Mum’s the word: four book picks for Mother’s Day

Upfront’s picks for 2025 Mother’s Day gifts.

Dream Count, by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is a celebration of
female friendship in the face of toxic masculinity. It tells the interconnected stories of four African women migrants to the US: a travel writer, a lawyer, a banker turned grad student and a housekeeper. Adichie weaves questions about race and gender through a powerful story of lost love, betrayal and regret.

In May 2019, Australian writer Geraldine Brooks received a brusque call telling her that her husband of 35 years, American writer Tony Horwitz, had died. Her memoir, Memorial Days, describes how, in February 2023, she retreated to Flinders Island (in Bass Strait) to process her grief and reflect on the enormity of her loss. An exquisite tribute to a beloved spouse.

In Gretchen Shirm’s Out of the Woods, an Australian woman flees her troubled past to work at an international criminal tribunal. Her job is to take notes at the trial of a former military man. Based on real events – the trial of a Serbian commander responsible for the deaths of thousands in Srebrenica in 1995 – the novel is punctuated by extracts taken from the testimony of actual survivors. A reminder of the importance of bearing witness.

French writer Colombe Schneck’s semi-autobiographical The Paris Trilogy is her first English-language translation. In Seventeen, the female protagonist, Colombe, feels betrayed by her body when she falls pregnant; her decision to have an abortion will haunt her. In Friendship, two lifelong friends follow similar paths in study, work and family until one dies in her 50s. In Swimming: A Love Story, 50-something Colombe discovers a passion for swimming while in the throes of a new love affair. Will appeal to lovers of Elena Ferrante. Nicole Abadee

LISTEN / Problem solver

The new Hyperfixed podcast investigates life’s banal but seemingly intractable problems.

Reply All regularly turns up on lists of the greatest podcasts ever made, but since it ended in 2022, co-host Alex Goldman has been quiet. Until now. He pitches his new podcast, Hyperfixed, as “the help desk for life’s most intractable problems”. The problems seem banal – Gwen is trying to get over her terror of driving in New York; Eva, who’s English, wants to figure out why US recipes use cups instead of weights; Casey needs to know what on Earth is the origin of a badge that reads “Ask Me About Our New Diarrhoea-Inducing Chili Cheese Fries”. Goldman, who describes himself as an “over-confident idiot”, is endlessly inquisitive as he tries to get answers to each question, but, as always, it’s more about the journey than the destination. Barry Divola

WEAR / Prefect score

Inspired by Ivy League Americana, designed and made in Australia.

The preppy trend continues gaining momentum with popped collars, pleated skirts and boat shoes becoming the essential accessories of street-style students. Ivy League Americana may be the inspiration, but designers closer to home are acing the polished pieces that will propel their wearer straight to the top of the class. We’re loving Macgraw’s silk “Scholarship Skirt in Blue Crest” ($895); elevate further with polished shoes, ironed cuffs and scrubbed fingernails. Damien Woolnough

EAT / Country table

Mudgee’s Tinja Farm hosts a long-table lunch with native ingredients for National Reconciliation Week.

Kick off National Reconciliation Week next month (May 27-June 3) with Bulaguy Bagaraygan, a long-table lunch set among the saltbush at Mudgee’s Tinja Farm. On May 25, hatted restaurant The Zin House joins forces with Nathan Lovett of native-food supplier Naway Yila Buraja for a feast ($250 per person) that blends native ingredients, regenerative agriculture and powerful storytelling. Expect bush-grown bites, native-infused sips from Lowe Wines, and a guided walk to view Wiradjuri tree art by Emmett McLeod. More than a meal, this is a joyful celebration of Country, culture and connection, served with a side of saltbush and soul. Pack your boots, bring your appetite (and your hat) and prepare to walk, eat and think differently. Frances Mocnik

WORK OUT / Weigh your options

Get your sweat on with Technogym’s connected equipment.

Say goodbye to clunky weight racks (and, possibly, a gym membership). Technogym’s Connected Dumbbells offers 12 sets, ranging from 2-24 kilograms, in one sleek solution (dumbbells, $2980; dumbbells with stand, $5130). With a twist of the handle, you can switch up your weights effortlessly in two-kilo increments. Built-in sensors track every rep and sync with the Technogym App to tailor workouts to your goals, while the Technogym AI Coach analyses your form, recommends adjustments (such as whether you need to lift more or less) and keeps your progress on point. The minimalist stand comes with a mat, foam roller and loop bands. Smart, compact and beautifully designed. Frances Mocnik

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