Hachette Australia – serie

In times of uncertainty, words of comfort are essential, and the stunning overseas sales of this title are testament to its universal appeal. These modern tales of hope, forgiveness, freedom from fear and overcoming pain cleverly relate the timeless wisdom of the Buddha's teachings and the path to true happiness in a warm and accessible way. Ajahn Brahm was born and raised in the West and in his more than thirty years as a Buddhist monk he has gathered many poignant, funny and profound stories. He has tremendous ability to filter these stories through the Buddha's teaching so that they can have meaning for all sorts of readers. There are many thousands of Australians who don't even know that they need this book yet, but who will no doubt embrace it just as overseas readers have. It is the perfect gift book as there is truly something in it for everyone.

Fern lives in a colourless, lifeless city and has only ever seen trees as pictures in her books. Fern is told that the bandits who come in the middle of the night to steal from the city dwellers are bad guys, but when she follows them back to their home she discovers a land of colour, life, friendship and a future she believes in. BANDITS is the second picture book from Sydney-based artist Sha'an d'Anthes, whose career has seen her travel, show and sell her work all over the world.'Sha'an's vibrant illustrations transport the reader to a world full of colour and joy.' - Marc Martin, author and illustrator'D'Anthes' beautifully painted and intelligently prosed book is all about the environment, diversity and hope.' The Australian Women's Weekly 'enchanting adventure' Country Style

AS SEEN IN THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SBS AND HBO MAX DOCUMENTARY WE ARE JENI - this is the unforgettable memoir from a woman who refused to be silenced. Jeni Haynes is an inspiration and her bravery and determination to live shows how MPD or DID saved her life. It is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.Don't be fooled. The girl on the front cover of this book is not me, Jennifer Haynes. She is, in fact, Symphony . . . Symphony knows silence protects abusers. That's why we have to speak up, we have to tell our story, we have to scream and shout for all the children who don't yet have the words.Jeni Haynes is an inspiration. That she survived the unimaginably sadistic physical, psychological and emotional abuse and sexual crimes detailed in this book is testament to the extraordinary strength of Jeni's mind.What saved Jeni was the process of dissociation - Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), also known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) - a defence mechanism that created over 2500 separate personalities, or alters, who protected her as best they could. This army of alters included four-year-old Symphony, teenage motorcycle-loving Muscles, elegant Linda, forthright Judas and eight-year-old Ricky.It would take years, but with her army and the support of her psychiatrist, Dr George Blair-West, Jeni fought to create a happy life for herself and bring her father to justice for the crimes he committed against her.The Girl in the Green Dress is a harrowing, unforgettable and ultimately inspiring memoir from a woman who refused to be silenced. Including powerful and fascinating insights from Dr George Blair-West, Jeni's psychiatrist and an expert in DID who worked with her for over twenty years, this is a unique and profoundly important book for victims of abuse, their families, clinicians, police and anyone interested in the complexity of the human mind. It is proof that survival is possible and joy can be found after the darkest of times.

For the people who lived in the desert between Marree and Birdsville, contact with the outside world was hard and sporadic - but one man was their lifeline: Tom Kruse. For more than twenty years he was the connection with the outside world for the families, station workers and others who lived along the Birdsville Track.Tom delivered everything from the mail and newspapers to fuel and food - whole communities waited in anticipation for him to drop off their supplies. But it was a hard life, from regularly making running repairs to his truck to unloading and reloading tons of stores so that he could ferry his cargo across flooded creeks. Come sandhills, hell or high water, Tom Kruse kept faith with the locals up and down the Track.Tom was a real Australian hero - and no matter what happened, the mail always got through.

William McInnes, one of Australia's best-known storytellers and actors, has turned to a subject that is close to his heart. Fatherhood is about family, about memories of his father and the memories he's creating as a dad himself, with his own son and daughter.Warm, witty and nostalgic, these tales are just like a friendly chat over the back fence, or the banter of a backyard BBQ. They will stir your own memories: of hot summer days and cooling off under the sprinkler while Dad works in the garden with the radio tuned to the sports results; that time Dad tried to teach you to drive - and then got out of the car and kissed the ground; or taking your own kids on a family road trip.Fatherhood is full of memories: the happy, the hilarious, the sad, bad, and the unexpectedly poignant moments. You will laugh, you may even cry - but you will recognise yourself and those you love somewhere in these pages.

Each chapter of this absorbing memoir explores a particular species of tree, layering description, anecdote, and natural history to tell the story of a scrap of forest in the Sunshine Coast hinterland - how the author came to be there and the ways it has shaped her life. In many ways, it's the story of a treechange, of escaping suburban Brisbane for a cottage on ten acres in search of a quiet life. Of establishing a writers retreat shortly before the Global Financial Crisis, and losing just about everything. It is also the story of what the author found there: the literature of nature and her own path as a writer. Some of the nature writing that has been part of this journey is woven through the narrative arc. The Language of Trees is about connection to place as a white settler descendent, and trying to reconcile where the author grew up with where the author is now. It is her story of learning to be at home among trees, and the search for a language appropriate to describe that experience. That journey leads Inga to nature writing, to an environmental consciousness, to regenerating this place and, ultimately, to learning Gubbi Gubbi and Wiradjuri.

"Brodie is whip smart; merging pop-culture references with vulnerable, personal experiences to create a collection that reads like a hilarious catch-up call with an old friend. What a pleasure to hear from this fresh, extremely relevant point of view." Abbi Jacobson, CO-CREATOR / WRITER / STAR of BROAD CITY"I wish Brodie was the voice of my inner monologue; narrating me through life with her fierce intelligence and never-ending pop culture references. Instead, I'll just settle for this extremely relatable, unashamedly funny, powerful and beautifully vulnerable book No Way! Okay, Fine." - Courtney Barnett, ARIA award winning and Grammy nominated songwriter and musician.'I identified early on that my role in relationships was the sidekick, the platonic female cast member in an all-male production, or the friend who was relied on selectively when other options were unavailable. I was the comic relief or the stand-in, never the lead. I knew this, I felt it, I wrote it down, but I didn't dare say it aloud because that would prove that I cared and caring wasn't cool.'From the small town in regional Australia where she was told that 'girls can't play the drums' to New York City and back again, Brodie has spent her life searching screens, books, music and magazines for bodies like hers, girls who loved each other, and women who didn't follow the silent instructions to shrink or hide that they've received since literal birth. This is the story of life as a young woman through the lenses of feminism and pop culture.Brodie's story will make you re-evaluate the power of pop culture in our lives - and maybe you will laugh and cry along the way.'Brodie Lancaster is a thoughtful and patient writer, and this book is a generous, deep dive into her psyche. Brodie's thoughts about her body, her friends and lovers, her choices and fears are all presented with the same staccato blast of pop culture touchstones, and if you love boy bands/the internet/reality television/the Gilmore Girls/literally every other thing that is good in the world, you will adore this book.' - Emma Straub, bestselling author of THE VACATIONERS and MODERN LOVERS.

The fascinating story of the exceptional maritime explorer, Matthew Flinders - the man who put Australia on the map.Shipwrecks, storms, death and danger - Matthew Flinders encountered it all on his courageous quest to circumnavigate and chart the treacherous Terra Australis coastline.From the drama of epic voyages and devastating shipwrecks; his part in the naming of Australia; his cruel imprisonment by the French on Mauritius for six long and harrowing years; the heartbreaking separation from his beloved wife; and the comfort he got from his loyal cat, Trim; to his tragic death at just forty.This is a gripping adventure biography that details the life of Flinders, a true hero whose name is forever woven into the fabric of Australian history.

'a guidebook that might just save your life' HERALD SUNBob Cooper's incredible bushcraft skills have been developed through more than 30 years of experience in Australia's harsh outback. He has picked up tools of survival from the experiences of living with traditional Aboriginal communities, instructing Special Forces units, lecturing with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Service on desert survival in the Mexican Desert, delivering wilderness lessons in the UK and learning the skills of the bushmen of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana.Bob has put his own lessons to the test and showed that with the right knowledge of the land, you can survive in even the harshest of conditions. OUTBACK SURVIVAL tells you WHAT you need to do, and HOW, if you want to survive. Based on Bob's Big 5 techniques, he explains:WATER - how to find, purify and transportWARMTH - fire and wind-proofingSHELTER - against rain, cold, wind and sunSIGNALS - by day and nightFOOD - foraging and fishingThis new edition also features Bob's OUTBACK DRIVING guide.The outback of Australia is one of the most unforgiving regions of the world, but Bob Cooper is committed to protecting and enhancing the experience people have when venturing out into the bush.

FINALIST FOR THE MILES FRANKLIN LITERARY AWARDS 2019WINNER OF THE NSW PREMIERS LITERARY AWARDS MULTICULTURAL NSW AWARD 2019'Bani Adam thinks he's better than us!' they say over and over until finally I shout back, 'Shut up, I have something to say!'They all go quiet and wait for me to explain myself, redeem myself, pull my shirt out, rejoin the pack. I hold their anticipation for three seconds, and then, while they're all ablaze, I say out loud, 'I do think I'm better.'As far as Bani Adam is concerned Punchbowl Boys is the arse end of the earth. Though he's a Leb and they control the school, Bani feels at odds with the other students, who just don't seem to care. He is a romantic in a sea of hypermasculinity. Bani must come to terms with his place in this hostile, hopeless world, while dreaming of so much more.Praise for The Lebs:'an open-eyed and highly charismatic novel broiling with fight, tenderness and ambition.' - Big Issue'The Lebs is a strong and resonant novel that deserves to be widely read.' - Weekend Australian'The author never lets his superb command of idiom or his eye for the absurd overwhelm a deeply felt exploration of the hurt and damage that can come from encounters with the Australian Other. No one who reads The Lebs deserves to come out unscathed.' - The Saturday Paper 'Ahmad's piercing storytelling cuts away at the lace and trimmings of race relations in Australia today.' - The Lifted Brow

'Set in an intergalactic war, this powerful story is told from multiple viewpoints and delivers an emotionally wrenching impact.' - Sally Morgan, author of the bestselling Australian classic MY PLACEShane Daniels and Romany Zetz have been drawn into a war that is not their own. Lives will be destroyed, families will be torn apart. Trust will be broken.When the war is over, some will return to a changed world. Will they discover that glory is a lie?Claire G. Coleman's new novel takes us to a familiar world to ask what we have learned from the past. THE OLD LIE might not be quite what you expect.Praise for TERRA NULLIUS:'surprising and unforgettable' - Publisher's Weekly'moving and original' - Weekend Australian'impossible to ignore' - Books and Publishing'unflinching' - Sydney Review of Books'timely' - Adelaide Review

SHORTLISTED FOR THE FICTION BOOK AWARD, QUEENSLAND LITERARY AWARDS 2026From the internationally acclaimed, prize-winning author of The Performance and Fugitive Blue comes a remarkable work of literary fictionA woman arrives in Geneva, the first stop in a train journey through the country of her father's birth. She yearns to be outside time - untethered and alone - but she soon becomes immersed in the stories resonating all around her. She visits a museum and stares into the oversized, disco-ball eyes of an insect, unsettled by the intimacy, 'like looking into the facial pores of a lover'. Later, she will tiptoe through the snow to find a portrait of James Baldwin on the window shutter of a chalet, his features rendered in rows of silver staples shot into timber. She will find traces of Mary Shelley and Fleur Jaeggy; android pioneers in eighteenth-century Neuchâtel; Charlie Chaplin, Patricia Highsmith, and striking workers drilling through the earth to create the vast Gotthard Tunnel; Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary as they summit Everest; Lenin and the Dada artists in early twentieth-century Zurich.On Not Climbing Mountains is a tender and compelling novel. Beautifully conceived and deftly crafted, it is an exhilarating feat of storytelling, concerned with the fragilities of the natural world, the pains of grief and memory, and the endless reverberations of art.'Incandescent with ideas. One of the best books by an Australian writer I've read in a long time. A magisterially good book' THE BOOKSHELF - ABC RADIO NATIONAL'Thomas has written a novel that is truly novel - she plays with form and artfully constructs a journey through the mountains of Switzerland, braiding stories of artists, writers, and thinkers into a literary rope, a pulley system for the mind. Vivian Gornick meets Ali Smith, but unmistakably Claire Thomas' MADELEINE GRAY, AUTHOR OF GREEN DOT'A book of images, resonances, memory, and the mingling of art and life that becomes something beautiful and tender' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD'Told aslant with a beautiful lightness of touch . . . There is a sense, throughout, of the author just behind the scenes, in tight control of her material; of history churning beneath her prose' THE GUARDIAN'A beautifully meditative, intensely lyrical book, and its approach to narrative is innovative and exciting' SATURDAY PAPER'Both vast and intimate . . . A tender, intelligent, and moving novel' AUSTRALIAN BOOK REVIEW'Extraordinary and experimental' THE CONVERSATION'Thomas has an archivist's curiosity and a novelist's ear, and the result is a work that feels both precise and associative. She invites the reader to look harder, and then again and again. It's not quite memoir, not quite history, not quite criticism, not quite fiction, but something tautly stitched between all three' BOOKS+PUBLISHINGPraise for The Performance 'Flawless' WASHINGTON POST 'Compassionate' NEW YORK TIMES'Transformational' THE TIMES'The way Thomas plays with the reader is a sort of genius' THE GUARDIAN

A masterful and deeply troubling expose, Witness is the culmination of five years' research for award-winninginvestigative journalist Louise Milligan.Throughout her career charting the experiences of people who have the courage to come forward to police and then look to find justice in court, Milligan has watched how witnesses are treated (or, too frequently, mistreated) in the courtroom. They have described to her how they relive the associated trauma, often years later. Then, she saw this first-hand when she became a witness and was cross-examined herselfin the trial of the decade, R v George Pell.Never-before-published court transcripts expose widespread systemic flaws. And through a combination of extraordinarily candid interviews with defence counsel, prosecutors and even judges, and the heartbreakingstories of witnesses in a number of high-profile cases, the brutal reality of the system is laid bare.Revealing the devastating effects of an adversarial legal system that can be sexist, callous and too often weighted towards the rich and powerful, Milligan also highlights its failure to protect the wellbeing of the most vulnerable. In detailing these flaws and the ongoing human cost, Witness is a compelling call for change.Shortlisted for the 2021 Stella Prize'Witness is an impressive, gut-wrenching interrogation of the justice system.'THE SATURDAY PAPER'Witness is a triumph of intellect and empathy.'THE CONVERSATION

'Jordan is a kind of Australian Marian Keyes, combining overdrive pace and throwaway humour with a razor intelligence and a deft, illuminating touch on darker subjects and themes . . . A sharp-eyed, engaging, endearing and ultimately optimistic story' Sydney Morning Herald'Taps into the humour and pathos of ordinary life in a way that has you nodding with recognition . . . while at the same time laughing out loud' PIP WILLIAMS'I just loved this very smart, very funny and at times moving novel' SOPHIE CUNNINGHAMOne perfect life. One disastrous week. The brand-new novel from bestselling, acclaimed and beloved author Toni JordanAs the eldest child in a single-parent family, Kylie's always had more important things on her mind than smiling for random strangers. Controlling her job, her home, her romantic life and - most importantly - her family takes all her concentration. She's always succeeded, though, because that's just who Kylie is.When her fiercely independent mother breaks an ankle and needs help, it's up to Kylie, as usual, to fix things. She reluctantly packs her bags and moves in, but back in her childhood home, things start to unravel. Could it be that Kylie's carefully curated life is not so perfect after all?Prettier if She Smiled More will make you laugh and make you cry. Is it ever too late to start over?'Hilarious . . . A funny take on menopause, caring for an ageing parent, perfectionism and midlife crises told with Toni's signature observational humour and wit on ordinary life' Woman's Day'A magic mix of domestic drama, self-doubt, self-discovery and learning to laugh in the face of mayhem . . . A sensitive, amusing read' Adelaide Advertiser'A funny and smart family drama' Weekend Australian'Fabulous' Who Weekly'Such a clever book . . . The author has used both quiet wry humour and laugh aloud moments to speak about the nature of family and of love . . . Prettier if She Smiled More is a life manual for us all' Living Arts Canberra'Pitch perfect with just the right amount of humour . . . Jordan brings all her well-honed creative skills to the fore with this delightful tale' Good ReadingPraise for Dinner with the Schnabels:'I loved every page of this funny, warm, delightful novel!' LIANE MORIARTY'Told with great humour and pathos. It is a tonic and a delight' PIP WILLIAMS'A smart, funny novel about love, marriage and family' Weekend Australian'A contemporary comic masterpiece. Practically every page boasts lines redolent of humour, wit and sarcasm that will make you snigger if not laugh out loud' ArtsHub

At the start of the hellish, fiery Australian summer of 2019/20, Walkley Award-winning journalist and suburban dad Anthony Sharwood set off on a journey. Abandoning his post on a busy news website to clear his mind, he solo-trekked the Australian Alps Walking Track, Australia's most gruelling and breathtakingly beautiful mainland hiking trail, which traverses the entirety of the legendary High Country from Gippsland in Victoria to the outskirts of Canberra.The journey started in a blizzard and ended in a blaze. Along the way, this lifelong lover of the mountains came to realise that nothing would ever be the same - either for him or for the imperilled Australian Alps, a landscape as fragile and sensitive to the changing climate as the Great Barrier Reef.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 DAVITT AWARD FOR NON-FICTIONThis powerful memoir gives extraordinary insight into a secretive sect, and the horror Dassi Erlich had to survive. Dassi's resilience and fight for justice is inspiring. As a young girl growing up in a strict ultra-Orthodox family, Dassi's life was preordained - marry young, live a devout life and raise children within the Adass community's religious rules. This righteous path would keep her safe from the immodest, secular world just a few blocks away in suburban Melbourne.But the Adass community was not safe for Dassi.She was fifteen when her revered school principal, Malka Leifer, started to single her out. Dassi's cloistered and harsh upbringing meant she didn't have the words for what was happening to her, but she knew it was very, very wrong. It would take her years to break free of the secrecy which pervaded the community and tell the police of her betrayal. And only then would she find out others, including two of her sisters, had also been abused, and would learn some in the Adass community had helped Leifer flee to Israel. With the only world she knew crumbling around her, Dassi found the strength to fight, leading a brave fifteen-year campaign to bring Leifer back to face Australian courts.This is Dassi's story.'I am a sexual abuse survivor, but I am also more than a survivor. I will continue fighting for justice for all victims.''What a story . . . Heart-wrenching . . . What is remarkable about Dassi Erlich and her sisters is that somewhere they found the courage to confront what was going on, in their own lives and in other lives' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD'Raw and revealing . . . Beautifully written and eloquently sheds light on the dark times Dassi experienced, breaking down stigmas by openly discussing abuse and mental health' AUSTRALIAN JEWISH NEWS'Erlich has an exceptional voice, an openness and authority . . . Reading her life is an education. I read with fury, horror and shame. But admiration for the writer outshone everything' THE AGE

On 31st October 1917, as the day's light faded, the Australian Light Horse charged against their enemy. Eight hundred men and horses galloped four miles across open country, towards the artillery, rifles and machine guns of the Turks occupying the seemingly unassailable town of Beersheba. What happened in the next hour changed the course of history.This brave battle and the extraordinary adventures that led to it are brought vividly to life by Australia's greatest storyteller, Peter FitzSimons. It is an epic tale of farm boys, drovers, bank clerks, dentists, poets and scoundrels transported to fight a war half a world away, and is full of incredible characters: from Major Banjo Paterson to Lawrence of Arabia; the brilliant writer Trooper Ion Idriess and the humble General Harry Chauvel; the tearaway Test fast bowler 'Tibby' Cotter and the infamous warhorse, Bill the Bastard. All have their part to play in the enthralling, sprawling drama of the Australian Light Horse.Theirs was a war fought in an ancient land with modern weapons; where the men of the Light Horse were trained in sight of the pyramids, drank in the brothels of Cairo and fought through lands known to them only as names from the Bible.The Last Charge of the Australian Light Horse traces the hard path of the Light Horse from the bleakest of starts - being deprived of their horses and fighting at Gallipoli in the tragic Battle of the Nek - to triumph and glory in the desert. Revealing the feats of the Australians who built the legend, it is a brilliantly told tale of courage, resilience and derring-do from Australia's favourite storyteller.

On 31st October 1917, as the day's light faded, the Australian Light Horse charged against their enemy. Eight hundred men and horses galloped four miles across open country, towards the artillery, rifles and machine guns of the Turks occupying the seemingly unassailable town of Beersheba. What happened in the next hour changed the course of history.This brave battle and the extraordinary adventures that led to it are brought vividly to life by Australia's greatest storyteller, Peter FitzSimons. It is an epic tale of farm boys, drovers, bank clerks, dentists, poets and scoundrels transported to fight a war half a world away, and is full of incredible characters: from Major Banjo Paterson to Lawrence of Arabia; the brilliant writer Trooper Ion Idriess and the humble General Harry Chauvel; the tearaway Test fast bowler 'Tibby' Cotter and the infamous warhorse, Bill the Bastard. All have their part to play in the enthralling, sprawling drama of the Australian Light Horse.Theirs was a war fought in an ancient land with modern weapons; where the men of the Light Horse were trained in sight of the pyramids, drank in the brothels of Cairo and fought through lands known to them only as names from the Bible.The Last Charge of the Australian Light Horse traces the hard path of the Light Horse from the bleakest of starts - being deprived of their horses and fighting at Gallipoli in the tragic Battle of the Nek - to triumph and glory in the desert. Revealing the feats of the Australians who built the legend, it is a brilliantly told tale of courage, resilience and derring-do from Australia's favourite storyteller.

Let's get the story of Abraham Gilbert Saffron down. Just the facts, Your Honour. Wherever you find entertainers performing in neon-lit pubs and clubs, chances are you will find a wannabe gangster or two hanging around. Selling sex and drugs has always been a way to make a fast buck - and potential customers are more open to temptation in pubs, bars, dance halls and nightclubs. Abe Saffron figured all this out very quickly. He was a chancer who kickstarted his criminal career SP bookmaking and receiving stolen goods. While he earned himself a quid or two, he wanted much more, and he was ruthless enough to seize any moment to get it ... no matter what he had to do. Running pubs opened up opportunities for young Abe. By the 1940s, American servicemen on leave from the war were flooding Sydney looking for booze, food, girls, sex and entertainment - and a lot of all of it. And they had cash. Lots of cash. Saffron was ready to take their money. A wily operator, his rise coincided with the arrival of the nightclub era. He was not the first crime figure to tap into the world of entertainment, and others would emulate him, but he would become one of the most feared and most powerful in Australia. His tentacles stretched around the country and his name dominated news headlines and police briefs for decades. Even after his death, his shadow still hovers over the industry. In SAFFRON INCORPORATED, music industry legend Stuart Coupe shows how showbusiness and the underworld are intrinsically linked - from nightclub fires, corrupt cops, cocaine, smack, illegal gambling, vice, celebrities, standover men and rock'n'roll promoters, musicians who partied hard and lost their way, dodgy accountants and gangland shootings - one man, the original King of the Cross, lay the foundations for more than fifty years of intrigue, murder and mayhem. 'Eye-opening and absorbing' THE AUSTRALIAN'Immensely entertaining' SYDNEY ARTS GUIDE

A Coastwatcher's work is ... to sit in hiding like a spider, right in the web of the enemy, unseen and unheard. We became the eyes and ears of the Pacific.' Reg Evans, CoastwatcherHidden deep in the jungles and high in the mountains of the Southwest Pacific during World War II, Australia's secret army - the Coastwatchers - reported every move of the Japanese invaders to Allied intelligence.Following World War I, the Coastwatcher organisation was formed from European planters, missionaries and patrol officers living in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. All volunteers, they were tasked with keeping an eye on Australia's porous northern border and providing early warnings via radio.When World War II came to the Pacific, however, overnight the Coastwatchers found themselves no longer just observers but spies operating behind enemy lines. Besides evading the enemy's desperate efforts to hunt them down, the Coastwatchers battled exhaustion, tropical diseases and malnutrition, as well as the ever-present spectre of capture, torture and death. Yet without the Coastwatchers' crucial courage and intelligence, key moments of the Pacific War may have turned out very differently.From acclaimed author Michael Veitch comes this compelling and vivid history of unsung heroes who risked their lives in service of their country and formed one of history's most successful spy rings.

From bestselling author Michael Veitch (Australia's Secret Army, Turning Point) comes the story of the brilliant, yet controversial campaign which ended Australia's involvement in World War II. Borneo: The Last Campaign tells the story of Operation OBOE, the massive, three-pronged assault on the vast Japanese-held island of Borneo in 1945. It was one of the largest amphibious invasions of the entire war, and a virtually all-Australian operation.Over the final twelve weeks of World War Two, the 1st Australian Army Corps chased down and fought the remnants of the Japanese army over burning oil fields, up languid tropical rivers, along leech-ridden jungle tracks and across endless hills, valleys and ridges. Far from being the easy 'mopping-up' the men had been told to expect, Borneo turned out to be as savage as anything the Aussies had hitherto encountered in the Pacific, as the Japanese - despite the inevitability of their defeat - continued fighting with fanaticism, tenacity and shocking brutality.Immensely complex but brilliantly planned, OBOE called for Australia's two most famous Infantry Divisions - the 7th and 9th - to storm ashore at three separate landing areas supported by US and Australian naval forces and local Dyak guerrilla fighters. Their objectives were to secure Borneo's oil facilities and liberate its long-suffering people. Although now largely forgotten, as well as mired in the controversy that it had little effect on the overall outcome of the war, the skill, bravery and determination showed by the average Australian soldier on Borneo - many of whom were fighting their one and only battle of the war - is beyond question. OBOE involved more than 70,000 Australian military personnel, of which over 2000 became casualties, with nearly 600 killed. It was also where the two final Australian Victoria Crosses of the war were won, as well as literally dozens of other awards for bravery. OBOE was superbly executed, achieved all of its objectives, and was the very last sustained Allied action of World War Two. Drawing on a myriad of firsthand sources and interviews with the two last surviving veterans, Borneo: The Last Campaign examines the lead-up, the landings and the campaign itself in never-before published detail. Once again, Michael Veitch provides a compelling and fascinating account of a part of Australian war history that deserves to be recognised.'Detailed, informed . . . Vivid . . . Veitch's account is an important act of retrieval' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

The Battle for Milne Bay - Japan's first defeat on land in the Second World War - was a defining moment in the evolution of the indomitable Australian fighting spirit. For the men of the AIF, the militia and the RAAF, it was the turning point in the Pacific, and their finest - though now largely forgotten - hour. Forgotten, until now.In August 1942, Japan's forces were unstoppable. Having conquered vast swathes of south-east Asia - Malaya, Singapore, the Dutch East Indies - and now invading New Guinea, many feared the Empire of the Rising Sun stood poised to knock down Australia's northern door.But first they needed Port Moresby. In the still of an August night, Japanese marines sailed quietly into Milne Bay, a long, malaria-ridden dead end at the far eastern tip of Papua, to unleash an audacious pincer movement. Unbeknown to them, however, a secret airstrip had been carved out of a coconut plantation by US Engineers, and a garrison of Australian troops had been established, supported by two locally based squadrons of RAAF Kittyhawks, including the men of the famed 75 Squadron. The scene was set for one of the most decisive and vicious battles of the war.For ten days and nights Australia's soldiers and airmen fought the elite of Japan's forces along a sodden jungle track, and forced them back step by muddy, bloody step.In Turning Point, bestselling author Michael Veitch brings to life the incredible exploits and tragic sacrifices of these Australian heroes.

'A stirring, magical, and emotional novel about family, belonging, marriage, race, and culture ... The best novels are never long enough, and you won't want After the Rain to end' The Australian'A staggering soulful achievement' The Australian Women's WeeklyMalti Fortune is uneasy. She has turned away from her birthplace of Fiji to make a new life in Melbourne. But all that she thought was certain is now in danger of being swept away. Her husband, Benjamin, a linguist, is a conundrum. He has changed. Or has she? The stories and superstitions of her childhood are telling her something she knows but doesn't want to hear - about being a trespasser, about not belonging.In the years to come, Malti and Benjamin's daughters are also to learn some hard truths. For Ellery, the hands-on father of her memories vanishes for months on end and the remembered fragments of good times aren't enough to sustain her anymore. Verona, on the verge of adulthood, can't imagine a world without her beloved Dad. He is her rock and hero. But Malti and Ellery both know that you can't depend on Benjamin.What makes a family? What does home look like? All three women are seeking answers. Each is haunted by her own ghosts. And by Benjamin. To find what they are looking for, they need to be honest with themselves and make peace with their own unreliable memories.After the Rain is a moving, exquisitely observed novel about marriage and family, dislocation, culture and belonging, from an exciting new voice in Australian literature.'A beautifully realised exploration of family, identity and dislocation. Smith beautifully captures complicated feelings around building a home in a new country, choosing your own path in life and realising your parents are just people, too' Books and Publishing'A thunderous debut full of life, love and legends. A truly sensational read!' WINNIE DUNN'Aisling Smith's debut novel ... amply demonstrates her ability to write well and create complex and likeable characters. This is a novel about marriage, family dynamics and the attempt to live between two cultures and lands. I highly recommend it' Australian Book Review'An evocative and powerful story about marriage, culture, family and the uncertainties of love in all its forms' Kill Your Darlings'[like] Anne Tyler ... Smith is a powerful novelist with an extraordinary eye for the nuances of human bonds. Smith has written these characters with intelligence and compassion, imbuing them with a convincing complexity and fallibility that engenders remarkable authenticity' Kill Your Darlings'Complex and textured ... An intricate, subtly shaded exploration of the role disillusionment plays in shaping families - whether in love, between cultures, or through realising your parents are flawed human beings' WA Today

There is something different about adventurers; about the way their minds work. They look at the world as a place of challenges and though they know what fear is, they refuse to be hindered by it.'Inspiring, personal and heartfelt' HERALD SUN'A simple yet addictive narrative . . . stirring stuff' COURIER-MAILOn 15 May 2010, after 210 days at sea and 24,285 nautical miles, sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson sailed her yacht, Ella's Pink Lady, triumphantly back into Sydney Harbour. She had become the youngest person to sail solo, unassisted and non-stop around the world, writing her name in the mostly male-dominated record books. With a major feature film soon to be released, this book, told in Jessica's own words, shares with us her childhood, her dyslexia, her inspiration, her years of planning and her preparation. While many doubted her, she tells how a disaster at the very start gave her the confidence she needed to set sail. Taking us onboard the day-to-day of the journey and disclosing her battle with sleep deprivation, gale-force winds, forty-foot waves and several knockdowns that saw the boat's mast go beneath the water, Jess reveals how she coped with the solitude, alone on a vast sea with no land to be seen and no help close at hand, to conquer the Everest of sailing.True Spirit is an inspiring memoir that proves that we all have the power to live our dreams - no matter how small or how big they are.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ABIA BIOGRAPHY BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2023'If not with you, then for you.'It was a perfect Wednesday morning when Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin kissed his partner, Ellidy, goodbye to go spearfishing. Most days Ellidy would go to the beach too, but that day she didn't. Later, there was a knock at the door. A man had been found unconscious on the ocean floor. It was Chumpy. From that moment, Ellidy's world stopped. There was deep grief, disbelief and then the gradual realisation that this was real. Ellidy's partner of eight years, a World Champion snowboarder, a man of energy and music, was gone. And so was the life they had built together and the dream of the child they had been trying for. In the hours that followed a suggestion was made: did Ellidy want to harvest Chumpy's sperm and try for the baby they both wanted so deeply? There was a ticking clock and the need to discuss with family and friends. They had thirty-six hours before it would be too late . . . Heartstrong is an unforgettable book about love, joy, grief, hope and finding a way to keep going in the darkest of times.

From the bestselling author of Wimmera comes a compelling literary thriller that shows we all have secrets, but some are deadlier than others.Big city. Deadly secrets.Cities are tough when you've grown up as a country kid. They're even tougher after nine years inside. Tom Blackburn is fresh out of jail and not sure where his future lies. He knows what he wants. But he's pretty sure she doesn't want him. Tom's left his old life and his old name behind. But his options aren't great. He knows sleeping on the streets is the quickest way back to a cell. And then, his luck turns around. A chance encounter leads to a job and somewhere to stay. A place in the dead centre of Melbourne. Eden, his new boss calls it.Honest, physical work. Bit of gardening, bit of gravedigging, bit of whatever he's told to do. Fresh air, currawongs, a bed and some peace and quiet. It's the perfect place to save some money and make some plans. A place to keep his head down and stay out of trouble.But trouble finds him. Serious trouble. He's missed the signs, again. Going back to jail might be the safest option. Unless he can figure some way out of the danger he's in . . . From much-loved Australian crime author Mark Brandi comes a gripping new story that answers old questions.'Mark Brandi's writing sings. Eden is a vivid portrait of a young life gone awry. Of choices and repercussions . . . and how hard it is to move beyond the past.' MICHAEL BRISSENDEN'Raw and compelling, with a twist you won't see coming. Eden is Brandi at his very best.' MARK SMITH'A captivating exploration of crime and redemption . . . Destined to be a classic' BOOKS+PUBLISHING'An enthralling story with wonderful characters, mystery, moral dilemmas' READINGS'[Brandi] has an unerring eye' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD'Exquisite . . . Eden has all the hallmarks of a great Australian novel' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY'The novel explores gritty social and ethical problems with intelligence and conscience' THE AGE

'There's a reason Pomare is called the king of the twist . . . You know from the outset this will be a twisty psychological thriller and it's all that, with the storyline taking a few left turns to keep the suspense tightly coiled' Herald Sun'Ratchets up psychological suspense with a cleverly constructed plot that can be devoured in one go' Sydney Morning Herald'A frantic domestic thriller . . . Along with Jane Harper and Liane Moriarty, J. P. Pomare is quickly becoming one of Australia's biggest literary exports' The GuardianMother's intuition or a deadly guilty conscience? A woman races against time to find her son in this tense and twisty thriller by the Top Ten bestselling author of The Wrong Woman.As the third wave of the virus hits, all inhabitants of Melbourne are given until 8 pm to get to their homes. Wherever they are when the curfew begins, they must live for four weeks and stay within five kilometres of. When Lou's son, Samuel, doesn't arrive home by nightfall, she begins to panic.He doesn't answer his phone. He doesn't message. His social media channels are inactive. Lou is out of her mind with worry, but she can't go to the police, because she has secrets of her own. Secrets that Samuel just can't find out about. Lou must find her son herself and bring him home.Includes an exclusive extract of the next J. P. Pomare thriller, Seventeen Years Later, publishing in 2024.Praise for Home Before Night:'J. P. Pomare has once again earned his place on my instant-read list. Home Before Night is twisty and brilliant - a highly addictive thriller!' CHRISTIAN WHITE'This grabbed me from the opening page and didn't let go' MICHAEL ROBOTHAM'The thrill and fear arrive early in Home Before Night and doesn't leave until the final pages. J. P. Pomare is the real deal; he has the skill to twist your heart' CANDICE FOX'From page one, J.P. Pomare effortlessly instils us with a tantalising sense of unease. In this page-turning thriller, all is not as it seems, and the truth is a lot darker and in many ways more human than we could ever imagine. Deftly written, lean in style, this is a gripping read from a true talent' Weekend Australian'Tense and twisty . . . A fast-paced mystery' Who Weekly'Compelling' The Australian Women's Weekly'A lean and terrifying thriller about a mother's desperate search for her missing son during a pandemic. Trust us, you'll devour it in one sitting!' Woman's Day'A page-turner with masterful plot twists. Deftly written, lean in style, this is a gripping read from a true talent' Better Reading'Twisty' West Australian'Propulsive. Compelling. Dramatic' Canberra Times'J.P. Pomare has proven his mastery of the slow burn and sleight of hand, putting both to good use in his latest novel' Better Homes & Gardens'It takes a special kind of genius to create twisty, thrilling novels that can be read in a single satisfying sitting' Good Reading Magazine'Pomare delivers twists, turns and secrets aplenty in his sixth novel' Geelong AdvertiserPraise for The Wrong Woman:'Keeps readers on their toes from the opening page. His is a rare talent that continues to turn out crime masterpieces' Herald Sun'Deftly plotted, pacey and sharply written. Twists come out of nowhere and the high drama of the final few chapters is edge-of-the-seat stuff' New Zealand Women's Weekly'A twisty small-town mystery with a protagonist I didn't want to let go' IAN RANKIN'The pay-off is criminally good . . . As always, Pomare keeps the best surprises until last. Prepare for a late night' Sydney Morning Herald

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 WALKLEY BOOK AWARDSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2024 ABIA GENERAL NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARWINNER OF THE 2024 DANGER AWARD FOR TRUE CRIME'There is no doubt the truth would have been concealed and our concerns buried without Nick McKenzie's relentless pursuit of justice.' SAS Afghanistan veteranWar is brutal. But there are lines that should never be crossed. In mid-2017, whispers of executions, and cover-ups within Australia's most secretive and elite military unit, the SAS, reached Walkley Award-winning journalist Nick McKenzie. He and Chris Masters began an investigation that would not only reveal shocking truths about Ben Roberts-Smith VC but plunge the reporters into the defamation trial of the century.For five years, McKenzie led the investigation, waging an epic battle for the truth to be acknowledged. His fight to reveal the real face of Australia's most famous and revered SAS soldier and examine evidence of bullying, intimidation, war crimes and murder would take him across Australia and to Afghanistan. As he unearthed the secrets Ben Roberts-Smith had thought he'd long ago buried, McKenzie had to deal with death threats, powerful forces intent on destroying his career and attempts to silence brave SAS soldiers, who had witnessed their famous comrade commit unspeakable acts. McKenzie would break the stories that proved the man idolised by the public, politicians, the media and leading business leaders was a myth. His efforts would help deliver justice to Roberts-Smith's victims and their families.Explosive and meticulously researched, Crossing the Line shares the powerful untold story of how a small group of brave soldiers and two determined reporters overcame a plot to suppress one of the greatest military scandals in Australian history.'Extraordinary . . . Riveting . . . An insight into the finest investigative journalism in this country' LAW INSTITUTE JOURNAL