June: Books of the month

22 Jun 2016

Put on the kettle, brew the tea and settle into a good book. That’s exactly what winter is for.

The Ties that Bind by Lexi Landsman

Landsman’s debut novel, The Ties that Bind delves into the family bonds that can never be broken. The book follows Courtney as she desperately searches for a bone-marrow donor for her son, and Jade, on the other side of the world as she recovers from a bushfire that destroyed everything and nearly took her life. Totally captivating from the first page, the story is moving and gentle as it explores themes that can often be difficult to discuss.

Private Paris by James Patterson

The latest novel in the thrilling Private series, Private Paris takes Jack Morgan to the city of lights. Despite envisaging the trip filled with fine dining and sightseeing, Jack is soon called to duty to track down the daughter of one of his most important clients, who is on the run from a drug dealer. But before Jack can find her, he discovers several of Paris’s elite dead, with the only link between them all being a strange graffiti tag. A great thriller.

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his dad and set off to create a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan. Knight grossed $8000 in his first year simply by selling the shoes from the boot of his car. Today, the Nike swoosh has become an icon, and Nike’s annual sales top $30 billion. Shoe Dog tells Knight’s story, from his humble beginnings, the risks and setbacks, and his triumphs.

Heartlines: The Year I met my Mother by Susannah McFarlane and Robin Leuba

Very few adoption and rediscovery stories end in happiness. Some, when those involved choose to fight for a relationship, however, do. In this raw memoir, Robin and Susannah detail their own stories of unmarried pregnancies, adoptions and how Robin’s search for Susannah ultimately ended happily. Heartlines: The Year I met my Mother starts in 1965 with Robin giving her baby up for adoption.

Almost 20 years later, as records are unsealed, Robin reaches out to her daughter Susannah, who initially declines contact. Thirty years later, it’s Susannah who sends a letter to her mother. Together, they navigate anger, hurt, grief, loss, different beliefs and lives spent apart and slowly, get to know each other.

All Out by Kevin Newman

Full of confessions, ambitions and absences, All Out, written by Emmy-award winning anchorman Kevin Newman and his son Alex, is a story of the way fathers and sons often misunderstand one another, yet have the ability to become closer despite their differences. The story looks at how a man manages being a father in a 24/7 world, while at the same time, wanting to reach the top of a demanding profession. Kevin’s story is contrasted against his artistic son Alex, who so badly wanted to be the sporty, popular son his dad wanted, while wrestling with his own sense of self.