Happy’s Best New Books (21st February – 27th February)
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!
Lo Carmen – Lovers Dreamers Fighters
Lo Carmen is one of those artists who seems to have crammed several lifetimes in one. Bohemian to the core, she became an acclaimed actor in her teens, and a mum and a touring musician by her early 20s. This tour de force memoir also encompasses a who’s who of Australian female rock and pop pioneers like Chrissy Amphlett and Renee Geyer, resulting in a unique perspective on what it means to pursue art.
BUY HERE
LO CARMEN
LOVERS DREAMERS FIGHTERS
Omar Sakr – Son of Sin
Acclaimed poet Omar Sakr has turned his attention to prose in his debut novel, Son of Sin. His protagonist — a young queer Muslim named Jamal — is a product of his community. But as the weight of his memories and ghosts of his family’s past is brought to bear on him, he longs to escape. A kaleidoscopic novel in which Sakr uses his powers of poetic observation to their fullest extent.
BUY HERE
OMAR SAKR
SON OF SIN
David George Haskell – Sounds Wild & Broken
It’s easy to become visually intoxicated by nature, but how often do we close our eyes and open our ears to the world? By taking readers through the auditory evolution of the natural environment, as well as detailing the human impacts on our various soundscapes, David George Haskell shows us why we should treasure our sonic diversity and act to protect it.
BUY HERE
DAVID GEORGE HASKELL
SOUNDS WILD & BROKEN
Sean Thor Conroe – Fuccboi
Fuccboi traces the tale of Sean, who embodies all those fuccboi traits that we come to know and cringe at: spineless yet steeped in bravado while leaving a trail of disappointment in his various relationships. But self-awareness begins to creep into the edges of his psyche. This results in a hilarious narrative that elevates Sean’s banality, while commenting on broader issues of masculinity and its true meaning in a modern context.
BUY HERE
SEAN THOR CONROE
FUCCBOI
Jessica Stanley – A Great Hope
A Great Hope simultaneously explores the minutiae of its characters’ psychology while presenting a sweeping narrative that touches on themes of power, politics, ambition, family, and love. It centres around John Clare — an influential politician, but a paradox to everyone who falls within his orbit. His death and the mystery that surrounds it set up the intriguing premise of this addictive novel.
BUY HERE
JESSICA STANLEY
A GREAT HOPE
Jürgen Müller (editor) – 100 Movies of the 2010s
Though it’s not a recognisable ‘Golden Age’ of cinema, the 2010s was a pivotal era in the movie business, both from a creative and industry perspective. TASCHEN’s unrivalled compendium of the period examines the shifting sands of film culture, and provides detailed synopses and captivating imagery from some of the decade’s most iconic and innovative films, including Parasite, Get Out, La La Land, and dozens more.
