AustLit

'A GRAPHIC, CONFRONTING STORY OF POVERTY, LONELINESS, RACISM, RAPACITY AND VIOLENCE IN VAN DIEMEN’S LAND.

'In Nottingham, England in 1810, John Marsden is jobless and desperate to find ways to feed his family. For stealing two sheep he is imprisoned and transported to Van Diemen’s Land.

'Although missing his family badly, Marsden works steadily, knowing that freedom and opportunity beckon.  There will be no redemption for his former shipmates who have become bushrangers. Or for the indigenous population, locked in an increasingly bloody fight for survival, as the colonists take their land.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Malcolm Ward’s fascinating selection of love letters from George Meredith to his wife Mary provides unrivalled insight into the intimacies of a prominent colonial family. In this beautifully produced book, Ward reveals Meredith’s erotic side in ‘love feasts’ with a receptive Mary, who struggles to attain the high standards of respectability set by her adoring yet demanding husband. A riveting read.

~ Emeritus Professor Stefan Petrow

'George Meredith was a pioneer, a former Royal Marine officer, and unafraid to take on powerful interests in his new home, Van Diemen’s Land. He was also a bully and mostly acted in his own interests in colonial affairs. Within the privacy of his estate, he carried on a torrid relationship with his young wife, Mary, which he described and amplified in a series of sometimes graphic letters to her during his frequent absences from his farm. He mixed his passionate prose with cruel criticism of her for her failure to write back to him to his satisfaction.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Everybody carries emotional baggage throughout their lives…and most resolve their issues.

'But what if one individual won’t let go of a longstanding grudge…and enacts a murderous revenge scheme.

'DI John Mahoney is confronted with a serial killer intent upon squaring up with his victims in an elaborate and brutal manner. Mahoney and his investigative team must harness the insights of a forensic psychologist to unravel the mindset of their calculating and ruthless foe if the mayhem is to be halted.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Well told, well researched, with a wealth of colourful detail…No Ordinary Convict is written with fluency and elegance that makes it a pleasure to read. - Alison Alexander, writer and historian 

'The Rebecca Riots took place between 1839 and 1844 to protest primarily about excessive tolls imposed on travel across the Welsh countryside. It was a just cause in a harsh, poverty-stricken era; a serious movement imbued with a sense of the ridiculous. Each protest was led by a young man disguised as a woman, face blackened, who was called Rebecca. He was followed by hundreds of his raucous ‘daughters’.

'John Hughes was a Rebecca. He was caught red-handed leading an attack to demolish a toll gate and tollhouse. Headline news across the Western world reported his trial, which resulted in transportation to a colony on the other side of the world.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Lively, generous, articulate —and eternally dapper in his trademark beret — Max was a force for good in Tasmanian society.

'From humble beginnings as an apprentice signwriter during the Depression, Max Angus worked hard to leave commercial art behind and become a successful watercolour painter. 

'In the process he made himself a household name in Tasmania and, as his life drew to a close, he was acknowledged as a living treasure. 

'Success like this might have been enough for another man, but Max’s passions took him beyond his art practice to publish books on the art of watercolour and share his painterly skills with students in the beautiful Tasmanian landscape. 

'It was his love for the landscape that led him to try his utmost to save Lake Pedder from destruction, alongside his great friend, wilderness photographer Olegas Truchanas. 

'To further awaken the world to the threats to the Tasmanian environment, he published The World of Olegas Truchanas after his friend’s death, and later, Pedder. The story. The paintings. 

'Rich in detail and drawing on the memories of Max’s family and friends, this book brings together all the facets of his life, and in doing so, illustrates Tasmania’s social history over the century that Max’s life spanned. 

'A must for lovers of Tasmanian art and history.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Soap, water, sandwiches, smoke?
Where do they come from?
And where do they go?

'This unique children's book offers an opportunity for young children to observe and explore their relationship with everyday things. It provides ways of discovering how these 'things' move and change and to find out if they really do go away.

'Engaging text and thought-provoking illustrations help develop the critical practice of thinking in terms of cycles, providing a foundation for understanding Earth's processes and our role in them.

'Ninety pages of free educator notes, available through the Foodweb Education website, provide avenues to continue the exploration.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'A rollicking historical yarn of far south Tasmania. Wren knows how to tell a good story. 
~ Alison Alexander, The Ambitions of Jane Franklin

'This is a version of lutruwita / Tasmania that you have never read, a story of the sea and sailing, a novel that tells the story of an island through the eyes of an unforgettable woman, Pearl Macqueen, the Oyster Girl. Starting as it means to go on, seismically, The Oyster Girl traces Pearl from her time as an indentured worker diving for mutton fish and crays through love, friendship, fortune and some of the cruel dealings of fate. Cameos from many of the island’s most recognisable historical figures, fleshed out with failings and foibles, are spotted throughout the story. For one so vulnerable in her time - a woman alone - Pearl is a feisty and textured character who will stay with you long after you have finished reading. 

'This remarkable first novel delivers a window onto a slice of Tasmanian history and culture which is powerfully evocative and mercurial in its slippery undertow and fleet narrative. Wren’s capacity to mirror deep historical research with a rich lived understanding of the birds, botany and bones of the landscape in the Far South of Tasmania had me riveted to the page. The ’Oyster Girl’ is a sensational novel and I recommend it highly. 

'~ Deborah Wace, Tasmanian botanical artist, print maker, fabric designer, lover of natural history, and ecological activist.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Author, Kathleen McLaren knows all sorts of interesting facts about chickens. She knows they talk with each other using at least 31 sounds, each of which has a different meaning; that they can count, solve problems and use basic geometry; and that chickens can use the sun as a compass, helping them to find food and water. Kathleen also knows that some mothers and chicks never meet because Mum’s eggs are taken from her and put into incubators, and that thousands of chickens are kept inside crowded sheds that stink of ammonia.

'In Chickens Storm Free Kathleen tells a story that shows why it is good to care about chickens and that we should help them if they are in need. In this, her third book with Forty South Publishing, Kathleen introduces children to Shirley Cockatoo and Reginald Raven who, while exploring beyond their forest home, spy a large, ugly and smelly shed. They take a closer look and what they discover sets them on a mission to put things right for the chickens inside the shed. Birds are brainy creatures, so Reginald and Shirley have plenty of good ideas and clever skills to help in their quest. But the arrival of a big storm makes their task difficult.' (Publication summary)

'As a professional snake handler, Veronika Ross has a love for snakes and for educating people on all things snake-related. She understands the fear and misinformation that lead people to make inappropriate and sometimes dangerous decisions around snakes. Veronika created this book to complement community education sessions and give children and adults a shared opportunity to bust the myths surrounding her favourite Tasmanian animals. 

'By using a story from her own childhood, Veronika has created an avenue for children to learn the truth about Tasmanian snakes. Her story is beautifully illustrated by the artwork of Sonia Strong (author/illustrator of Forty South publications, Tazzie the Turbo Chook finds her feet and The Boobook’s Nook) and includes practical information on being safe around snakes.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Monica Reeve’s third book with Forty South Publishing is a rollicking true story set on the wild west coast of Tasmania. It took place during the author’s idyllic childhood in the 1980s. 

'Camping trips are usually buckets of fun, however some can quickly descend into chaos (especially ones that involve supposedly scary and dangerous Tasmanian wildlife). This is the story of a family camping trip that has never been forgotten. 

'No snakes (or people) were harmed in the creation of this story.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Things are not as they seem in the Tasmanian wilderness. Scary rumours are circulating about sightings of the notorious and elusive thylacine. Benny Bennett, a curious young wallaby, wants to find out the truth. Is the Tasmanian tiger really extinct?'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Have you ever spent a night on an old wooden yacht on its side on a mud bank? Been bitten by a tiger snake and survived? Hugged an albatross? Been nearly drowned by a platypus? Operated a remote lighthouse? Been pestered by a pelican? Had a very close encounter with a humpback whale? 

'Paul Abbott has - all these and more. 

'Bunyips, Bogans and Brown Dogs is a collection of tales from his experiences – some mundane, most quite unlikely – accumulated over more than 40 years of fishing, boating and almost drowning near, on, and sometimes reluctantly in, Tasmania’s waterways.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Tarkine the Tasmanian tiger declares that there is no future in extinction – and he should know!

'He tells us that the modern world has lost half its species, an amazing rate of
nearly 200 plant, insect, bird and mammal species a day! That’s 1000 times the natural rate.

'Tarkine explains how this has happened and shows us the importance of habitat, ecosystems, biodiversity, catchments and more, and the alternatives to our destructive ways. He points out what we shouldn't do and what we should do to preserve the wonderful gift of our natural environment.

'Tarkine tells his story to two young children … our future generation, but what he says is for everyone – young and old and from any background.' 

'Tarkine the Tasmanian tiger declares that there is no future in extinction - and he should know! Tarkine and his crew take off in his trusty tiger biplane to visit some of the world's most endangered species. Meet his arch-enemy, the 'Time Bandit', who wants to chime his bells for species he thinks have done their time. Learn about the threats to species from increasing water temperatures, pollution, rising sea levels, deforestation and habitat reduction, as well as over-harvesting and poaching. Tarkine tells us what we can do to preserve our endangered species and the wonderful gift of our natural environment.' (Publication summary)

'A collection of bittersweet stories that ring with compassion, understanding and empathy.

'"The tales in this collection are about us, with many serving as a poignant reminder of our grim past. These are not just cynical narratives but an attempt to bring to light various facts of our society, especially the ones which have remained hidden. This collection is a humble attempt to preserve historical facts and the realities of our lives for future generations." ~ Gajinder Oberoi' (Publication summary)

'Christmas Eve at last! Reginald twitches his whiskers, straightens his Santa hat and creeps quietly out of his tiny mouse hole into the dimly lit lounge room. In the flickering Christmas lights he can see a beautifully decorated tree. In his excitement Reginald scampers up the tree to play among the baubles, bells and bows. This is just the start of his grand adventure. Christmas cake, an angel, Santa, toys – he discovers them all, and what a night it turns out to be.' (Publication summary)

'Bobbing on the surface, Little Penguin was joined by Fur Seal. Together they watched as the monster destroyed the beach. 

'“I need to find a new home,” said Little Penguin. 

'For Little Penguin, finding help is easy. A comfortable home, however, is a little more difficult to find.' (Publication summary)

'Science, history, romance and mystery merge together in this thriller, set in a world that Charles Darwin could never have imagined when he popularised the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’.

'AMDAT Tower casts long shadows across Melbourne streets. Bougainvillea weaves its thorny tentacles around the columns and into the crevices of its steel and glass facade. From the penthouse, scientists Daniel Grant and Vaughn Lambert observe the 2074 intake of medical students. Below them, bats breed in plastic caves while researchers conduct experiments and analyse the data from billions of implanted health chips. In this post-pandemic world people have been eager to exchange their right to privacy for premium health care.

'Dr Ellen Hancock, raised in New Jersey, now lives and works in Melbourne. She survived the 2064 avian flu pandemic, but is unaware of her superior immune system. When a teenager is found dead in her hometown and four others go missing, her childhood sweetheart Detective Patrick O’Connor investigates. Ellen is drawn into the mystery, along with her best friend’s daughter, AMDAT medical student Zoe. Zoe has something Daniel and Vaughn want: how far will they be prepared to go to get it?'

Source: publisher's blurb