Hannah was rescued from an unhappy childhood at a Dymocks store when she escaped to the depths of Newtown. At Better Read she is reponsible for customer's special orders, searching the world for those hard-to-find books, to satisfy our most demanding shoppers.
Secretly she had always hoped to be a ballerina and is still disappointed her parents never bought her a pony.
Mortal Instruments Trilogy
by Cassandra Clare
This trilogy is urban fantasy at its best. You will be lured instantaneously into the world of Werewolves, Vampires, Faeries and the Shadowhunter – a secret tribe dedicated to ridding the earth of grotesque demons. Invisible to us folk, these mysterious warriors are covered in gold-like tattoos, wield bizarre and deadly weapons, possess incredible speed and strength and have the power of the sight. They are also super cool! The characters in this trilogy are brilliant and a lot of fun and the plot is a non-stop whirlwind of action, suspense, adventure, excitement and romance. It'll have you hooked in no time.
The Weight of Silence
Catherine Therese
2009
PB $29.99
Catherine Therese puts her childhood memories on display in this raw, moving and at times hilarious account of her younger life. This book is well written and unique, and touches on issues that are easily identifiable with us all. The natural curiosity of a growing girl never makes for a dull story and if at times you need a breather from the back streets of Blacktown, just close the pages and stare at the front cover! What an image. I loved this biography.
Silent Footsteps
Sally Henderson
2007
PB $24.95
As Sally Henderson was bedding down for the night during a holiday in Botswana with, she forgot to fully zip her tent. When she woke hours later, lions were circling in for the kill. Torn between the urge to scream & fly into a frantic fit or secure the tent & remain calm, Sally lay dead still wishing for the night to end. When Sally became aware of the lions sudden retreat she risked a move to see what had caused the swift departure. Standing directly above the tent as silently has it had arrived stood a fully grown elephant. A washed with relief and a new fear of being stomped to death Sally struck up a deal with her protector who continued to stay with her until morning. She would return to Africa to protect this endangered animal. So a few years later, having sold up in Australia, Sally returned to Zimbabwe with her partner to do just that.
What follows in this book is a beautiful, moving and often funny account of life with the elephants & Africa.
Pictures of Us
Todd Alexander
2006
PB $22.95
Pictures of Us tells the story of Maggie Apperton and her desire to reform a family that has been driven apart by years of secrecy and deception. This book is an intimate and often moving exploration of a seemingly average Australian family, its history and the web of deception that it has been built around. Its characters are real enough to be flawed and at times frustrating, just like a family member we know who's not quite telling the truth or what's on their mind. It's honest and compelling and will keep you intrigued until the very end.
A Walk in the Woods
Bill Bryson
1998
PB $24.95
This is my favorite Bryson novel. It tells the story of Bryson's attempt to travel the world's longest footpath, the Appalachian Trail, which stretches along the entire East Coast of America, from Georgia to Maine. Accompanying Bryson (much to his disbelief at times) is his overweight, cake-loving, traveling buddy Stephen Katz. 4000 kms of remote woodland lie before them. Its home to wild bears, cats, snakes, moose, poisonous plants, nasty little insects and a random murderer. If A Walk in the Woods was meant to crush a desire for outdoor adventure, it has the opposite effect. Bryson's description of the surrounding landscapes - the Smoky Mountains & Great North Woods of Maine, has me longing to go. I give thanks that Bryson can relate his adventures and misfortunes in a uniquely hilarious way.
My Family & Other Animals
Gerald Durrell
2006
PB $14.95
'My Childhood in Corfu shaped my life. If I had the craft of Merlin, I would give every child the gift of my childhood' Gerald Durrell
This book follows the early footsteps of Durrell, a blossoming zoologist, and his family's move from dreary England to the exquisite island of Corfu. Durrell gives a warm and entertaining account of his day to day life on the island where he immediately befriends the native folk of the Isle, enjoys siestas in the shade with the family's taxi driver Spiro Americanos and involves himself in animated conversations with the island's Rose Beetle-Man, a non-English speaking character who enjoys trading his remarkable collection of pets. This book is refreshing to read, written with the single-minded objective curiosity of a growing boy.
The White Masai
Corinne Hoffman
2006
PB $22.95
Author Hofmann has fallen hopelessly in love with a beautiful Masai warrior whilst holidaying with her boyfriend in Kenya. Determined to be together she packs up life in Switzerland and moves to Kenya to be with Lketinga. But after fours years together the cultural clash between white European and Masai becomes too much. Female circumcision, malnutrition, disease and an abusive husband became all too evident & Corinne's world falls apart. A realistic and convincing read, this book offers a glimpse into a world we still know little about. Could you leave all that is familiar, comfortable and stable in your life for a bloke and the Kenyan bush? I'd like to think that I could, but I'm all for flushing loos, hot water and dark Lindt chocolate.
My Favourite Book
It's impossible to choose, but to name a few....
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien, The Year of Living Dangerously by Christopher Koch, the Harry Potter books by J K Rowling, the His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman, The Princess Bride by William Goldman, A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking (although I still don't understand String Theory), Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, Mountains of the Mind by Robert MacFarlane and the list goes on & on...
My Favourite Author
Again it's impossible to choose but today I think...
Janet Evanovich
She is hilarious, original and one of the sassiest crime writers of today. The creator of the famous bounty hunter Stephanie Plum will have you in no time with her quick & slick dialogue & outrageous & quirky plots. Evanovich's books are playful fun & provide the perfect escape. She rubs off on us all. I've caught myself many too many times day-dreaming of being Ms Plum. I think it's the action packed job, zany family and bad-arsed boys she knocks around with that has me hooked.
There are 15 books in the series so far & counting. Please don't stop Janet!
What's Beside the Bed
Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness This is book 1 of the Chaos Walking series. The next best thing for fantasy fans to get stuck into this year.
The Tall Man by Chloe Hooper The tragic story of Palm Island's Cameron Doomadgee and the ramifications of his death.
The Origins of the Species by Charles Darwin I'm pretty sure I'm due for a check up on the theory of evolution and natural selection.
Cloudstreet by Tim Winton After Tim's surprising visit in store, I've taken a vow to read Cloudstreet. If it's as wonderful as its author I won't be disappointed!