Book Recommendations Archives

We know that Booktopians have a passion for food, and in these interviews both authors chat about what makes a delicious meal and the way that food can bring people together. Check them out below! Julie Goodwin – Gather How to cook delicious recipes for large and small crowds of family and friends, from the bestselling original Australian MasterChef, Julie Goodwin. Julie Goodwin’s f... Read more

Find it in Everything by Drew Barrymore “I have always loved hearts,” writes acclaimed actress Drew Barrymore in the foreword to this heartwarming gift book. “The way that continuous line accomplishes the most extraordinary thing–it conveys love.” In Find It in Everything, Barrymore shares the photographs she has taken of heart-shaped objects and patterns she has c... Read more

Looking for an historical book to read, where the actions and emotions of the characters involved are realistic? Where passion is always high, and the atmosphere is so sensual it’s bordering on primal? Then look no further than The Highland Guard series by Monica McCarty, and more recently her new novel, The Raider. Think of The Highland Guard, after which this gripping series is named, as the ... Read more

Caroline Baum: I’m going to say what everyone else is going to say: When Mr Dog Bites does for Tourette’s what Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time did for Asperger’s. Dylan Mint (great name) is a wonderfully realised creation, a boy with a wonderfully fruity turn of phrase and a great attitude. Of course he gets the wrong end of the stick about a lot of adult things,... Read more

These days I always have more than one book on the go. It is part of the job. A perk, if you like. An abundance. At the moment I am moving between three books. Three black, to varying degrees, comedies. And all three I want to finish because I am enjoying them so much. Which is tricky. I want to give each my full attention. But I also do not want to be seen to be preferring one over the other. ... Read more

Live in Sydney? Want a chance to see one of the biggest films of the year before everyone else? Hachette Australia are giving you and a friend the opportunity to attend an exclusive pre-screening of Long Walk To Freedom, the award-winning film starring Idris Elba and Naomi Harris, on February 5th at Event Cinemas, George Street, Sydney. All you need to do is buy Nelson Mandela’s bestselli... Read more

elBulli 2005-2011 is the catalogue raisonné of elBulli, which was widely regarded as the world’s best restaurant until its closure in 2011. Having held three Michelin stars from 1997 to 2011, and regularly voted ‘Best Restaurant in the World’ by a panel of 500 industry professionals, elBulli was at the forefront of the restaurant scene from when Ferran Adrià became sole head c... Read more

The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC is unlike any AC/DC book written before. Less a biography, more a critical appreciation, it tells the story of the trio through 11 classic songs and reveals some of the personal and creative secrets that went into their making. Buy a copy of The Youngs before the end of February 2014 to go in the draw to win a laminated poster of The Youngs signed by: &#... Read more

The Booktopia Guru asks Nicola Moriarty author of Captivation and Paper Chains Ten Terrifying Questions _____________ 1.    To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born, raised and schooled in Sydney – but as that sounds a bit boring, I’ll be a little more specific. Let’s see, I was born in Hornsby, raised in Kellyvill... Read more

One of Australia’s favourite novelists Kate Forsyth, author of Bitter Greens and The Wild Girl, continues her monthly blog with us, giving her verdict on the books she’s been reading. I discovered some wonderful new writers this month, which always makes me happy. I also managed to read five books by Australian women writers, as part of the AWW 2013 Challenge (bringing me to a total of 30 for t... Read more