If you missed the 2025 Sydney Writersโ Festival, donโt worry: in line with the eventโs themes, we can still be โIn This Together.โ Here are some standout books spotlighted at the eventโs latest iteration that you should consider reading.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
In the 2024 Booker Prize winner, Harvey considers our humanity and relationship with Earth from a distance. She charts a team of astronauts on the International Space Station who are still unable to disconnect from their lives back home. These introspective musings on their current situation, whilst literally having the world at their feet, allow Harvey to blur the lines between fiction and nonfiction. Crafting a snapshot like she were experiencing this alongside them.
Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon
This loosely-based-on-history fiction explores battle, brotherhood andโฆ theatre? Set in ancient Sicily, Lennon explores the clash between art and war, and the risks that are associated with both expressions. Infused with Irish humour and Greek mythology, Glorious Exploits has been compared to the layered comedy of Monty Python.
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
If youโve been following the Melbourne mushroom murders, this premise may appeal to you. Itโs a food-filled fiction involving a female gourmet cook, a serial killer, and a journalist intent on cracking her case. Critiquing the work-life balance of Japan, through seduction and fine dining, Yuzuki has been able to find success in translation. Although interestingly enough, thereโs been a lack of support for her work in her homeland.
The Chairmanโs Lounge: The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out by Joe Aston
Aston has taken his scathing business commentary to print in this tell-all story of Qantasโ downward spiral. Throughout the book, he expands on his findings from his column in the Australian Financial Review with new interviews and discoveries, investigating the relationship between former CEO Alan Joyce and the current fate of what used to be Australiaโs most reliable airline.
Dusk by Robbie Arnott
A gothic exploration of the peaceful Tasmanian highlands, Arnott introduces a puma with a bounty on its head. Predator essentially becomes prey. Crafting stunning descriptions of the wilderness, Arnott rips out any desire for hiking with his prowling beast, claiming a Voss Literary Prize in the process.
The First Friend by Malcolm Knox
This speculative tale imagines the authority over a global superpower being left in the hands of gangsters, simply because of a friendship. Knox questions camaraderie, social dynamics, and survival during the Soviet Union circa 1938. But many of the themes mirror our current political climate.
The Season by Helen Garner
Known for her observations and less for her football knowledge, Garner develops a personal reflection on the presentation of masculinity, teamwork, and human behaviour through her grandsonโs under-16s AFL team, illuminating the joy of the game over the final score at the end.
The Shortest History of Economics by Andrew Leigh
An instrument of social intimidation on public transport and a comprehensive guide from ancient times till now. Leigh introduces the systems, people, trends, and topics you need to know when engaging with the nebulous topic of economics. Although a daunting subject, he manages to balance black-letter knowledge with cinematic stories.
