Three Brothers: Memories of My Family by Yan Lianke

Insight into life in China is particularly relevant in these times. Yan Lianke is one of China’s most notable contemporary writers. Amongst his awards, he has been twice shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize. His literary memoir, Three Brothers: Memories of My Family is translated by Carlos Rojas and published by Text Publishing. Yan […]

Rising Heart by Aminata Conteh-Biger

Thank you for speaking to PaperbarkWords, Aminata. Rising Heart is Aminata’s memoir (co-written with Juliet Rieden, published by Macmillan Australia). Aminata grew up in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and experienced the horrors of war, kidnapping and rape during the country’s 11-year civil war. She was brought to Australia as a refugee because her safety was […]

The Bible in Australia: A cultural history by Meredith Lake

The Bible in Australia: A cultural history concludes, “And while the church’s own record has been very mixed, and at times patently destructive, the Bible, variously interpreted, continues to appear in startling ways – as a source of inspiration, power and practical wisdom.” If you are looking for a great read and you enjoy history […]

Starting Secondary School: The Essential Handbook for every Australian family by Michael Carr-Gregg & Sharon Witt

Starting Secondary School (Penguin Random House Australia) by child and adolescent psychologist and founder of Canteen, Michael Carr-Gregg and experienced teacher and founder of the Resilient Kids Conference, Sharon Witt is a practical, easy-to-read guide. It is aimed at parents with a child entering Year 7 in secondary school but is also useful for parents […]

The Resilience Project by Hugh Van Cuylenburg

The Resilience Project: Finding Happiness Through Gratitude, Empathy & Mindfulness (Ebury Press, Penguin Random House Australia) is an inspiring book about creating happiness and well-being by practising gratitude, empathy and mindfulness. These three attributes, combined with listening, showing your own imperfections and vulnerability and other behaviours, can turn lives around. Hugh is an Australian who […]

Metanoia By Anna McGahan

Actor Anna McGahan is well-known for her work on screen in Underbelly: Razor, Anzac Girls, Picnic at Hanging Rock and Glitch and on stage where she played the lead role of writer Charmian Clift in Hydra. She is the niece of awarded author, recently deceased Andrew McGahan and has now written her first book Metanoia, […]

Brisbane Writers Festival 2019 ‘Compassion’ with Tim Costello, Eve L Ewing & Ben Hobson

‘This Way Humanity’ was the theme of the Brisbane Writers Festival this year. I was honoured to moderate a session, The Incredible Uplift of Compassion, a subject that embodied the theme. Authors on the panel were the venerable Tim Costello, vivacious Chicago-based Marvel writer Eve L. Ewing and Ben Hobson, Brisbane-based author of two recent […]

NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Celebrating 40 years

The NSW Premier’s Literary Awards celebrated 40 years in grand style in the beautiful Mitchell Library Reading Room at the State Library of NSW last night. It was a great celebration of quality, diverse books. Michael Mohammed Ahmed, winner of the Multicultural Award for The Lebs (Hachette) opened with a prayer for the victims of […]

Raising Readers by Megan Daley

Raising Readers Megan Daley is a champion of Australian children’s literature and the authors and illustrators who create these quality Australian books. She is well-known as a blogger – Children’s Books Daily – and has won several awards, including the national Dromkeen Librarian’s Award. Her first book Raising Readers: How to nurture a child’s love […]

Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales

Leigh Sales is a prominent Australian journalist. She is uncompromising in her interview style but clearly has a soft heart and is affected by many of the stories she presents. In her latest book Any Ordinary Day (Hamish Hamilton, Penguin Books) she grapples with people’s reactions to severe trauma – death of a close loved […]