Today our Marion team shine a light on these great ‘true blue’ reads
– just in time for Australia Day!
At the Beach by Roland Harvey:
Using individual postcards, this charming picture book takes the reader on a typical Australian holiday road trip and tells the tale of one family’s adventures at ‘Crabby Spit’. The illustrations are detailed and colourful depicting the perfect beach getaway. Similar to Where’s Wally the reader must help the family find missing holiday items, a great addition to take on a long car trip. – Elise
Flavours of South Australia by Jonette George:
Within these pages you can journey from the remarkable restaurants in Adelaide to the world-renowned wineries and producers of the Barossa, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. This coffee table book contains a wide range of award winning cuisine with stunning photography of the region. A great gift for any foodie or wine lover, you’ll be able to replicate a host of signature recipes to try at home. – Stacey
Down Under by Trevor Comony:
Down Under is the iconic 80’s Aussie tune that put Men at Work on the map, but an innocent trivia show put the song and the band into the court room. An interesting look into one of Australia’s controversial songs and the copyright battle they fought. A light read about the legalities of the Australian music industry. Make up your own verdict, is it “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gumtree”? – Holly
Dark Emu, Black Seeds: Agriculture or Accident by Bruce Pascoe:
A rather important, worthwhile read for all Australians. Dark Emu shatters many misconceptions about the way Indigenous Australians lived. Dark Emu puts forward an argument for a reconsideration of the hunter-gatherer tag for Pre-1788 Aboriginal Australians. The evidence insists that Aboriginal Australians used domesticated plants, sowing, harvesting, irrigating and storing – behaviours inconsistent with the “hunter-gatherer” tag. Have the history books been lying to us or did the government of the time choose to ignore the facts to enforce the concept ‘Terra Nullius’? It presents a strong argument for the reconsideration of our understanding of the way the First Australians lived with the land. A short read that will change to way you look at your history books. – Sarah
The Secret River by Kate Grenville:
Beautiful and tragically written, this historical drama follows the rise of a convict family to free settlers merchants in colonial New South Wales. The Secret River is an acclaimed piece of literature, vividly telling the deeply personal story of Will and Sal Thornhill, early convict colonists and their interactions and relationships with the Indigenous and European communities of the Hawskbery river. A wonderful read for those who love history or those who just want to read the trials of small business venture. – Kate
The Wrong Girl by Zoe Foster:
This Aussie chick-lit novel has recently been adapted it into a television series by Australian television network Ten. It follows city girl Lily, through her singledom life in present day Sydney. I loved reading about a modern Aussie girl, complete with career doubts, life choices and the ensemble of delightful friends. This easy-to-read modern day take on love and life in the city will keep you laughing. Read the book before the new season starts. – Hannah
The Glass Kingdom by Chris Flynn:
The Glass Kingdom explores the lives of Ben, Mikey and Voltan – all members of ‘The Kingdom’, a travelling carnival making it’s way up East Coast Australia. Throughout the novel, readers are confronted with the rules of The Kingdom as well as the harsh realities of meth dealing. Darkly funny, it’s a book that keeps you guessing. – Abbey
