**Winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize 2024**From one kiss comes a chain reaction – a masterpiece of memoir from the winner of the Baillie Gifford and the Booker prize‘Extraordinary’ Sarah Perry‘Masterpiece’ Colm Tóibín‘Wholly original. I absolutely loved it’ David Nicholls‘A brilliant, brilliant book’ James RebanksBy way of H. G. Wells and Rebecca West’s affair, through 1930s nuclear physics, to Flanagan’s father working as a slave labourer near Hiroshima, this chain of events culminates in a young man finding himself trapped in a rapid on a wild river, not knowing if he is to live or to die…‘The strangest and most beautiful memoir I’ve ever read. Magnificent' Tim Winton‘Flanagan’s finest book... A brilliant meditation on the past of one man and the history that coalesced in his existence’ Guardian‘Flanagan’s portrayal of his quiet, brave father and his loving, resilient mother is exquisite. His evocation of the texture of life in rural Tas­mania is masterful’ Daily Telegraph‘A beautiful, unclassifiable novel-cum-memoir… That it is a masterpiece is without question’ Observer‘Sometimes a book is an experience felt almost in the body… A celebration of all life, it is also a reckoning with the 20th century... It is intimate, beautiful, unsparing and profound' Anna Funder Read more

The History of Australia: From Indigenous Origins to a Modern NationAustralia is called the “land down under,” but how much do you really know about its past? Did you know that modern Australia started as a British prison colony? Or that for tens of thousands of years before that, Indigenous peoples lived there, building rich cultures and traditions?This book takes you through Australia’s history, from its first inhabitants to the arrival of European settlers to its fight for independence to its current role in world events. Learn about the convicts who built early settlements, the famous bushrangers who became legends, and the key moments that shaped Australia into the country it is today.What You’ll Discover Inside:Who the first Australians were and how they livedHow and why Britain sent convicts to AustraliaThe dangers and struggles of the first European settlersThe Australian Gold Rush and how it changed the countryHow Australia gained independence from BritainAustralia’s role in World War I, World War II, and beyondHow modern Australia has grown and changed over timeAnd so much more!Why This Book is for You:Whether you love history, want to learn more about Australia, or just enjoy a good story, this book makes the past easy to understand and fun to explore.Discover the incredible story of Australia. Scroll up and click “Add to Cart” to begin your journey today! Read more

'Another riveting book from Anna Jacobs' - 5-star reader reviewSeventeen-year-old Liza is happy working as a lady's maid - until her employers decide to emigrate and her father makes up his mind that she is to wed an older widower whom she detests. Determined to avoid a loveless marriage, Liza plans to run away. But when the widower rapes her to force her to marry him, she flees back to the family for whom she worked. She feels she has no choice but to go with them to Australia, and they all set out on the long voyage.On board ship, Liza discovers to her horror that she has fallen pregnant. Even if she can survive the journey, the demanding life of a settler in 1850s Western Australia will be made even harder by an illegitimate child. But Liza is to find that in addition to deprivation of the worst sort, Australia will offer her opportunities she could never have dreamt of back home in Lancashire.*******************What readers are saying about LANCASHIRE LASS'As ever, great!' - 5 stars'A lovely book' - 5 stars'Great from start to finish' - 5 stars'Brilliant again!' - 5 stars'I just love these books - once you start you will find it hard to put down' - 5 stars Read more

The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius is a fascinating and insightful work of ancient history that chronicles the lives of the first twelve emperors of Rome, from Julius Caesar to Domitian. Written in the early 2nd century AD, Suetonius offers a biographical portrait of each ruler, focusing on their personalities, political actions, and personal vices. Through vivid anecdotes and often salacious details, Suetonius provides readers with a unique window into the intrigues, excesses, and complexities of imperial Rome. His work reveals the rulers' ambitions, moral failings, and sometimes brutal actions, as well as their relationships with the Senate, the military, and the people. The Twelve Caesars is not just a historical account but a fascinating exploration of power, corruption, and the nature of leadership. This Classics edition of Suetonius’s masterpiece remains an essential resource for anyone interested in Roman history and the lives of its most famous emperors. Read more

'I felt as if this book was my addiction . . . A truly remarkable author' - 5-star reader reviewAt eighteen, Cathie longs for more than life as a settler in the Australian bush. So when her uncle offers her the chance to send her to England, she grabs the opportunity with both hands and runs away from her family. But little does she know that he is using her to get revenge on his sister, Liza.Attacked at the docks in Liverpool, Cathie takes refuge with the man who saved her, a man who has his own troubles. But as she slowly regains her memory and meets her Lancashire relatives, she must confront the legacy of her mother's past.And even in 1876, the same wealthy families who forced her mother to leave Lancashire are still powerful enough to threaten Cathie's happiness and safety - as well as that of anyone close to her . . .**********************What readers are saying about LANCASHIRE LEGACY'Another brilliant read from Anna. Love it' - 5 stars'Riveting' - 5 stars'Brilliant story, as always. Didn't want it to end' - 5 stars'WOW, such a good read' - 5 stars'I couldn't put this down' - 5 stars Read more

'Enjoyed this book so much I didn't want it to end!!!' - 5-star reader reviewIn the untamed outback of Western Australia, the Blake sisters are together again despite what seemed like unsurmountable odds. For Cassandra - reunited again with the man she loves - the Swan River Colony is a refuge that seems like a miracle after all her ordeals. And two of her sisters have fallen in love with their new way of life.But then a messenger arrives from faraway England, and it is the fourth sister, Pandora, who jumps at the chance to make her way back to the Lancashire moors that she misses so badly. The way home, though, will be even harder than the voyage to Australia. The only ship that can take her and her new protector back to England lies many days' journey away, across country that would daunt even a hardened explorer. And when she reaches Outham, a devious, dangerous enemy will do anything to prevent her from taking charge of her family's inheritance . . .What readers are saying about BEYOND THE SUNSET'Another Anna Jacobs novel I could not put down' - 5 stars'Just loved this book - a great read - couldn't put it down!' - 5 stars'A great book' - 5 stars'I enjoyed every page' - 5 stars'Anna Jacobs is brilliant at her craft' - 5 stars Read more

"He was going to kill somebody from the age of 10. It was built into him… I knew he was on a one-way trip. I knew that it was just a matter of how long.” - Boris Milat, Ivan’s brotherDetaining a man like Ivan Milat would be a monumental challenge. His obsession with firearms and hatred of state power were a highly volatile combination. Sending just a couple of men would result in two dead officers and a prime suspect on the run.Fifty armed police officers surrounded Milat’s home on the day of his arrest. He would pay for practising his favourite sport: hunting humans.Backpackers were his favoured prey, lured into his car with an unassuming charm and taken to his gruesome playground, the Belanglo State Forest. This was where he subjected his victims to unspeakable torture before ending their lives in the most brutal way imaginable.Outback Outlaw is an unflinching and uncompromising account of a man forever cemented in the annals of Australian true crime. Ryan Green’s riveting narrative draws the reader into the real-life horror experienced by the victim and has all the elements of a classic thriller. Read more

The Vietnamese hilltribes made him a demi-god. The CIA wanted to kill him. This is the remarkable true story of Australian war hero Barry Petersen.As he flew over South East Asia towards Vietnam, Captain Barry Petersen struggled to keep an aura of calm. Inwardly he was incredibly excited. Aged 28, highly trained, with experience in anti-communist guerilla warfare, he was about to embark on the biggest and most important mission of his life.In 1963, Australian Army Captain Barry Petersen was sent to Vietnam. It was one of the most tightly held secrets of the Vietnam War: long before combat troops set foot there and under the command of the CIA, Petersen was ordered to train and lead guerilla squads of Montagnard tribesmen against the Viet Cong in the remote Central Highlands.Petersen successfully formed a fearsome militia, named 'Tiger Men'. A canny leader, he was courageous in battle, and his bravery saw him awarded the coveted Military Cross, and worshipped by the hill tribes.But his success created enemies, not just within the Viet Cong. Like Marlon Brando's character in 'Apocolyse Now', some in the CIA saw Petersen as having gone native. His refusal, when asked, to turn his Tiger Men into assassins as part of the notorious CIA Phoenix Program only strengthened that belief. The CIA strongly resented anyone who stood in their way. Some in the US intelligence were determined Petersen had to go and he was lucky to make it out of the mountains alive. The Tiger Man of Vietnam reveals the compelling true story of little-known Australian war hero Barry Petersen.'One of those great untold stories and Walker tells it with verve and excitement and, with meticulous attention to detail' - Sydney Morning Herald'Drips with adventure and intrigue and has at its centre a personality boys of all ages will identify with' - The Age'Walker's finely researched book goes beyond the biographical account of an Australian war hero' - Sun Herald'Walker's book about Petersen, The Tiger Man Of Vietnam, is well-crafted and racily written' - Weekend Australian Read more

Imagine a true story that unfolds in the harshness of Australia’s outback, beginning in 1957 and spanning decades. Imagine Dulcie’s battle to keep her family and animals alive in spite of bushfires, floods, cyclones, droughts, dingo attacks and terrible accidents.The story of Dulcie, a simple Queensland pineapple farmer’s wife, has so many twists and turns that it will leave you gasping.“Shocking, yet heart-warming. Overwhelmingly gripping.” Beth Haslam, author of the Fat Dogs and French Estates series.“Wow! Goosebumps.” Elizabeth Moore, author of the Someday Travels series and Top 1000 Amazon reviewer.“A truly remarkable young woman and a unique record of Australian life.” Valerie Poore, author of Watery Ways.“Once read, never forgotten.” Victoria Twead, New York Times bestselling author of the Old Fools series.“There are no words that can do this book justice.” Julie Haigh, Top 1000 Amazon reviewer. Read more

Anna Jacobs has done it again, the book was riveting' - 5-star reader reviewCassandra Blake has raised her three motherless sisters. The girls are the pride of their book-loving, impractical father, and not in a hurry to marry. Then the American Civil War cuts off supplies of cotton to Lancashire, the mills fall silent and there is no work. They have an impossible choice: stay and risk starvation or pack up and begin again elsewhere.Cassandra has fallen in love with Reece Gregory, but he can't support a wife. When he's given the chance to start a new life in Western Australia, he seizes the opportunity, promising to send for her. Then an old feud tears the family apart. Cassandra is kidnapped and her sisters are forced to sail with a group of desperate cotton lasses to Fremantle. Penniless and alone, Cassandra is determined to find them again - but when she is offered a way, will she be able to pay the painful price?What readers are saying about FAREWELL TO LANCASHIRE'A wonderful read' - 5 stars'I love all of Anna Jacobs' books, once I start reading them I can't put them down' - 5 stars'Great story, couldn't put it down' - 5 stars'Once you pick up this wonderfull book you will loose yourself in it's amazing characters. BRILLIANT!' - 5 stars'Just great, could not stop reading' - 5 stars Read more

Fate can take you to places beyond your dreams . . .1866. Three Blake sisters remain in the Swan River Colony and two are quite happy to forge new lives for themselves there. The third, Xanthe, yearns to see the world. But even if she could afford to travel, could she persuade her beloved twin to let her go? Maia has fallen in love with their employer, and would surely be happiest staying behind with him.Xanthe's opportunity comes in the form of a handsome Irishman bringing some of the sisters' inheritance from England. But for Maia, the same man brings trouble in his wake: someone who has the power to make her life a misery.Can both sisters find the courage to finally find a home to call their own?******************What readers are saying about DESTINY'S PATH'Excellent ending to the series' - 5 stars'This is a book you cannot put down' - 5 stars'This is my ninth Anna Jacobs in 10 weeks! Can't wait to start my next one' - 5 stars'Another great read' - 5 stars'A jolly good read' - 5 stars Read more

Discover the remarkable life of Nancy Wake...Free BONUS Inside!Nancy Wake was a brave woman. She risked her life behind enemy lines during the Nazi occupation of France in the Second World War. The Gestapo dubbed her “The White Mouse” for her uncanny ability to evade their traps. When it became too dangerous, she left France—not to flee—but to join the resistance.Before the war, Nancy lived a life of luxury with her husband, a wealthy French industrialist. The war disrupted this idyllic life and brought out a new side to Nancy’s personality. Suddenly, she hid downed Allied servicemen in her home and guided them over the Pyrenees to the safety of neutral Spain. Later, she helped organize the French resistance fighters known as the Maquis. Nancy parachuted back into France just in time for the D-Day invasion, joining other brave partisans and saboteurs to boost the chances of an Allied victory.After the war, Nancy Wake lived several more happy and eventful decades. This is her life—this is her story.Discover a plethora of topics such asTroubled ChildhoodThe World at WarBecoming the White MousePreparing for D-DayWorking with the MaquisPostwar Life and DeathAnd much more!So if you want a concise and informative book on Nancy Wake, simply scroll up and click the "Buy now" button for instant access! Read more

The authoritative, epic history of the British colonisation of Australia.In 1787, the twenty-eighth year of the reign of King George III, the British Government sent a fleet to colonise Australia.Documenting the brutal transportation of men, women and children out of Georgian Britain into a horrific penal system which was to be the precursor to the Gulag and was the origin of Australia, The Fatal Shore is the definitive, masterfully written narrative that has given its true history to Australia.'A unique phantasmagoria of crime and punishment, which combines the shadowy terrors of Goya with the tumescent life of Dickens' Peter Ackroyd, The Times‘An enthralling account… brimming over with rare and pungent characters, and tales of pathos, bravery, and horror’ Peter Matthiessen, author of The Snow Leopard Read more

"It was a scene from the worst nightmare you've ever had, I don't think any of us was prepared for what we saw." - Snowtown officer On 20 May 1999, the South Australian Police were called to investigate a disused bank in the unassuming town of Snowtown, in connection to the disappearance of multiple missing people. The Police were not prepared for the chilling scene that awaited them. The officers found six barrels within the abandoned bank vault, each filled with acid and the remains of eight individuals. The smell from inside the vault was so stifling that the police required breathing equipment. Accompanying the bodies were numerous everyday tools that pathologists would later confirm were used for prolonged torture, murder and cannibalism. The findings shocked Australia to its core, which deepened still when it was revealed that the torture and murders were committed by not one, but a group of killers. The four men, led by John Bunting, targeted paedophiles, homosexuals, addicts or the ‘weak’ in an attempt to cleanse society.No Place for the Weak is a chilling account of the ‘Snowtown Murders’ (AKA: ‘Bodies in Barrels Murders’), and one of the most disturbing true crime stories in Australia’s history. Ryan Green’s riveting narrative draws the reader into the real-live horror experienced by the victims and has all the elements of a classic thriller.CAUTION: This book contains descriptive accounts of torture, abuse and violence. If you are especially sensitive to this material, it might be advisable not to read any further. Read more

'A terrific overview of Japan's long and rich history... covers an astonishing amount of ground' PETER FRANKOPANJapan is a country of islands, strung like a necklace around the Asian mainland...Ever since US Commodore Matthew Perry forced Japan to open its borders in 1853, the culture of this remarkable and distant archipelago has enriched western life. At the same time the country has embraced foreign institutions from baseball to barber shops. Yet for centuries under the rule of the shoguns, the islands were largely sealed off from the outside world. In charting a course between openness and insularity, Japan has found a way to become ultra-modern while breathing new life into its own unique traditions.In The Shortest History of Japan, Lesley Downer brings an expert storyteller's eye to the sweep of Japanese history. Here are the emperors and warlords, the samurai and women warriors, the merchants and geisha who shaped this extraordinary modern society. From the hunter-gatherers who fashioned the world's first pots to the novel-writing ladies of the eleventh-century Heian court, from the devastation of Hiroshima to today's economic and cultural powerhouse, this is an indispensable, riveting history of the land of the rising sun. Read more

The incredible true story of one of the most extraordinary and inspirational prison breaks in Australian history.New York, 1874. Members of the Clan-na-Gael - agitators for Irish freedom from the English yoke - hatch a daring plan to free six Irish political prisoners from the most remote prison in the British Empire, Fremantle Prison in Western Australia. Under the guise of a whale hunt, Captain Anthony sets sail on the Catalpa to rescue the men from the stone walls of this hell on Earth known to the inmates as a 'living tomb'. What follows is one of history's most stirring sagas that splices Irish, American, British and Australian history together in its climactic moment.For Ireland, who had suffered English occupation for 700 years, a successful escape was an inspirational call to arms. For America, it was a chance to slap back at Britain for their support of the South in the Civil War; for England, a humiliation. And for a young Australia, still not sure if it was Great Britain in the South Seas or worthy of being an independent country in its own right, it was proof that Great Britain was not unbeatable.Told with FitzSimons' trademark combination of arresting history and storytelling verve, The Catalpa Rescue is a tale of courage and cunning, the fight for independence and the triumph of good men, against all odds. Read more

In "A Voyage to Botany Bay," George Barrington takes readers on a vivid journey through the complexities of transportation and colonization in the late 18th century. Written in an engaging and descriptive style, Barrington's narrative combines elements of adventure and observation, offering an intimate glimpse into the lives of convicts, native populations, and the harsh realities of maritime life. The book paints a complex portrait of the socio-political landscape surrounding Australia's colonization, touching on themes of crime, punishment, and survival, thereby situating the work within the broader literary context of travel narratives and colonial literature of the period. George Barrington, a former pickpocket turned author, reflects his own tumultuous life experiences in his writing. His arrest and subsequent sentencing to transportation inspired a profound engagement with the themes of exile, identity, and redemption. Barrington's unique perspective as both a convict and an observer allows him to navigate the delicate balance between critique and appreciation of colonialism, making him a pivotal figure in convict literature. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Australian history, colonial studies, or the genre of travel writing. Barrington's authentic voice and rich descriptions provide invaluable insights into a transformative period, inviting readers to reconsider the legacies of colonization and the human spirit's resilience in the face of adversity. Read more

'Ian Knight combines meticulous research with a depth of knowledge of his subject, and a knack for ferreting out unusual and illuminating details, with, crucially, a true flair for storytelling . . . Highly recommended' Journal of the Victorian Military SocietyIan Knight's Warriors in Scarlet is a comprehensive and stirring history of the Victorian army between 1837 to 1860, from the Battle of Bossendon Wood to the Crimean War, a period of seismic change as the rapid expansion of the empire saw the British army fighting in small wars across the world.An acclaimed military historian, Knight reveals the brutal reality of colonial conflict from both sides. Drawing on first-hand accounts he shows us the reality of life for the British soldier in this era – the drudgery of peacetime service for the ordinary soldier, the excitement and privations of posting overseas, the floggings and desertions, the regimental pride and comradeship.Knight vividly recreates the action on the ground, from bloody skirmishes in Southern Africa and siege warfare in New Zealand to disasters like the 1842 retreat from Kabul and Chillianwalla in the Punjab. British soldiers trained in tactics that had beaten Napoleon were forced to adapt when faced with warriors with very different skills fighting on their home ground, and yet the army won more than four-fifths of the battles they fought in this era. Knight describes how, by 1860 with their redcoats increasingly replaced by khaki, the British army was a more professional, efficient and increasingly ruthless fighting force.'Impressively researched and highly readable analysis' – Tony Pollard, Professor of Conflict History and Archaeology, University of Glasgow Read more

Winner of the 2020 Australian Prime Minister’s Literary Award for nonfiction and the 2019 NSW Premier's History Awards for general history‘Wonderfully researched and beautifully written’ Philip Hoare, author of Leviathan‘Succeeds in conjuring a lost world’ Dava Sobel, author of LongitudeFor more than a millennium, Polynesians have occupied the remotest islands in the Pacific Ocean, a vast triangle stretching from Hawaii to New Zealand to Easter Island. Until the arrival of European explorers they were the only people to have ever lived there. Both the most closely related and the most widely dispersed people in the world before the era of mass migration, Polynesians can trace their roots to a group of epic voyagers who ventured out into the unknown in one of the greatest adventures in human history.How did the earliest Polynesians find and colonise these far-flung islands? How did a people without writing or metal tools conquer the largest ocean in the world? This conundrum, which came to be known as the Problem of Polynesian Origins, emerged in the eighteenth century as one of the great geographical mysteries of mankind.For Christina Thompson, this mystery is personal: her Maori husband and their sons descend directly from these ancient navigators. In Sea People, Thompson explores the fascinating story of these ancestors, as well as those of the many sailors, linguists, archaeologists, folklorists, biologists and geographers who have puzzled over this history for three hundred years. A masterful mix of history, geography, anthropology, and the science of navigation, Sea People is a vivid tour of one of the most captivating regions in the world. Read more

The new book from the bestselling author of Flesh Wounds. A funny and frank look at the way Australia used to be - and just how far we have come. 'It was simpler time'. We had more fun back then'. 'Everyone could afford a house'.There's plenty of nostalgia right now for the Australia of the past, but what was it really like?In The Land Before Avocado, Richard Glover takes a journey to an almost unrecognisable Australia. It's a vivid portrait of a quite peculiar land: a place that is scary and weird, dangerous and incomprehensible, and, now and then, surprisingly appealing.It's the Australia of his childhood. The Australia of the late '60s and early '70s.Let's break the news now: they didn't have avocado.It's a place of funny clothing and food that was appalling, but amusingly so. It is also the land of staggeringly awful attitudes - often enshrined in law - towards anybody who didn't fit in.The Land Before Avocado will make you laugh and cry, feel angry and inspired. And leave you wondering how bizarre things were, not so long ago.Most of all, it will make you realise how far we've come - and how much further we can go.PRAISERichard Glover's just-published The Land Before Avocado is a wonderful and witty journey back in time to life in the early 1970s. For a start, he deftly reclaims the book's title fruit from those who have positioned it as a proxy for all that is wrong with today's supposedly feckless and spendthrift young adults. Rather than maligning the avocado (and young people), he cleverly appropriates the fruit as an exemplar of how far we have come since the 1970s' Richard Wakelin, Australian Financial Review'This is vintage Glover - warm, wise and very, very funny. Brimming with excruciating insights into life in the late sixties and early seventies, The Land Before Avocado explains why this was the cultural revolution we had to have' Hugh Mackay'Hilarious and horrifying, this is the ultimate intergenerational conversation starter' Annabel CrabbPRAISE FOR FLESH WOUNDS'A funny, moving, very entertaining memoir' Bill Bryson, New York Times'The best Australian memoir I've read is Richard Glover's Flesh Wounds' Greg Sheridan, TheAustralian Read more