What we are reading #3 - Hannah Martin

In preparation for our upcoming event with Hannah Kent, I began reading Burial Rites and WOW was I impressed.

For such a young author – being only seven years older than myself – and for it being her first novel, I was so impressed by the level of sophistication in her writing, and the incredible insight into the stories of historical Iceland.

Knowing nothing of the tale of Agnes Magnúsdóttir myself, I was immediately hooked on her tale of fear, love and hardship.

The story, which is set in Iceland, focuses on a poor servant who has been sentenced to death for murder. In a day without the art of forensic science that we have today, Hannah Kent shows the power of words, rumours and authority, and how that alone can be sufficient cause for a death sentence.

Hannah Kent heard about the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir when she was on exchange in Iceland as a teenager, and has based her book on historical information that she has researched over a number of years, along with local stories from Icelanders.

This would have to be my favourite read so far in 2013, and I think it will be hard to beat it.

I am very excited to meet Hannah Kent, I am sure that she will have an incredible range of knowledge and experiences that will be thrilling to listen to.

For anyone that has shared my love for this book, or is interested in reading it, come in to Book and Paper to buy the book or a ticket to the Hannah Kent Event ($25.00, including a glass of champagne and beautiful Italian appetizers)
If you have any comments please feel free to post below, I would love to hear any other reactions to the book.

Hannah

The Stella Prize

The Stella Prize is a very exciting new literary award for Australian women's writing.
The aim of this award is to raise the profile of women's writing, to bring readers to the work of female writers, and to encourage the future of women writers.

The Stella Prize will be awarded for the first time in 2013, on the 16th of April.

The Stella Prize celebrates Australian women’s contribution to literature. Named after one of Australia’s most important female authors, Stella Maria ‘Miles’ Franklin (1879–1954), the prize rewards one writer with a significant monetary prize of $50,000.

To view the long list visit http://thestellaprize.com.au/2013/the-2013-longlist

Book of the Month

Each month, Book and Paper will have a 'book of the month' title, where customers will recieve a 10% discount on a fantastic new book recommended by the staff at B&P.

This month, it is the 'can't put down' thriller of Snow White Must Die, by Nele Neuhaus.

'On a September evening eleven years ago, two 17-year-old girls vanished without a trace from the tiny village of Altenhain, just outside Frankfurt. In a trial based on circumstantial evidence 20-year-old Tobias Sartorius was convicted and imprisoned for the murder of his childhood friend Laura and his beautiful girlfriend Stefanie - otherwise known as Snow White. After serving his sentence, Tobias returns home. Then history starts to repeat itself in a disastrous manner when another pretty girl goes missing. The police are thrown into a race against time. Will they be able to save her, or is she destined to die?'

Come in store to get 10% off this fantastic book, ends at the end of the month!

Official Booksellers!

It has very recently been announced that Book and Paper will be the official booksellers of the Annual Williamstown Literary Festival.
Angela Altair kindly said that it is fitting to have a Williamstown bookstore as the Williamstown bookseller, and of course we think so too!

It shall be a great weekend full of interesting and stimulating literary events, and we are thrilled to be given the opportunity to be a part of it.

We look forward to seeing familiar faces, and hopefully some new ones too.

Festival Weekend: Friday 31 May - Sunday 2 June 2013



Upcoming Events

UPCOMING EVENT:

Last minute alert - MaryAnne Bennie is back!

MaryAnne Bennie was here at Book and Paper not long ago, and transformed the homes of some of our customers at her From Stuffed to Sorted workshop, and tomorrow night (Thursday 11th October) she is kindly returning to help us transform even the most hopelessly messy and disorganised study into one that is fantastically organised.

Tickets are $40, including a signed copy of Paper FLow, a glass of bubbly and the workshop.

Get in quick, there arent many tickets left!

Contact Book and Paper on 9397 7784 or by email at bookandpaper@bigpond.com

Also -

Make sure you enquire about our upcoming event with David Hill, we are working with the Williamstown Library to make this event fantastic. See the events part of our webpage for more details.

www.bookandpaper.com.au

Successful Event with Sally Rippin

Hey Jack! and Billy B Brown

 

On Thursday the 6th of September, Sally Rippin joined us at Book and Paper to sign copies of her very popular series' Hey Jack! and Billie B Brown.

It was a fantastic success, with lots of young fans coming down to see the fun and exciting author.

 

Both the Billie B Brown and the Hey Jack! series', written by Australian author Sally Rippin, have 'taken off' in the children's young reader section.

Billie B Brown, follows a young 'tom boy' on all of her adventures through life. Sally Rippin aims to offer a change in character to young girls, steering away from 'fairies and princesses'.

Hey Jack! follows stories of Billie B Brown's neighbour Jack, again aiming to appeal to the boys who didn't identify with spies and superheroes.

 

Both Stories are a fantastic read, and are appealing to a wide range of early reading boys and girls!

 

 

What We Are Reading #2 - Hannah Martin

Sarah's Key - Tatiana de Rosney

'Emotionally intense' doesn't even begin to describe the emotion in this book, Tatiana de Rosney takes the character of a little Parisian girl, in the middle of the Vel' d'hiv, where the French Police conducted a roud-up of the Jewish men, women and children living in Paris. Sarah's Key, tells the story of one little girl striving to go back to Paris to try and save the life of her younger brother, who is locked in their secret hiding place waiting for her return.

De Rosney illustrates the lack of French (and worldwide for that matter) knowledge of the role that the French police and government had in the Holocaust, with the use of a 2002 French/American reporter who discovers the tragedy that occured within this particular family.

This book, whilst being terribly tragic and sad, is beautifully written and has a fantastic story and ending.

The word enjoyment seems to be the wrong word to describe a novel about such an awful history, but this book has easily ranked highly in my favourites, along with The Book Thief, Boy in the Stiped Pyjamas, Jasper Jones and To Kill a Mockingbird. (Yes, I am well aware there is a bit of a theme)

Highly reccomend for those who are interested in a new take on the Holocaust, or just a beautifully written novel!

Hannah Martin