August Books of the Month

by Meg Cole-Adams | 25 Aug 2016

The weather's warming up and the books are calling your name. Tuck into a great read this month. Here are our top picks.

Alimentari by Linda Malcolm and Paul Jones

Enjoy the exquisite flavours of this Melbourne deli in your own home. The Alimentari cookbook shares the Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern fusion food that brings crowds to the popular Fitzroy eatery. Covering all meals of the day, the recipes range from easy weekday plates to fancy dinner party feasts.

Blue Dog by Louis de Bernieres

This prequel to the Australian classic Red Dog, is a coming-of-age story also set in the Pilbara region of Western Australian. Mick, whose life has been marked by tragedy, goes to live at his grandpa’s remote cattle station. In the lonely outback, he finds a puppy who survived a cyclone and who he later names Blue. Together they explore the harshness and beauty of the place they call home.

Far and Away by Andrew Solomon

Andrew Solomon, winner of the National Book Award, brings together a range of essays that reflect on the seven continents. Stretching over 25 years, Solomon’s writing explores the mass change that nations have experienced and the lives of the people who inhabit them. He highlights our shared humanity in many raw and differing reflections.

Flagship by Mike Carlton

Cruiser ship HMAS Australia II survived a great deal of action during the Second World War and up until retirement in 1956. Patrolling for German vessels and fighting against Japanese advancement in the Pacific, Australia II was involved in the legendary battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the greatest sea fights in history. Covering kamikaze bombers and a murder at sea, Mike Carlton tells a fascinating story about a great war ship.

Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent

Bestselling author Liz Nugent’s newest thriller focuses on wealthy Lydia Fitzsimmons, a controlling and protective mother of son Laurence. How far will she go to maintain her family’s standing in Dublin society? Problems arise when Lydia and her husband, a judge, murder a prostitute named Annie Doyle. The novel looks at the perspectives of both the Fitzsimmons and Doyle families over a number of years.