Books On The Go

Anna and Annie discuss Tik Tok book trends and the headlines around the upcoming release of Sally Rooney's new novel Beautiful World, Where Are You. 

Our book of the week is Fault Lines by Emily Itami.  A Brief Encounter set in Tokyo, this is a short novel about Mizuki, whose perfect married life changes when she meets restauranteur Kiyoshi. It's a 'brilliant modern love story' (Cathy Rentzenbrink), 'short, emotional and very funny' (Stylist) and one of Annie's top books of the year so far. 

Coming up: Minor Detail by Adania Shibli translated by Elisabeth Jacquette.

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Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the 50 Hottest New Books Everyone Should Read.

Our book of the week is The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey, winner of the 2021 Miles Franklin Literary Award.  This is a beautiful novel about a woman who moves to a coastal town to be near her son, who is in prison. Meditative and profound but there is dry humour too.  We loved it.

Coming up: Minor Detail by Adania Shibli translated by Elisabeth Jacquette.

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Twitter: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie

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Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz  

Anna and Amanda discuss the 2021 Orwell Prize winners for political writing. 

Our book of the week is Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa. This "beautiful, urgent novel" (New York Times) centres on Nahr, a young Palestinian woman who moves from Kuwait to Jordan.  A 2020 Palestine Book Awards winner, this is a great read. 

Coming up: The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey.

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Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Books On The Go

Twitter: @abailliekaras

Litsy: @abailliekaras

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Amanda discuss Women In Translation Month and the readathon on Youtube. 

Our book of the week is At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop translated by Anna Moschovakis. This novel about two Senegalese soldiers fighting for France in World War One has won several awards including the 2021 International Booker Prize. We had to read it twice and could not discuss it without talking about the ending.  Spoiler alert for this episode!

Coming up: Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa.

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Litsy: @abailliekaras

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the 2021 Booker Prize Longlist and the winner of the 2021 Miles Franklin Literary Award, Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey.

Our book of the week is Dreamland by Rosa Rankin-Gee. Set in Margate in the near future, it depicts a bleak world as Chance and her family struggle to survive.  It's  dystopic 'cli-fi' and a beautiful love story.  An Evening Standard Best New Book of 2021 and recommended by Brit Bennett, this lives up to the hype.

Coming up: At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop translated by Anna Moschovakis.

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Facebook: Books On The Go

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @abailliekaras and @mister_annie

Litsy: @abailliekaras

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

A special episode: Anna brings you some recommendations for comfort reading, as Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide are in lockdown.

Books discussed:

A Room With A View by E. M. Forster

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan

Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

Calypso by David Sedaris

Coming up: At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop translated by Anna Moschovakis

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Twitter: @abailliekaras

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Amanda discuss the Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction won by Hilary Mantel for The Mirror and the Light and the longlist for the Gordon Burn Prize. 

Our book of the week is Still Life by Sarah Winman.  Winman's previous novel Tin Man was a sensation and her fans will love Still Life, her latest release. Set in Florence and London from the 1940s to the 1970s, we follow Ulysses and his group of friends who become family. Infused with art and paying homage to A Room With A View, this is a comforting read for our times.

Coming up: At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop translated by Anna Moschovakis.

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Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Books On The Go

Instagram: @abailliekaras and @vibrant_lives_podcast

Twitter: @abailliekaras

Litsy: @abailliekaras

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the Miles Franklin shortlist. 

Our book of the week is Stories of the Sahara by Sanmao translated by Mike Fu. This travel memoir has sold millions of copies in China and Taiwan since the 1970s and is now available for the first time in English translation.  Sanmao was an iconic writer, feminist, philosopher and intrepid traveller.  Well worth reading.

Coming up: Still Life by Sarah Winman.

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Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie

Twitter: @abailliekaras and @mister_annie

Litsy: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Happy Pride Month!

Anna and Annie discuss some favourite LGBTQIA+ books that we have read recently:

Bessie Smith by Jackie Kay

Memorial by Bryan Washington

Real Life by Brandon Taylor

Dreamland by Rosa Rankin Gee

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

And on our TBR:

As Beautiful As Any Other by Kaya Wilson

Bath Haus by P. J. Vernon

Future Feeling by Joss Lake

Still Life by Sarah Winman

You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat

My Policeman by Bethan Roberts

Lote by Shola von Reinhold

And for YA readers:

Felix Ever After by Kacen Challender

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

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Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Books On The Go

Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie

Twitter: @abailliekaras and @mister_annie

Litsy: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the Booker International Prize winner and the Miles Franklin Award Longlist.

We reveal our top crime book recommendations:

- Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke

- Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham

- Northern Spy by Flynn Berry

- The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Leznevich

- Fog by Kaja Malanowska translated by Bill Johnston

- How to Kidnap the Rich by Rahul Raina

Also mentioned:

- The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

- Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

- West Cork podcast

Follow us!

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Books On The Go

Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie

Twitter: @abailliekaras and @mister_annie

Litsy: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz