March 2024 at Jeffreys Books
As you're reading this newsletter, we are about to or are celebrating International Women's Day (IWD) - Friday 8 March. I like to focus on the wonderful female readers, authors, publishers, editors, marketers, booksellers and many others that make this industry rich and diverse. May we champion women, may their voices be heard and their stories continue to be told - here and abroad.
Buckle in - March is an exciting book month. We have updates from the Women's Prize, Stella Prize and later in March the Children's Book Council Award shortlists. These are great opportunities to reflect on literary publishing from the past year.
While you're reflecting, what is your favourite Australian novel? We're very happy to be promoting '100 Must-Read Australian novels'. You'll have the chance to win 100 books that have been voted on by bookstores and all time Australian favourites. This competition closes 31 March. Check the website for details or ask us in-store.
On Saturday 9 March we have Mary-Lou Stephens visiting at 2.30 pm to discuss The Chocolate Factory. Mary-Lou will be talking about her inspiration to write about the Cadbury factory in Tasmania in the 1920's.
It's also a month with a few extra public holidays if these are your chance to catch some reading time. Please note, we are closed this Monday, 11 March for Labour Day.
Buckle in - March is an exciting book month. We have updates from the Women's Prize, Stella Prize and later in March the Children's Book Council Award shortlists. These are great opportunities to reflect on literary publishing from the past year.
While you're reflecting, what is your favourite Australian novel? We're very happy to be promoting '100 Must-Read Australian novels'. You'll have the chance to win 100 books that have been voted on by bookstores and all time Australian favourites. This competition closes 31 March. Check the website for details or ask us in-store.
On Saturday 9 March we have Mary-Lou Stephens visiting at 2.30 pm to discuss The Chocolate Factory. Mary-Lou will be talking about her inspiration to write about the Cadbury factory in Tasmania in the 1920's.
It's also a month with a few extra public holidays if these are your chance to catch some reading time. Please note, we are closed this Monday, 11 March for Labour Day.
Warm wishes,
Linda and the Jeffreys Team
Linda and the Jeffreys Team
Prizes and Awards News
Established in 1996, the Women’s Prize for Fiction is one of the most successful, influential and popular literary prizes in the world, championing and amplifying women’s voices and nurturing a global community of readers. March 5 this year saw the inaugural Women's Prize for Non-Fiction announced - please check the links to see this year's longlists.
The Stella Prize is a major literary award celebrating Australian women’s writing, with this year's nominees being announced March 4. Describing this year's titles, the 2024 Stella Prize Chair, Beejay Silcox, said: "The deliberations for this year’s longlist were the shortest in Stella Prize history. After more than five months of solid reading, and with a pool of 224 entries, it took less than 20 minutes for us to lock down our finalists, so fervent was our consensus. The books on this list have emphatically – joyfully – earned their place..." Which books do you think will make the Shortlist? Watch this space!
Established in 1996, the Women’s Prize for Fiction is one of the most successful, influential and popular literary prizes in the world, championing and amplifying women’s voices and nurturing a global community of readers. March 5 this year saw the inaugural Women's Prize for Non-Fiction announced - please check the links to see this year's longlists.
The Stella Prize is a major literary award celebrating Australian women’s writing, with this year's nominees being announced March 4. Describing this year's titles, the 2024 Stella Prize Chair, Beejay Silcox, said: "The deliberations for this year’s longlist were the shortest in Stella Prize history. After more than five months of solid reading, and with a pool of 224 entries, it took less than 20 minutes for us to lock down our finalists, so fervent was our consensus. The books on this list have emphatically – joyfully – earned their place..." Which books do you think will make the Shortlist? Watch this space!
Book Club News
Last Tuesday Book Club (Fiction)
The Vulnerables - Sigrid Nunez
An unforgettable novel about the enduring power of connection in a world of increasing distance.
Three strangers are thrown together in one Manhattan apartment: a solitary writer; a Gen Z college drop-out; and a spirited parrot named Eureka. The Vulnerables reveals what happens when strangers are willing to open their hearts to each other and how far even small acts of caring can go to ease another's distress.
Smart, funny and provocative, Sigrid Nunez's new novel explores the nature and purpose of friendship, love and art in our complicated current times.
In-store on Tuesday 26 March at 7pm.
Connection Book Club
The Women - Kristin Hannah
Raised on California’s idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, Frances “Frankie” McGrath has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl. But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different path for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurses Corps and follows his path. As green and inexperienced as the young men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed America. Frankie will also discover the true value of female friendship and the heartbreak that love can cause.
The Women is the story of one woman who goes to war, but it shines a light on the story of all women who put themselves in harm’s way to help others. Women whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has been all too often forgotten. A novel of searing insight and lyrical beauty, The Women is a profoundly emotional, richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose extraordinary idealism and courage under fire define an era.
Tuesday 26 March at 10.30am.
Quarto Book Club
The Premonition - Banana Yoshimoto
I had a melancholy premonition of reaching the end of the road and getting lost inside a distant tide. It was the beginning of summer, and I was nineteen years old.
Yayoi lives with her perfect, loving family - something 'like you'd see in a Spielberg movie'. But while her parents tell happy stories of her childhood, she is increasingly haunted by the sense that she's forgotten something important about her past.
Deciding to take a break, she goes to stay with Yukingo, her mysterious but beloved aunt, whose strange behaviour includes waking Yayoi at two in the morning to be her drinking companion, watching Friday the 13th over and over and throwing away all the things she wants to forget. Living a life without order and rules, Yukino seems to be protecting herself, but beneath this facade Yayoi starts to recover her own lost memories, and everything she knows about her family threatens to change forever.
Secure your place now by emailing or calling us on 9509 5133.
Essie on Station St, Malvern on Wednesday 3 April at 7pm.
Dear Uncle Jeffrey,
When I was thirteen my family went to Ireland and were there on St Patrick's Day. It was such a wonderful time - us children as tourists didn't know any different - and I became fast friends with a girl from Dublin and we swore we'd stay penpals forever. Stories of art thefts and strikes and boys, such letters! It's now fifty years since we met and she's invited me to visit her children with her in Chicago.
That adventure to Ireland as a child was the only overseas trip of my entire life; my house is an empty nest now but still terribly hard to leave. I deperately want to go but I feel I could do with a push.
Please help!
Penpals Still
Dear Penpals,
How delightful that you have kept up such an engaging and encouraging correspondance after all these years! It can be challenging to keep up with friends in the same city, let alone on the far side of the world.
I have always found stories and food to be a sure tonic for farsickness, that longing to be somewhere you've never been. Maybe it's not the place but the friendship - clearly it has never failed yet it must now be so different from when it began. This new time in your friendship is perhaps what you're farsick for. It sounds to me like a new time in a new place might be the best reason to jump out of the nest. It will be there when you get home - just have your chicks earn their cheep!
Nudgingly,
Uncle Jeffrey
When I was thirteen my family went to Ireland and were there on St Patrick's Day. It was such a wonderful time - us children as tourists didn't know any different - and I became fast friends with a girl from Dublin and we swore we'd stay penpals forever. Stories of art thefts and strikes and boys, such letters! It's now fifty years since we met and she's invited me to visit her children with her in Chicago.
That adventure to Ireland as a child was the only overseas trip of my entire life; my house is an empty nest now but still terribly hard to leave. I deperately want to go but I feel I could do with a push.
Please help!
Penpals Still
Dear Penpals,
How delightful that you have kept up such an engaging and encouraging correspondance after all these years! It can be challenging to keep up with friends in the same city, let alone on the far side of the world.
I have always found stories and food to be a sure tonic for farsickness, that longing to be somewhere you've never been. Maybe it's not the place but the friendship - clearly it has never failed yet it must now be so different from when it began. This new time in your friendship is perhaps what you're farsick for. It sounds to me like a new time in a new place might be the best reason to jump out of the nest. It will be there when you get home - just have your chicks earn their cheep!
Nudgingly,
Uncle Jeffrey
Featured Fiction
The Phoenix Crown - Kate Quinn and Janie Chang
San Francisco, 1906. In this bustling city, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage.
When they meet Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, his patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but the turmoil of a devastating earthquake and Thornton's disappearance leaves behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined...
When the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, Gemma and Suling are drawn together in one last desperate quest for justice.
Featured Non-Fiction
Audrey Hepburn In Paris - Meghan Friedlander
One of the world’s most iconic actresses and one of the world’s most iconic cities together in one extraordinary volume.
There has always been a special connection between Audrey Hepburn and Paris. In Audrey Hepburn in Paris, Meghan Friedlander, curator of the fan site Rare Audrey Hepburn, and Audrey’s son Luca Dotti offer a unique look at the legendary actress’s life and love affair with the City of Light.
Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of Paris that made it so precious to Audrey, from famous films, chic couture, fabled photoshoots, and elegant events to the quieter moments with family and friends rarely seen by the public, including her friendship with her close companion and go-to designer Hubert de Givenchy.
Illustrated with 200 full-colour and black-and-white photographs, packed with tender, funny, and glamorous personal stories told by Audrey and those who knew her best, Audrey Hepburn in Paris reveals this beloved star as never before—and pays homage to the city that shaped so much of Audrey’s life, through Audrey’s eyes.
Featured Older Children (9+)
The Encanto's Daughter - Melissa de la Cruz
MJ Rodriguez has spent her life hiding: she is half-encanto, a fairy from a hidden realm, and as the only child of King Vivencio, she's also next in line for the throne. Now, MJ must take her place as the king's rightful heir. In wondrous Biringan, the road to the throne is paved with thorns and MJ has to navigate a council that objects to a half-human ruler. When an ancient curse starts wiping out creatures across the land, she must find and stop the sorceress behind this merciless magic.
To succeed, MJ forges an unlikely alliance with Sir Lucas of the feared Sigbin Court and quickly falls hard for the mysterious knight, but with peril looming over the kingdom, the princess must decide if she can open her heart to love - and prove she can carry the weight of the crown. The first in an enchanting new duet inspired by Filipino mythology.
Featured Younger Children (under-9)
Kylie Minogue (Little People, BIG DREAMS) - Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Little Kylie grew up with her parents and her younger sister, Dannii, in Melbourne, Australia. She loved singing, dancing and spinning around in her room, but she felt shy in front of other people. Her confidence and courage grew as she watched her sister perform, so she auditioned for a role in a TV show… and she got it!
From there, she moved on to a role in Australian soap Neighbours. Kylie quickly became one of the series’ most-loved characters and known to audiences all over the world. But Kylie never forgot her childhood love for music, and when she got the chance to record her own songs, she went for it.
Today, she is one of the most-loved artists ever; a pop chameleon who has dazzled her fans for decades. Her songs have been mega hits in countries across the world. And her songs, new and old, continue to wow people and get them dancing.
The Phoenix Crown - Kate Quinn and Janie Chang
San Francisco, 1906. In this bustling city, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage.
When they meet Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, his patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but the turmoil of a devastating earthquake and Thornton's disappearance leaves behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined...
When the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, Gemma and Suling are drawn together in one last desperate quest for justice.
Featured Non-Fiction
Audrey Hepburn In Paris - Meghan Friedlander
One of the world’s most iconic actresses and one of the world’s most iconic cities together in one extraordinary volume.
There has always been a special connection between Audrey Hepburn and Paris. In Audrey Hepburn in Paris, Meghan Friedlander, curator of the fan site Rare Audrey Hepburn, and Audrey’s son Luca Dotti offer a unique look at the legendary actress’s life and love affair with the City of Light.
Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of Paris that made it so precious to Audrey, from famous films, chic couture, fabled photoshoots, and elegant events to the quieter moments with family and friends rarely seen by the public, including her friendship with her close companion and go-to designer Hubert de Givenchy.
Illustrated with 200 full-colour and black-and-white photographs, packed with tender, funny, and glamorous personal stories told by Audrey and those who knew her best, Audrey Hepburn in Paris reveals this beloved star as never before—and pays homage to the city that shaped so much of Audrey’s life, through Audrey’s eyes.
Featured Older Children (9+)
The Encanto's Daughter - Melissa de la Cruz
MJ Rodriguez has spent her life hiding: she is half-encanto, a fairy from a hidden realm, and as the only child of King Vivencio, she's also next in line for the throne. Now, MJ must take her place as the king's rightful heir. In wondrous Biringan, the road to the throne is paved with thorns and MJ has to navigate a council that objects to a half-human ruler. When an ancient curse starts wiping out creatures across the land, she must find and stop the sorceress behind this merciless magic.
To succeed, MJ forges an unlikely alliance with Sir Lucas of the feared Sigbin Court and quickly falls hard for the mysterious knight, but with peril looming over the kingdom, the princess must decide if she can open her heart to love - and prove she can carry the weight of the crown. The first in an enchanting new duet inspired by Filipino mythology.
Featured Younger Children (under-9)
Kylie Minogue (Little People, BIG DREAMS) - Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Little Kylie grew up with her parents and her younger sister, Dannii, in Melbourne, Australia. She loved singing, dancing and spinning around in her room, but she felt shy in front of other people. Her confidence and courage grew as she watched her sister perform, so she auditioned for a role in a TV show… and she got it!
From there, she moved on to a role in Australian soap Neighbours. Kylie quickly became one of the series’ most-loved characters and known to audiences all over the world. But Kylie never forgot her childhood love for music, and when she got the chance to record her own songs, she went for it.
We acknowledge we are gathered on the Traditional Lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong peoples of the East Kulin Nations and pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.
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