There’s plenty of good reads hitting bookstores this October.
Christmas always comes early for book lovers. Some of the biggest releases of 2024 hit our shelves this month with new novels and non-fiction from masters of the craft. From Tim Winton’s dystopian vision and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ exploration of the myth-making of conflict, to Stanley Tucci’s food diary (and that’s only the Ts!), there’s plenty to add to the shelf, or Christmas wish list, this month.
Juice, Tim Winton
Hamish Hamilton, $49.99
In his first novel since 2018’s The Shepherd’s Hut, Tim Winton ventures into cli-fi territory with a dystopian story set in northwest Australia about two centuries from now. Publishers have described the 500-page epic as “Tim Winton as you’ve never read him before”. In an interview with this masthead, the literary legend said: “I’d like the experience of the book to be longer than the reading of the book. I’ve been in this caper long enough to know some books do achieve that.”
Tim Winton first novel in nearly six years is set in a dystopian future. Credit: Violeta J. Brosig
Shapeshifting: First Nations Lyric Nonfiction, edited by Ellen van Neerven and Jeanine Leane
UQP, $34.99
Edited by acclaimed writers and poets Jeanine Leane and Ellen van Neerven, Shapeshifting is a collection of evocative and experimental nonfiction writing by First Nations authors. The pieces seek to challenge the essay as a form; to redefine and reinvent conventions of genre. Contributors include Alison Whittaker, Charmaine Papertalk Green, Mykaela Saunders, and Evelyn Araluen.
Rapture, Emily Maguire
Allen & Unwin, $32.99
The Miles Franklin-shortlisted author’s latest novel follows Agnes, the motherless child of an English priest living in ninth-century Mainz. To escape her fate as a nun or a wife, Agnes disguises herself as a man—John the Englishman—who becomes a celebrated teacher in Rome, dazzling the Church hierarchy. But problems arise when the one person who knows her identity arrives in Rome.
Emily Maguire’s Rapture takes us to the ninth century. Credit: Sarah Wilson
Naku Dharuk: The Bark Petitions: How the People of Yirrkala Changed the Course of Australian Democracy, Clare Wright
Text, $45.00
Claire Wright’s ability to bring history to life has spoken for itself in her four works, including the best-selling The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka and You Daughters of Freedom. In the third instalment of her “democracy trilogy”, Wright examines the creation of the Yirrkala Bark Petitions: Näku Dhäruk in 1963 by the Yolŋu of northeast Arnhem Land. Don’t be deterred by the size of this book, it is one of monumental importance.
Wing, Nikki Gemmell
4th Estate, $34.99, October 2
“Four days. Four girls. One teacher. What happened?” If the cover tagline isn’t enough to hook you into this thriller, the publisher’s description of Wing as “Lord of the Flies meets Picnic at Hanging Rock meets Promising Young Woman” certainly will. With echoes of Charlotte Wood and Suzie Miller, Gemmell’s novel follows the disappearance of four private school girls—and their male teacher—during a camping trip into the Australian bush.
Nikki Gemmell’s new novel promises to be a ripper read.Credit: Kathy Luu
We Are the Stars, Gina Chick
Simon & Schuster, $36.99, October 2
The inaugural winner of Alone Australia shares her incredible life story. Gina’s mother, Suzanne Chick, was given up for adoption and only discovered her mother was the writer Charmian Clift when she was 48. Gina’s memoir tells the story of a life full of surprises From her unconventional childhood, to a love affair with a conman and an escape into the natural world, Gina’s vulnerability, passion, and determination, witnessed by the millions of Australians who watched Alone, shines as strongly on the page as on the screen.
The Message, Ta-Nehisi Coates
Hamish Hamilton, $36.99, October 22
The author of the bestselling Between the World and Me (winner of the National Book Award for nonfiction) returns with a book that sees him visit three sites of conflict. Coates explores Dakar, Senegal; Columbia, South Carolina; and Palestine to reflect on the stories we tell and those that shape us. With this book, Coates confirms his status as one of the most important writers of our time.
Author Ta-Nehisi Coates should be on everyone’s reading list.Credit: AP
What I Ate in One Year, Stanley Tucci
Fig Tree, $45, October 22
Not many people could captivate me by detailing exactly what they ate in a year, but Oscar-nominated actor turned foodie Stanley Tucci definitely could. Taste was charming, and his follow-up records 12 months of “eating in restaurants, kitchens, on film sets, during press junkets, at home and abroad, with friends, family, and occasionally just by himself”. Food is far more than simply food for Tucci, so prepare for a forkful of feelings.
Brainstorm, Richard Scolyer with Garry Maddox
Allen & Unwin, $34.99, October 29
This is the incredible story of Richard Scolyer, an Australian pathologist who was at the forefront of research into fighting and curing melanoma. After being diagnosed with brain cancer, Scolyer chose to undertake world-first experimental treatment based on melanoma science, documenting his journey for the world to see. This is a remarkable account, written with Garry Maddox who also writes for this masthead, of a generous courageous man.
Professor Richard Scolyer who is undertaking experimental treatment to treat his brain cancer.
John Farnham: The Voice Inside, John Farnham with Poppy Stockell
Hachette, $49.99, October 30
His voice has been a soundtrack to many of our lives, and now the much-loved Australian legend tells the stories of his. From growing up in London and Melbourne, the release of Whispering Jack, and winning 21 ARIA awards to the challenges of a ruthless industry and staring down the barrel of financial ruin, Farnham unpacks the highs and lows of his journey. Entertaining and raw, this will undoubtedly be a Christmas stocking favourite (and let’s all appreciate the hair on the cover too!).