A collection of book recommendations from STC staff. Sit back, relax and get reading…
FICTION
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The Vivisector By Patrick White "Use the summer as an opportunity to discover (or rediscover) one of Patrick White’s masterpieces in advance of A Cheery Soul in 2018. This book had White removed from the list of Nobel Prize contenders in 1970, but he triumphed three years later after publishing The Eye of the Storm." – Kip, Artistic Director
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Behold the Dreamers |
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The Starlings |
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Embers |
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The Old Man and the Sea |
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The Mothers You can listen to a podcast about the book with Brit Bennett from the 2017 Sydney Writers' Festival. Listen here. |
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Commonwealth By Ann Patchett "This book has stuck with me all year, and I might even dip into it again this summer. Sweeping family epic, of several generations, over several decades." – Miranda, Corporate Partnerships Manager |
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The Ferryman By Jez Butterworth "After the great privilege of seeing this extraordinary production on the West End, I just had to test its mettle on the page. This script is a superbly crafted commentary on the intersection of love, politics and family that unravel on a county farm in Northern Ireland in 1981 amidst the fatal hunger strikes. Naturalistic at its heart, this play dances so effortlessly with the enigmatic. You never quite escape the dark inevitability of this otherwise festive portrayal of Irish life, but there is a richness of sensibility that will make this one a gripping summer read!" – Frankie, Corporate Partnerships Executive |
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Rules of Civility By Amor Towles "In late 1930s Manhattan, two young women reinvent themselves while negotiating the ‘rules’ of the new friendship group they find themselves part of. Think gin martinis, jazz bands until 3am, old money, new fashions and (of course!) a love triangle. The dialogue is sparkling, and it’s a fun, fast read." – Rebecca, Legacy Gifts Manager |
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Norse Mythology |
NON-FICTION
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The Nearest Thing to Life |
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Dark Emu |
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Bad Feminist You can listen to a podcast with Roxane Gay from the 2017 Sydney Writers' Festival. Listen here. |
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Changing Jobs: The Fair Go In The New Machine Age By Jim Chalmers and Mike Quigley "It's a fascinating book exploring the future of jobs, skills and life in the artificial intelligence, robotics, automation and machine learning revolution." – John, Education Manager |
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Balancing Acts – Behind the Scenes at the National Theatre By Nicholas Hytner "Great industry insight from the former Artistic Director of Great Britain’s National Theatre" – Jono, Director, Technical and Production |
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At the Existentialist Café You can listen to a podcast about the book with Sarah Bakewell from the 2017 Sydney Writers' Festival. Listen here. |
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Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow By Yuval Noah Harari "Some will find Harari's vision of the post Sapien existence more than a little disturbing, which is good. Without such concerns the worse aspects of this possible future will occur without us realising. That said, to think that Homo Sapiens are the final and eternal answer to the question of how to exist is just simplistic. Change is inevitable and not always for the better for everyone. Knowing what is around the corner is only the beginning." – Alex, Insights & Analytics Manager |
BIOGRAPHY
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In Order to Live By Yeonmi Park "Puts a human face on struggles in North Korea with the ultimately triumphant true story of a young defector. It’s is a timely reminder that behind the megalomaniacal and caricatured leader are millions of people whose lives get forgotten amidst the furore." – Joshua, Project Manager, Philanthropy |
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Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley By Charlotte Gordon "As the first dual biography of the mother/daughter pair, Gordon examines the often-dismissed links between Wollstonecraft and Shelley’s lives and works. Both wrote books about the destructive nature of unchecked power, both imagined new ways of living and thriving in the given circumstance, and both lived lives ahead of their time. The chapters switch between the life of one and the life of the other, and delve into the ways mother inspired daughter, and vice versa." – Jonathan, Executive Assistant |
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Elon Musk By Ashlee Vance "Brilliant, enthralling and illuminating life story of a true entrepreneur" – Jono, Director, Technical and Production |
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ONLINE MAGAZINE
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