Cirrus@Austlit

From a Newcastle garage to worldwide recognition, the remarkable story of two teenagers who grew up in Silverchair, one of Australia's greatest rock bands

'This is the powerful, untold story of two of the three members of Silverchair, Australia's most awarded musical act. From their beginnings in Ben Gillies' garage, this trio of high school kids from Newcastle, New South Wales, became famous with their smash-hit single 'Tomorrow', setting them on a path to domination of the Australian charts, worldwide touring and fame.

'So much has been written about Silverchair over the years but very little has been said by the band's members. In Love & Pain, childhood friends Ben Gillies (drummer) and Chris Joannou (bass player) tell us tales about growing up across the road from each other and starting in Silverchair, wild stories from the peak of their days in the spotlight, and the ups and downs of how their lives have panned out since.

'While there are some funny, unforgettable rock 'n' roll stories, there is also all the love and pain that came with being in the band: the cost of fame and intense pressure on two teenagers who had no way of preparing for it; the navigation of their friendships with each other and their relationships with friends and family members; the mistakes they made and the successes they cherished. Gillies and Joannou write with vulnerability and raw and blistering honesty, making for an extraordinary account of a band adored by so many.' (Publication summary)

'A captivating and compulsive crime thriller about guns, drugs and a young woman dead on the money

'Riverina 1974:

'When nineteen-year-old farmgirl Adelaide Hoffman applies for a cadetship at the Gunnawah Gazette, she sees it as her ticket out of a life too small for her. Its owner, Valdene Bullark, sees something of the girl she once was in young Adelaide.

'Val puts Adelaide straight to work. What starts as a routine assignment covering an irrigation project soon puts Adelaide on the trail of a much bigger story. Water is money in farming communities, and when Adelaide starts asking questions, it's as if she's poked a stick in a bull ant's nest. Violence follows. Someone will do whatever it takes to stop Adelaide and Val finding out how far the river of corruption and crime runs.

'Shady deals. Vested interests. A labyrinth of lies. It seems everyone in Gunnawah has a secret to keep. But how many want to stop Adelaide dead?

'Set deep in the heart of rural Australia during the era of Gough Whitlam, pub brawls and flared jeans, Gunnawah is a compulsive crime thriller of corruption, guns and drugs from Australian Noir's most arresting new voice.' (Publication summary)

'The Fighter is the compelling life story of Australian Muay Thai legend 'John' Wayne Parr - a fighter's odyssey full of twists, turns, world titles, personal challenges and triumphs.

'Hailed as a legend in the fighting world, ten-time Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion 'John' Wayne Parr knew ever since The Karate Kid came out that he wanted to learn a martial art.

'From then, Wayne trained in diverse styles including taekwondo and kickboxing as his family moved around Australia. He eventually settled on Muay Thai, seduced by its paradox of violence balanced against the romance of tradition and culture.

'Muay Thai took Wayne around the world in a career that spanned almost 150 fights. And there were triumphs beyond his multiple wins too, like meeting his wife and starting a family. But amid the thrills of achieving championship status, Wayne also faced challenges brought on by taking his body to the very edge, as well as a series of personal struggles.

'This is the story of a man who knows what it is to test himself, physically and mentally, and the life lessons he learnt along the way, all told with Wayne's characteristic sense of humour.' (Publication summary)

'A powerful literary page-turner about two young people in a race against time to reach a monumental solar eclipse, from famed Australian novelist Inga Simpson'

'We haven't always lived like this . . .'

'Fin grew up by an observatory, learning about telescopes and planets, inspired by the passions of her mother and father, then leaders in their fields of astrophotography and astronomy. Those days are long over. Now Fin, her mother, Dianella, and a band of outliers live deep off the grid, always on amber alert and always ready to run.

'In the outside world, things are not good: extinctions and a loss of diversity threaten what's left of the environment. With a new disaster looming, Fin finds herself thrust into an unlikely partnership with a stranger who has appeared in their camp. Terry is one of a new breed of evolved humans, the Incompletes, who are widely distrusted. But the pair will need to work together during a dangerous journey if they are to play their part in a plan to help restore the natural world - and humankind.

'The Thinning is both an exquisitely written novel of nature and urgent psychological suspense by the bestselling and acclaimed author of Willowman, The Last Woman in the World and Mr Wigg.'  (Publication summary)

'Our heroes can come from the most ordinary of places. As a shy young lad growing up in country Victoria, no one in the district had any idea the man Albert Jacka would become.

'Albert 'Bert' Jacka was 21 when Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914. A month and a half later, Bert enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and the young private was assigned to 14 Battalion D company. By the time they shipped out to Egypt he'd been made a Lance-Corporal.

'On 26 April 1915, 14 Battalion landed at Gallipoli under the command of Brigadier-General Monash's 4th Infantry Brigade. And it was here, in the early hours of 20 May, that Lance-Corporal Albert Jacka proved he was 'the bravest of the brave'. The Turks were gaining ground with a full-scale frontal attack. As his comrades lay dead or dying around him, Jacka single-handedly held off the enemy onslaught. The Turks retreated.

'Word spread of Jacka's lone efforts to recapture the trench and his extraordinary efforts saw him awarded the Victoria Cross, the first for a soldier in World War I. He was a national hero, but Jacka's wartime exploits had only just begun. Moving on to France he battled the Germans at Pozieres, earning a Military Cross for what historian Charles Bean called 'the most dramatic and effective act of individual audacity in the history of the AIF'. Then at Bullecourt, his efforts would again turn the tide against the enemy. There would be more accolades before a sniper's bullet and then gassing at Villers-Bretonneux would send Bert home.

'THE LEGEND OF ALBERT JACKA is an unforgettable story of the bravery and sacrifice of one extraordinary soldier that takes us from the shores of Gallipoli to the battlefields of France, all brought to vivid life by Australia's greatest storyteller, Peter FitzSimons.'  (Publication summary)

'The unflinching and unforgettable memoir of music and life from the much-loved Australian legend.

'From a childhood in London and Melbourne through to pop stardom in the 1960s, the critical success enjoyed with the release of the highest-selling Australian album of all time, Whispering Jack, and a decades-long touring career, the John Farnham story is, at first glance, one filled with remarkable highlights.

'It is, however, so much more than that. It is the story of the resilience John found as his stellar career stalled, record companies turned their backs, and he faced financial ruin. It is the story of triumph over adversity after a devastating diagnosis of mouth cancer in 2022, only months after the death of his long-time friend and manager, Glenn Wheatley.

'Throughout a lifetime filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, John has remained steadfast, never losing his unique musical talent, creative strength nor his powerful ability to make human connections through his music.

'The Voice Inside is like sitting down with an old friend sharing stories that are both deeply personal and wildly entertaining. Written alongside award-winning filmmaker Poppy Stockell, this is a captivating and powerfully honest insight into the man whose music is the soundtrack to so many of our lives.'  (Publication summary)

'When you know that you need help but conventional means have failed you, what is left is the unexpected.

'MDMA is a drug made from the oil of the root of the sassafras tree. It is known as a party drug, taken by people who want to have a good time, to dance, to shed their inhibitions.

'It has also, since early 2023, been authorised in Australia for use in treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder that has not responded to treatment. For those with PTSD, the goal is not to have a good time and dance: it is to come back to themselves. To the person they were before they were traumatised.

'Around the same time, renowned author and social researcher Rebecca Huntley experienced her first of three illegal MDMA sessions, delivered by an underground healer from the Northern Rivers district of New South Wales. Rebecca wanted to stop the crushing cycle of intergenerational trauma not just for herself but for her children.

'This treatment would do nothing less than change her life, impacting her personal and professional views of the world, the way she saw the past, present and future. It helped Rebecca see herself and the world around her with greater wisdom, compassion and awareness of the connections between humans and the natural world.

'Sassafras is the story of a woman determined to confront her traumatic past head on. In doing so she discovered something that could be of great benefit to us all.' (Publication summary)

'KLIM, the moving autobiography from Michael Klim, delves into the life of the legendary swimmer, exploring his triumphs, challenges and extraordinary resilience in and beyond the swimming lanes.

'As one of Australia's most celebrated athletes, Michael Klim's impact extends far beyond the pool. Klim's journey to greatness began with his early years in Poland before his family immigrated to Australia. From a young age, Klim displayed an extraordinary talent for swimming, honing his skills through rigorous training and competition. He burst onto the international scene in the late 1990s, becoming a dominant force in butterfly and freestyle events.

'His crowning moment came at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he captured the hearts of millions with his gold medal performances and world record-breaking swims. Klim's success continued on the world stage, earning numerous medals at World Championships and Commonwealth Games, solidifying his status as one of the greatest swimmers of his generation.

'Beyond his athletic achievements, Klim's personal life has been equally compelling. His transition to entrepreneurship and family life provides insight into the challenges and rewards of life beyond the pool. In recent years, he has faced significant health struggles, including battles with injury and a life-altering autoimmune disorder. Yet, through determination and perseverance, Klim has emerged stronger, embracing his experiences as opportunities for growth and self-discovery.

'KLIM offers readers an eye-opening account of Michael Klim's extraordinary life, highlighting the enduring legacy of a true sporting icon. From the heights of Olympic glory to the depths of personal adversity, Klim's story serves as a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and the human spirit.' (Publication summary)

'Sophie Green, Top Ten bestselling author of The Bellbird River Country Choir and Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society, returns with a warm-hearted new novel about friendships, fresh starts and finding yourself.

'Mornington Peninsula, 1999. Wife and now grandmother Joan has checked into the grand old Duchess Hotel to find herself again after thirty-five years of being who her husband and family have wanted her to be. Peninsula local and soon-to-be octogenarian Frances is distracting herself from getting old, and avoiding her self-interested son by escaping to the warmth of the Duchess where the hotel staff treat her like the person she still is. Meanwhile Frances's daughter, Alison, is trying to manage significant disruptions at home while hoping to finally prove to her mother that she's just as worthy of love as her brother. New to the Duchess, hotel maid Kirrily is feeling the weight of a lifetime of responsibility, struggling to balance bills and work and family, and keeping thoughts of how there must be more to life at bay.

'With its old-world glamour, sprawling seaside grounds and air of possibility, the Duchess Hotel might just be the place to help the women rediscover who they are and bring some spark back to their lives.

'When Joan decides to pick up a brush and start painting for the first time in decades, she inspires Frances and Kirrily - and, eventually, Alison - to join her. Over canvas, conversation and creativity they will learn that you should always hold onto your dreams and that new friends can give you the courage to live life on your own terms.' (Publication summary)

'For Ava, heading to university in Sydney is her escape from a poverty-stricken upbringing. Her mother is long gone, her father able to provide love but little else. On the other side of the world, Laurie tolerates university only at the insistence of her father, a Marxist professor. Her mother died in childbirth, and Laurie dreams of freedom, far from the Cambridge cloisters.

'It is within these college grounds that Ava and Laurie cross paths. They could not be more different, and yet as each grapples with the lasting effects of losing a mother, their lives become entwined in ways neither could have anticipated.

'Alison Edwards' brilliant novel Two Daughters explores family, class, social justice and love with a large dose of wit, the occasional detour into darkness, but always with the heartbeat of hope.' (Publication summary)

'We all grow up with rules. Do this, be this, don't be that. Qin Qin was all about the rules: do your homework, be good, don't rock the boat. She was the model daughter, model student and model minority.

'But doing everything right? It made her lost and miserable. So she decided to take a spectacular risk and change everything.

'At 23, Qin Qin was an unhappy overachiever working for a prestigious law firm. So she quit. She didn't know what else was out there, but she wanted to find out. She changed paths, changed countries, changed her entire view of what the world could be, and who she could be - with some primal screaming and tree-hugging along the way.

'In the process, she discovered the person she truly was, not who she thought she should be.

'Model Minority Gone Rogue is a funny, sad, exhilarating and thought-provoking true story about what happens when you want to live life on your own terms, even when those terms go against everything you've ever known. It's a story of what happens when you choose love over fear and honour your authentic self: life can be bigger and brighter than anything you had ever imagined.' (Publication summary)

''I am a sexual abuse survivor, but I am also more than a survivor. I will continue fighting for justice for all victims.'

'Dassi Erlich grew up in St Kilda East, the fourth of seven children born to parents who had joined one of the strictest ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in the world.

'As a girl, her life's journey was preordained - she would marry young, live a devout life, and raise her children within the strict confines of the Adass community's countless religious rules. This strict interpretation of the Torah would see Dassi and her siblings isolated from secular and immodest Australian society. She lived within the eight-block radius that made up the Adass world in Melbourne, where synagogues, schools, shops and doctors all catered for those living an ultra-Orthodox life.

'The centre of young Dassi's world was her home and her school. But the real danger for Dassi lay not in the secular world, but in her troubled home and at the very school that should have been her sanctuary.

'Dassi was only fifteen years old when the then-principal of Adass Israel Girls School, Malka Leifer, started to pay attention to her. Leifer had her favourites, bringing girls she favoured into the warm sun of her universe. As a girl who had lived without love for so long, Dassi flourished under this attention. She felt valued and important. Until Leifer betrayed her in ways that the cloistered, unworldly Dassi did not understand, but instinctively knew were very, very wrong.

'It would take her years to find the courage to tell the police what Malka Leifer did to her. And then Dassi would discover the principal had abused others, including two of her sisters. When the community supported Leifer and helped her avoid justice by putting her on a plane to Israel, Dassi embarked on a remarkable fifteen-year campaign to bring Leifer back.

'In April 2023, justice was delivered when a jury found Leifer guilty of serious sexual abuse and then sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment for her crimes.

'This powerful memoir tells Dassi's story in her own unique voice. It gives extraordinary insight into a secretive sect little known to the outside world, and outlines the harsh upbringing she experienced which made her such a target for the predatory Leifer. Inspiring, harrowing and unforgettable, Dassi Erlich's story is of a courageous survivor learning to move beyond the horror she grew up with, and finding her own way.' (Publication summary)

'Darnmoor, The Gateway to Happiness. The sign taunts a fool into feeling some sense of achievement, some kind of end- that you have reached a destination in the very least. Yet the sign states clearly, Darnmoor is the gateway, and merely a measure, the mark, a point on a road you begin to move closer to a place you might really want to be.

'Darnmoor is the home of the Billymil family, three generations who have lived in this 'gateway town'. Race relations between Indigenous and settler families are fraught, though the rigid status quo is upheld through threats and soft power rather than the overt violence of yesteryear.

'As progress marches inexorably onward, Darnmoor and its surrounds undergo rapid social and environmental changes, but as some things change, some stay exactly the same. Our protagonist characters are watched (and sometimes visited) by ancestral spirits and spirits of the recently deceased, who look out for their descendants and attempt to help them on the right path.

'When the town's secrets start to be uncovered the town will be rocked by a violent act that forever shatters a century of silence.

'Full of music, Gamillaray language and exquisite description, Song of The Crocodile is a lament to choice and change, and the unyielding land that sustains us all, if we can but listen to it.' (Publication summary)

'VICTIM. KIDNAPPER. CRIMINAL. You will become each one. You are now part of the chain. Don't break the chain.

'THE ONLY WAY TO GET YOUR CHILD BACK IS TO KIDNAP ANOTHER.

'Listen carefully ...
Your child has been kidnapped.
You must abduct someone else's child to save your own.
Disobey. Break the rules. Go to the cops. Your child will die.
Your victim's parents must kidnap another child before yours is released.
You are now part of the chain.

'#DONTBREAKTHECHAIN'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'I'll leave you with the first confession: I killed Colton Crest.'

'When high school sports captain and honour student Colton Crest disappears, his small town is quick to jump to conclusions. But when he returns two months later, unharmed, the town breathes a sigh of relief - until days later, when his best friend, Elliot Parker, discovers Colton's body in a local lake.

'At the funeral, Elliot finds a note in his pocket claiming to be from Colton's killer. They are offering to provide a series of clues that will help Elliot discover their identity. Elliot has no choice but to follow where the confessions lead, but with each new revelation, it becomes clear that Colton had a strange and secret other life. As Elliot sees out this sick game, he begins to wonder...

'Is he hunting down the killer? Or is the killer hunting him?'

Source : publisher's blurb