Book Recommendations Archives

Really, it’s about time. 44 years, 85 characters and more 120 million copies after Roger Hargreaves wrote his first book, inspired by his son asking what a tickle looked like, film rights for the Mr Men and Little Miss characters have been secured by Fox Animation, the studio behind the Ice Age and Rio franchises. Fox Animation president Vanessa Morrison added: “The Mr Men and Littl... Read more

The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards have just been announced at a function in Melbourne. Let’s take a look at the winners! FICTION To Name Those Lost by Rohan Wilson From the bestselling author of The Roving Party, comes a moving father and son story set amidst the beauty and the violence of the poor and preyed upon of our colonial past. Summer 1874, and Launceston teeters on th... Read more

Early in 2013, I wrote a Booktopia review of The Rosie Project, the home-grown literary phenomenon that has gone on to be published in thirty-eight languages and sell over a million copies worldwide. I had originally approached Graeme Simsion’s debut novel with trepidation, being the mother of a boy on the autism spectrum and thus a little thin-skinned on the subject. Could Simsion create a por... Read more

A group of American critics have named Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, a take on the life of an overweight Dominican-American nerd, as the best novel of the 21st century to date. BBC Culture, the arts section of the international BBC site, polled several dozen US critics to find the greatest novels written so far this century, with 156 novels in all named by experts from pape... Read more

The day has arrived. Today we announce Australia’s Top 10 Favourite Authors, as voted by you. Before anything, we want to extend a HUGE thanks to everyone involved with this poll. To all authors, we owe you thanks on so many levels, but on this occasion thank you for rallying your fans and supporting other authors with such vigour. Oh, and for writing the books that we adore. We love you ... Read more

January is the month of Australian Stories at Booktopia, and to celebrate we’re counting down Australia’s 50 Favourite Authors, as voted by you! Today’s collection of authors is amazing! Don’t forget, tomorrow we unveil Australia’s Favourite Author for 2015. Let the countdown begin! 20. Fiona McIntosh Fiona McIntosh is an internationally bestselling author of novel... Read more

January is the month of Australian Stories at Booktopia, and to celebrate we’re counting down Australia’s 50 Favourite Authors, as voted by you! Monday and Tuesday’s announcements had some big surprises, will today be any different? The countdown continues… 30. Traci Harding Traci Harding’s work combines fantasy, facts, history and esoteric beliefs. She has recentl... Read more

January is the month of Australian Stories at Booktopia, and to celebrate we’re counting down Australia’s 50 Favourite Authors, as voted by you! Yesterday’s announcement had some huge names, and today’s list is no different. Let the countdown begin! 40. Hannah Kent Hannah Kent was born in Adelaide in 1985. As a teenager she travelled to Iceland on a Rotary Exchange, wher... Read more

January is the month of Australian Stories at Booktopia, and to celebrate we’re counting down Australia’s 50 Favourite Authors, as voted by you! Every day we’ll unveil 10 authors until, on Friday, we announce Australia’s Favourite Author for 2015! Let the countdown begin! 50. Trudi Canavan Trudi Canavan was born in Kew, Melbourne and grew up in Ferntree Gully, a suburb a... Read more

1. He was crippled with self doubt At least some of that swagger was for show. Pieterson writes about being a nervous wreck every time he waited to bat, claiming he (possible TMI alert) sometimes went to the toilet every five minutes while preparing to go in. ‘I’ve fought more with myself in my head then I have fought with any bowler,’ he writes. ‘I can be destroyed before I h... Read more