LETTER FROM KALANGADOO BY BRYAN DAWE

We've had a number of inquiries about Bryan's book Letter From Kalangadoo; the paper version will be on our shelves in the coming weeks. On a radio program Bryan recently spoke about an audio version; this should be available some time in the coming month.  If you'd like a copy of either the paper or audio version, let us know and we'll put an order in for you.

 

SISTER'S IN CRIME: THE MURDER SPECTRUM

Lead by Vikki Petraitis a panel of two crime writers, Kate Kyriacou and Robin Bowles will debate (in a literary sense of course) "whether one murder can be worse than another and who decides".  If you live in Melbourne (or are considering a trip to Melbourne) and you'd like to be in the audience for this debate, the venue is The Rising Sun Hotel in South Melbourne, September 18 at 8pm.  Here's the link to the website for more information and to book.

 

CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA AWARDS

The CBCA winners for 2015 have been announced, here's the link for you.  I doubt you'll be surprised to know that Alison Lester is again on the list.  Nonie the Pony Goes to the Beach has an Honour Award in the Early Childhood section.

 

EIGHTH ANNUAL COAL CREEK LITERARY FESTIVAL 2015

The Festival this year has some interesting authors coming to talk about their work; Honey Brown, Nicole Hayes, Jacqueline Dinan, Charles Hall, Sandi Wallace, Carrie Maya, David Tattersall, Hoa Pham and Sandy Jeffs.  This festival has gone from strength to strength over the last eight years and the writers competition has given young (and old) writers a forum for their work.  We have entry forms here so if you're interested in putting in a piece of work this year, the entries close on Friday 25th September.  Here's the link to the Festival's website.

 

JOHN BOYNE AND ROBERT HARRIS

Both of these authors have many good stories in their repertoire and their latest offerings don't spoil the track record of either.

The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne
Those of you who read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas will be familiar with the time frame of this book, and it is written from the opposite side of the 'fence'.

When Pierrot becomes an orphan, he must leave his home in Paris for a new life with his Aunt Beatrix, a servant in a wealthy household at the top of the German mountains. But this is no ordinary time, for it is 1935 and the Second World War is fast approaching; and this is no ordinary house, for this is the Berghof, the home of Adolf Hitler. Quickly, Pierrot is taken under Hitler's wing, and is thrown into an increasingly dangerous new world: a world of terror, secrets and betrayal, from which he may never be able to escape.

Definitely worth spending time with this author, the book is out in October.  We have a proof copy at the bookshop if anyone would like to read and review it.

Dictator by Robert Harris
This author has the wonderful knack of retelling history in such a way that you learn far more than you think.  This is the story of Cicero.


There was a time when Cicero held Caesar's life in the palm of his hand. But now Caesar is the dominant figure and Cicero's life is in ruins. Exiled, separated from his wife and children, his possessions confiscated, his life constantly in danger, Cicero is tormented by the knowledge that he has sacrificed power for the sake of his principles. His comeback requires wit, skill and courage and for a brief and glorious period, the legendary orator is once more the supreme senator in Rome. But politics is never static and no statesman, however cunning, can safeguard against the ambition and corruption of others. Riveting and tumultuous, Dictator encompasses some of the most epic events in human history yet is also an intimate portrait of a brilliant, flawed, frequently fearful yet ultimately brave man a hero for his time and for ours.

THE READING HOUR - WEBSITES

During the Reading Hour program on local community radio 3mFM last Saturday afternoon I promised to put links to the websites I used as reference material.  Here they are.

For information on the book awards by Speech Pathology Australia you can visit here.  If you're interested in books related to specific speech-language disorders take a look here. For information on how to choose children's books to support speech and language development, I found some good information here.  And finally, which books are best? How the type of book affects children's language learning, take a look at this website.

Remember, I've kept my notes from the program so if you can't, or don't want, to go to a website, come in and have a look at the material I found on these sites.

 

HISTORY FOR BOOK LOVERS

I found this little gem sometime ago and it sat waiting for me to put some words together and to share it with you.  It's one publishing house's attempt at showing the history of Australia through book titles.  You might need a magnifying glass to see all the titles.

 

POETRY SLAM - YARRAM

Australian Poetry Slam 2015

A live literary performance competition where the audience is the judge!  Join the search for Australia’s next slam champion!  Fierce competition. High-energy performance.  Judges chosen at random. This is poetry let loose from page to stage. The Australian poetry slam is a national competition with more than 1000 poets, performing to 20,000 people across the country.

Slam heats will be held in city and regional venues across Melbourne in August and September. Two finalists from each slam heat will compete in the Victorian state final on 11 September, and the winners will make their way to the national final in Sydney in October.

And it’s coming to Yarram on Saturday 5 September, 11.30am (registrations 11am) District Hub, 156 Grant Street.  See this website for details.

THE READING HOUR - SATURDAY 15TH ON 3MFM RADIO

Each August for the last couple of years we have had the pleasure of hosting a program in conjunction with our local community radio station 3mFM for the National Reading Hour.  


In 2012, Australian libraries, library associations and booksellers came together behind the National Year of Reading.  There were more than 4,000 events, $5.6 million in in-kind support, $26 million-worth of media coverage, much of it highlighting the fact that nearly half the population struggles without the literacy skills to meet the most basic demands of everyday life and work. They identified at the time there were 46% of Australians who can't read newspapers; follow a recipe; make sense of timetables, or understand the instructions on a medicine bottle.  Following on from the success of the National Year of Reading campaign, the 15 founder partners decided to carry forward the Love2read brand into 2013 and 2014, making the most of the momentum that had been created during the National Year of Reading.  And now in 2015 the project is still new and still effective.

Our program goes to air on Saturday 15th at 5.00pm, various libraries around the country will hold their reading hour on Tuesday 18th between 6pm and 7pm and booksellers will conduct events throughout this coming week.

Tune your dial on Saturday to 88.1, 89.1, 89.5 or online at http://www.3mfm.com.au/ for the program streamed live, as we talk about the importance of books to children with learning difficulties. 

Here's a link to a great video highlighting the importance of reading.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5F5Kdc1UVA


 

THE WORST CHILDREN IN LITERATURE

This little item came into my inbox this week, it's about evil children created by authors, it's quite interesting.  Amongst others (and I'm sure you'll think of more) there's Kevin in We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver; Jack in Lord of the Flies by William Golding and Missie in The Innocents by Nettie Hilton.  Take a look at the page here.

 

ONE FOOT ON THE PODIUM BY DON ELGIN

This is the story of a young Victorian country boy who finally put his one foot on the podium at the Sydney Paralympics.  He tells his story as if he is sitting talking to you, it is charming, funny and in some places sad, this is a self declared larrikin's story.  Well worth the reading time.  On our shelves now.

WRITERS FORUM - VIKKI PETRAITIS

Join best-selling author Vikki Petraitis for a ten week Novel Writing course catering for both beginning writers and those already working on developing a novel. Components include: plotting, character development, narrative structure, and description. This longer course will give writers the chance to refine a piece of work, and the opportunity to share their work with other people with the same goals – to write a novel.

Saturday October                 10, 17, 24, 31

Saturday November               7, 14, 21, 28

Saturday December                5, 12

11.30 – 1.30 pm

Beaumaris Library, 96 Reserve Road

$200 (all ten sessions). Bookings essential

www.trybooking.com/146422

ADULT COLOURING BOOKS - TINA JACOBSON

I've just discovered that local artist Tina Jacobson has recently published a colouring book that is suitable for adults as well as children.  Watch for it's appearance in our window.

 

CLIVE JAMES - LATEST READINGS

In 2010, Clive James was diagnosed with terminal leukemia. Deciding that "if you don't know the exact moment when the lights will go out, you might as well read until they do," James moved his library to his house in Cambridge, where he would "live, read, and perhaps even write." James is the award-winning author of dozens of works of literary criticism, poetry, and history, and this volume contains his reflections on what may well be his last reading list. A look at some of James's old favourites as well as some of his recent discoveries, this book also offers a revealing look at the author himself, sharing his evocative musings on literature and family, and on living and dying.

Opportunities to interview Clive are limited however an interview with ABC journalist Phil Williams has definitely been confirmed.  ABC is recording August 7^th with air date to be advised, this will be an interesting interview.

FOSTER'S LITTLE BOOKSHOP WEBSITE

If you don't get our newsletter from the website, you might like to see if you're missing anything.  Take a look......

 

BOOK SIGNING: MAGGIE JACKSON: A WOVEN CLOTH OF LIFE

Some months ago we stocked Maggie Jackson's book A Woven Cloth of Life which was the story of her family and the O'Dowd Family Band.  Maggie will be here on Saturday, August 22nd (from 11 am on) to talk about her book and to sign copies.  Come and say hello to her at the bookshop.

 

FATHER'S DAY SUGGESTIONS

Father's Day isn't all that far away, just a few weeks.  There have been a couple of recent posts with books that might be of interest as a gift, here are a few more.

Kingdom of the Strong by Tony Cavanaugh

Darian Richards is an ex-cop, a good one. He did whatever it took to solve a crime and stop the bad guy. Whatever it took! But after sixteen years as the head of Victoria's Homicide Squad, he'd had enough of promising victims' families he'd find the answers they needed. He had to walk away to save his sanity. Now Police Commissioner Copeland Walsh has tracked Darian down. He needs him to help clear an old case.

Darian Richards is Australia’s answer to Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch.  Harry fans take a risk and see if Darian fits the bill.  I will be….

 

Graeme Clark The man who invented the bionic ear by Mark Worthing

After watching his father struggle with hearing problems, Graeme knew he wanted to find a solution to deafness.Graeme became a surgeon, and his quiet persistence and methodical approach yielded results that fulfilled his childhood dream. Around the world, hundreds of thousands of people have now received the gift of hearing from the cochlear implant he developed.

 

MP Untold: The Lost Stories of an Australian Surfing Legend by Sean Doherty

In 2004 Sean Doherty wrote a bestselling biography of Australian surfing's cult hero, Michael Peterson. Over the years that followed, and especially after Peterson's death in 2012, hundreds of people – family, friends, surfing stars and complete strangers – contacted Doherty with stories and pictures of the iconic surfer that had never before been shared.

The tales range from the hilarious to the harrowing. There was MP's infamous road trip from the Gold Coast to Phillip Island. The time he discovered the truth about his father.  And his last ever surf, with brother Tommy in 1983, before schizophrenia and drug abuse saw him institutionalised for the next decade.

Now Doherty has compiled these stories, anecdotes and tributes, completing the picture of one of surfing's most talented but tragic figures. Also featuring the classic images of Peterson, along with photographs and letters from his family's private collection, MP Untold presents Australian surfing's cult hero in the words of those who knew him best.

 

Because We Say So by Chomsky Noam

In 1962, the eminent statesman Dean Acheson enunciated a principle that has dominated global politics ever since: that no legal issue arises when the United States responds to a challenge to its 'power, position, and prestige'. In short, whatever the world may think, U.S. actions are legitimate because they say so. Spanning the impact of Edward Snowden's whistle blowing and Palestinian-Israeli relations to deeper reflections on political philosophy and the importance of a commons to democracy, Because We Say So takes American imperialism head on.