Category Archives: Australian Authors

That’s a Wrap! Parra Reads Online Book Club, February

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As we come to the end of February and our first month of Online Book Club, I am feeling super excited & motivated for the months ahead.

A big thank you to every one of you who joined our Goodreads group, I love seeing what you’re reading. Navigate over to the discussion board and share your thoughts on the books you are reading, I don’t want to bore you all with my comments too much, I admit I have a tendency to babble.

I don’t know how you all did reading Australian authors this month, but I loved it! I hope you enjoyed discovering some of our wonderful home grown literature as much as I did. The books I got through this month were, ‘Mr Wigg’ by Inga Simpson, ‘Three Wishes’ by Liane Moriarty and ‘The Yield’ by Tara June Winch all of which were re-reads for me.

‘Mr Wigg’ is one of my all-time favourite reads. This is a beautifully written and gentle book that allows the reader to share the intimate story of Mr Wigg’s life. This book transports you to another time and place, allowing you to soak up the characters and the environment around him. If you enjoy reading a beautifully written book that allows you to share one-persons journey, then this book is a must read.

‘Three Wishes’ is one of Liane Moriarty’s first books and to this day remains one of my favourites. The Prologue reels you in, leaving you no choice but to turn the page to find out what happens. A fast-paced book with characters that draw you into their story, not to mention the hilarious family dynamics. An enjoyable read.

For the second time in less than a year I found myself reading; ‘The Yield’ by Tara June Winch; one of the best books I read in 2020. I loved the language, story and characters. This time I have been reading and listening at the same time. If you have read the book and enjoyed it, you should try the audio version. Hearing the Wiradjuri language pronounced adds such depth to the story.  

As we move forward into March and reading ‘Books to Screen’ I have been spending a lot of time thinking about what I want to read. While I was putting together the monthly list of reading recommendations, I identified a few potential titles to read during March, they are:

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

The Dry by Jane Harper, another re-read. It has been a while and I want to read it again before I watch the movie.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

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Whichever book you read in March I hope you enjoy it. I look forward to reading all about it on Goodreads, or share your review via our ‘Read & Review’ form, and I will share it on the blog.

I hope March is a good reading month!

Jody

In conversation with Julietta Henderson

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Julietta Henderson will be in conversation with Suzanne Micallef from City of Parramatta Libraries discussing The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman with the support of NSW Public Libraries Association.

Norman and Jax are a quirky pair of pre-teen best friends with a five-year plan to take their comedy act all the way to the Edinburgh Fringe by the time they’re fifteen. When Jax dies suddenly, it’s earth-shattering.

Norman’s mum Sadie knows she won’t win Mother of the Year anytime soon, and she really doesn’t know, or care, who Norman’s father is. But her heart is broken when she discovers her grieving son’s revised plan: ‘Find Dad’ and ‘Get to the Edinburgh Fringe’. If finding his dad and performing at Edinburgh are the two things that will make Norman happy after his devastating loss, Sadie’s going to make it happen.

Norman and Sadie set off from Cornwall, with their friend Leonard in his vintage Austin Maxi, on a pilgrimage to Edinburgh. This is a mother-son road trip that inspires and delights like the best road trip novels and films.

Copies of The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman can be purchased from Booktopia: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/mxna1

Numbers are limited for this free virtual event and bookings are essential.

This presentation will be broadcast online using Zoom. Book your place and we’ll send you a Zoom link to join the meeting (download and install from zoom.us if you haven’t already).

Parra Reads Online Book Club 2021

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Welcome to another year of reading!

2020 was our first year of reading along together in an online environment, while COVID may have been the trigger it was an enjoyable experience for me. The ‘Parra Reads’ online book club proved to be an excellent way for me to connect, collaborate and read with my colleagues. City of Parramatta Libraries operates across seven branches and it is often hard for us book nerds to catch up and talk about books. The online book club has been one way for us to come together and share our love of reading with you all.

After much discussion we have decided to do things a little differently this year, in the hopes we can encourage more of you to read along with us.

So, what will 2021 look like for our ‘Parra Reads’ online book club? Well! For starters there will be more choices in regards to what title you read each month, we will be sharing more online via our blog, podcast, social media and in our Libraries.

If you are reading along with us and would like to participate and share your thoughts on what you have been reading, please do. You can share via Twitter, using the hashtag #parrareadsbookclub, or just comment on one of our tweets. Send an email to parrareads@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au and I will share any suitable book related comments on our blog and in the library, rest assured I will only share first names. If you are a Goodreads member and would like to join our Parra Reads Virtual Book Club, log in and send us through a request.

We also hope to run a couple of online book club meetings via Zoom throughout the year. I will share more information on this as details are confirmed.

Don’t forget to check out our ePlatform, rbDigital & BorrowBox collections! We have a huge library of both eBooks & eAudiobooks available for you to download.

However you choose to read & share with us this year is up to you, our only wish is that you read!

Each month we will provide some great reading recommendations to help you along your way, look out for these online and at all our Libraries.

Here’s wishing 2021 is a great year for reading!

Jody

Parra Reads Online Book Club – Monthly Reading Themes for 2021

February – A book by an Australian Author – Aussie Authors Rule! Check out our recommended reads below.

book club recommended readsDownload

March – Books to Screen – Do you prefer to watch then read? Or read then watch? For me it is definitely read first!

April – A Thriller or mystery book.

May – Prize Winners – With so many different book awards each year what better selection could a reader ask for. Personally I will be reading my way through as many of the ‘Miles Franklin’ longlist titles that I can manage before the shortlist is announced in June.

June – Second Chances – Read a book you have tried to read before but couldn’t finish! My nemesis is ‘Wolf Hall’ by Hilary Mantel; I have tired many times and still haven’t managed to get past the first chapter.

July – Memoir – What makes a memoir a great one? Is it the setting, person or subject?

August – Big Bang Books – Books that have made a big splash in the last 10/20 years! Literally an endless supply of choices with this one!

September – Banned Books – One for the rebels!

October – The first book in a series.

November – Hot of the printing press! With so many great books planned for publication in 2021, what better way to end the year.

Book Reviews Harp in the South & The Life to Come & My Family and Other Animals

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Our MJ Readers book club recently read, ‘The Harp in the South‘ by Ruth Park & ‘My Family and Other Animals‘ by Gerald Durrell. Another one of our clubs the Dundas Readers read ‘The Life to Come‘ by Michelle de Kretser. One group loved their book while the other one not so much. Read what our groups thought about their books below!

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NSW Reads ‘Lucky’s

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NSW Reads is a big book club, and everyone in New South Wales is invited.

The NSW Public Library Association is thrilled to announce the very first state-wide reading program NSW Reads. From the 10th of December to the 17th of February 2021, library members across the state are encouraged to read Sydney author Andrew Pippos’s debut novel, Lucky’s (Picador).

Described as “a must-read saga, and a gripping monument to Greek diaspora” by The Guardian Australia, central to the theme of Lucky’s is the iconic Greek milk bar/café businesses, found in so many Australian towns and suburbs.

NSW Reads will celebrate the heritage of these venues and the migrant experiences of food and community as readers from all over the state share a reading experience.

“After a year that has been so isolating, it’s wonderful for readers to be able to come together and all read the same book” says NSW Public Libraries Association Executive Officer, Adele Casey, “We are thrilled that Lucky’s is our pick for the first NSW Reads program. The librarians of New South Wales felt it was important to choose a novel with far reaching appeal. Lucky’s will resonate and deliver a sense of nostalgia to Australians of all ages in both metro and regional areas.”

To celebrate NSW Reads, local libraries will host live events throughout January and February 2021. 

Andrew Pippos introduces his new novel Lucky’s, an unforgettable Australian story about the changing fortunes of a man named Lucky, his chain of Greek cafes and the people whose lives he shapes, and who in turn shape him.

Reserve your copy of Lucky’s in print, eBook or eAudio and join in as NSW Reads!