After a hectic year of news, we can’t wait to take advantage of the slower pace of summer to catch up on some reading. Rather than reach for the fun and easy beach reads (nothing wrong with those!) we’ll be sinking teeth into some more ambitious books – taking the time to marinate in interesting ideas and challenging stories, both fiction and non-fiction, old and new. Will you add any of the books from our 2022 summer recommendations to your reading list?
FICTION
Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray by Dr Anita Heiss
Historical fiction set in 1852, when the Murrumbidgee River floods Gundgai (NSW), destroying the town and claiming lives. The destructive event forces Wagadhaany to move away from her home and her miyagan (family). While she finds love with stockman Yindyamarra, Wagadhaany yearns to break free of this ‘life’ controlled, and owned, by White man – her heart urging her to leave once again to seek out lost family and country. Get a copy here.
My Year Abroad by Chang Rae-Lee
A wild, raucous ride awaits Tiller, an ‘average’ middle-class American student, when he meets Pong Lu, an exuberant Chinese-American entrepreneur. Told in retrospect, as Tiller reflects years later, My Year Abroad follows the pair’s boisterous trip across Asia. Outrageous, funny, dark and thoughtful, Rae-Lee’s novel explores cross-cultural immersion, capitalism, and the types of experiences that shape our worldview. Get a copy here.
Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi
In 1980s India, Tara is a wild woman, honouring her every urge and desire despite having a young child to care for. Thirty years on, Tara has developed dementia and her now-adult daughter Antara takes her in, despite still burning with the resentment of her neglectful childhood. How does Antara now navigate caring for a mother who never cared for her? This book gets to the heart of often toxic mother-daughter relationships, and questions the limits of maternal and unconditional love. Get a copy here.
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
A satirical ‘comedy of manners’ about love, life and motherhood from a trans perspective. Amy and Reese were two trans women in love, with a seemingly perfect life. But now, three years after their breakup, things are messy: Reese is in a self-destructive pattern of sleeping with married men, Amy has de-transitioned to become Ames and has gotten his boss, Katrina, pregnant. Is it madness or genius for the trio to raise the baby together? Get a copy here.
Lemon by Kwon Yeo-sun
Korean creatives are having a powerful impact on mainstream culture right now, and Lemon is another shining example. The first English release for award-winning author Kwon Yeo-sun, the novel centres on Da-on, who is trying to uncover the truth behind the murder of her 19-year-old sister almost two decades later. Unfolding across alternating perspectives and criss-crossing timelines, the story lays out the impact of gender, class and privilege in Seoul. Get a copy here.
Lucky Ticket by Joey Bui
The acclaimed debut of Vietnamese-Australian author Joey Bui, Lucky Ticket is a collection of stories about a compelling and diverse cast of main characters. Race tests the friendship of two women, one white and one Vietnamese, in Melbourne; an old man selling lottery tickets on Saigon streets muses about what it means to be ‘lucky’; a young couple try to balance heavy societal expectations with intimacy and desire. Get a copy here.
NON-FICTION
Complaint! By Sara Ahmed
There is a gap between what is supposed to happen when complaints are lodged with powerful institutions, and what actually happens. Complaint! is a meticulous examination of the power of complaint – what it takes to come forward with allegations about harassment, bullying or unfair working conditions. And, equally, how those in power are using the system to block complaints and prevent real change from being made. Get a copy here.
The Breaks by Julietta Singh
English professor Julietta Singh pens The Breaks as a letter to her six-year-old daughter. She walks Isadora (and us, the lucky readers) through her optimistic vision for what the future of our world could look like and how we will live in it. Singh encourages us to be see possibilities as simply as kids do, while weaving in the wisdom of feminist theory and radical activism. Get a copy here.
The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain by Annie Murphy Paul
Academic science writer Annie Murphy Paul outlines the research on thinking ‘outside’ the brain – essentially using the “extra-neural resources” of our bodies, our environment and interaction with others to improve our focus, comprehension and creativity. The fascinating research about how we think and learn are combined with case studies and practical advice for how to get your own brain to work better. Get a copy here.
Cultish by Amanda Montell
One of our favourite new authors and linguists (if you haven’t read Wordslut, you should) Amanda Montell deconstructs how cults use language to convert members and exert their influence. From QAnon, to the Manson Family, to modern cult-ish groups like SoulCyle, multi-level marketing schemes and social media ‘gurus’, Cultish explains how words can convince us to believe anything. Get a copy here.
How to Spend a Trillion Dollars: Saving the World and Solving the Biggest Questions in Science by Rowan Hooper
The Managing Editor of New Scientist presents ten ways to spend $1 trillion on science, to fix the world’s biggest problems. These are huge, inspiring ideas – like refreezing the Arctic, or transitioning the entire world to renewable energy. The best part? They are possible… if only the billionaire class (and the corporations that generate their wealth) would truly get on board. Get a copy here.
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
A controversial bestseller from 1998, Robert Greene takes lessons from legendary leaders, thinkers and figures to define 48 rules about getting, holding and using power. The 48 Laws of Power has become a contentious book for its refusal to present an idealised view of the world – it’s a brutally realist take, and if many of the 48 rules seem callous, manipulative or heartless… it’s because power, and struggle for it, often is. Get a copy here.
Paper Emperors: The Rise Of Australia’s Newspaper Empires by Sally Young
Ahead of an election year (groan) it’s important to have a solid understanding of the most influential players. Sally Young traces the history and political power of Australia’s media dynasties: Murdoch, Fairfax, Packer and Symes. Starting with the country’s first newspaper in 1803 and ending with the fall of Prime Minister Robert Menzies in 1941, Paper Emperors insights are relevant for the year ahead. Get a copy here.
Accidental Gods: On Men Unwittingly Turned Divine by Anna Della Subin
How does a man become a God – especially against his own wishes? And how have the intertwining histories of colonialism and religion led to the creation of race and the modern white power movement? These are the big questions tackled in Accidental Gods, a provocative retelling of the myths that saw the likes of Christopher Columbus and Prince Philip worshipped as deities. Get a copy here.
Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet by Thich Nhat Hanh
To round out our list, a lesson from revered Buddhist Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, on the power of the mind. This book explains why a calm, still mind is essential for anyone who wishes to bring about positive change, as it shapes the way we see the world and relate to others. It’s filled with Buddhist parables and meditations to help strengthen your spirit and guide you on your way. Get a copy here.
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