WITH work winding down for the year and summer now in full swing, many Wimmera residents might have more time on their hands to read a new book.
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Horsham's Redrock Books and Gallery has been busy helping people find the perfect summer read.
Owner Marian Anderson spoke to the Mail-Times about her top reading picks for summer 2019-20.
Summer 2019-20 book recommendations:
Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
What it's about:
Dark Emu re-examines colonial accounts of Aboriginal people in Australia, citing many examples of and references to farming, engineering and large villages, which challenge the view that Indigenous people were hunter-gatherers.
The book was released in 2014 and was chosen by the public for the first Parliamentary Book Club in 2019. Author Bruce Pascoe released Young Dark Emu - an abridged version for children - this year.
What Marian says:
"The most popular book this year was Dark Emu - both the adult version and the junior version. It should be in schools everywhere because it covers the fact that Indigenous people weren't the semi-nomadic people that we were led to believe they were," she said.
Wolfe Island by Lucy Treloar
What it's about:
Wolfe Island is a dystopian mystery set off the northeast coast of the US. It explores connection and isolation, and the ways lives and families shatter in dire circumstance.
What Marian says:
"This book covers a bit of everything; it's got the climate change aspect; a political aspect; and the running for you life aspect," she said.
"It was a compulsive read and very touching in a lot of places. Trealor is a beautiful writer and very descriptive."
The Dry by Jane Harper
What it's about:
Written by acclaimed Australian author Jane Harper, The Dry follows police investigator Aaron Falk who returns to his drought-stricken hometown to investigate an apparent murder-suicide committed by his childhood friend.
A film adaptation of The Dry, starring Eric Bana and directed by Robert Connolly, was filmed in the Wimmera in 2019.
What Marian says:
"We sold hundreds of copies when they were here filming the movie. We had everybody who was an extra come in and buy the book which made it a big seller in Horsham," she said.
"It's a really good whodunit and you don't really know until the end who did it. I thought I'd worked it out, but wasn't who I thought it was. There are lots of twists and turns."
When All Is Said and Done by Neale Daniher
What it's about:
After being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2013, AFL legend Neale Daniher sat down to pen a letter to the grandchildren he'll never get to know. The result was When All Is Said and Done - a book full of stories and wisdom from a man who has dedicated his life to fighting MND.
What Marian says:
"It's uplifting considering what he is going through, but also raises awareness of MND and what's happening with the research around it," he said.
"It's also a bit of a tearjerker, but definitely a popular book especially as a gift for Christmas."
Damascus by Christos Tsiolkas
What it's about:
After the success of his novels The Slap and Barracuda, Australian author Chtistos Tsiolkas looks at the events surrounding the birth and establishment of the Christian church in Damascus.
What Marian says:
"It's really about The Bible, Jesus and the people in his life, and how it flows through into everyday, 20th century life," she said.
"Our book club has chosen this for their summer reads. I think it will be quite harsh and confronting; there might be a lot of controversy."
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
What it's about:
The Testaments is a sequel to Margaret Atwood's 1985 dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale and is set 15 years later.
The Handmaid's Tale was adapted into a popular TV show and features a future when a totalitarian government forces fertile women, called Handmaids, into child-bearing slavery.
What Marian says:
"This was most anticipated book to come out this year. Everybody wants to know what happened after The Handmaid's Tale," she said.
"So 35 years after the original book came out, it doesn't disappoint. Some customers who have read it say that it continues on as though you've just finished reading the first book."
Gariwerd Colours: Plants of the Grampians National Park by Steffen Schultz
What it's about:
Gariwerd Colours is a plant-identification book for the Grampians region that includes information on interesting folklore or myths that are attached to a specific plant or plant family.
What Marian says:
"This was a locally written book that was printed in Ballarat. Steffen loves plants and works for the Department of Primary Industries. He spent three years camping around the Grampians and taking stunning photos (of plants)," she said.
488 Rules for Life by Kitty Flanagan
What it's about:
Australian comedian Kitty Flanagan says her book 488 Rules for Life is not a self-help book. It features little antidotes to every annoying little thing you could possibly think of.
What Marian says:
"This is a perfect gift for anybody who likes a good life. It sends-up everything from parenting to cafes to newspapers," she said.
"It's not a self-help book, just very readable. It's one that you can pick-up and put-down, and just have a laugh."
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