True History of the Kelly Gang
by Peter Carey
Carey's powerful, daring novel, steeped in the colonial history of late 19th-century Australia, won him a second Booker (the first was for Oscar & Lucinda). Outlaw, folk hero, thief and patriot, the Irish immigrant Ned Kelly and his clan figure large in the Australian mindset.
Chasing Kangaroo
by Tim Flannery
In this ode to the kangaroo, Flannery weaves his own coming of age as a scientist with tales of the strange marsupial, past and present.
Evening Is the Whole Day
by Preeta Samarasan
Set in post-colonial Malaysia, this richly textured debut novel depicts the unraveling of a wealthy family and the six-year-old daughter left reeling from losses and departures. Samarasan's unflinching yet tender examination of one immigrant family's experience exposes the complexities and layered history of Malaysia itself.
The Travel Book, A Journey Through Every Country in the World
by Lonely Planet Publications
Bigger and better than ever (the third edition of the best-selling original), we can't keep our hands off this celebration of the world. Each country, no matter how big or small, gets a colorful double-page spread in this glossy A-to-Z of travel from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
The Eaves of Heaven, A Life in Three Wars
by Andrew X. Pham
Pham recounts the story of his father's life during the French occupation, Japanese invasion and the American War, weaving such momentous events with anecdotes from his childhood and details of family, friends, food and daily life.
Wildlife of Australia
by Iain Campbell, Sam Woods
This compact photo guide covers commonly encountered birds, mammals, reptiles and frogs across Australia, including 350 species of birds.
King Rat
by James Clavell
The first in Clavell's acclaimed Asia series, this book describes the life of a POW in Japanese-occupied Singapore during World War II, richly evocative of its setting
Hong Kong
by Jan Morris
A wonderful portrait of Hong Kong by one of our favorite travel writers. Morris enumerates the many personal pleasures of the city, deftly interweaving reportage, history and culture.
Tracks, A Woman's Solo Trek Across 1700 Miles of Australian Outback
by Robyn Davidson
The true story of a woman's trek across the Australian Outback -- an adventurous tale shot through with a feel for the landscape and empathy for the Aborigines she meets along the way. Has also been made into a movie.
Australia, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by Robert Ross
Arranged geographically, this collection of works by mostly local writers, including Patrick White, Peter Carey and other luminaries, introduces the cultures, geography and mindset of Australia.
Ghosts of Spain
by Giles Tremlett
Tremlett captures the Spanish character, history and modern politics in this masterful portrait, interweaving the story of his love for the country (where he has lived for 20 years) with interviews, anecdotes and observation.
In a Sunburned Country
by Bill Bryson
The intrepid, ever-resourceful Bryson revels in Australia's eccentric characters, dangerous flora and fauna and other oddities in this wildly funny, effortlessly informative travelogue.