Happy’s Best New Books (20th December – 26th December)
Updated weekly by the fine folk at Happy Mag, these are the best new books that this week has to offer from Australia and around the world!
Updated weekly by the fine folk at Happy Mag, these are the best new books that this week has to offer from Australia and around the world!
Ann Patchett – These Precious Days
From the acclaimed author of the six novels, Ann Patchett has penned a new collection of thought-provoking essays in These Precious Days. An expansive insight into the substance of life — relationships, ambitions, failure, and more — it’s brimming with Patchett’s talent for telling stories with unflinching candour and making them effortlessly resonate with the reader.
Amanda Gorman – Call Us What We Carry
If there was ever a time that needed to be framed by poetry, surely it’s now. Amanda Gorman announced herself to the world in the inauguration of Joe Biden, and in this collection, she fashions a beguiling and lyrical patchwork from history and the tumult of our times.
Siri Hustvedt – Mothers, Fathers, and Others
In her latest collection, master essayist Siri Hustvedt combines a rich vein of feminist philosophy and deeply personal memoir. Intellectually expansive and ever-curious, a breadth of subjects including motherhood, the science of ourselves, art, and the essence of memory are explored in depth. A book to consider if you’re interested in challenging your own preconceptions.
David Graeber and David Wengrow – The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity
With a title like that, ambition should be expected. Graeber and Wengrow’s new volume seeks to challenge the long-held beliefs surrounding the pre-history of humankind. It draws on contemporary advances in anthropology and archeology, transforming our understanding of the dawn of civilisations and, as a result, reimagining the future of our species.
Guy Rundle – Between the Last Oasis and the Next Mirage
When you think about the last ten years in Australian politics, it’s been a bit of a shitshow. In the early 2010s was a false dawn of progressivism, imploded by infighting and chronic narcissism. Then a hard swing to the conservative fringe, before eventually settling into an ennui of perpetual mismanagement. So what the hell happened? One of the nation’s most astute political commentators tackles the 2010s with trademark insight as well as a good helping of humour.
Brené Brown – Atlas of the Heart
Brené Brown takes readers on a whistle-stop tour of 87 emotions that make us human. Aside from the learning and identification process, Atlas of the Heart also gives readers the tools to navigate these potentially complicated pathways. If you’re seeking a way to become more in touch with your feelings and access emotional intelligence, it’s a must-read.