Looking for something new to read? Our library staff have put together some reading lists with eBooks and eAudiobooks as well as print and talking books. Or see our Books and Reading eLibrary page for more resources to help you decide what to read next!
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The theme for 2020 is ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ recognising that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years.
Watch Aboriginal Australian Movies and Documentaries on Kanopy
OR
Check out some of these great books by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers. Catalogue links include ebooks and eaudiobooks where available.
Banner attribution: 2020 National NAIDOC logo
Light and Funny
For those of you who just want a light funny fix, take a look at these:
The Weekend by Charlotte Wood available on eBook on BorrowBox and RBdigital
The Weekend explores growing old and growing up, and what happens when we're forced to uncover the lies we tell ourselves. Sharply observed and excruciatingly funny, this is a jewel of a book: a celebration of tenderness and friendship that is nothing short of a masterpiece.
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee available on eAudio through BorrowBox
Witty, dazzling, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is an irresistible romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.
Good Dogs Don’t Make it to the South Pole by Hans Olav Thyvold available on eBook through RBdigital.
Told through the eyes of a very grumpy yet lovable mutt, a funny and touching tale of aging, death, friendship, and life that proves sometimes a dog's story is the most human of all. Beguiling, poignant, funny and thoughtful, this novel is destined to become a favourite.
Quichotte by Salman Rushdie available on eBook through BorrowBox
A brilliant, funny, world-encompassing wonder… His readers realize that they would happily follow Rushdie to the end of the world… a glimmer of hope, like an impossible dream, is left for us [in Quichotte]." — Time Magazine
Maybe the Horse will Talk by Elliot Perlman available on eAudio and eBook through BorrowBox.
Warm, dramatic, and at times laugh-out-loud funny, with the narrative pull of a thriller, Maybe the Horse Will Talk is a love story, a reflection on contemporary marriage, and on friendship.
Identity Crisis by Ben Elton available on eBook through BorrowBox.
Ben Elton returns with a blistering satire of the world as it fractures around us. Get ready for a roller-coaster thriller, where nothing - and no one - is off limits.
Ben Elton’s 16th novel proves yet again what a genuinely talented comic novelist he is – it’s expertly crafted, very clever and really funny’ Harry Ritchie, Daily Mail
488 Rules for Life by Kitty Flanagan available on eBook and eAudio through BorrowBox.
488 Rules for Life is Kitty Flanagan's way of making the world a more pleasant place to live. Applying truth and wit to modern problems. An antidote to stupidity.
Dark Humour
For those who have a dark, quirky sense of humour and an open mind check out the following:
Little Hands Clapping by Dan Rhodes available on eAudio through BorrowBox
From its sinister opening to its explosive denouement, Little Hands Clapping blends lavishly entertaining storytelling with Rhodes's macabre imagination, entrancing originality, and magical touch.
Dead Men’s Trousers by Irvine Welsh available on eBook through BorrowBox (this one requires an ultra-dark sense of humour!)
Welsh is on compulsively readable, searingly funny form in what has been billed as the final Trainspotting novel… What I really like about Welsh’s storytelling is that he makes these amoral misadventures so propulsive, so joyfully awful, that you have to go with the flow… this roués’ romp is about as much fun as you can have between two book covers." Dominic Maxwell The Times
That’s Your Lot by Brian Limmond available on eBook through BorrowBox.
A weird and wonderful mix of short stories and random meanderings from one of the UK’s greatest cult sensations. Odd, unique, and packed with his wicked sense of humour, this collection is sure to delight those looking for disturbing, funny and shocking read.
The Runaway by Ali Harper available on eBook through BorrowBox
‘Lee and Jo are my two best girl heroes! Harper has in these two PI's created a team that I think will endure for a long time. I loved the humour that Harper imbued every page with. At the most poignant of moments, the gritty, down to earth humour had me chuckling.’ Liz Mistry, author of Unquiet Souls
Humorous Romance
If a little romance and family drama lifts your spirits have a browse of these:
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion available on eBook and eAudio through BorrowBox.
Don Tillman is about to take the world if not by storm, then certainly by rational argument...Laugh-out loud funny, poignant and so ingenious and compelling you feel as if you want to jump into the world of the novel and join in.’ Australian Women's Weekly
Finding Henry Applebee by Celia Reynolds available on eBook through BorrowBox.
Eighty-five-year-old Henry Arthur Applebee embarks on a journey to find his one true-love who he parted ways with decades ago. This is a charming, tender and uplifting story about unlikely friendships, the power of love – and how it's never too late to change your life.
Wilde Women by Louise Pentland available on eAudio through BorrowBox.
'Wonderfully written and full of humour. Funny, heartfelt, tender and empowering'
Giovanna Fletcher
Tell Me a Secret by Jane Fallon available on eBook through BorrowBox.
Jane Fallon explores the darker side of female friendship while keeping a wry smile on her face. And her clever combination of comedy and unsettling suspense is likely to have you eyeing your workmates suspiciously over the office kettle — Sunday Express
The Age of Misadventure by Judy Leigh available on eBook through BorrowBox.
Three women escape the dramas of normal life and head up the coast on an adventure they’ll never forget. But is a chance of love waiting for one of these ladies?
’Brimming with warmth, humour and a love of life… a wonderful escapade’ – Fiona Gibson
Reflections on Mental Health
For some awesome biographies with a mental health focus that show there’s light at the end of the tunnel, check out these:
Your Own Kind of Girl by Clare Bowditch available on eBook through RBdigital.
'Reading this book felt as intimate as having a long, heart-breakingly vulnerable yet hilarious conversation with Clare by a fire with wine in hand. It is a celebration of the human struggle, how we can learn to befriend our demons, and ultimately write our own story. There is so much hope in this book.' MISSY HIGGINS'
Educated by Tara Westover available on eBook and eAudio through BorrowBox.
"A memoir to stand alongside classics by the likes of Jeanette Winterson and Lorna Sage . . . a compelling and ultimately joyous account of self-determination" — Sunday Times
First We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Story About Anxiety by Sarah Wilson available on eAudio and eBook through BorrowBox.
Practical and poetic, wise and funny, this is a small book with a big heart. It will encourage the myriad sufferers of the world's most common mental illness to feel not just better about their condition, but delighted by the possibilities it offers for a richer, fuller life.
Mental Health Fiction
For some fiction with a mental health focus check out these books:
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven available on eBook through BorrowBox
'A searingly honest and heartbreakingly poignant tale about the power and beauty of love' - Heat
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman available on eAudio through RBdigital
Smart, warm, uplifting, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is the story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey as she realizes. . .
The only way to survive is to open your heart.
Everything Here is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee available on eAudio through BorrowBox.
A dazzling novel of two sisters and their emotional journey through love, loyalty and heartbreak.
Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella available on eAudio through BorrowBox.
Be prepared to laugh, dream and hope with Audrey as she learns that even when you feel like you have lost yourself, love can still find you . . .
Health and wellbeing for isolation
These books will help you establish a functional space at home, improve your daily habits and maintain health while in isolation.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo available on eAudio and eBook through BorrowBox.
Live in a clean and clutter-free home forever with the life-changing KonMari Method - now a multi-million copy international bestseller.
Rituals for Everyday by Katia Narain Phillips and Nadia Narain available on eBook through BorrowBox.
We all feel that desire for a calmer, more spacious way of living, but we’re often unsure exactly how to step off the crazy treadmill of day-to-day routines and responsibilities. Nadia and Katia have learned, through years of practice, that simple rituals can help you press the pause button on the pace of modern life. In Rituals for Every Day they share their easy-to-follow advice, step by step.
The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth L. Cline available on eAudio through BorrowBox.
From journalist, fashionista, and clothing resale expert Elizabeth L. Cline, “the Michael Pollan of fashion,”* comes the definitive guide to building an ethical, sustainable wardrobe you'll love.
Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to a Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Successby Shawn Stevenson available on eBook through BorrowBox.
Sleep Smarter is the ultimate guide to sleeping better, feeling refreshed, and achieving a healthier, happier life.
The Stress Solution: 4 steps to a happier calmer you by Rangan Chattjee available on eAudio through BorrowBox.
"Rangan presents a better year long frame work to encourage us all to take better care of our health all year round rather than embarking on short term deprivation diets and unsustainable assaults on the gym" — The Sunday Express on The 4
The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide by Jen Gale available on eBook through BorrowBox.
I loved this book - a non judgemental, fun, inspiring approach to how we can do our bit for the planet, whilst acknowledging that we are all human! Full of practical tips and advice - this is a brilliant book for anyone with climate anxiety. — Thomasina Miers OBE
Ten to Zen by Owen O’Kane available on eAudio through BorrowBox.
Ten to Zen is a simple, effective and fuss-free guide to help you start your day in the right head-space to prepare for the challenges it may bring.