or grappling with the traumas and joys of writing, motherhood, and love. This book takes you back in time to the iconic author’s most productive years as a creator of Australian fiction. Experience the things she read, the things she did, they ways she felt, and so much more in this immersive thoughtscape. A delight.
Buy it here
Sarah McDuling – Kids & YA Category Manager
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
Why I loved it: I gobbled this book up like it was candy. Mhairi McFarlane has been recommended to me so many times and I’m so glad I finally took the advice and read If I Never Met You, because now I can look forward to reading my way through her entire backlist! This was such a great story with a lovable and relatable main character. Packed full of warmth and heartfelt emotion, this is the kind of pleasantly addictive read that will keep you happily flipping through the pages until you get to the end. Loved it!
Buy it here
Shanulisa Prasad – Lifestyle Category Manager
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Why I loved it: By the end of the book, what I thought about each of the characters and their motivations and actions had completely changed from how I perceived them from the beginning. I’m still thinking about some of the themes and issues brought up in the novel more than a week after reading it and can’t wait to discuss the book with more people to see if they thought the same as me!
Buy it here
Cassandra Sharpe – Merchandising Coordinator
The Forests of Silence (Deltora Quest: Book 1) by Emily Rodda
Why I loved it: After Emily Rodda’s recent Booktopia visit, it got me thinking about Deltora Quest. The Forests of Silence weaves together Jarred and Prince Endon’s childhood in the palace before they are torn apart and the evil Shadow Lord returns to Deltora. Rodda has created a vivid world full of monsters, mythology and adventure, as Lief and Barda set off to reclaim the seven gems of Deltora to restore the land to what it once was. Perfect for readers young and old!
Buy it here
Robert O’Hearn – Academic & Professional Category Manager
Macquarie by Grantlee Kieza
Why I loved it: Lachlan Macquarie remains one of the most interesting figures in our colonial history, a singular and passionate Scot with a vision more egalitarian than was fashionable. His huge impact on Australia cannot be ignored, but he was a complex and contradictory figure. Award-winning author Grantlee Kieza examines Macquarie from all sides: the ambitious young East India Company officer, the autocratic dispossessor of the Indigenous peoples, a tyrannical egomaniac overspender, and an ever-hopeful penal reformer. This book is a many-hued portrait, engaging and captivating. Macquarie will surely become the definitive biography of the man.
Buy it here
Ashleigh Berry – Campaign Coordinator
Me by Elton John
Why I loved it: Elton John has led a fantastical life and this has never been more clear than in Me. Equal parts shocking and entertaining, Elton delivers his life on a silver platter. From exploding into the early ’70s rock ‘n roll scene to struggling with addiction, friendships with John Lennon and Princess Diana to embarking on his farewell tour, Elton shares his highs and lows with self-awareness and humour. This is an inspiring story of growth and triumph from the man who’s seen it all.
Buy it here
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