Our QBD Spotlight has journeyed all the way up to the tippy top of QLD to visit our Cairns team this week – and they have some tip top reading suggestions for you! (see what we did there?)
Mythology by Edith Hamilton:
Mythology by Edith Hamilton gives a great insight into Greek, Roman and Norse mythology with stunning illustrations. This book is the retelling of the timeless stories with more simplicity that both young and old can read easily. With in-depth detail on the myths of Gods and heroes combined, Hamilton describes their stories as if it was told first hand by the poets themselves. This is a great book to pick up and read if you are a fan of the classic myths and wanting to learn more about unknown stories of ancient times. – Hannah
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill:
Heart-Shaped Box is a dark, haunting read that will definitely scare the pants off anyone who dares to read it. The main character is a rock star named Jude, whose secretary finds a ghost for sale online. Jude buys the ghost’s suit which of course comes in a heart shaped box…. This spells trouble as he enters a fight for not only his life but all those who dare to help him eliminate this ghost from his life. How do you kill someone who is already dead?
Thriller writing at it’s best, Heart Shaped Box will leave you petrified, yet wanting more! – Nadine
Night Film by Marisha Pessl:
At heart a mystery thriller, the author has turned the genre on it’s head. This book drags you kicking and screaming into the world of investigative journalist Scott McGrath, a man trying to uncover the story behind the suicide of Ashley Cordova, whilst also attempting to redeem his standing after a spectacular fall from grace due to the last time he intruded on the Cordova family mystery.
The story roars along at an unforgiving pace, continually challenging the reader’s grasp on what is real and what we imagine. Try as you might, it refuses to let you regain your perceived place in the world, forcing you to question everything that has helped keep you grounded in the mundane of life.
Read it late at night and see where the darkness lives! – Steve
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty:
Caitlin Doughty takes her reader’s behind the scenes in her first professional workplace, an American crematorium. Intrigued, I decided to read this biography to see into another facet of life that I’m yet to hear many details of (as you can imagine). Doughty describes death and the cremation/burial details of the individuals she works with which is usually a private matter only embraced by the deceased’s family. In the biography, you get taken behind the curtain and given some stark details of how the profession deals with what I would have originally thought of as quite macabre issues both physically, emotionally and mentally, however Doughty brings her own personality and innocent viewpoints into each experience to bring the reader an intimate look at death and the profession that makes a profit from it. Each chapter introduces you to a new deceased member of society and how they passed away, their journey from that moment to the crematorium and what the family decides to do from that point.
My own curiosity got the better of me with this biography, and I was somewhat pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed being taken on the journey with Doughty’s bodies and learning a little bit about living along the way… – Erin
AWW: Slow Cooker – The Complete Collection by The Australian Women’s Weekly:
This is a fantastic cookbook. It contains a wealth of very varied and truly delicious recipes. As is common with AWW cookbooks all recipes are triple tested, ensuring that the picture you see is the meal you make. The ingredients listed are all readily available at most major supermarkets, however this does not forsake the depth of falvours contained within these meals. As an example, peruse page 356’s French Onion Lamb Chops, your taste buds will thank you! My highest recommendation for a reference level slow cooker cookbook. – Glen
The Hospital By The River by Catherine Hamlin:
The Hospital By The River delivers the incredible account of gynaecologists Catherine and Reg Hamilton who left their home in Australia for a short term contract in Ethiopia to establish a midwifery school. Overwhelmed by the needs of the women suffering from obstetric fistulas caused by obstructed labor during childbirth, their short contract was extended over a period of 45 years. During this time they performed on more than 20,000 women and established the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, one of the most astonishing medical programs in the modern world. In this awe-inspiring book, Dr Catherine Hamlin tells the enthralling tale of her life and career in Ethiopia and delves deeper into the struggles encountered by those living in extreme poverty. This book is a moving and compelling account of Catherine and Reg, who lived extraordinary lives helping thousands of women in need. – Selena
I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson:
I’ll Give You The Sun is a compelling coming of age novel about twins, Jude and Noah, as they each tell their side of the story that collides into a tale of love, loss and everything in between. Nelson sculpts a beautiful world of colour and intrigue that is sure to keep you wondering and guessing how this fateful and life changing story ends. This is a novel that is bound to leave an imprint of art and wonder on your mind, and remind or reaffirm the feeling of youthfulness. – Quinlee
Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata:
Death note is a smash hit manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata that focuses on anextremely intelligent high school student, named Light Yagami, who is fed up with the state of the world and lives in an apathetic state until a god from the underworld drops a note book to earth that allows you to kill anyone whose name you write down. What ensues is a fast paced cat and mouse situation between Light who seeks to eliminate all the criminals that exist in the world and reign as a god and L, an expert detective.
The series presents itself as a thematic concept piece as to how a solipsistic world view and a form of absolute power is the catalyst for corruption. Death Note’s animated series is does credit to it’s source material but because it’s on a different platform it misses out in what manga has to offer, that being pop out surprises from turning a page and a more immersive experience with character monologues.With Death Note’s subtle thematic undertones, excellent characters, extremely impressive art work and unpredictable story it is a perfect gateway manga as well as a treat for veteran readers. – Lachlan
