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Award-winning Tasmanian author Kate Kruimink this week launches her second novel, Heartsease (Pan Macmillan, Australia). The new work has been described by author Robbie Arnott as, 'Sharp, gorgeous and unforgettable.' Author and environmentalist Jane Rawson said: 'Heartsease will make you gasp — from heartbreak, hilarity and the sheer beauty of life.' Launched on May 29 at Fullers Bookshop in Hobart, the book from the author of Vogel Award-winning A Treacherous Country has excited great interest. About Heartsease I saw my mother for a long time after she died. I would see her out windows, or in the corner of my eye. Always in the periphery, always a dim blur, but unmistakably my mother, the herness skating through every line and flicker. Charlotte ('Lot') and Ellen ('Nelly') are sisters who were once so close a Venn diagram of the two would have formed a circle. But a great deal has changed since their mother's death, years before. Clever, beautiful, gentle Lot has been unfailingly dutiful - basically a disaster of an older sister for much younger Nelly, still haunted by their mother in her early thirties. When the pair meet at a silent retreat in a strange old house in the Tasmanian countryside, the spectres of memory are unleashed. Heartsease is a sad, sly and darkly comic story about the weight of grief and the ways in which family cleave to us, for better and for worse. It's an account of love and ghosts so sharp it will leave you with paper cuts. About Kate Kruimink Kate Kruimink is a writer from southern Lutruwita. Her first novel, A Treacherous Country, won the 2020 Vogel/Australian's Literary Award. It was shortlisted in the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Fiction and longlisted in the UK for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. In 2021, she was one of the Sydney Morning Herald's Best Young Novelists. Kate also writes short stories and essays, which have been published widely. Heartsease is her second novel.

Exciting news just in: one of Tassie's favourite authors, Robbie Arnott, will release his fourth book in October this year. The beloved author of Limberlost, The Rain Heron and Flames brings a new work called Dusk, published by Picador (an imprint of Pan Macmillan Australia). About Dusk In the distant highlands, a puma named Dusk is killing shepherds. Down in the lowlands, twins Iris and Floyd are out of work, money and friends. When they hear that a bounty has been placed on Dusk, they reluctantly decide to join the hunt. As they journey up into this wild, haunted country, they discover there's far more to the land and people of the highlands than they imagined. And as they close in on their prey, they're forced to reckon with conflicts both ancient and deeply personal. About Robbie Robbie Arnott is the author of Limberlost, The Rain Heron and Flames. He's a two-time winner of The Age Book of the Year, and has also been awarded the Voss Literary Prize. He's been named a Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Novelist, and has twice been shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award, as well as the Dylan Thomas Prize. He lives in Hobart with his wife and daughter. We interviewed Robbie on our podcast when he was working on Limberlost. Watch it here.

We are thrilled to announce that one of our headline guests for the 2024 Tamar Valley Writers Festival will be Benjamin Stevenson. Benjamin is an award-winning stand-up comedian and author. He has sold out shows from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, all the way to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He is the author of four novels, including the national bestsellers Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, which has been sold in 27 territories around the world and will soon be adapted for a major HBO TV series, and Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect. The 2024 festival will run from October 11 to 14, and promises to be our best yet, with a superb lineup of speakers that will be announced in coming weeks as we firm up our program. Sign up to our newsletter to ensure you're in the loop, and are first to know about the program release.

The Tamar Valley Writers Festival committee is delighted to share that beloved Australian author Markus Zusak will be one of the featured authors at the 2024 festival in October, just weeks after the release of his first work of non-fiction. Markus joins an incredibly strong program, and we look forward to hearing insights and wisdom from the internationally bestselling author of six novels, including The Messenger, Bridge of Clay and The Book Thief. The festival will run October 11-14. Sign up to our newsletter to ensure you don't miss important program announcements in coming weeks. First non-fiction for Markus Three Wild Dogs (and the truth) will be released in September this year, chronicling the relationship between Markus Zusak's family and three big, wild, pound-hardened dogs. You will meet Reuben, a wolf at your door with a hacksaw; Archer, blond, beautiful, deadly; and the rancorously-smiling Frosty, who walks like a rolling thunderstorm? The result can only be chaos: there are street fights, park fights, public shamings, property trashing, injuries, stomach pumping, purest comedy, shocking tragedy, and carnage that needs to be seen to be believed . . . not to mention the odd police visit at some ungodly hour of the morning. There is a reckoning of shortcomings and failure, a strengthening of will, but most important of all, an explosion of love – and the joy and recognition of family. From one of the world’s great storytellers comes a tender, motley and exquisitely written memoir; a love letter to the animals who bring hilarity and beauty – but also the visceral truth of the natural world – straight to our doors and into our lives, and change us forever. ‘For the last fifteen years, my family and I have lived a chaotic, comedic, beautiful, shocking, heartbreaking, and ultimately loving life. We’ve brought animals into our home who’ve not only impacted our everyday, but shown us who we are. Writing it was a joy, even amongst the heartbreak. It reminded me why I became a writer in the first place: I do it because I love it. I can feel that in every page, and hope readers will feel it, too.’ - Markus Zusak About Markus Markus Zusak is the international bestselling author of six novels, including The Messenger, Bridge of Clay and The Book Thief – one of the most loved books of the twenty-first century and a New York Times bestseller for more than a decade. His work is translated into more than fifty languages, and has been awarded numerous honours around the world, ranging from literary prizes to bookseller and reader choice awards. His books have been adapted into film, television and theatre. Markus was born in Sydney, and still lives there with his wife, two children, and the last dog standing in a once thriving household of animals.

The Tamar Valley Writers Festival has launched the first in a series of podcasts featuring Tasmanian writers, poets, comedians, playwrights and deep thinkers. These audiovisual podcasts, hosted by Launceston teacher and emerging author Lyndon Riggall and former ABC Radio cultural broadcaster Annie Warburton, will be available on the TVWF website and social media platforms. The podcasts have been filmed and produced by MVisuals’ director Michael O’Neill, who also co-created the eight-part fictional web series Australia’s Best Street Racer with Dylan Hesp. Writers Festival president Mary Machen said: “We are giving some of Tasmania’s brightest writers in diverse genres the opportunity to reveal their stories globally on the digital page. “We have filmed the podcast to give the viewer the sense they are at home with the author." The first round of podcasts will include a conversation with Robbie Arnott, who currently has two novels in the Top 10 best-seller lists and has just been awarded the University of Tasmania’s inaugural Hedberg Writer-in-Residence scholarship; comedian and actor Dylan Hesp; 2020 Vogel Award-winning author Katherine Kruimink; and Stella Kent, revealing the back story to plotting plays. Already available is a conversation with The Bluffs author Kyle Perry (watch it here). “We are excited to be back in planning mode,” Ms Machen said. “It’s imperative to maintain branding momentum but, more importantly, now more than ever, it is important to give a voice to creative talent in this state, it’s important to offer intellectual engagement as well as entertainment through conversation and exchange of ideas. “From a strategy workshop we held in August it became abundantly clear during robust discussion that to put the Festival in mothballs until 2022 would risk sustainability of the Festival. “It’s amazing how a couple of month’s forced hibernation can channel collective thought,” Ms Machen said, in reference to the Covid-19 self-isolation regulations and closure of Tasmania’s borders. “Our Festival was almost fully programmed with tickets due to go on sale in June, but with our focus being on welcoming mainland writers to Northern Tasmania and encouraging visitation to the Tamar Valley, the borders closing threw almost every element of our program into disarray. “Fortunately only a couple of mainland flights had been book rather than our full entourage of guest speakers. “As with all event organisers we were in close consultation with Events Tasmania, our major funding partner, and it was agreed the Festival should be cancelled rather than consider postponement. “The Festival until now has been organised 100 per cent by volunteers and as the pandemic began to take serious hold in mid-March I felt it was in the best interests of everyone that there be no distractions other than staying well as individuals and being with our families." In 2016 the Festival was the recipient of $180,000 funding over six years from Events Tasmania as part of its Major Event Partnerships Program. This tranche of funding will conclude with the 2022 Festival. The Writers Festival has also enjoyed strong support from the West Tamar Council and other Northern Tasmanian businesses. The most recent Tamar Valley Writers Festival was held in September 2018 at the Tamar Valley Resort, Grindelwald, with almost 2000 patrons attending the three-day event. The TVWF Podcast Audio podcast links: Spotify | Apple Podcast

The Tamar Valley Writers Festival committee is excited to announce the appointment of Georgie Todman as creative director. The Launceston-based teacher, playwright, and accomplished theatre director has come on board to drive the Festival’s program into a more interactive and performance-based cultural space. This is a big step for the Festival, which until now has been totally organised by volunteers. "I look forward to bringing together my passion and experience in areas of writing, education, theatre and producing to develop exciting projects that are immersive, interactive and educational," Georgie said."To work closely with the dedicated TVWF team to develop creative projects telling the stories of our region is an opportunity I am thrilled to undertake." The appointment is part of a re-imagined program, including an 18-month rolling program of in-conversation podcasts with Tasmanian authors, special literary events, Back Bar Trivia nights and collaborative projects with other cultural organisations, instead of waiting until the Festival's next fully-fledged iteration in 2022. Festival president Mary Machen said Georgie would help maintain branding momentum during a difficult time for the arts scene. “Now more than ever, it is important to give a voice to creative talent in this state, it’s important to offer intellectual engagement as well as entertainment through conversation and exchange of ideas,” Ms Machen said. “From a strategy workshop we held in August it became abundantly clear during robust discussion that to put the Festival in mothballs until 2022 would risk sustainability of the Festival.“It’s amazing how a couple of month’s forced hibernation can channel collective thought,” Ms Machen said, in reference to the Covid-19 self-isolation regulations and closure of Tasmania’s borders. More about TVWF Creative Director Georgie Todman: Georgie completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts with a major in theatre and creative writing at UTAS and has had a long-standing relationship with creative arts. Highlights include co-writing the musical ‘Happy Me’ with funding to tour 13 locations in Tasmania, and co-writing the play ‘One, Two Three, Home’ which was subsequently published through Australians Plays. While in Victoria, Georgie worked with StoryShare in script development consultancy and presented workshops and papers with Drama Victoria/Australia. Other theatrical high points include directing ‘Something Natural but very Childish’ (Centrstage), ‘Dusty - the Original Pop Diva’ (LMS), assistant directing ‘We Will Rock You’ (Encore) and many one day projects as an actor or director with Mudlark. Her production of ‘Killer Joe’ for Three River received the Best Production Award (Community) at the Tasmanian Theatre Awards in 2018. Georgie is a Drama teacher at Brooks High, is on the Three River Theatre and Friends of Theatre North committees, recently started a lively bookclub and initiated a writing retreat for fellow writers, and loves to read and write poetry in her spare time.

A quick shoutout to Michael O'Neill from MVisuals who was interviewed on Chilli FM regarding the launch of our TVWF Podcast series. The podcasts have been filmed and produced by MVisuals, the Launceston-based visual media business that also co-created the eight-part fictional web series Australia’s Best Street Racer with Dylan Hesp, and has worked on content for notable Australian series including Rosehaven and The Gloaming. The Tamar Valley Writers Festival has launched the first in a series of podcasts featuring Tasmanian writers, poets, comedians, playwrights and deep thinkers. These audiovisual podcasts, hosted by Launceston teacher and emerging author Lyndon Riggall and former ABC Radio cultural broadcaster Annie Warburton, will be available on the TVWF website and social media platforms. We think Michael did a fantastic job and skilfully spoke to the motivation behind the podcast as we reimagine the Tamar Valley Writers Festival in a Covid-19 world.

Our sell-out event with international bestselling author Katherine Scholes at Waterton Hall was a great sun-bathed success on Sunday. Seventy patrons joined on the lawns in front of the convict-built barn, now a rustic function space and part of the beautiful Waterton Hall estate at Rowella. They were served sparkling wine and the option of gin tastings from Turner Stillhouse, and those who wished to were treated to a tour of Waterton Hall itself. Petrarch's book store was selling all of Scholes' popular books, and Moon Lily Kitchen and Cakes served a delightful afternoon tea once everyone was seated. But by far the highlight was the conversation that unfolded between Scholes and former ABC broadcaster Annie Warburton. The fact that the two inspiring women are friends was obvious by the candid and engaging conversation that unfolded. Scholes recounted her youth growing up to missionary parents in Tanzania; her father a doctor, her mother an artist. She shared the joys and the hardship of living in Africa, the reason they migrated to Tasmania and why, even today, Tanzania holds a special place in her writing career. Scholes brought along her first ever book 'published', scribed in her own hand as a girl, and shared how her author journey began, with The Rain Queen being picked up by publishing giant Penguin quite quickly. Scholes was a generous speaker, taking questions from the audience before signing books and chatting with anyone who wished to linger. The Tamar Valley Writers Festival committee is grateful to all who helped bring the event together, including the team of volunteers. We look forward to announcing more events of this calibre throughout the year ahead. View photo gallery from the event

We are a region rich with talent! The Tamar Valley is not only abundant with wineries and sweeping water vistas, it is a place that cultivates great storytelling. To acknowledge this, the Tamar Valley Writers Festival is profiling some of the diverse talent emerging from this special Tasmanian region. From today, we will share a Q&A with established and emerging storytellers, so that you learn a little more about their life, inspiration and grounding in this valley. First up, you'll probably be familiar with the rising star of Adam Thompson, who earlier this year released his debut book Born Into This (UQP). Adam has been busy flying across the country promoting his book of short stories, but found the time (at an airport!), to share some insights with you. Adam Thompson and Aviva Tuffield from UQP Tamar Valley Storytellers: Adam Thompson 1. What are you working on? I am still writing short fiction — and I always will! At some point I will release another short story collection. I am writing a novel too, set in Tasmania, but that is all I will reveal . I am keeping the plot close to my chest. This is my main focus at the moment. I also have some exciting screen projects in the works. 2. How does the Tamar Valley influence your writing? I grew up in the Tamar Valley and it is the setting for much of my work. So I would say it has a HUGE influence on my writing. I hope fellow Tasmanians get a kick out of reading about the places that they are familiar with. I know I do. But I also like to change things up a bit, so don't be surprised to find a skewed version of Launceston in my novel. 3. What themes are you exploring? In Born Into This, my debut collection, I explored themes such as heritage and environmental destruction, identity and racism. The theft of cultural and human remains is another issue that I tackle in my work. I find fiction to be a powerful medium to educate and influence people's thinking around these issues. They are not being bombarded, as they are through media, but are taking up a book and absorbing the material in their own time and in their own space. I think it gets through to people that way. 4. Describe for us where you write. I mostly write at home. But I have taken up several residencies at the Varuna Writers House in the Blue Mountains. I have written on the islands, during cultural camps and throughout the muttonbirding season. I like the vibe at cafes and libraries as well. It's nice to have some activity around me when I'm working. I find silence distracting sometimes. 5. What is your day job, or are you a full time writer? I have a day job. I'm proud to have worked at the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre for almost 20 years. I've had various roles including working as an Aboriginal ranger. I fit writing into my life where I can. 6. Finish this sentence: "If I had all the time in the world I would..." ...be with my family all the time. As great as writing is, it's got nothing on family time. I wish time would just stop. I have such an amazing family life. I am married and have a 7-year-old boy. I want the present to stretch on forever. 7. What's your favourite read so far this year? What a hard question! I would say Aboriginal poetry would top my list, with Throat by Ellen van Neerven and Drop Bear by Evelyn Araluen. The novel I have most enjoyed is Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. Flock, which is a newly released collection of First Nations short stories, edited by Ellen van Neerven, is also a must read.

Dr Shirley Patton grew up in outback Western Australia and now lives with her partner in wine-growing country overlooking the beautiful Tamar River, Northern Tasmania. She left an academic career as a social work lecturer and published researcher on family violence over a decade ago to write fiction full time. Since then, she has had a number of short stories published in a variety of literary publications, and her debut novel, The Secrets We Keep (2018), by HQ-Harper Collins. 1. What are you working on? It’s been three years since Harper Collins published my debut novel, The Secrets We Keep. My recently completed Young Adult historical/legend novel, set in 5th century Cornwall, is now with my agent. Now I’m working on my second adult novel, set in 1860s northern Tasmania, based on real events. Parallel to that I’m gathering research material on a controversial issue, for a contemporary story, that’s bubbling away in the back of my mind. 2. How does the Tamar Valley influence your writing? It inspires me. I’ve lived in the Tamar Valley overlooking the Tamar River for almost thirty years. I love the sense of community and I’ve been involved with the writers’ festivals in the Tamar Valley since the first one at Beaconsfield, as a volunteer, and more recently as a guest author. Over the past decade of writing, I often walk along the river, stopping halfway at Lone Pine Point to reflect. The tidal river with its ever changing moods, the distant mountains, sometimes purple blue, other times snow tipped, seep into my writing, enhancing my creativity. 3. What themes are you exploring? Notions of ‘truth’: the way stories come down through time, rightly or wrongly. Choices: the making of them, the justifying of them and how we live with them interest me, and how that intersects with women’s lives and their sense of agency (or lack of). The idea of hope informs most of what I write about — I’m a born optimist and believe in the goodness of humanity. 4. Describe for us where you write. From my writing desk, I overlook the Tamar River, with a jetty in the foreground, mountains in the distance. My writing habit is usually Monday to Wednesday (except when on a deadline, when it’s seven days a week!). My room is furthest from the hub of the house with the door shut. I’m not one of those writers who can write in cafes, too much distraction — I disappear into another space and need the solitude. My large desktop computer sits upon a black see-through surround desk that reflects the sky through the window — which throws me sometimes when a bird flies by! My black chair is ergonomic — a sore back is a job hazard when you lose track of time writing! Butcher’s paper with timelines and key chapter points cover one wall; floor to ceiling bookcases line either side of the window. The walls are painted wisteria, the same colour as the sofa alongside my desk. Either side of the desk sit a printer and filing cabinet. Upon the desk are a few sentimental objects, along with a flowering cactus. On the return are piles of research papers, stacks of relevant books, notebooks, and print outs of my work in progress. As inspiration, I stick up pictures of my characters (historical and fictional) and the story locations on the sides of the bookcases. 5. Finish this sentence, "The thing I love the most about being a storyteller is..." …expressing the creative aspect of myself. Entering into a storytelling space satisfies that urge for me. Having the opportunity to share those stories is a privilege for which I’m grateful! Beyond that, being a storyteller allows me to bear witness to a time and place. 6. What's your favourite read so far this year? Oh, too many to choose from — I probably read one or two books a week. So here’s four, all Australian authors: Tara June Winch’s hauntingly beautiful The Yield; Tasmanian author, K M Kruimink’s A Treacherous Country - the story of a quixotic character; Pip William’s lyrical The Dictionary of Lost Words; and most recently, from one of my favourite authors, Susan Johnson’s epistolary novel From Where I Fell.

As well as being an Australian Poetry Slam coordinator, Yvonne Gluyas is an active member of the Tasmanian Poetry Festival, Toastmasters International and the Society of Women Writers Tasmania. After gaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from the University of Technology, Sydney, Yvonne worked in China as a teacher and journalist. She has a Masters Degree in Creative Writing from the University of Tasmania, and in her spare time writes poetry and stories, researches family history, drinks tea, enjoys cuddles from her one-year old identical twin grandsons, and lives in Launceston with a three-legged cat, bee hives and free range chooks. 1. What are you working on? I am currently working on a few different projects: A re-edit of my work-in-progress novel, which is a historical fiction set in the time of Australian protests against the American war in Vietnam; putting together an illustrated collection of my poetry for publication; working on Family History stories; and organising a new online Toastmasters Club — “Write Online” — that features writers of all genres who meet up via Zoom twice a month for an hour (contact me for more details)! I am also involved in coordinating the Tasmanian heats and final of the Australian Poetry Slam during August 2021. 2. How does the Tamar Valley influence your writing? The Valley is my home. I escaped from Sydney over thirty years ago to live in this paradise on earth. The impact of this area and its people, are a huge influence on my life and my writing. I am grateful to be here, and totally appreciate the influence local writers have on my work, and the opportunity to be involved in community based events such as the Tasmanian Poetry Festival. 3. What themes are you exploring? The environment, social issues, protection of our precious natural recourses, people from all walks of life, family relationships and kids are the main themes I include in my writings. 4. Describe for us where you write. I write best when the household is silent, sitting at my recently upgraded desktop computer in my untidy study, with the occasional cat wandering in, hoping I will believe it is starving and feed it. At poetry workshops I use ‘pen and paper’, and I use my laptop when on the move. 5. Finish this sentence, "The thing I love the most about being a storyteller is..." ... Being able to take listeners with me on a journey. 6. What's your favourite read so far this year? Fragile Friday, which is the recently published book of beautiful and insightful poetry by Launceston poet Joy Elizabeth.

Cameron Hindrum lives, writes and works in Launceston. He has published a novel, two collections of poetry and had two plays professionally performed in Tasmania. He recently completed a Doctorate of Creative Arts through the University of Wollongong, and is currently working on a script commission for the Launceston Youth Theatre Ensemble. He is a regular contributor to Mudlark Theatre's One Day project, whereby short plays are written, rehearsed and performed in a 24-hour cycle and for 17 years until 2019 he coordinated the annual Tasmanian Poetry Festival. 1. What are you working on? I usually have a couple of different things on the go. I recently finished work on a Creative Writing doctorate so that has freed me up somewhat! I’ve returned to tinkering with a collection of poems and story fragments which I hope to finalise and submit to a publisher this year, and my other major focus is a commission to write a script for the Launceston Youth Theatre Ensemble, to be performed next year. That’s going to be epic—essentially a trilogy of plays, one for each main LYTE ensemble and a huge cast of very talented and passionate young actors. There is also another novel idea hanging around in the background, hoping I’ll eventually pay some attention to it. 2. How does the Tamar Valley influence your writing? It really is a place of extraordinary beauty. My family and I often go swimming down at Lagoon Beach, Low Head, and the drive there is always obscenely pleasant, as the valley slowly unfolds in front of you. What an absolute privilege it is to have fine food and wine available right on our doorstep. I will always be proud of the community activism and protests that were influential in having the notorious Gunns Pulp Mill development stopped in its tracks. That sort of committed dedication—which is stamped into the DNA of many Tasmanians—is in itself influential and very inspiring. 3. What themes are you exploring? Fundamentally I am always fascinated by what makes people tick. What is it in our behaviour that influences relationships and helps create our senses of self? In both of the two plays I’ve written this has manifested itself in examinations of fatherhood, although the net is cast a little wider in the novel I have just finished for my doctorate, The Sand. This is based on an infamous Tasmanian cold case, the as-yet unsolved murder of Victoria Cafasso in broad daylight on an east coast beach in 1995. It explores how trauma can be the catalyst for us to find resolution for other issues in our lives, and how a small regional community reacts to a sudden and shocking act of violence. People are very often simultaneously flawed, sometimes quite deeply, and also capable of great compassion and empathy. I think, overall, I’m interested in trying to explore just how that works at the level of daily interactions, resilience and so on. The first decision I made in starting to write The Sand was not that I would not attempt to neatly resolve the murder, and indeed I’ve remained true to that—which is an attempt to reflect the often messy and confronting reality, that we have to find ways to resolve things that are not resolved. 4. Describe for us where you write. I am extremely fortunate in that I have a splendid home office, lined with books. Over last Summer a builder and I renovated our garage in order for me to use it this way—I had bought too many books to remain adequately accommodated in the smaller space I had been using inside the main part of our house. (Actually, even with the expanded premises, I still don’t have room for all of my books—keep your eyes peeled for news of some giveaways! I would say that I have too many books, but genuinely I don’t really think that’s possible.) My little Writer’s Cave is very cosy, and even features a dedicated reading chair which was a dentist’s chair in a former life, picked up for an absolute bargain at Andy’s Salvage in Mowbray. Often one of our cats will keep me company while I am in there, being affectionate in the hope that I will stop what I am doing and feed her (again). 5. Finish this sentence, "What Tasmanian writers need is..." This could be a long list, but I will assign priority to: More exposure nationwide—we have some excellent writing happening down here and with some notable exceptions, news of it tends to stay here. I would love to see more of a national profile happening for our writers. The ongoing work of a committed (and properly funded) Writers Centre—take a bow, TasWriters! As many literary festivals as we can manage. Opportunities to meet, network, sell work, listen to great writing, make connections, be inspired and motivated, all of that good stuff. 6. What's your favourite read so far this year? There have been some excellent reads but two have stayed with me, and it occurs to me now that they’re both about loss in very different ways. Truganini: Journey Through the Apocalypse, by Cassandra Pybus is a compelling reminder of the price that’s been paid to allow us to live where we do. The debt can never be paid in full but we should engage with the place where we live, with its brutal histories, with open hearts and minds. The other is The Living Sea of Waking Dreams, by Richard Flanagan—a deeply profound, troubling, beautiful novel about loss and the part that we as a species have played in it, rendered in some truly mesmerising prose with a vastly powerful central allegory. Honourable mentions go to The Fire of Joy by Clive James, which is a collection of his poems that he memorised during the course of his life, each of them accompanied by a superb little essay in which he discusses the poem and/or its meaning to him, and to Squeeze Me, the latest novel by American crime writer Carl Hiaasen—very funny as all of his Florida-based crime novels are, taking square aim at the Trump Presidency and its many, many, many failings. *photo by Grace Roberts.