Book Recommendations Archives

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Alissa Callen author of Beneath Outback Skies Nine Naughty Questions ———————————- 1. I wonder, is a romance writer born or made? Please tell us a little about your life before publication. A lifetime ago I was a counselor and saw firsthand life doesn’t always deliver a happy ending. So I was drawn to ... Read more

Samuel Johnson, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the English language, was born on this day in 1709. We’ve put together a few facts about the man described as “arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history.” – Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language was published in 1755, and remains arguably the most influential wo... Read more

At the recent Australian Book Expo, we set up a camera and asked Booktopians to review their favourite book. The response was amazing, with so many wonderful book lovers keen to chat about their favourite reads. Here are some of the best. Enjoy! Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson Click here for more details Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth Click here for more details Colorless Ts... Read more

We love giving away stuff at Booktopia, and with a little help from our friends we’ve always got some exciting comps and promos happening. During August we gave you the chance to win 1 of 3 Divergent DVD Packs and a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker valued at $699!!! A Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Thanks to our friends at HarperCollins Australia, all you had to do to enter the draw to win a We... Read more

The cultural cringe will be closely examined on the ABC tonight in Brilliant Creatures, a documentary on Australia’s propensity to send its intellectuals packing. Hosted and largely conceived by British novelist Howard Jacobson, Brilliant Creatures is a two-part look at the endowments to and departures from Australia by four of its very best minds: Germaine Greer, Robert Hughes, Barry Humphries... Read more

In August we gave you the chance to enter our Kids Month promotions! Lots and lots of goodies were up for grabs! And the lucky winners are… The Peppa Pig Competition – S. Moors, Mosman Park, WA The Walker Picture Book Showcase Competition – E. Serisier, New Farm, QLD Clementine Rose Competition – Y. Tanuwidjaja, Melbourne, VIC Slaves of Socorro Competition – M. Mah... Read more

Jason Segel is just plain annoying. Not only is he a great actor, screenwriter, and musician, but now he’s also an author. Damn you Segel. He’s teamed up with Kirsten Miller to put together a new book Nightmares! It’s all kinds of scary awesomeness. Eleven-year-old Charlie Laird is desperate for a good night’s sleep – or even just a nap. Ever since he moved into hi... Read more

Every week Booktopia’s Andrew Cattanach reviews a cookbook. He is an incompetent cook. He is The Incompetent Cook. Tex-Mex from Scratch by Jonas Cramby It’s time for another instalment of The Incompetent Cook. This week he road tests Tex-Mex from Scratch by Jonas Cramby. Scroll down to see how you could win a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker valued at $699! It’s been a busy few mo... Read more

The identity of Jack the Ripper, one of the longest unsolved mysteries of all time, has been discovered. Pretty crazy huh? Dr Jari Louhelainen, a senior lecturer in molecular biology at Liverpool John Moores, has used cutting-edge DNA techniques to prove Jack the Ripper was a Polish migrant named Aaron Kosminski. Kosminski lived in Whitechapel at the times of the savage 1888 murders of five wom... Read more

Australian novelist Cathryn Hein, author of The French Prize, Heartland and much more gives her verdict on the books she’s been reading. A rather mixed bag this month, with everything from an unputdownable epic fantasy romance series to a fabulous sports romance and a gruesome murder mystery. Great fun! Days of Blood and Starlight / Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor This series&... Read more