Working at Facebook would be fun, no? Ex-staffer gives it the thumbs down
The Advertiser09-05-2025
New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings.
Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99.
Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read.
Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95.
On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set.
Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95.
Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story."
A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99.
What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences.
Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99.
Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother.
Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99.
This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon.
Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99.
At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks?
Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99.
Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance.
Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease.
New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings.
Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99.
Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read.
Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95.
On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set.
Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95.
Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story."
A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99.
What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences.
Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99.
Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother.
Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99.
This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon.
Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99.
At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks?
Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99.
Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance.
Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease.
New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings.
Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99.
Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read.
Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95.
On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set.
Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95.
Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story."
A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99.
What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences.
Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99.
Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother.
Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99.
This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon.
Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99.
At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks?
Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99.
Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance.
Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease.
New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings.
Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99.
Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read.
Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95.
On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set.
Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95.
Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story."
A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99.
What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences.
Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99.
Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother.
Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99.
This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon.
Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99.
At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks?
Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99.
Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance.
Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease.
Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99.
Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read.
Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95.
On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set.
Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95.
Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story."
A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99.
What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences.
Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99.
Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother.
Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99.
This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon.
Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99.
At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks?
Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99.
Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance.
Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease.
New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings.
Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99.
Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read.
Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95.
On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set.
Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95.
Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story."
A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99.
What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences.
Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99.
Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother.
Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99.
This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon.
Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99.
At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks?
Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99.
Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance.
Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease.
New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings.
Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99.
Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read.
Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95.
On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set.
Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95.
Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story."
A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99.
What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences.
Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99.
Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother.
Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99.
This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon.
Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99.
At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks?
Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99.
Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance.
Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease.
New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings.
Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99.
Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read.
Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95.
On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set.
Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95.
Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story."
A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99.
What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences.
Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99.
Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother.
Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99.
This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon.
Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99.
At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks?
Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99.
Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance.
Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease.
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