Go Set a Watchman
By Harper Lee (William Heinemann)
Until now, US author Harper Lee had published only one novel - the much-loved classic To Kill A Mockingbird. The release of this book has been surrounded by controversy. Lee is now aged and infirm and her long-time protector is dead, so it has been referred to as a "money-grab". It is, in fact, an early draft of To Kill A Mockingbird. In this version, Scout Finch is grown up and living in New York. She returns to Maycomb County to visit her family and discovers that everything she once had faith in has changed - including her lawyer father Atticus. There has been a lot of discussion about how in Go Set A Watchman Atticus is a racist. I don't think that's exactly what Lee intended. She meant for this novel to be a discussion about the issues facing the South at the time and that's what it is in a heavy-handed sort of way. There are flashes of brilliance but for the most part this is a clumsy, flawed piece of work - as first drafts by debut writers tend to be. As a staging post on the way to a golden, shining piece of literature, I guess it has interest but Lee's editor knew what she was about, this draft shouldn't ever have seen the light of day. My advice is don't bother with it. Re-read To Kill A Mockingbird instead.
Meatballs: The Ultimate Guide
By Matteo Bruno (Murdoch Books)
There is no food more comforting than a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. From the founder of Melbourne's Meatball & Wine Bar comes a host of ideas for delicious little balls of protein. There are self-saucing meatballs filled with beef jus, a version based on slow-cooked beef short ribs, another stuffed with segments of bone marrow. There are meatballs in a fancy licorice and red wine reduction and others that will help you use up leftover veges. There are Asian-inspired balls fragrant with ginger and recipes using chicken, turkey, rabbit, goat, salami and even seafood or vegetarian options. You could live on a meatball diet for weeks and never get bored. With high-end photography and a mix of rustic and gourmet dishes, plus ideas for sauces and sides, this book is a surprise hit.
Please Mr Panda
By Steve Antony (Scholastic
)Manners and sharing are at the forefront of this charming and amusing picture book for young kids. Mr Panda has a tray of delicious-looking doughnuts and he's offering them around, but not to everyone. There are a couple of magic words involved in getting a sugary treat - good old please and thank you. Fun illustrations help stop it all getting too preachy and author Antony encourages those reading aloud to put on a grumpy voice for the character of Mr Panda. I imagine most children will be keen on a follow-up visit to a doughnut store.
The Abrupt Physics Of Dying
By Paul E Hardisty (Orenda Books)
Canadian-Australian Paul E. Hardisty has burst on to the crime scene with this searing tale that digs up the dirt on oil companies operating in Third World countries. Clay Straker is a combat vet working as a hired gun engineering consultant for big oil in Yemen, adapting facts and appeasing locals to keep the dollars rolling in. When his driver and friend is kidnapped by a notorious terrorist, he must investigate the cause of a local sickness to save the life of a man who saved his. Joining forces with an enigmatic journalist, Clay is forced to confront the realities of who he's become, and the powerful people he works for. Hardisty brings Yemen to vivid, sweat-inducing life on the page, crafting a superb thriller, powered by exquisite prose. Evocative and extremely thought-provoking, The Abrupt Physics Of Dying is full of fascinating characters and insights and heralds the arrival of a tremendous new voice who straddles the border between popular thriller and weighty literature.
