Style: January 13, 2021

54 Style | Read
The book nook
A place to discover what deserves a spot in your TBR pile.
OUR FAVOURITES
Wonderland Avenue
by Danny Sugerman
Danny Sugerman became Jim Morrison’s protégé
and, while still in his teens, became manager of
The Doors and then Iggy Pop – two of my musical
heroes. It chronicles the 60s dream gone to rot and
the early life of a Hollywood wild child who was just
brilliant at being bad. I just loved it, and I’ve reread it
on many occasions!
– Gary Condon, advertising account executive
Tomorrow, When The War
Began (Tomorrow series)
by John Marsden
The wait for each new release from one of my favourite
writers seemed almost unbearable as a teen. What
would Marsden next pit against the Australian teenagers
Ellie, Homer, Fiona, Lee, Robyn, Corrie and Chris?
Over seven riveting books, their lives are on the line as
they attack the invading forces that descended upon
Wirrawee while the group were on a camping trip. The
action is intense. It’s all wrapped around a set of very
well established characters, who find themselves fighting
to free their families, thwart the actions of the invaders
and combat their own feelings after the world they
knew disappeared overnight. Romance, tragedy, action,
drama... it’s all there. Forget the movie and the TV series,
you can’t beat the books.
– Kate Preece, editor
The Death of Bees
by Lisa O’Donnell
I am a ferocious rereader of books. It drives everyone
nuts. But strangely, this one I’ve only read once.
Perhaps the opening paragraph has a hint: “Today
is Christmas Eve. Today is my birthday. Today I am
fifteen. Today I buried my parents in the backyard.
Neither of them were beloved.” I know, right? But
while this book deals with weighty social issues, the
absolutely mastery of Lisa O’Donnell as a writer is
displayed in the way she deftly weaves in humour, so
you don’t feel so heavy afterwards. It is told through
three narrators: very straight-talking Marnie, 15; her
younger sister Nelly, who has slight autism, speaks like
the Queen and stops going to class because she learns
more in the library; and their neighbour, Lennie. It’s
always the unexpected book that gets you.
– Shelley Robinson, deputy editor
Mythos: The Greek
Myths Retold
by Stephen Fry
The incomparable Stephen Fry entertains and educates
as he tells the stories of ancient Greek gods, goddesses,
monsters and the naïve mortals who get in their way.
Fry knows these tales are, to be honest, quite insane,
and he runs with it, using his unique humour and
delivery to keep the reader captivated. His follow-up,
Heroes, is just as good!
– Rodney Grey, designer