Midwinter 2021 Giveaway #2

Merlinda Bobis The Kindness of Birds

In this new collection from award-winning writer Merlina Bobis, an oriole sings to a dying father; a crow wakes a woman’s resolve; cockatoos attend the laying out of the dead … Always there are birds in these linked stories that pay homage to kindness amid loss, grief, discord and displacement, ranging from Australia to the Philippines.

‘… an utterly distinct voice in Australian letters’ – Gail Jones

Courtesy of Spinifex Press

Bill Birtles The Truth About China

Bill Birtles was the ABC’s correspondent in China for five years until he was forced to leave in dramatic circumstances in September 2020. Chronicling his time in China as he crisscrossed the country meeting people and uncovering stories, he reveals why the historic unravelling of China’s relations with the West is perceived very differently by the Chinese.

Courtesy of Allen and Unwin

Cindy Solonec Debesa: The story of Frank and Katie Rodriguez

Debesa was the isolated sheep station in the West Kimberley pioneered by Cindy Solonec’s parents: Frank, her Spanish father, and her mother Katie, who had been a novitiate at a convent for ‘black’ women 130 kilometres north of Broome. This story chronicles the lives of the Rodriguez pioneers, and the challenges of living under the legacy of the Protector of Aborigines.

Courtesy of Magabala Books

Sandi Scaunich Chasing the McCubbin

In a down-on-its-luck Melbourne suburb in the 1990s, experienced collector Ron sees the increase in garage sales as an opportunity to find a rare bargain, such as an original Frederick McCubbin painting. A chance meeting with Joseph, a troubled 19 year old who knows nothing about antiques, is the beginning of an unlikely friendship.

‘.. heartfelt without being sentimental, Scaunich pulls us into a fascinating world of low stakes and petty rivalries.’ – Graeme Simison

Courtesy of Transit Lounge