The Element of Need: Penguin Special
The Element of Need: Penguin Special

Author: James Bradley

Publisher: Penguin Group Australia

Published: 2012-08-16

Total Pages: 24

ISBN-13: 1742537995

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Beneath its peaceful exterior, the city of Adelaide and its surrounding areas have a dark history. From the disappearance of the Beaumont children to the Snowtown killings in the 1990s, it has been home to a long series of brutal and baffling killings and abductions. In The Element of Need, acclaimed author James Bradley uses this long history of violence as the basis of a fascinating exploration not just of his own childhood and adolescence, but of the psychic landscape of this most haunted of cities.

The Darkling Sisters: Penguin Special
The Darkling Sisters: Penguin Special

Author: Dorothy Hewett

Publisher: Penguin Group Australia

Published: 2012-07-16

Total Pages: 22

ISBN-13: 1742537073

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A big old Victorian terrace in Jersey Road, Woollahra, is thought to be haunted by the two Darkling sisters from the 1920s. When a young family moves in, dark images of these sisters, and of relationships closer to home, hang over them. Beautifully crafted and keenly observed, this story from Dorothy Hewett's acclaimed collection A Baker's Dozen is a stunning evocation of family, memories and neighbourhood.

Adam's Bride: Penguin Special
Adam's Bride: Penguin Special

Author: Elizabeth Jolley

Publisher: Penguin Group Australia

Published: 2012-09-14

Total Pages: 35

ISBN-13: 1742536743

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In a small Australian country town, a young woman is accused of the murders of her own daughter and the local rat catcher's wife. As she stands to face the charges in court, a stranger enters, determined to explain her crimes. This masterly story from Woman in a Lampshade perfectly displays Elizabeth Jolley's remarkable talent for character and story.

Life in Ten Houses: Penguin Special
Life in Ten Houses: Penguin Special

Author: Sonya Hartnett

Publisher: Penguin Group Australia

Published: 2012-07-16

Total Pages: 30

ISBN-13: 174253709X

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Acclaimed author Sonya Hartnett is firmly Melburnian but has restlessly moved from suburb to suburb in her search for the 'Last House' – that special corner of the world in which to settle and find contentment. Viewing her life and work through the lens of real estate, she vividly recalls the places she has passed through on her way to finding home. Expanding on her 2010 Redmond Barry lecture, this short memoir is a beautifully atmospheric exploration of the idea of home and what it means to be a writer in a City of Literature.

Squeaker's Mate: Penguin Special
Squeaker's Mate: Penguin Special

Author: Barbara Baynton

Publisher: Penguin Group Australia

Published: 2012-08-15

Total Pages: 23

ISBN-13: 1742537979

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Squeaker, a selector, is slowly clearing his piece of the Australian bush. However, lazy and shiftless, he leaves most of the work to his uncomplaining and hardworking mate. When she is crushed under a falling yellow gum, Squeaker responds only with selfish impatience. Taught to endlessly endure by her harsh surroundings, Squeaker's mate carries the burden of her injury quietly, with only her old dog for comfort. Published as part of Barbara Baynton's iconic collection Bush Studies in 1902, Squeaker's Mate is a visceral and lyrical story about the hostility faced by European settlers in the Australian bush during settlement. From an era when literature focused almost entirely on men and male experiences, Squeaker's Mate is an important depiction of the unique trials and strengths of women.

Starting Out: Penguin Special
Starting Out: Penguin Special

Author: Ita Buttrose

Publisher: Penguin Group Australia

Published: 2013-02-15

Total Pages: 54

ISBN-13: 1743481195

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In her extraordinary career, spanning over fifty years, Ita Buttrose has been involved in every aspect of the media, from newspapers and magazines to television and radio and now, electronic publishing. Starting as a copygirl on The Australian Women's Weekly, by the age of sixteen her journalism career was well underway when she was granted a cadetship on the Daily and Sunday Telegraphs. In Starting Out Ita describes discovering her love of journalism and publishing, how she overcame the challenge of being a woman in the workplace in the fifties and sixties, and the excitement of seeing her first byline in print. Starting Out is an engaging and insightful account of the early days of Ita Buttrose's career, depicting events that have shaped one of Australia's most prominent and distinguished women.

A Story of Grief: Penguin Special
A Story of Grief: Penguin Special

Author: Michaela McGuire

Publisher: Penguin Group Australia

Published: 2013-09-21

Total Pages: 26

ISBN-13: 1743482604

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When Jill Meagher went missing and was then found murdered in 2012, the city of Melbourne was shaken to the core. Emotional responses ranged from grief to guilt to rage to defensiveness, but no one was left untouched. The media coverage was unrelenting and overwhelming, constantly updating readers and viewers on the latest awful details, and friends and neighbours couldn't help but discuss it. Here acclaimed writer Michaela McGuire eloquently describes how, as the story continued to unfold, it wove itself through the fabric of the city. A Story of Grief is a deeply moving examination of the act of grief and how the death of someone we don't know personally can still consume us. 'Affecting and thought-provoking.' Newcastle Herald

Mistakes Were Made: Penguin Special
Mistakes Were Made: Penguin Special

Author: Liam Pieper

Publisher: Penguin Group Australia

Published: 2015-03-16

Total Pages: 53

ISBN-13: 176014116X

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Liam Pieper's made some poor life choices, but he's (usually) meant well. He's tried to write important stories, fight racial prejudice and rescue traumatised puppies. And he's ended up with life-threatening infestations, a punch in the face at a Leonard Cohen concert and brief detention by counter-terrorism experts. Taking us from Nimbin to US border security to the star-studded Chateau Marmont in LA, these four essays are compelling, insightful and very funny. Mistakes Were Made is about the gap between our ideals in life – of love, compassion, ambition – and how things actually play out. 'His writing is electric: charged with meaning and energised by surprising comedic turns.' Weekend Australian 'Charming and amusing.' Sunday Age 'The ability to laugh at yourself is arguably the most valuable quality you can cultivate as a writer, and Liam Pieper has it in spades . . . he does hilarious self-deprecation with considerable panache.' Sydney Morning Herald

The Simple Life: Penguin Special
The Simple Life: Penguin Special

Author: Rhonda Hetzel

Publisher: Penguin Group Australia

Published: 2014-03-26

Total Pages: 50

ISBN-13: 1743485204

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Rhonda Hetzel feels passionately that living simply leads to a richer, more fulfilling existence. Having made the decision to live frugally, embrace sustainability and opt out of the capitalist consumerist mindset, she set about working out how to achieve her goal, learning traditional skills, reducing her spending and environmental impact and focusing on the simple things that make life worth living: family, friends, and a home-cooked meal. This is the story of her journey and the lessons she has learned along the way. Rhonda relates why she wanted to change her lifestyle, what simple living means to her, and offers guidance to those thinking about taking the same path.

One Person, One Value: Penguin Special
One Person, One Value: Penguin Special

Author: Bob Brown

Publisher: Penguin Group Australia

Published: 2012-07-16

Total Pages: 21

ISBN-13: 1742537081

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The former leader of the Australian Greens, Bob Brown has long been one of Australia's most influential and admired environmental thinkers. Here he outlines the importance of a global, humane approach to the issue of overpopulation. At once compassionate, intelligent and straightforward, this is a valuable and significant extract from Brown's memoir, Memo for a Saner World.