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| BUZZ IN BRIEF |
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 Hello and welcome to November!First up, an apology. This is a very long newsletter so if you have trouble viewing it all, click here to read it on our site. There is a reason for its length however. As far as breadth, range and quality, this is the best Christmas season I have seen in many years. There are simply too many really good books to choose from. As a consequence, I have tried to keep the reviews tight, but do click through to the books on our site - we have added as many internal images, chapter samplers and other goodies as possible. As for stock levels, just about everything is in stock (or coming in on release date) but of course, at this time of year, things are coming and going really quickly. As for the many books that almost made Booktopia Buzz, they are all together here at Booktopia's November Favourites. And if you twisted my arm for my personal top three, I'd have to say Alex Miller's Lovesong, A Life on Pittwater and David Small's Stitches: A Memoir, although that is a pretty idiosyncratic list. For those of you wanting the best picks for kids, you can go directly there from here. For everything else, continue down or use the navigation on the right. Enough from me - enjoy the selection. Toni Whitmont Editor in Chief Booktopia Buzz |
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| TONI'S BOOK OF THE MONTH |
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 A LIFE ON PITTWATER by Susan Duncan and Anthony OngI must admit I approached my interview with Susan Duncan with trepidation as her much loved and much praised memoirs, Salvation Creek and The House at Salvation Creek, had passed me by when they were originally released. While I had subsequently read them in preparation, I was unsure how she would be able to capture the spirit and essence of this very special place, nor how relevant she could make it to people living away from this blessed, watery northern corner of Sydney. Let me tell you that from the moment I opened this glorious book, I was smiling. It is impossible not to feel happy exploring this book. And what Duncan successfully captures in words, her across the water neighbour Ong, translates into the most marvellous, light filled images. A Life on Pittwater takes the reader to this most beguiling of places, where tinnies take the place of cars and the social life revolves around both your neighbours, and their dogs. But it would be a mistake to think that this book is simply about Pittwater. There is something wonderfully universal about the spirit in which it has been put together, and for that reason, I am very excited to make it my book of the month. I for one will have no hesitation giving this book to anyone who wants to know what Australia can be at its finest. We have signed editions in stock today. Meanwhile, click here to see internal images of the book and to watch my interview with Susan Duncan. A Life on Pittwater RRP $59.95, Booktopia price $47.95 |
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| AUSTRALIAN FICTION - THE BIG NAMES |
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| LOVESONG | PARROT AND OLIVIER IN AMERICA | |
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 Alex MillerAs you can imagine, I am lucky enough to get a lot of uncorrected proof copies to read and I do endeavour to read them in order of their impending publication. Not so with Lovesong. Everything else was put aside and the weekend happily disappeared a couple of months ago as Miller led me from a small Tunisian cafe in Paris run by the widow Houria and her young niece Sabiha back to Melbourne with the melancholic baker, John Patterner. The writer of The Ancestor Game, Journey to the Stone Country and Landscape of Farewell has given us, yet again, a pitch-perfect novel of exile, connection and the tragic beauty of love. Alex Miller has won many prizes, including of course the coveted Miles Franklin Award. Lovesong, presented as a lovely hardback, is up there with his best. Lovesong RRP $39.99, Booktopia price $31.99 |  Peter CareyAnother hardback from another giant of the Australian - and international - literary scene. Twice Man Booker winner, Peter Carey brings us the story of an unlikely friendship between a second rate French aristocrat and his English servant in the turmoil that was the infancy of America. The old world meets the new in this funny and imaginative tour de force, that is classic Carey. An extract of Parrot and Olivier in America is below on the book description on site, click here to read it. Click here to watch Peter Carey discuss his latest novel with Granta magazine. Parrot and Olivier in America RRP $49.99, Booktopia price $39.99 | |
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| BROTHERS AND SISTERS | SONS OF THE RUMOUR | |
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 Charlotte Wood (ed)Another book I can't leave alone! From the first glimpse of the cover (what an evocative image!) I was just dying to read the individual takes on the sibling relationship from the likes of Christos Tsiolkas, Nam Le, Robert Drewe and Roger McDonald. Through both the imagination of storytelling and the lens of personal experience, this is the brother and sister relationship laid bare. You know who to give this one to this Christmas. Brothers and Sisters RRP $32.99, Booktopia price $26.39 |  David FosterThere is a kind of reverence that is reserved for David Foster, who is returning to print with a novel that has been ten years in the writing. Described variously as wildly ambitious, hugely idiosyncratic, devilishly complex, unapologetically ribald and devastatingly wise, Sons of the Rumour is at its most basic level a psychedelic retelling of the 1001 Nights: a bawdy historical romp coloured with Foster's trademark Aussie vernacular. On a deeper level, it is an examination of the rift between Islam and the West (particularly fundamentalist Islamic man and secular Western woman), but its core is the story of Shahrazade and the Shah. It also has a 19 line long sentence describing the said Shahrazad's breasts, which is not the sort of thing one reads everyday! We have placed one of her tales, The Fire Lamb, on the site for you to get a feel for. Sons of the Rumour RRP $39.99, Booktopia price $31.99 | |
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| FROM ACROSS THE SEAS - MORE BIG NAMES IN FICTION |
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| THE LACUNA | INVISIBLE/LAST NIGHT IN THE TWISTED RIVER | |
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 Barbara KingsolverWhat really went on in the household of Frida Kahlo and her painter husband, Diego Rivera? Their stormy relationship, full of extra-marital flings and break-ups, is probably as famous as their art, and the curiosity factor grew when they sheltered Leon Trotsky during the 1930s. Grounded in history, Barbara Kingsolver’s new novel imagines what happened behind closed doors, through the eyes of their housekeeper, Harrison Shepherd. Kingsolver’s epic story – spanning four decades of political upheavals in America and Mexico – is a vivid, colour-soaked depiction of those times. Kingsolver seems pulled between following her characters, and the historical events. It’s a dense, often too wide-stretching plot, (and it certainly does take a while to get going) but the characters – social climbers, lefties, do-gooders and crooks – make her rich, poetic writing come alive. Lacuna is a welcome return to print for Kingsolver and will delight fans of her classics such as The Prodigal Summer, and The Poisonwood Bible as well as taking her to a new, wider audience. Lacuna RRP $35.00, Booktopia price $28.00 |  Paul AusterA very welcome return to fine form from Paul Auster. This is a story that spans the forty years from 1967 and involves a young Columbia University student, an enigmatic French man, his seductive girlfriend and a shocking act of violence that changes all of their lives. Auster tells the story through three interwoven voices. I haven't finished reading it yet, but I note the exceptional reviews that it has been garnering, near and far. The Kirkus review is definitely worth reading, and do look on our site to see the Granta interview with the man himself. Invisible RRP $32.99, Booktopia price $26.39 John Irving is also back in form with  Last Night in Twisted River which has had universal praise.It’s not difficult to make the case that John Irving is the greatest American novelist of his generation...Of all the great American novelists of his generation, he has been the timeless one who has unerringly delivered; in any decade a John Irving book is a genuine event. (The Financial Times - click here for the full review). Click here to listen to the master talk about his writing, and this book. Last Night in Twisted River RRP $35.00, Booktopia price $28.00 | |
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| A SONG IN THE DAYLIGHT | UNDER THE DOME | |
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 Paullina SimonsThis newsletter wouldn't be complete without mentioning Paullina Simons who will be touring across the country this month. She has an immensely loyal fan base, drawn to her powerful writing which combines humour, heartache and suspense with all-too-human characters. Larissa Stark is a beautiful woman who plays many roles in her life: wife, mother, devoted friend, until a chance encounter with a stranger leaves her contemplating the unthinkable - how does one woman follow a divided heart? Spanning the upscale suburbs of New Jersey, the slums of Manila and the desolate beauty of the Australian outback, A Song in the Daylight is vintage Simons. A Song in the Daylight RRP $32.99, Booktopia price $26.39 |  Stephen King November 10 is the worldwide release date of what promises to be another block buster from Stephen King. A Maine town and its inhabitants are isolated from the world by an invisible, impenetrable dome. With some of the most spectacularly sinister characters King has ever imagined and a driving plot, this is King at his epic best. This book will thrill every reader who has ever loved a King book, as well as garner him more devoted fans. Under the Dome RRP $34.99, Booktopia price $27.99 | |
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| STARDUST | NINE DRAGONS | |
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 Joseph KanonIn Stardust Kanon deftly mixes a haunting personal story, political intrigue, and 1945 period detail to stunning effect. As the story opens, Army translator and film maker Ben Collier has returned from war-torn Europe and is on a Hollywood-bound train surrounded by industry players. He's on his way to the hospital where his only sibling, his brother Daniel, is in a coma and not expected to live, after an attempt on his own life given the spin by his studio's publicity department. Why would a man with the world by the tail—a beautiful wife, a successful producing career, and a heroic past—try to kill himself? I really enjoyed Stardust - the perfect blend of glamour, mystery and intrigue with a complexity and relevance in the vein of Le Carre or Greene. There is an excerpt and a piece to camera by Kanon here. Stardust RRP $32.99, Booktopia price $26.39 |  Michael ConnellyMichael Connelly honed his skills as a crime reporter for the LA Times and it is in that city that his incredibly successful Hieronymus Bosch series is based. In this, the 15th Bosch, "Harry" Bosch is investigating a murder in Chinatown, when his youngest daughter Maddie goes missing in Hong Kong. You can't do better than going to the Michael Connelly website, for excerpts, interviews, footage and FAQs about Nine Dragons, and all the previous books. It is a feast for fans. Nine Dragons RRP $32.99, Booktopia price $26.39 | |
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| BOOKS FOR TEENS (AND ADULTS TOO) |
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 HUSH HUSH by Becca FitzpatrickRomance, danger, sacrifice, ancient battles and fallen angels. This book has been massively oversubscribed and will appeal to the Twilight reader. And what a cover image! Click here to read an extract. Hush Hush RRP $24.99, Booktopia price $19.99  THE TRAITOR GAME by B R CollinsThis one is for the boys - a tale of friendship between two young men whose preoccupation is the fantasy gaming world which holds more appeal than the real world. Sound familiar? This book had a cult following in hardback and is making a welcome appearance as a paperback. The Traitor Game RRP $15.99, Booktopia price $12.80  SHIVER by Maggie StiefvaterI've just finished listening to the author read the first chapter of this paranormal romance - girl meets wolf boy - and I have to tell you, I'm hooked. If you are looking for a beautiful hardback gift book this season, this is it. Shiver RRP $29.99, Booktopia price $23.99  THE PACT by Jodi PicoultJodi Picoult has a huge following among (mainly) women. Now her bestseller, The Pact, is being re-released for a younger audience, this new edition containing explanatory notes at the back. Click here to read an extract. The Pact RRP $17.99, Booktopia price $14.39 |
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| MEMOIR |
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| HARRY M MILLER: CONFESSIONS OF A NOT SO SECRET AGENT | RAY: STORIES OF MY LIFE | |
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 Harry M MillerHarry M Miller has been the colossus of the entertainment world for more than a generation. Here he finally tells his story - of women, of clients, of that time in jail. This is a who's who of the media savvy, plus Harry M's own compelling story. In the meantime, click here to hear Harry talk and to see some pictures at play, at home and at work. Harry M Miller RRP $45.00, Booktopia price $36.00 |  Ray MartinAnother big autobiography, not to mention the bidding war to secure the rights to this warts-and-all memoir from the man who is possibly the most famous face on Australian television. This will be a fascinating behind the scenes look into the television machine as well as a thought-provoking, and no doubt inspiring, insight into one of Australia's most trusted and beloved television personalities. Ray: Stories of My Life RRP $49.95, Booktopia price $39.95 | |
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| THE BLAZE OF OBSCURITY: THE TELEVISION YEARS | I BLAME DUCHAMP: MY LIFE'S ADVENTURES IN ART | |
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 Clive JamesDespite having a published list as long as your arm, Clive James is still best known for his work on television. So here it is - his recollections, ruminations, observations and diatribes, all written in his inimitable, enviable style. The Blaze of Obscurity RRP $34.99, Booktopia price $27.99 |  Edmund CaponDriven by curiosity and his love of the unorthodox, Capon applies the same level of passion to a discussion of football as he does to Confucius. Sharpening his wit on the contemporary art world, this collection of essays also includes 50 beautiful reproductions of paintings. This is an insight into the mind of a lively and generous thinker, and a person who has had a pivotal role in the arts scene (via his leadership of the Art Gallery of NSW) for a generation. I Blame Duchamp RRP $49.95, Booktopia price $39.95 | |
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| AUSTRALIANA |
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| THE MIND AND TIMES OF REG MOMBASSA | RUSSELL DRYSDALE | DREAMING OF DIOR | ||
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 Murray WaldrenAs colourful, entertaining and boldly original as the man himself, this makes a fantastic present. Christopher O'Doherty aka Reg Mombassa has a special place in our hearts not only for his influence on Mental As Anything, but also for his fabulous pop art. What fewer people realise is that finely worked landscapes have also emerged from his imagination. This is Mombassa as you have never seen him before - 300 original artworks, photographs, posters and band memorabilia. Click here to see the internal images. The Life and Times of Reg Mombassa RRP $75.00, Booktopia price $60.00 Click here for the slipcased limited edition of this book. The Life and Times of Reg Mombassa RRP $150.00, Booktopia price $129.00 |  Lou KlepacThe acknowledged expert on Russell Drysdale, Lou Klepac has re-worked his classic of Australian art, a book that has been in print for 26 years. With a new introduction, this full revised and re-designed edition is a hard cover with French fold jacket treatment, and will sit proudly among the collection of any serious lover of Australian art. Click here to see some classic Drysdale paintings, taken from Klepac's book. Russell Drysdale RRP $125.00, Booktopia price $100.00 | Charlotte Smith Australian resident Charlotte Smith inherited an incredible collection of vintage dresses from her American Quaker godmother Doris Darnell. Some 28 Dior, Chanel and Ungaro gowns (from the more than 3000 treasures) are currently on exhibition in Sydney. Meanwhile, her story of both her aunt's and her peripatetic lives, lives marked by the fabulous gowns and their fascinating provenance, are written up in Dreaming of Dior, a book in which each dress holds a lifetime of memories. Dreaming of Dior RRP $35.00, Booktopia price $28.00 | ||
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| WHY YOU ARE AUSTRALIAN: A LETTER TO MY CHILDREN | GREAT AUSTRALIAN SPEECHES | STRINE: THE COMPLETE WORKS | ||
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 Nikki GemmellAs a young woman, adventure lay in leaving our shores. Now, with children, the idea of coming home haunts her. On a trip back here, Gemmell explores the idea of exile and homecoming, of what makes Australia attractive, but also why people feel compelled to leave. Part memoir, part observation, Gemmell approaches the subject with the characteristic candour that make The Bride Stripped Bare and The Book of Rapture the fascinating reads that they are. Why You Are Australian RRP $29.99, Booktopia price $23.99 |  Pamela RobsonA collection spanning 230 years from Captain Phillip to Kevin Rudd's stolen generation, here is stirring and passionate oratory from all fields and endeavours. This is a must for people interested in history and politics and includes Ned Kelly's last speech, Dame Nellie Melba, Miles Franklin, David Malouf, Mick Dodson, Gough Whitlam, John Kerr and more. Great stuff! Great Australian Speeches RRP $34.95, Booktopia price $27.95 |  Professor Affabeck Lauder I have always had a soft spot for these "dictionaries" of both our fair Australian tongue, as well as the language of mother Britain, although they have been sadly unavailable for quite some time. Our esteemed author was born in Mairlben and was Professor of Strine Studies at the University of Sinny. This collection includes the classics Let Stalk Strine, Nose Tone Unturned and Fraffly Wellspoken and also features definitions of egg nishner, longer ray and other favourites. Best enjoyed out loud! Strine RRP $29.95, Booktopia price $23.95 | ||
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| AUSTRALIAN HISTORY |
 BEYOND REASONABLE DROUGHTWith a forward by Don Watson and essays by Martin Flanagan among others, this is a collection of more than 200 images taken by 38 photographers of the MAP Group. This compilation is about water, scarcity, resilience, despair and hope. Half of the royalties from this book go to Australian Women in Agriculture in recognition of its continuing support of rural communities. To see some images, click here. Beyond Reasonable Drought RRP $39.95, Booktopia price $31.95  OVER THE TOP by HG HarnettThis book takes the reader on an eye-opening tour of life in and behind the trenches on the Western Front. Harnett was a digger on the western front and this book, never before published, is based on his diaries which his family gave to Chris Bryett, a lawyer and World War I buff, to arrange for publication. Over the Top RRP $35.00, Booktopia price $28.00  AUSTRALIAN STYLE by Melissa Penfold and Jenny TabakoffThe how to of behaviour, presentation, personal style, etiquette, decorating, career and money management in one gorgeously presented compendium. Click here to read an extract beneath the book description on site, and to see inside. Australian Style RRP $39.95, Booktopia price $31.95 |
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| AUSTRALIA'S MILITARY HISTORY: ILLUSTRATED |
 TOBRUK: ILLUSTRATED by Peter FitzSimonsA grinding eight month campaign in 1941, centring around Tobruk, up against Rommel's Afrika Korps, the battle remains a defining event in both WWI's, and Australia's, destiny. This edition of the bestselling Tobruk has additional pictorial and written material, and will be a must for anyone with an interest in military matters. Tobruk RRP $49.99, Booktopia price $39.99  KOKODA SPIRIT by Patrick LindsayWe are hearing a lot about Kokoda lately, and for all the wrong reasons. In this visually stunning book, Lindsay explores the track, displaying it in all in its unique and challenging beauty as well as explaining just how and why it became a death trap in 1942. Click here to see some pages from the book. Kokoda Spirit RRP $49.95, Booktopia price $39.95  MUD AND DUST: Australian Army Vehicles and Artillery in VietnamIn association with the Australian War Memorial, this book showcases stunning photographs of the vehicles in action, with detailed colour scheme notes, internal features and stories from their war record. Compiled by and endorsed by the Australian War Memorial, Mud and Dust paints an informative and thoughtful portrait of the vehicles and artillery used throughout the Vietnam War. Mud and Dust RRP $45.00, Booktopia price $36.00 |
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| SPORT |
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 OPEN by Andre AgassiThis would have to be the pick of the sport related books this season. Open is being released simultaneously with the US on November 6 so no one has seen it yet. What we can expect is candour, a fluidity of style and the trademark panache which we have come to associate with tennis great, Andre Agassi. The pre-publication descriptions of Open sound fascinating. Open RRP $32.99, Booktopia price $26.39  THE GREATEST by Malcolm KnoxJournalist, novelist and self confessed cricket tragic, Malcolm Knox celebrates all that is great about Australian cricket with chronicles of the glory years from 1993 to 2008. With 100 full-colour photos throughout, The Greatest is an account of a truly phenomenal era - the greatest era in Australian cricket history. Click here to read an extract. The Greatest RRP $49.95, Booktopia price $39.95  Other picks for the sports follower (armchair or otherwise) include: BART: MY LIFE by Bart Cummings Talk about bloodlines! RRP $49.95, Booktopia price $39.95  CORBIN HARRIS' ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SKATEBOARDING The quintessence of street cred. RRP $35.00, Booktopia price $28.00  ON TOUR WITH BRIAN BOOTH by Brian Booth and Ronald Cardwell A representation of Booth's recollections from his 1961 cricket tour including photos, colour transparencies and contextual writings.  RRP $38.95, Booktopia price $31.16 CADEL by the cyclist man of the moment, Cadel Evans. RRP $45.00, Booktopia price $36.00  MORE THAN A GAME by Jan Strading A sport book for people who think they are disinterested in sport, this examines how and why sport and history collide. RRP $45.00, Booktopia price $36.00 1000 GREAT PLACES TO FISH IN AUSTRALIA by Steve Cooper A must for every angler. RRP $34.95, Booktopia price $27.96 |
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| THE CIRCLE OF LIFE |
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 Here is my pick of the self-help/relationships books this month - funniest first.TEXTBOOK ROMANCE: A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO GETTING THE GUY by Zoe Foster and Hamish Blake Now this is what I call a great partnership - relationship guru Zoe Foster and general funster and alpha male Hamish Blake get together to give you the low down on relationships - establishing them, nourishing them and then pulling the plug in the nicest possible way when necessary. Scroll down the product description on our site to read an extract.  Text Book Romance RRP $24.95, Booktopia price $19.95 PREGNANCY: THE MUMSNET GUIDE From the front line of parenting, this is tips, information, pros and cons of parenting issues, all garnished from Mumsnet.com. Pregnancy RRP $35.00, Booktopia price $28.00  CHILD SENSE by Priscilla Dunstan The first major childcare book since the Baby Whisperer, featuring techniques which Oprah hailed as potentially 'life-changing for millions of mothers' this is an essential new parenting title which explains how 'Baby Language' works, and shows how parents can use the five senses to understand their child better, from birth to age five. Child Sense RRP $35.00, Booktopia price $28.00  IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD: STRENGTHENING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH by Gary and Melissa NewmanThis is about working on a relationship, no matter what comes your way. We have some interesting footage with the authors on the site, as well as a Google Preview. This is an Oprah favourite by the way. In Good Times and Bad RRP $39.95, Booktopia price $31.95  THE GUIDE FOR SEPARATED PARENTS: PUTTING YOUR CHILDREN FIRST by Nick and Karen WoodallAnd if all else fails, this is the book that you will need on skills and advice for co-operative sharing of children. This is practical, full of strategies and tips, and is much needed. The Guide for Separated Parents RRP $24.99, Booktopia price $19.99  ALZHEIMER'S: A LOVE STORY by Vivienne UlmanAt a time when she thought she would be enjoying re-connecting with her husband after years of parenting, Ulman found herself dealing with her mother's encroaching Alzheimer's disease. This is a beautifully written and searingly honest account. You may also be interested in Lynda Bennett and Trish Stewart's What Can I Do? which is an Australian resource book for people needing care. Alzheimer's: A Love Story RRP $32.95, Booktopia price $26.35 |
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| OLD ROCKERS NEVER DIE |
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 WHAT WOULD KEITH RICHARDS DO? Daily Affirmations from a rock 'n' roll Survivor by Jessica Pallington WestI have to admit, I keep dipping into this one. How can I resist with gems like "If only Mozart had had a really good drummer" and "You kinda get the message about excess after you've been to a few funerals"? With chapters such as the twenty-six ten commandments of Keith Richards, Keith and Nietzsche, Urban Guru, Fashion and Style and The Keith Timeline: A Chronology of Trouble, not to mention the closing recipe for Shepherd's Pie, there are plenty of people out there that this will speak to. What Would Keith Richards Do? RRP $19.99, Booktopia price $15.99  BILLY THORPE'S TIME ON EARTH by Jason WalkerBilly Thorpe's Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy was the anthemic sound track to a whole generation of Australians. Thorpe's untimely death in 2007 shocked the nation. Now, Jason Walker brings us the Billy Thorpe story, which is in fact the first full biography of this giant of the Australian music scene. Billy Thorpe's Time on Earth RRP $35.00, Booktopia price $28.00   THE BEATLES ON CAMERA AND OFF GUARD by Mark HaywardTHE ROLLING STONES ON CAMERA AND OFF GUARD by Mark Hayward With rare photos, interviews and archival material, as well as bonus DVDs with some never before seen footage, these two books chronicle the two most significant bands in the history of rock, bands whose popularity never seems to wane. The Beatles On Camera and Off Guard RRP $59.99, Booktopia price $48.00 The Rolling Stones On Camera and Off Guard RRP $59.99, Booktopia price $47.96 |
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| IT ALL COMES BACK TO SCIENCE |
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| OUR CHOICE: A PLAN TO SOLVE CLIMATE CRISIS | CATCHING FIRE: HOW COOKING MADE US HUMAN | |
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 Al GoreTaking off where An Inconvenient Truth left off, ex vice president Al Gore turns his cool head and lucid style to the very vexed issue of climate change solutions. Our Choice RRP $35.00, Booktopia price $28.00 |  Richard WranghamWhat distinguishes us from other life forms? What was the break through point on the road to development? Wrangham argues that it is our habit of cooking food that allowed us as a species to go ahead in leaps and bounds. Covering everything from food-labelling and overweight pets to raw-food faddists, this book offers a startlingly original argument about how we came to be the social, intelligent, and sexual species we are today. Catching Fire RRP $35.00, Booktopia price $28.00 | |
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| SCIENTIFICA | WHAT'S NEXT | |
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 A Comprehensive Guide to the World of ScienceFor the home library and student alike, this is a brilliantly visual treatise that makes the world of science accessible to all. Covering maths, astronomy, physics, medicine, biology, chemistry and geology, this is packed full of discoveries, techniques, adaptations as well as stories of people who made the difference. Click here to see some page spreads. Scientifica RRP $49.99, Booktopia price $39.99 |  Max Brockman (ed)This is a road map to the science we are all going to have to get familiar with over the next decade or so. Max Brockman, who represents Jared Diamond and Richard Dawkins among others, has put together this fascinating collection of the ideas of 18 young scientists and the work they are doing to sort us through the mess we have made of things. What's Next RRP $34.95, Booktopia price $27.95 | |
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| INSPIRATION |
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Well, if science doesn't set your soul on fire, perhaps the next selection will be just the thing to leave you inspired, re-energised, and full of hope and promise. A VENETIAN JOURNAL by Tessa Kiros Too divine, this is part food, part art, part journal, the book you want to take to Venice with you, or the book that you wish you could conjure up yourself. I have lingered over this one - and it is great value. Have a look at this image to give you an idea. A Venetian Journal RRP $39.95, Booktopia price $31.95  FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, LOVE AND LAUGHTER by Geoff Blackwell (ed)The original 1999 photography competition yielded the gorgeous Moments of Intimacy Laughter and Kinship series. Now 10 years later, more than 30,000 entrants and 150 newly selected warm and intimate images, we are presented with another collection that will put a smile on your face and connect you with the human spirit in all of us. This hardcover jacketed book is indeed a celebration. Look at these images and you will see what I mean. Friendship, Family, Love and Laughter RRP $60.00, Booktopia price $48.00 |
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| GARDENS |
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| A YEAR IN MY GARDEN | ORGANIC | ||
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 Jenny FergusonThis is a sumptuous and lovely book - a seasonal meander through one of NSW's particularly splendid cold climate gardens plus a few recipes and design ideas thrown in. It would make a gorgeous gift. A Year in My Garden RRP $59.95, Booktopia price $47.95 |  Don BurkeHere is a gardener that needs no introduction, and here is everything you need to know about growing your own delicious food, safely, no matter where you live and no matter what your budget. Click here for some images from the book. Organic RRP $29.95 , Booktopia price $23.95 | ||
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| SOMETHING DIFFERENT |
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| STITCHES: A MEMOIR | LIQUOR AND THE NICK | |
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| David Small I was completely unprepared  for the emotional pull of David Small's graphic memoir, Stitches.David Small started his illustration career on The New Yorker, Esquire and Playboy. He is best known as a children's book author and illustrator and has won the Caldecott Medal more than once. Small started drawing when he was two years old, and spent much of his childhood, which was plagued by illness, disappearing into his own world of illustration and imagination. Stitches starts in Detroit in the early 50s with Small, the passive observer of an increasingly dysfunctional family. What follows is a descent into illness and a kind of madness, as his trust in all who should have protected him is increasingly betrayed. This is definitely Augusten Burroughs Running with Scissors territory. Yes, it is a shocking story of parental abuse, and yes, there is redemption at the end. But I was absolutely drawn in from the very first page of this stunning memoir, and I can't imagine how a book that purely relied on words could do it justice. From the scarlet imprint of lipstick on Mrs Dillon's filter-tipped cigarettes to the vulnerability of David upside down on the monkey bars wearing his favourite Alice in Wonderland head scarf, this is a haunting, visual memoir whose visceral impact goes much further than words. I can't recommend this highly enough. Click here for images. Stitches RRP $37.95, Booktopia price $30.35 |  WHISKEY AND PHILOSOPHYFritz Allhoff and Marcus P Adams How do tasting notes vary across guides and whiskey brands? Why is there the popular conception that drinking whiskey makes people mean, and is it true? Whether your interest lies in the drink itself or in the philosophical issues surrounding it, you'll find something to interest you in this unusual book. Straight up with a Manhattan, this is your perfect drinking companion. For a taste sampler, using the Google preview on our site, click here. Whiskey and Philosophy RRP $35.95, Booktopia price $29.99  HOTEL KEROBOKANKathryn Bonella Marching Powder meets Schapelle Corby's My Story in Kathryn Bonella's Hotel Kerobokan, the inside story of Bali's most notorious jail. With unprecedented access over a long period of time, Bonella chronicles the full horror - from terrible, public sexual abuses, to bribery, prostitution, deadly isolation cells - not to mention suicide attempts - a drug trade running rife, a reign of terror by gang warlords, daily violence, non-existent hygiene and mass break outs. Bonella presents us with a cavalcade of the notorious - Schapelle Corby, The Bali Nine, the Bali bombers - in a book that unfortunately has enormous interest. Hotel Kerobokan RRP $34.99, Booktopia price $27.99 | |
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| LOOKS | POISON PENS | THE SECRET LIVES OF BUILDINGS | ||
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 Lauren LukeWhen Lauren Luke uploaded her first make up tutorial on YouTube two years ago, she had no idea what a sensation she was about to become. She has gained a legion of fans through word of mouth and this book is all about making the most of what you have got, and being happy with who you are. Looks RRP $45.00, Booktopia price $36.00 |  Literary Invective from Amis to ZolaGary Dexter Mark Twain on Jane Austen: Every time I read Pride and Prejudice I want to dig her up and hit her over the skull with her own shinbone. Norman Mailer on Tom Wolfe's novel A Man in Full: It is a 742-page work that reads as if it is 1500-pages long... At certain points, reading the work can even be said to resemble the act of making love to a 300lb woman. Once she gets on top, it's all over. Fall in love, or be asphyxiated. Very un-PC I know, but you get the drift. There is plenty of interest, sparring and gleeful nastiness in this book of literary criticism. Poison Pens RRP $24.95, Booktopia price $19.95 |  Edward HollisHere are thirteen tales of buildings, from the Wailing Wall to the palaces of Los Vegas from which we come away with the idea that, however solid they might appear, such monuments and structures are almost febrile things. The more we try to pin them down, and conserve them, at any one single point in their aesthetic history, the more we imperil of our collective imagination. Here are wondrous stories writ in stone, and Edward Hollis has written about them very well indeed. The Secret Lives of Buildings RRP $59.99, Booktopia price $47.99 | ||
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| ENIGMA 2 | BUILDING PARIS | HERBARIUM AMORIS | ||
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 Fabrice MazzaEnigma 1 was last Christmas' surprise novelty gift book. Get set for Enigma 2 presented as before as an ancient medieval manuscript complete with foxing and age spots, this is packed with puzzles, brain teasers and things that will twist logic and do your head in. Enigma 2 RRP $39.95, Booktopia price $31.95 |  Bruce MarshallHow did Paris get to be the most admired city in the world? Bruce Marshall combines his gift for words with some absolutely stunning photography, much of it rarely available outside the archives, to give us a picture of Paris like we have never seen before. This is a gorgeous book and there is plenty of material here to give you a really good feel for it. Building Paris RRP $75.00, Booktopia price $60.00 This series has also been released as Building New York. Click here to read more. |  Edvard Koinberg with a forward by Henning MankellPlant sexuality as a visual companion to Carl Linnaeus' work on taxonomy, with all the same passion and dedication. These are strong, beautiful and very compelling photographs. Click for images here. Herbarium Amoris RRP $99.00, Booktopia price $79.20 | ||
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| KIDS' STUFF |
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Gosh I hope people are getting to the end of this newsletter because there are some absolutely fantastic kids' books here. We've ordered plenty of stock but things come and go quickly at this time of year so put your order in quickly.  CROCODILE TEARS by Anthony HorowitzAlex Rider like you have never seen him before! Crocodile Tears RRP $17.95, Booktopia price $14.35 HALT'S PERIL by John Flanagan - SIGNED COPIES in STOCK This is the 9th book in the incredibly popular Ranger's Apprentice series. Click here to hear the author speak directly to Booktopia customers. Halt's Peril  RRP $16.95, Booktopia price $13.50CONSPIRACY 365: JANUARY by Gabrielle Lord I am so excited about this one! Crime writer Gabrielle Lord is making a huge splash with this series which is an absolute pulse racer! January is available at a special introductory price. After that, it is 11 books in 11 months with a strong, single storyline that drives each episode, each ending appropriately with a cliff hanger. This is 24 meets the Da Vinci Code meets Alex Rider. One boy and 365 days on the run! Ages 10+ Conspiracy 365 RRP $9.99, Booktopia price $7.95  ERAGON'S GUIDE TO ALAGAESIA by Christopher PaoliniEragon, Eldest, Brisingr - Paolini fans will be hanging out for this wonderful gift edition. It is full colour, has lots of maps, flaps and fold-outs, and completes the fantasy that is the world of the Inheritance Cycle. Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia RRP $45.00, Booktopia price $36.00  WADDLELeaping frogs, flapping hummingbirds, slithering snakes - the team that brought us Gallop! and Kick! have done it again with this very cute scanimation gift book for littlies (which is not to say that adults don't have a lot of fun with those very clever moving images). Waddle RRP $24.95, Booktopia price $19.95  WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak We sell this classic of imagination many times a week, but there is particular interest in it right now because of the movie that is being released next month. Nine sentences, easily recognisable artwork, and a story that has become a classic - you are going to want to read it before you go to the cinema. Where the Wild Things Are RRP $19.95, Booktopia price $15.95 IN STOCK |
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ADVENTUROUS SPIRITS  With so many people going abroad to do some kind of volunteering work, it is a wonder that this useful and comprehensive guide hasn't been written before. Frommer's 500 Places Where You Can Make a Difference by Andrew Mersmann offers a range of ideas to cater for every individual. There are also many Australian entries, including food banks, coaching, oral history projects and music festivals.And while we are on the subject, Teaching English as a Foreign Language for Dummies by Michelle Maxom might come in handy. It is also essential reading for anyone wanting to bone up on those vital TEFL qualifications before setting out. By the way, Footprint has just come out with its 86th edition of its famous South American Handbook 2010, aka the south American travellers Bible. 86 editions is pretty impressive! Frommer's 500 Places Where You Can Make a Difference RRP: $32.95 Booktopia Price $26.36 Teaching English as a Foreign Language for Dummies RRP: $42.95 Booktopia Price $34.35 South American Handbook 2010 RRP: $59.95 Booktopia Price $47.96 | |||||||
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TWILIGHT WATCH Where would a newsletter be without the latest Twilight news?People will be lining up for the the Twilight saga boxed sets - in both hardback and paperback - that's right, all four Stephenie Meyer's in a box - Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. And for people wanting something more, try the new collection of shorts by the likes of Claudia Gray, PC Cast and Tanith Lee - Immortal Love Stories with Bite. Twilight Boxed Set: hardback RRP: $145.00, Booktopia Price: $116.00 IN STOCK Twilight Boxed Set: paperback RRP: $100.00, Booktopia Price: $80.00 Immortal Love Stories with Bite RRP: $18.95, Booktopia Price: $15.15 |
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WILD THINGS There is a lot of excitement out there about the film version of Maurice Sendak's classic, Where the Wild Things Are which is being released in a few short weeks.Meanwhile, Dave Eggers has put together a beautiful full length novel version of this children's picture book in The Wild Things.  Where the Wild Things Are RRP $19.95, Booktopia Price $15.96 IN STOCK The Wild Things RRP $35.00, Booktopia Price $28.00 |
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RACING OFF OUR SHELVES  |
| THE FIVE GREATEST WARRIORS Matthew Reilly RRP: $49.99 Booktopia Price: $39.95 IN STOCK |
| WHO WANTS TO BE A BILLIONAIRE? Paul Barry RRP: $49.99 Booktopia Price: $39.95 IN STOCK |
| NO ORDINARY BLOKE Donny Paterson RRP: $32.99 Booktopia Price: $26.95 IN STOCK |
| HANDLING EDNA Barry Humphries RRP: $49.99 Booktopia Price: $39.99 IN STOCK |
| HAVE A LITTLE FAITH Mitch Albom RRP: $35.00 Booktopia Price: $28.00 IN STOCK |
| WOLF HALL Hilary Mantel RRP: $32.99 Booktopia Price: $24.95 IN STOCK |
| THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST Stieg Larsson RRP: $32.95 Booktopia Price: $19.95 IN STOCK |
| THE LOST SYMBOL Dan Brown RRP: $49.95 Booktopia Price: $29.95 IN STOCK |
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JAZZ If jazz is your thing, you are going to love these two books. Gary Giddins and Scott DeVeaux have both lived and breathed jazz for more than twenty years. They now team up to bring us Jazz from ragtime and blues to contemporary artists. This is a comprehensive, eloquent account peppered with photos. And if jazz lovers don't already know John Clellon Holmes' classic 1952 work of fiction, take advantage of the re-appearance of The Horn, whose fictional hero Edgar Pool (known as the Horn) was the wistful throaty mouthpiece of the New York nightclub scene. Jazz RRP: $59.95 Booktopia Price $47.96 The Horn RRP: $29.99 Booktopia Price $23.96 |
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ICONS OF DESIGN 20th Century Classic Cars: 100 Year of Automotive Advertising and 20th Century Classic Fashion: 100 Years of Apparel Advertising  are both full of the iconic images that we have absorbed into out collective consciousness. Meanwhile, Terence Conran has always been associated with style and in this affordable series, he puts his take on how everyday objects have changed the world. These are perfect gifts for design aficionados, students and newcomers. This fantastic, affordable series brings serious design knowledge to the general reader. Click on the books to see some inside images. 20th Century Classic Cars: 100 Year of Automotive Advertising RRP: $99.00, Booktopia Price $79.20 IN STOCK 20th Century Classic Fashion: 100 Years of Apparel Advertising RRP: $99.00, Booktopia Price $79.20 IN STOCK |
| FIFTY CARS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Design Museum RRP: $25.00 Booktopia price: $20.00 |
| FIFTY DRESSES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Design Museum RRP: $25.00 Booktopia price: $20.00 |
| FIFTY SHOES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Design Museum RRP: $25.00 Booktopia price: $20.00 |
| FIFTY CHAIRS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Design Museum RRP: $25.00 Booktopia price: $20.00 |
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REFERENCE The last word in Australian lexicon, The Macquarie Dictionary has just released its jumbo fifth edition.RRP: $129.95 Booktopia price: $103.96 |
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| HEADLINERS Here are the books that everyone is talking about: St. Mary's in Exile: The Story of Peter Kennedy and the Church of St Mary's by Martin Flanagan and Michele Gierck RRP: $29.95 Booktopia Price $23.96  My Brother's Eyes: The True Story of Surviving 16 Years in a Destructive Cult by David and John AyliffeRRP: $34.95 Booktopia Price $27.96  Our Legends: Australia's Greatest an anthology of profiles honouring living Australians who have made a unique contribution to Australia.RRP: $34.95 Booktopia Price $27.96  The Inconvenient Child by Sharyn Killens and Lindsay LewisRRP: $35.00 Booktopia Price $28.00 IN STOCK  The Winner's Bible: Rewire Your Brain for Permanent Change by Dr Kerry SpackmanRRP: $29.95 Booktopia Price $23.96 BRW FAST 100 Stand by for Friday 30th October when BRW Magazine's Fast 100 is announced. Booktopia is among that very special group of 100 fastest growing companies in Australia, although we don't yet know where we are in the select rankings. A big thank you to all of our customers who have contributed to getting us there. Who said that the book is dead? |
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