ABU-JABER, Diana
Crescent
A multidimensional love story infused with the flavours of the Middle East,
set in the Iranian community of Los Angeles.
AMMANITI, Niccolo
I’m not scared
This sensitive story of a child’s awakening sense of morality during the
course of the long, hot summer of 1978 has been a best-seller in Italy.
BARKLEY, Brad
Alison’s automotive repair manual
A gently humorous novel set in small-town West Virginia, where a young widow
struggles with grief and tries to fit into a close-knit community.
BASU, Kunal
The miniaturist
A story of love and ambition at the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar
in 16th century India.
BATHURST, Bella
Special
This debut novel explores “the subtle, often terrifying moments that define
female adolescence.”
BEAR, Greg
Darwin’s children
The next stage of human evolution has arrived with the birth of genetically
enhanced humans. These children are growing up and the world has to decide what
to do with them. The solution is evil and all too human.
BISSONNETTE, Lise
An appropriate place
In this final volume of The False Pretenses trilogy, Gabrielle Perron quits
her job as Minister of Cultural Affairs and retreats to the suburbs of Montreal,
where she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and reconstruction.
BRADBURY, Ray
Let’s all kill Constance
A weird and wonderful odyssey through the graveyard of bygone Hollywood, part
satire, part mystery, part fantasy.
BRUEN, Ken
The guards
Sharp, violent, stark and funny, this crime fiction debut features a down-on-his-luck
Irish anti-hero stuck in the mean streets of Galway.
CLARKE, Austin
Choosing his coffin
Twenty of his best stories from forty years of work by the Caribbean-born winner
of the Giller Prize.
COURTEMANCHE, Gil
A Sunday at the pool in Kigali
In the build-up to the horrific civil war that ravaged Rwanda in 1994, a Hutu
waitress and a Canadian journalist fall in love.
CUMYN, Alan
The sojourn
A young Canadian soldier must wrestle with death and duty, love and honour,
as he experiences the horrors of WWI.
DILIBERTO, Gioia
I am Madame X
Virginie Gautreau the notorious beauty and subject of a portrait by John Singer
Sargent is the inspiration for this story of Belle Époque Paris.
DOERR, Anthony
The shell collector
An assured debut short story collection that ranges across a varied emotional
and geographical landscape.
EGGERS, Dave
You shall know our velocity
Fiction from the author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius –
the then 22-yr-old author’s account of caring for his 8-yr-old brother
after their parent’s deaths. Hip and profane.
ERLICK, Nelson
Germline
“The double helix meets the double cross” in this story of missteps
in genetic research set in the near future.
FLORA, Kate
Liberty or death
When her husband-to-be is apparently kidnapped by right-wing conspiracy theorists,
Thea Kozak is not a woman to sit idly by.
GILL, Bartholomew
Death in Dublin
Local politics and New Age cultists complicate Peter McGarr’s pursuit
of the murderous thief of Trinity College’s priceless Book of Kells.
GRAY, John
The fiend in human
From the author of Billy Bishop; an unscrupulous Victorian newspaper correspondent
in search of good copy pursues a serial murderer of London prostitutes.
HOBAN, Russell
The bat tattoo
From the author of Turtle Diary, an unusual late-life romance between an antiques
dealer and an inventor, set in contemporary London.
KADARE, Ismail
Spring flowers, spring frost
A story of the strange happenings – robbery, marriage, magic and love
– in an Albanian village at the end of the twentieth century. Translated
from the French; originally in Albanian.
KARNEZIS, Panos
Little infamies
A nameless Greek village is the setting that unifies these stories of the intersecting
lives of the people who live there and know each others secrets. Reminiscent
of Maugham in their tartness.
LANDVIK, Lorna
Angry housewives eating bonbons
A love of books and zest for life keep five small-town Minnesota women sane
through forty turbulent years.
McKAY, Leo
Twenty-six
The lives of the Burrows family of Nova Scotia are changed forever by the devastating
Westray mining disaster of 1992.
MASSEY, Sujata
The samurai’s daughter
Balancing murder with captivating cultural lore, this latest mystery featuring
antiques dealer Rei Shimura involves World War II reparations and deep family
secrets.
MODESITT, L. E.
Legacies
The Corean Chronicles fantasy series begins in a chaotic new civilization where
people are only just coming to awareness of their magical powers and evil powers
threaten their survival.
MOSES, Kate
Wintering: a novel of Sylvia Plath
Deeply felt recreation of the poet’s final winter in London following
her separation from Ted Hughes.
MOTION, Andrew
The invention of Dr. Cake
Enigmatic novel from England’s Poet Laureate about a beloved country doctor
with a mysterious past and a keen interest in literature.
PONTIGGIA, Giuseppe
Born twice
From a distinguished Italian novelist, the fictional memoir of a man whose family
is transformed by the experience of raising a son damaged at birth.
ROE, Caroline
A draught for a dead man
One of the Chronicles of Isaac of Girona series, featuring a blind Jewish physician
in medieval Spain. For Brother Cadfael lovers.
SHAW, Fiona
The sweetest thing
Late Victorian York, Quakerism and competing chocolate manufacturers give substance
to an engaging story, focussed on the emerging art of photography.
SHEARD, Timothy
Some cuts never heal
Hospital custodian and union rep Lenny Moss enlists the help of his
co-workers to solve the murder of a sexy pharmaceutical salesman.
SPRAGUE, Gretchen
Murder in a heat wave
The air-conditioning is broken in her New York condo, and that’s just
the start of trouble for retired attorney Martha Patterson.
STROUD, Carsten
Cuba strait
Murder, lies and espionage in the treacherous waters off the Florida coast.
SWIFT, Graham
The light of day
A single day in the life of an ex-policeman turned private investigator that
brings back catastrophic events from the past involving love, murder, and redemption.
TURTLEDOVE, Harry
Ruled Britannia
Call it fantasy, call it alternate history, this novel imagines 16th century
England under the rule of King Philip of Spain and Queen Elizabeth imprisoned
in the Tower, while Will Shakespeare incites citizens to rebellion.
BIOGRAPHY
CLARK, Alan
The last diaries: in and out of the wilderness
This third volume of diaries begins in 1991 with Alan Clark contemplating quitting
as MP and recounts the tragedies, scandals and victories that occurred in the
last, tumultuous decade of his life.
HAMILTON, Hugo
The speckled people
Novelist Hugo Hamilton writes his own story of what it means to be
half-Irish and half-German.
HUNTLEY, Paula
The Hemingway book club of Kosovo
While her husband helped reconstruct Kosovo’s legal system, Paula Huntley
kept this diary to share her impressions of this war-torn country with the world.
METCALFE, John
An aesthetic underground: a literary memoir
As an editor he declared war on blandness and nurtured outstanding talents such
as Alice Munro. His own lively intelligence as writer and critic comes to the
fore in this account of four decades of Kicking Against the Pricks.
CADWALADR, Margaret
In Veronica’s garden
A lavishly illustrated story of British aristocrat Veronica Milner and the garden
she created.
BROWN, David
Musorgsky: his life and works
An enlightening book about one of the giants of Russian music.
NASDIJJ
The boy and the dog are sleeping
The author, who is part Navajo, adopted an 11-yr-old boy with pediatric AIDS
and cared for him through his final illness. This memoir is a testament to Awee’s
courageous spirit.
NASRIN, Taslima
Meyebela: my Bengali girlhood
A powerful memoir of the challenges faced by a girl in Bengal.
PEPIN, Jacques
The apprentice: my life in the kitchen
The famous chef tells the story of his childhood during World War II, his teenage
years as a frightened apprentice, and his rise to the top restaurants of the
world. Includes the author’s favourite recipes.
FRASER-CAVASSONI, Natasha
Sam Spiegel
The life and times of Hollywood producer, Sam Spiegel (The African Queen, Lawrence
of Arabia), who worked his way from penniless refugee to show biz legend.
NEVILLE-SINGTON, Pamela
Fanny Trollope: the life and adventures of a clever woman
Mother of novelist Anthony, this intrepid lady survived a failed utopian venture
in the malarial swamps of Tennessee and turned her travels to good account with
her best-selling Domestic Manners of the Americans.
TSVETAEVA, Marina
Earthly signs: Moscow diaries, 1917-1922
Remarkable essays by the tragic Russian poet describe the social, economic and
cultural chaos provoked by the Bolshevik Revolution.
HISTORY WITH A TWIST
ABBOTT, Elizabeth
A history of mistresses
A rich blend of history, personality and cultural study ranging from the glamorous
to the sordid.
BARATAY, Eric
Zoo: a history of zoological gardens in the West
An illuminating history of zoos from their origins in the Renaissance period
to the present day.
COHEN, Richard
By the sword
A history of gladiators, musketeers, samurai, swashbucklers and Olympic champions.
GRAF, Bernhard
Bridges that changed the world
A celebration of 50 bridges from around the world and the history, legends and
people behind them.
GRAHAM, Tim
Queen Elizabeth II: a celebration of her majesty’s fifty-year reign
A photographic history of the Queen that is both beautiful and comprehensive.
“A sumptuous tribute”.
GRAVETT, Chris
The history of castles: fortifications around the world
Investigates why, how, and for what purpose, castles were built in different
areas of the world.
JANSON, Tore
Speak: a short history of languages
“Languages are the pedigree of nations,” said Dr. Johnson. A linguist
explains where they came from and how they may yet develop.
KODA, Harold
Extreme beauty: the body transformed
Marvel at the extraordinary transformations imposed on the body by fashion over
centuries and across cultures. Dazzling photographs.
PIGOTT, Peter
Wings across Canada: an illustrated history of Canadian aviation
Over 100 photos of Canadian historic planes, along with their description and
history.
POWELL, Ardal
The flute
An authoritative history of the flute, complete with many beautiful illustrations.
RICHARDSON, Tim
Sweets
“A confectionary tour through time and space”, this book outlines
candy’s rich and unusual history.
TRAVEL
AYANOGLU, Byron
Crete on the half shell
A story about an island, good friends, and food: the restaurant critic and food
writer rediscovers his Mediterranean roots.
BALFOUR, Sandy
Pretty girl in crimson rose (8)
A book about history and travel, and language, but mostly a book about crossword
puzzles.
BELLEC, François
Unknown lands: the log books of the great explorers
A richly-illustrated testament to five centuries of courage, the eye-witness
accounts convey the sense of wonder inspired by the discovery of a new world.
DANTICAT, Edwidge
After the dance: a walk through carnival in Jacmel, Haiti
Part travelogue, part memoir, the author introduces us to Haiti’s southern
coast and the beauty of Carnival.
DISKI, Jenny
Stranger on a train
A train trip across the United States with stories from other travelers the
author meets along the way.
GRESCOE, Taras
The end of elsewhere: travels among the tourists
A powerful book that is part lament, part history of travel and thoroughly delightful
from the author of Sacré Blues.
HOLLENBACK, Amelia
Immortal summer: a Victorian woman’s travels in the Southwest
In 1897 the author was the first woman to photograph the Hopi Indians, and some
of the natural wonders of the Grand Canyon, recording her adventures in this
diary.
MAHONEY, Rosemary
The singular pilgrim: travels on sacred ground
With the ancient tradition of religious pilgrimage becoming more popular, the
author observes this phenomenon on six extraordinary journeys, from Ireland
to India.
MAYO, C. M.
Miraculous air
A journey of a thousand miles through Baja California, called by some “the
other Mexico”.
MOLAVI, Afshin
Persian pilgrimages: journeys across Iran
A young journalist revisits his homeland and demonstrates that the realities
of today’s Iran are much more complex than most Westerners realize.
PROSE, Francine
Sicilian odyssey
Classical myths are the backdrop that allow the reader to experience the intensity
of this beautiful island.
SINGH, Raghubir
A way into India
A stunning visual testament to the late photographer’s love affair with
the sights, sounds and colours of India.
SCIENCE AND NATURE
BURR, Chandler
The emperor of scent: a story of perfume, obsession and the last mystery of
the senses
Iconoclastic scientist Luca Turin’s quest to understand how our sense
of smell works seems to have threatened powerful interests.
DENNIS, Jerry
The living Great Lakes: searching for the heart of the inland seas
An account of a 6 week voyage through the Great Lakes. The author blends personal
observations with historical and scientific facts to inform us about this remarkable
region.
DREIFUS, Claudia
Scientific conversations
Entertaining and informative interviews on science from the Science Times section
of the New York Times.
FERGUSON, Kitty
Tycho and Kepler
The unlikely astronomical partnership that in the 17th century forever changed
our understanding of the heavens.
HIGHFIELD, Roger
The science of Harry Potter: how magic really works
A perfect guide for parents who want to teach their children science through
the adventures of their favourite hero. For adult fans, too!
IT MUST BE BEAUTIFUL: GREAT
EQUATIONS OF MODERN SCIENCE
Essays by gifted scientists and writers present equations and explain their
importance in the wider intellectual and popular culture.
LEE, Rupert
The eureka! moment
A lively look at 100 key scientific discoveries of the 20th century.
MOORE, David
The dependent gene: the fallacy of “nature vs. nurture”
A developmental psychologist explains the limits of genetic determinism and
adopts an integrative approach to the process of human development.
SALSTON, John
The common thread: the story of science, politics, ethics, and the human genome
The British Nobel prizewinning scientist’s account of the Human Genome
Project and his struggle to keep scientific information in the public domain
rather than see it exploited for profit.
WALKER, Gabrielle
Snowball Earth: the story of the great global catastrophe that spawned life
as we know it
Scientist Paul Hoffman posits an audacious new theory of the trigger that resulted
in life forms emerging from the primordial ooze.
WEIDENSAUL, Scott
The ghost with trembling wings: science, wishful thinking, and the search for
lost species
A must-read for anyone concerned about the decline of the natural world.
WILSON, Robin
Four colours suffice: how the map problem was solved
For a century and a half mathematicians puzzled over the following question:
What is the least possible number of colours needed to fill in any map so that
adjacent countries are always coloured differently?