Category Archives: Australian Authors

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!

Continue reading →

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!

All About Books – Summer 2020/21

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It’s that time of year again when the new edition of our reading suggestions guide for adults and teens, ‘All About Books’, is ready to inspire your reading. The Summer 2020/21 edition features a diverse range of titles being published over the next three months – there is a little something for everyone. We may not have as much time during the festive season but hopefully these titles will encourage you to read and relax when you can. Collect your copy at any branch of the City of Parramatta Libraries or download it now, check our website (parra.city/library) for the latest news and opening hours. Don’t forget you can click on any cover to reserve the titles that you would like to borrow, even before they have been published, so as always happy reading!