Recommended Reads
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The Moody Cook
Our mood affects so many aspects of our lives – motivation, concentration, relationships, and even our careers. The list goes on.
Food, too, plays a powerful role in how we feel.
This book encourages you to cook based on your mood, not what society or others expect. On low days, it’s perfectly fine to eat mashed potatoes straight from the bowl – I certainly do.
Once you embrace the idea of cooking what truly comforts and nourishes you, life will feel a whole lot simpler and much brighter.
Think of this book as self-help through the power of delicious food. Now, all that’s left to do is put on your apron and treat your taste buds to mood-boosting recipes made just for you.
£10.39 -
Requiem for the Australian Dream
‘Requiem for the Australian Dream’ examines the origins of the Australian Dream and its importance to Australian society. Under the Robert Menzies government, the ‘Australian Dream’ became the measure of a mature society, built on the collective values of the ‘fair go’ and the notion that no one will be left behind. Menzies likened it to ‘the greatest expression of democracy is when a man and his family own their own home’. During his tenure as Prime Minister from 1949 to 1966, home ownership would become the cornerstone of his ‘emerging middle class of ‘little capitalists’. He believed if Australians were happy and content, they would not stray to communism, which was gripping the world at the time. At just 50.3% in 1945, home ownership would peak in 1966 at a staggering 72%. The book examines the economic and political factors which made home ownership obtainable in Australia during this ‘golden era’ and then what happened to turn the dream into a nightmare.
From the turbulent 1970s to the 1990s – the final years when housing was affordable in Australia – the book takes you on a journey that identifies the key political, economic and societal decisions which conspire to end the Australian Dream of home ownership for so many. Starting with the Whitlam years and moving to the Hawke, Keating and Howard prime ministerships, we witness the rise of neoliberalism and globalisation and their erosion of wages and employment stability for the majority. Labour reforms, the rise of negative gearing, and the deregulation of the banking industry will all play a role in turning the dream. Other monumental changes, such as Howard’s capital gains reform, will be examined, particularly when combined with negative gearing, which would supercharge property investment from 2000 onwards.
The 2000s, which promised to be a period of safety and stability with the ‘Cold War’ at an end, would prove to be a powder keg of conflict and uncertainty that would drive government decisions and economic policy that would turn against housing affordability. Existential factors such as the September 11 attacks, the war on terror and the global financial crisis and their influence on monetary policy in Australia would create ‘cheap credit’ that would incentivise a property boom that would last for 23 years. The rise of China and immigration into Australia would put pressure on town planning and housing supply, which would fuel property price growth. The 1-in-100-year event of COVID-19 would prove to be the last nail in the coffin for the crisis, causing an unparalleled rise in the cost of housing construction, resulting in a reduced housing supply and record bankruptcy of builders. Collectively these factors, combined with political blunders, would define the crisis that we have today.
The final chapters will examine 8 key initiatives to solve the housing crisis and how housing affordability and the dream of home ownership can be restored to future generations. We reflect on what Australia looks like in 2050 if the crisis continues and examine the importance of home ownership to the future of Australia’s society and democracy. A must-read if you are interested in the housing issue.
£16.79 -
The Most Beautiful Species Alive
The same two Autumn days are repeating over and over again. Five teenagers in New Zealand know what is going on.
They have several tasks to do to help to defeat the bad aliens who are doing it. The five are Polly, Kimmy, Oli, Issiah and Hector. Most of the action happens in the city of Courtney on Planet Shogasaah.
They need to solve clues to complete each task. They need to think all the time, and it’s a bit like they are playing a strategy computer game and constantly figuring out what they need to do. The clues get more and more complicated as the story progresses.
Perhaps you as the reader could figure things out before the five do?
£8.79 -
Finding Grampy
Maybe Grampy is at his shack, Nucleus
Authentica, inventing something very special?
Or maybe he is out at sea?
Nine-year-old Leon sneaks out into the woods all by himself just before midnight. Grampy, Leon’s grandfather, simply can’t be dead and buried – at least not after what the adults keep saying: “The old man is not gone; he is still very much with us.” Determined to find him, Leon sets out on his quest.On his journey, Leon is guided by the winged Gabriel, who teaches him to play music from each colour of the rainbow. But soon, Leon finds himself fearing for his life as he walks the tightrope of forgiveness high in the mountains, tumbles into wild rivers, encounters a mischievous mouse, soars in a balloon, and rides on the back of a wolf cub.
Finding Grampy is a little hero’s journey for all of us – children and grown-ups alike – who are still children at heart and who never stop pondering the questions of life, love, loss, forgiveness, friendship, and the search for one’s voice and inner truth.
£19.19 -
Tramontana
In Tramontana, the author invites readers on an intimate journey of spiritual transformation, weaving together a tapestry of emotions and insights that explore the profound depths of the human experience.
From the trembling precarity in facing the unknown to the radiant embrace of unconditional love, these poems traverse a wide range of themes that speak to the soul. Grounded in the author’s vulnerability as a writer, each verse is an illustrative exploration of the human condition intersected with the unfailing capacity of the awakened heart to bring us home within ourselves. Each verse captures the essence of nature’s stillness woven into the warmth of human touch mirroring the serene turbulence of inner growth. Mountains, oceans, and trees become metaphors of resilience, connection, and renewal.
Whether you are seeking solace, inspiration, or a moment of reflection, Tramontana, titled after the majestic North Wind, offers a space to pause and reconnect with the boundless beauty within and around us. These poems are a celebration of life and true love’s transformative power, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, there is light – and in stillness, there is strength.
£5.59 -
The Bubble That Went to Sea
Have you ever wondered what a child like you can do to help protect the ocean so shiny and blue? Dive in with Baz the Bubble on his special quest, where he meets amazing underwater heroes who share their secrets on how every small act of kindness and care can make the sea a safer, cleaner, and happier home for all.
£7.99 -
Commandments of Men
For decades, many church teachings have been accepted as biblical truth – but are they really? Are tithing and first-fruit offerings for new covenant believers? Are Seed-faith Doctrine, the Prosperity Gospel, and the ‘little ‘g’ God’ doctrine truly rooted in Scripture?
Commandments of Men challenges these five widely taught doctrines, examining the Scriptures often used to justify them. Through rigorous analysis of biblical texts, historical context, and the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, this book exposes the extra-biblical nature of these doctrines and calls for a return to the simplicity of the Gospel and faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
£8.79 -
Worlds Apart
Worlds Apart is a powerful tale of love, sacrifice, and resilience, a journey that spans continents and cultures, testing the strength of one woman’s heart and the ties that bind a family together.
When skilled nurse Francina leaves her home in Africa for the UK, she carries with her the weight of grief and the hope for a brighter future. Torn between duty and longing, she must navigate the challenges of an unfamiliar world while clinging to the love she left behind. As she builds a new life, unexpected friendships and heartbreaking choices force her to confront the meaning of home and belonging.
A deeply moving story of identity, loss, and perseverance, Worlds Apart is a testament to the courage it takes to chase one’s dreams – no matter the distance.
£7.99 -
Walls Are Talking
This book is a collection of fifteen carefully chosen stories drawn from the author’s wider body of one hundred and fifty short works. Each story offers a unique and realistic theme, capturing a range of human emotions and experiences. As you read, you may find yourself laughing, crying, or drifting into deep thought and imagination.
Walls Are Talking reflects the sorrow and struggles of Afghan society. It serves as a mirror to the historical and cultural truths of a nation, revealing moments that are both moving and unexpected.
£5.59 -
Risky Play
70 years ago, children enjoyed a lot more freedom than they do today. The time allowed to play often stretched for days at a time. In many cases, this allowed children to become highly creative while finding exciting opportunities to play unsupervised.
No one seemed concerned about a child climbing the highest tree or going on a picnic or fishing, unaccompanied by adults. Even an overnight camping trip for a group of under 12s was usually acceptable as long as it wasn’t raining.
In turn, the ability to make important decisions and take risks, given the freedom experienced, built resilience in children that we don’t see anymore.
Today’s children are often fearful and turn to their parents, who supervise everything they do. Helicopter parents hover over their children’s every move to ensure that they come to no harm. In doing so, the parent inadvertently causes more harm, making the child/children dependent on the parent for even the simplest decision.
£5.59 -
Your Special Garden: Grief and Loss
Bedtime can sometimes feel a little scary. But what if your child could create a special place using their imagination – to build a garden of extraordinary abundance, have fun, feel safe and experience a peaceful night’s sleep?
In this heartwarming story, children are invited on a gentle journey to their own Special Garden—a peaceful haven where they can feel calm and safe, no matter what’s happening in the world around them. Through soothing words and beautiful illustrations, Your Special Garden: Grief and Loss shows children that, like a loving hug or a treasured memory, there’s always a safe space for them to return to when the lights go down.
Inspired by Christine’s own experiences, this book offers children a tool to cope with their worries, honour their emotions, and find comfort in sleep. Grief and loss come in different shapes and sizes. A guiding poem provides inspiration to help deal with this, but how they see and use their garden is only limited by their imagination – and yours!
A perfect bedtime read, this book will leave children feeling ready to drift into dreamland with peace in their hearts.
£7.19 -
The Faded Tea Rooms
When Jamie opens his tea rooms one morning, he finds a young woman leaning quietly against a wall. Rosie has left her partner after losing her grandparents and is feeling isolated. Jamie and friends in the village help her understand why she feels the way she does and how she can move forward.
The journey involves her visiting two elderly sisters, who share their life stories with her. She finds that she is not the only person who has lost loved ones. Working alongside them, she remembers that she had plans for her future, including developing her baking and hamper-making skills, and she discusses this with her new friends.
Rosie learns to listen to them and her heart, allows Philip to enter her life again, and realises that loss can allow for new experiences.
A gentle romance readers could relate to!
£7.99
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