Book Chat: What have you been reading?

“So many books, so little time.”

                                                   – Frank Zappa

Truer words have never been spoken! It has been a marvellous few weeks in the book world!

The winner of The Stella Prize was announced and I couldn’t have been happier! Debut author Emily Bitto won with her amazing book The Strays! I suspected that The Golden Age by Joan London might have won but The Strays was my very close second! Head to http://wp.me/p4G9hc-6C for my review and thestellaprize.com.au to find out more about the award and its 2015 winner!

2015 Stella Prize winner!!

The Children’s Book Council of Australia announced their shortlist and I was both surprised and delighted by the selection – there are some very familiar names in the younger readers section but the older reader choices is what impressed me! There are some very exciting books being written in the YA market by Australian authors and they deserve the recognition some of their overseas counterparts receive. It is awards like this that draw them into the spotlight – I wish them all the best!

For those living in and around Melbourne, there is a very well-know weekend coming up this week! The Clunes Booktown Festival runs from May 2-3 where books of all sorts are available. Clunes is famous for its bookshops; in 2012 the village gained membership to the International Organisation of Booktowns becoming the only booktown in the Southern Hemisphere. I have heard many stories about the little town and its books and I am looking forward to going for the first time! Perhaps I will meet you there!

I have also read some fantastic books – I have read about polio in the 50’s, AFL-crazed teens and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. If you haven’t read I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai then I suggest you find yourself a copy… it is an eye-opener for sure!

Over to you – What have you been reading?

 

http://cbca.org.au/ShortList-2015.htm

http://clunesbooktown.com.au/