Smiths Alternative Bookshop - part of beautiful, clever, thoughtful Canberra

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19/11/2008 Another Book launch - you beauty! - You are invited to the Canberra Launch of Straggling into Winter by our own local Kathy Kituai here - Wednesday November 26th 2008 6pm, Drinks provided, Please RSVP to books@smithsbooks.com.au - a book that is thoughtful, entertaining, cultural and not likely to be sold in those shocking, souless, mind-numbing malls.


9/11/2008 Book launch - Yay - You are invited to the Canberra Launch of Live an Exceptional Life by our own local Rachael Millsom, here - Thursday November 13th 2008 6pm, Drinks provided, Please RSVP to books@smithsbooks.com.au - a book that is useful, practical and not likely to be sold in malls.

6/11/2008 Art in Alinga Street - That's right our part of town has been invaded for two weeks by some fabulous artwork from Canberra's fabulous artists. There are also two works in our shop, one in the window which is by Lucy Quinn and some in the shop by Nick Stranks. The window display is very obvious and interestingly good but the art in the shop is not so obvious (although still interestingly good) - the art isn't hidden but it might not be obvious - so 10% discount to anyone who can spot what that art is!! Also there is an art book catalogue, just go to the catalogues link above.

25/10/2008 - Astrological Calendar and Moon Planting Guide - 2009 NOW AVAILABLE. This is the calendar produced every Year by Thomas Zimmer. It is great for gardening, planning and predicting and it also looks fantastic hanging on a wall. It is $11.95 plus postage if you buy off the web because of the cost of the cardboard cylinder to protect your purchase, or $8.95 if you come into the shop and buy it and even talk to us for a bit.

Reminder about the CD by that fabulous Rafe bloke called "It's not as shit as it looks " (which it isn't) Remember we are the only proper place in the world that has this CD (maybe). An album of humorous songs that will make you smile and even LOL. Check it out right HERE

23 October 2008 Launch, launch, launch, launch - come and check out what the emerging poets, writers, artists, prose-ists, thinkers and doers have produced in the latest version (#7) of the ANU Writer's Block Block #7 - Thursday 23rd October at 6.00pm, and Frank Moorehouse will be there to make sure all is launched effectively and with the right amount of style and panache.

What has caused all the financial problems? Poor government? Yes. Greed? Definitely. Greedy incompentent American Banks and American Presidents? Oh yeah! Check out our catalogues list to see what might explain what is happening.

Should CEOs pay back all the bonuses they earned over the last decade? To vote or make comment send an email to books@smithsbooks.com.au or contact your local MP! Down with hopeless, greedy, stupid CEOs who can only focus on their personal long term wealth and not on the needs of everybody else!! (We include ALL of the large shopping mall landlords in this diatribe)

EVENT Thursday 9th October 6PM, Independence and the Death of Employment, by Australia's Guru on new employment trends and activities Ken Phillips (see Ken's recent article from The Age Newspaper here)
- To be launched by Christian kerr, well known and very human journo from up on the hill, go to the events part of this page for more information. This event launches two significant publications about the modern world of work involving independent contractors/independent professionals (IPros). Currently representing around 20 per cent of Australia's workforce, equating to 1.9 million people, this significant sector of the workforce is still not well understood. Indeed, to this day, virtually no research has been conducted about them and the organizations that engage them. These two publications provide important steps towards developing a much needed, in-depth understanding of this important group.

Independence and the Death of Employment shakes ideas by exposing concepts that people may not even realize they hold. Every day, when people "go to work", they are involved in legal and human relationships that define who they are or who they are allowed to be. Ken Phillips challenges ideas of the firm, careers, management and regulation from] the perspective of independent contractors. The Forgotten Workforce reports on research findings about the attitudes to work of independent contractors/independent professionals (IPros) and those that engage them. The research has focused on face-to-face interviews with information technology contractors and an online survey of engager businesses.

EVENT Monday (today) 29th September Today (5.30pm) is the launch of a new book on sustainability (which we consider to be one of the better books on the subject) Positive Development: From Vicious Circles to Virtuous Cycles through Built Environment Design by Janis Birkeland will be launched by Deb Foskey.

Refreshments provided and all welcome. Remember that afterwards you can have dinner at La Pasa, straight across the road from the bookshop, they will give you a 10% discount on food (not alcohol) if you mention the book launch. More information in the events part of this website.

And by the way I cannot help but make comment on George Bush's offer to rescue the world from financial ruin - he is so kind and thoughtful to save us all from the mess he created, but it does not fill me with confidence and I wish he would just stick with his area of expertise - making unnecessary war. I think the book we are launching is something he should read and take to bed with him every night. Sorry.

EVENT Saturday 27th Very nice poetry event. Liam is a chef in a local Japanese restaurant (the Iori - great Japanese restaurant with the best dragon rolls EVER (no dragon was killed in the making of those rolls)). Thanks Liam and we hope to see another book soon.

EVENTS Saturday 27th and Monday 29th September

Saturday 27th 4PM - Launch of a new book of poetry by local poet Liam Bourke Tranquility of Crimson Flow - Refreshments provided and all welcome. This is one for you if you especially dislike football grand finals and want a bit of culture in your life!

Monday 29th 5.30PM - A new book on sustainability (which we consider to be one of the better books on the subject) Positive Development: From Vicious Circles to Virtuous Cycles through Built Environment Design by Janis Birkeland will be launched by Deb Foskey. Refreshments provided and all welcome. Afterwards have dinner at La Pasa, straight across the road from the bookshop, they will give you a 10% discount on food (not alcohol) if you mention the book launch. More information in the events part of this website. See you here.


23 September Recently a new book came our way that is a fascinating biography on an interesting man, Griffith Taylor. He was a geographer who explored the Antarctic (on Scott's 1910-1913 expedition) and founded departments of geography at the University of Sydney and the University of Toronto. His global travels paralleled the global scope of his writings that covered issues ranging from environment, climate and settlement, to race, migration, conflict and peace. Check it out.

22 September Sorry everybody, we haven't changed the website for about a fortnight! We blame the Rudd government and the previous Howard government for creating and maintaining too much red tape. Also we may be slightly focused on books (shop) and not as much on books(web) as we should be.

7 September Wooaahh - what weeks last week and the week before were (was). Kel Robertson is just a hoot and his book, Smoke and Mirrors, is receiving excellent reviews (one customer said she was captured from the first page and couldn't put it down after that) and the poetry was excellent and we can see why poetry is once again becoming popular. (pause, big breath). Thanks to Kel and Lizz Murphy and Emily and EVERYONE.

Please visit the shop often and buy oodles of books - as a matter of fact let me test how many people actually visit this website by saying that anyone who purchases a book between now and, say, the 15th of September will receive a magical 25% discount if they say (or write in their order) "25% website dicount please" - or just mention you saw it on the website. Hang on conditions of some type will have to apply - how about - the book must be in stock for you to get the discount.

EVENT Thursday 4th September Performance poetry and a competition to create a great poem about Smiths Alternative Bookshop - that's right about us! The prize for the winning entry is a $100 gift voucher and we will make the poem into a poster and stick it in the window of the shop! Instant fame. This is being organised by Emily Stewart from ANU Block (and this shop) and Lizz Murphy, THE poet from Binalong. It (the poetry night) is to celebrate national poetry week. Should be a great, cultural, entertaining and thought provoking night. Be here or be nowhere......

EVENT - Thursday 28th August - The launch of local crime writer Kel Robertson's new book Smoke and Mirrors,. Kel's previous book, 'Dead Set', received excellent reviews and sold well in Canberra and also in Sydney and Melbourne. Kel will soon become a well-known name in the genre of Australian crime fiction and we knew him first!

25 August 2008 - so much to talk about
We've conducted an intensive survey of everybody we know and we all agree - last night's Tableaux Vellum was fabulous! Thanks Min Mae and muses, and thanks to all the fine, cultured Canberra folk who came along.

Next up on our super busy and exciting run of events is Andrew Galan who is our Writer-In-Residence from 4pm each day this week. Come on in and offer some sage word advice. And pick up a copy of Kel Robertson's latest 'Smoke and Mirrors'. Then go and see what Pablo is getting up to across the road as CLAW's premier spectacle, 'Cabin Fever'. It's all happening on Alinga St!

Almost finally, don't forget to grab your copy of Macabre Canberra before it's all sold out. This is a directory to all the spooky sites (and there are many!) in our region. Comes with a handy map, so you can DIE I mean DIY tour. ONLY $12 BUCKS!!!!!!!!!

Ciao for now

18 August 2008 - special events We are very pleased to be part of Canberra Living Artists Week (CLAW). We have two amazing unmissable events happening as well as book launch on Thursday 28th by Kel Robertson.

Event 1 - Sunday 24 August: 'Tableaux Vellum - words on skin' by the fabulous Min Mae. $15.00 ($10 Concession card holders). Strictly no cameras and you MUST book a time. (Contains nudity)

Min Mae's Tableaux is a performance involving a collaboration between artists, writers and muses. Min brings various forms of art into direct contact with the human body to create interactions between art, muses and the audience. The writers will respond to the setting of the bookshop, creating works which reference the themes of art, text and books.

The Tableaux artists and writers capture concepts conveyed by the muses, the perceptions of their bodies and selves. The placement of the resulting text and the poses are the vision of the tableaux artist in collaboration with the visual artists applying text to bodies.

Tableaux Vellum is a collaboration between Min Mae and Adam Hadley, Andrew Galan, Dan Kempers, Eileen Tuite, Hal Judge, Jo Telfer, Joan Cornish, Karin Ferguson, Luke Cornish @ E.L.K Stencils , Michael Ellis, Naomi Milthorpe, Skye Gallagher, Sullivan OConnell and Yasmin Element.

You must book as Min Mae's shows are always oversubscribed. There will be two shows, one at 6.30pm amd one at 7.30pm. If there are enough people interested there will be a third show at 8.30pm. Bookings through Smiths Bookshop on 6247 4459 or reply to this email.

Event 2 is an on-going event of Word Smithing that starts at the Tableaux on Sunday the 24th and finishes on the evening of Friday the 29th of August. Andrew Gallen, a local emerging writer will be writing a book in the shop from 4pm to 6pm each day (and probably later on Friday). He wants to be influenced by the customers, the shop, the staff and the books. He wants people to see what he is writing and make comment and make contributions. Make sure you visit the shop and see Andrew in action and be a part of Canberra Living Artists Week!!!

12 August 2008 - events coming soon We have some fabulous events coming soon. For example we are having a special event at 6.00pm on Thursday 4 September 2008 based around performance poetry and a competition to create a great poem about Smiths Alternative Bookshop - that's right about us! The prize for the winning entry is a $100 gift voucher and we will make the poem into a poster and stick it in the window of the shop! Instant fame. This is being organised by Emily Stewart from ANU Block (and this shop) and Lizz Murphy, THE poet from Binalong. It (the poetry night) is to celebrate national poetry week. Should be a great, cultural, entertaining and thought provoking night.

Then on Sunday 24 August 2008 we will have an event called - Tableaux Vellum which will be part of Canberra Living Artists week, we will have two shows featuring the unique and thought provoking work of Min Mae, these will be in the evening (first one starts at 6.00pm). You will have to book for this one as it will be popular (Min's shows always book out). $15 entry ($10 concession cards). RSVP to 6247 4459. More information will be sent soon. (click here for an example of what Min Mae has done)

28 August - Thursday The launch of local crime writer Kel Robertson's new book 'Smoke and Mirrors'. Kel's previous book, 'Dead Set', received excellent reviews and sold well in Canberra and also in Sydney and Melbourne. Kel will soon become a well-known name in the genre of Australian crime fiction and we knew him first!

24 August to 29 August Andrew Galan is going to be our Writer-in-Residence. What this means is that he will be in the shop everyday from 4pm to 6pm writing a book. He is doing this because he wants to be influenced by the passing world, the passing people and the people that don't just pass but hang around for a while. What a great thing!!! This is part of Canberra Living Artists week.



31 July 2008 - new catalogues ~ Managing people and change is a catalogue of some of the books purchased by Rod Morrison, a locally based and internationnally recognised guru on managing people and change (and he didn't pay for this unsolicited compliment - but maybe he should?) and Catalogue of books for a women's support group is a list of some of the books purchased and maintained by a local group that provides support to women who are experiencing some difficulty in their lives. Excellent group of women supporters and excellent books.

18 July 2008 - some books that are a lot different and, perhaps, not PC! Naked Girls Smoking Weed, this book has, as you may have already guessed, photos of naked women smoking, what appears to be but is probably not, weed. Is this good or bad? Is it an art book, a pot culture book, a political statement by some weed smoking feminists or just a rude book? Only one way to find out. The next book, Foul Play, may not be PC or perhaps it is culturally incorrect as it appears to condemn organised sport. Very unAustralian and very unOlympic as well! In this book Bill Shankly argues that sport can be bad for your health, damaging to your character and is the last refuge of sexism, racism, homophobia and animal cruelty - hang on I love my games of snooker and I try not to hit the balls too hard. But maybe he means those organised monaterally obscene sports based around money, greed and TV ratings? You know like the Druglympics or the Tour de Farce?
Next is a book that will get all of the employees from this shop black listed in Consummunist China. No it isn't about the Fallen Gongs it is a book about Origins of Tibetan Culture, It mentions China as well as Kashmir and India and Buddhism in comic book form, very easy to read and informative.

4 July 2008 - excellent book launch with a song as well! Being in Love by Judith Pickering was launched last night at a meeting of the Canberra Jung Society. It was an extra interesting launch and I took great joy in completing the receipts for sales of the books with '$60 for Being in Love'!
And now I understand that the blurb for this book - Developing Therapeutic Pathways Through Psychological Obstacles to Love - is about helping practitioners help us understand ourselves and our need for Love, the most important of desires (Followed closely by the need to read, then the need for sex, then eating and then for a good gossip. TRUE!!! (maybe the second bit isn't so true but it might be)) This group of Jungians also broke into a bit of impromtu singing and it was truly beautiful singing and astounding harmony - to be a Jungian must also mean being able to sing?

3 July 2008 Book launch, 4 July 8.00pm at Lyneham (Not here in the shop). The new book is Being in Love by Judith Pickering, which is about Therapeutic Pathways Through Psychological Obstacles to Love . The launch is (again in case you missed it) tomorrow, Friday 4th JULY at 8 pm in the MacKillop Conference Centre,50 Archibald Street,Lyneham ACT. See you there. (having experienced love myself I am looking forward to it all being fully and completely explained - maybe).


27 June 2008 We are often asked what is selling well? Well, our best selling titles in the last 4 months are (drum role): The Apricot Coast by our own fabulous Marion Halligan, who launched one of our other best sellers, The ANU Writer's Block #6.

Next is various versions of The Quarterly Essay including Love & Money. We also sold lots of People of the book. We sold a lot of other books as well, but this will do for the moment.

14 June 2008 A different couple of books, one from a local author/artists at Braidwood and the other from far away USA. The first is The Big Think which is about the big bang as viewed from, perhaps, the way different cultures would have viewed it - excellent, different, enlightening and thought provoking.

The second book is the interestingly named How to Raise Your I.Q. by Eating Gifted Children which is from a very independent, 'publish on demand' (and obviously we demanded!), publisher. It is penned by one of America's very best satirists.

7 June 2008 The latest copy of Canberra's own literary and political comment journal, The Voice #26, is out now. (It complements Block #6 very nicely). Also we note that Angus & Roberston has taken over Borders Books - we are happy with that as A&R are lame, and independent bookshops will always be a better place to visit. The problem is that the government continues to force people into the mall, by closing non-mall based carparks, why are they so fixated with helping the big businesses and franchises in the mall and letting local businesses, who make up the difference between our community and other communities, struggle? Huh? Why?

2 June 2008 We note that the Shopping Mall in Civic in Canberra is now the official censor for our community - having banned and banished some nude (god bless my soul) drawings by year 11 and year 12 students (those disgusting young people just make me want to cry with - well - disgust!). Thank heavens we can all go into big shopping malls and see just what they want us to see (things for sale) and nothing of interest that may delight us or perhaps offend our senses. (Please believe me when I say I am being ironic - I hate those shopping mall places). To be offended or probably delighted see Block #6 (beware - there maybe rude words and drawings of breasts and Penii, and perhaps even some bottoms. (Sorry none of those are actually in Block #6 but they were in other earlier editions.))

31 May 2008 Successful Launch, launch, launch, launch - of ANU Writer's Block Block #6. Wow, so many people who are so knowledgeable of literature and the arts and what is emerging in those areas. Marion Halligan added her normal depth to the event and the people, together, drank over 14 bottles of wine but there was not one bit of binge drinking! More power to our emerging clever people. (Sadly the more large shopping malls that are built the less opportunity there will be for cleverness - mainly because shopping mall owners try to 'average' everyone so that marketing of their rubbishy goods is easier, and being average means less attitude, opinions, risks and change - DOWN WITH SHOPPING MALLS!!!).

27 May 2008 Launch, launch, launch, launch - come and check out what the emerging poets, writers, artists, prose-ists, thinkers and doers have produced in the latest version (#6) of the ANU Writer's Block Block #6 - Thursday 29th May at 6.00pm, and Marion Halligan will be there to make sure all is launched effectively and with the right amount of style and panache.

3 May 2008 We have just stocked some interesting bilingual books and we will keep looking for more, particularly Dinka books for the Sudanese community. Anyway check out a thematic series of books by typing in the word 'lamington' in the "quick book search" space on your right hand side of this page.

25/4/2008 - Anzac Day A day when we remember those who have served for freedom and particularly those that died and suffered. We also remember the families of servicemen and women, it must be a strange and stressful existence to have a loved one in a foreign field of conflict, fearful of that awful knock on the door that may come with the news you never want to hear.

We should also remember the politicians that led us bravely against dictators and aggressors,and those that foolishly led us into unneccessary wars that put our troops, sailors and air personnel in danger. Maybe we should also have a special day when we recall the good and bad things that our politicians have done over the years. It would be nice to look back in history and acknowledge the leaders that didn't take us to war when lesser leaders would have succumbed to need for a battle somewhere. Perhaps we could call it "Accountability Day", it would be such fun!

Read all about the various wars that have decimated France, and what caused them (mainly politicians and mad kings)
A Short History of the Twentieth Century by Geoffrey Blainey Good old Geoffrey tells it as he sees it.
Vietnam: The Australian War by Paul Ham A book well regarded by experts on that controversial and destructive war.
Acts of War by Richard Holmes - describes what it is like to be a soldier
A Rose for the ANZAC Boys by Jackie French, about the 'war to end all wars', as seen through the eyes of three young women.

18/4/2008 - BOOK LAUNCH held last night (17th April) A very nice event, thank you to Graeme Dobell and to Ron Crocombe and to all that turned up. The shop is now even more of a nice place to visit because of the atmosphere from last night's event that has permeated the walls and the books in the shop. We shouldn't say this but the K-Rudd's 2020 event should be held in our shop so that the participants will somehow or other benefit from the vibe of the book launch. K-Rudd should also get Ron Crocombe to address the meeting and let them know how the Pacific Islands can be better supported.

13/4/2008 - BOOK LAUNCH on 17th April -----Asia in the Pacific Islands by Pacific culture and history guru Ron Crocombe. Grame Dobell, from the fabulous ABC, will be launching this book on Thursday 17th April, Ron Crocombe will be there in person all the way from Raratonga. Ron is THE expert on the Pacific and his latest book raises and answers a lot of questions. Is China going to be the predominant nation in the Pacific region? Come to the launch and find out. Synopsis A spectacular transition is underway in the Pacific Islands, as a result of which all our lives will be radically different. In the last fifty years or so, Asia has begun to play a bigger and bigger role in all aspects of Islands life migration, trade and investment, aid and development, politics, strategic relations, crime, education and employment, information and media, religion, culture and sports. It is replacing the West. The process is irreversible. With his trademark breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of the region, based on over half a century of experience, study and deliberation, Ron Crocombe documents the early connections between Asia and the Pacific, details recent and continuing changes, and poses challenging theories about the future.

10 April 2008 Check out these favourites of ours. The Voice Canberra's own journal of comment and review (which this edition has a particularly incisive expose of the evils of shopping malls), RAFE by Rafe funny songs that make you laugh and feel good, and this series of books on tales from Ngambri History with contributions from older and younger members of our local Ngambri community - Onyong and Noolup, Ngoobra the Ngambri Cleverman; Ngoobra and the Hairy Man at Yankee Hat; Kymin and Kangaroo - a Ngambri love story; Kywun and the Gunji.

1 April 2008 All books in the shop will be free between 6.00am and 7.00am today.

26 March 2008 Sally (the guru at Asiabookroom in Belconnen) suggested that Translating Lives was a good book and - She's right! It gives a users view of being in two cultures, having to adapt language and thoughts and behaviours in a strange land and still get on. It isn't confronting, just bloody interesting and we recommend it - OK.

18 March 2008 For Easter we are open on Good Friday from 11am to 4.30pm, Easter Saturday from 10am to 4.30pm, Easter Sunday 12 noon to 4.30pm and Easter Monday 12 noon to 4.30pm. Have a great Easter, eat lots of good eggs, not bad eggs, and if you are in Canberra try not to go to any of the evil shopping malls but, maybe, go to the Folk Festival instead.

18 March 2008 There are some excellent magazines and periodicals that give various people's opinions about various things. We have them in the shop, try: The Voice Canberra's own journal of comment and review (which this edition has a particularly incisive expose of the evils of shopping malls). The Griffith Review reviews the latest events of importance to Australia. Quarterly Essay - Love and Money Anne Manne looks at the religion of work, its high priests and sacrificial lambs. If you are interested in the latest selection send us a message by clicking here books@smithsbooks.com.au


1 March 2008 Some recommended fiction. Miracle at Speedy Motors the latest in the No 1 Ladies detective Agency series, always a good read. A Fraction of the Whole a debut novel by Australian author Steve Toltz, a very Australian story. World without End The sequel to the best selling and very interesting "The Pillars of the Earth". Under Enemy Colours If you like Hornblower then you'll like this. Sorrows of an American from the author of "What I loved" and recommended by Salman Rushdie.

21 February 2008 We have had some excellent launches recently. A CD on one night and a book of prose on another night. Both by local clever people. RAFE by Rafe funny songs that make you laugh and feel good & Brief Candles by Neville Fletcher enjoyable and thouight provoking short stories.

13 February 2008 It is a big day today, when finally, an apology to the Indigenous people of Australia is made in Parliament. (This all looks a bit easy now and shows that the previous government was a bit short in imagination and a bit long in meanness and a bit small in their minds). Anyhoo here are some books that make sense (these are mentioned further down the page but is there anything wrong with having the same books twice on a front page? If there is we apologise).
Ngambri Ancestral Names; The Kamberri - a History of Aboriginal Families in the ACT and surrounds; The Pajong and Wallabalooa - a history of Aboriginal Farming Families at Blakney and Pudman Creeks and Stories of the Ngunnawal.

We also have a series of books titles on tales from Ngambri History with contributions from older and younger members of the Ngambri community - Onyong and Noolup, Ngoobra the Ngambri Cleverman; Ngoobra and the Hairy Man at Yankee Hat; Kymin and Kangaroo - a Ngambri love story; Kywun and the Gunji.

We also have the first in the series "Myth, Magic and My Story - The Cuckoo's Eggs by Anwyn Clas Merrddinn.

All readable, informative, colourful and meaningful!

7 February 2008 "Love hurts, love smarts, love wounds and scars" yep, it's that time of year when corporations try to commercialise our emotions through good old pathetic Valentine's Day. We say so what. There are always plenty of books in our shop to help people deal with all the stuff that life throws up, including hurt, unrequition, shock, joy, disappointment, infidelity, fidelity, sex or lack of sex, lies and half truths and all the stuff that life consists of. See you in the shop!

24 January 2008 Here in Canberra (and the surrounds) we have some excellent aboriginal culture and people and authors and books. For instance: Ngambri Ancestral Names; The Kamberri - a History of Aboriginal Families in the ACT and surrounds; The Pajong and Wallabalooa - a history of Aboriginal Farming Families at Blakney and Pudman Creeks and Stories of the Ngunnawal.

We also have a series of books titles on tales from Ngambri History with contributions from older and younger members of the Ngambri community - Onyong and Noolup, Ngoobra the Ngambri Cleverman; Ngoobra and the Hairy Man at Yankee Hat; Kymin and Kangaroo - a Ngambri love story; Kywun and the Gunji.

We also have the first in the series "Myth, Magic and My Story - The Cuckoo's Eggs by Anwyn Clas Merrddinn.

All readable, informative, colourful and meaningful!

16 January 2008 The Voice is a journal of comment and review which hopes to suggest ways to make a more democratic, participatory and culturally rich world and be part of the processes involved in such changes. Voice seeks to increase the relevance of Ozlit and support the independence of social comment. It is edited by Bill Tully (who does a lot of different things for our community); Ian McFarlane (novelist, poet and critic); and Stephen Matthews (owner of Ginninderra Press). To read a sample issue (available in read-only PDF format), Click here. or you can Click here to buy the latest copy.

15 January 2008 This latest book is a modern fairy tale where a poor innocent media princess slays a bad, bad, bad, bad ogre and saves her community from humiliation and ruin (apologies to Hans Christan Anderson). The Battle for Bennelong.

9 January 2008 And now for something that is sacrilegious, rude, funny, crude and at times a little bit vulgar. That's right it is interesting! This is the team from the USA that became the role model for The Chaser team on the ABC. The Onion: Our Dumb World.

4 January 2008 We recently conducted research into the types of noises made by our customers as they wandered around the shop - the following are the top five recorded sounds - ooooooooohhh; hmmmmmmmmmmmm; ooh aah ooh aah ooh aah ooh aah; hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo; muhahahahaha; aaarrrggghhhh; and wow wee. (Please note that a few customers wished that people wouldn't make such sounds whilst they are trying to browse). They make those sounds most often about books like these -
Why Paint Cats. This is an amazing book about painting cats all sorts of colours and designs - not painting on canvas but painting the actual cat! PETA will go crazy....
The Happiness Box A delightful little book written by an Australian prisoner of war while in captivity in 1942 at Singapore's Changi Prison to help uplift the sagging morale of fellow prisoners. When their Japanese captors found out about the existence of the book, the interns buried it in the grounds of their camp, where it lay until the liberation of Singapore on September 5, 1945.
Canberra birds: a report on the first 21 years of the garden bird survey All you need to know about birds in Canberra, lots of graphs and descriptions of the birds.

3 January 2008 Finally we have copies of the latest Quarterly Essay Issue 28. This is titled "Exit Right - The Unravelling of John Howard"* and is by Judith Brett. This is an essay about leadership, in particular Howard's style of strong leadership which led him to dominate his party with such ultimately catastrophic results.

*For those that may have forgotten John Howard used to be Prime Minister of Australia.

19/12/2007 Xmas is a fabulous time for most....... We wish you a merry book-mas, we wish you a merry book-mas, we wish you a merry book-mas and a happy new read!

Jingle books, jingle books, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to read on a one horse open sleigh - HEY.

If you've been good this year we hope you get a book for Xmas, and if you've been bad this year we hope you get a book on how to be better!

15/12/2007 To all our customers - and even people who shop at god forsaken multi nationals like Borders books - Merry Xmas and we hope 2008 is exceptional or at least pleasant without too many worries - then again maybe there should be just enough worries to keep you from being bored - whatever.

Hope to see you in the shop soon and if you come in and mention the magic words "Smiths Rocks" you will receive a 10% discount (7.5% if you use a credit card) on your purchase. Or you could just say "I visited your website and I demand my discount", and you will still get the discount - valid until 2 January 2008.

Thanks for your support in what has been a difficult year due to governments and big business just charging along without any regard for little businesses and consumers (please insert your pet whinge or whine here) from Peter, James, Jess and Francis.

11/12/2007 - What's good and different for Xmas? Try these

ANU Writer's Block Issue#4 Check out the talent of our new and emerging writers and poets from Australia's premier university in this compilation of prose and poetry.

Shantaram This book has been a big hit with everybody - all ages and genders and political beliefs (except Hansonites). It describes what it is like in India perfectly and the story line is unique.

'Will' by Christopher Rush Features the life of Shakespeare, told by the playwright himself in the first person as he attends to his last will and testament. Has received excellent reviews.

The Book Seat This is a really clever bean bag for books! It can be used anywhere and everywhere (almost - not in water). You can rearrange the book into any position you want and it has a special little dooverdangle to hold the pages in place. Accepts all but the largest tomes. Highly recommended. Also serves as a pillow if the book is boring!

Hundertwasser Wrapping Paper If you are going to wrap up your books then wrap them in something special like this paper - or perhaps you could just frame it?

7/12/2007 - Asia in the Pacific by Pacific culture and history guru Ron Crocombe. We keep getting great books on the Pacific and this is another one. Is China going to be the predominant nation in the Pacific region? Read this book and find out. Synopsis A spectacular transition is underway in the Pacific Islands, as a result of which all our lives will be radically different. In the last fifty years or so, Asia has begun to play a bigger and bigger role in all aspects of Islands life migration, trade and investment, aid and development, politics, strategic relations, crime, education and employment, information and media, religion, culture and sports. It is replacing the West. The process is irreversible. With his trademark breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of the region, based on over half a century of experience, study and deliberation, Ron Crocombe documents the early connections between Asia and the Pacific, details recent and continuing changes, and poses challenging theories about the futur.

1/12/2007 We will be launching a new book by local boffin and fine person Valerie Brown. This is a book that policy makers and politicians should grab hold of and read and understand. It is about working in the real world, not the world that people want to exist, and developing sustainability by letting the locals get on with it, by working with local people, by letting them determine what they value and what they want changed, and by providing the information they need to inform their decisions. Leonardo's Vision Thursday 6th of December in the shop at 6pm. It is so true that Canberra is full of beautiful, clever, thoughtful people - is it not?

26/11/2007 6.32pm There is a book launch going on RIGHT NOW. Hal Judge's book of poetry Someone forgot to tell the fish- deep meaningful, thoughtful, provocative poetry, fantastic music, great ambience, what a hoot!

24/11/2007 - So the election is over, these books might help some people deal with it all.

This book has simple effective techniques for overcoming Traumatic Stress Symptons - and people shouldn't be made to feel embarrassed if something really gets to them, especially the poor old politicians lost, OK! The PTSD Workbook

We are still looking for a book on how winners can enjoy the moment without being smug or pooncy. Any suggestions?

This book is a guide for living with depression and manic depression - and more and more people are learning how to accept their condition and deal with it, especially before, during and after elections The Depression Workbook


18/11/2007 Gonna buy a classic, gonna read it in an attic. Classics are called classics for a reason, they are, well, um, classical books. Some people use classics as a way of refreshing the way they think. Anyway here are some and we have plenty more.

Jane Austen - The Complete Novels. This is a huge hard cover book that looks classical and contains a whole heap of Austen classics.

Collins Complete Works of Shakespeare. What can be more classical than Bill?

On the Road - The Original Scroll by the extremely interesting Jack Kerouac. A more modern classic from a man who was the classical beatnik.

Jude the Obscure by Thomas "Classics" Hardy.

7/11/2007 - Gunyah Goondie + Wurley This is a great book about Aboriginal architecture but it covers not just architecture but how design of structures and communities is a deep part of aboriginal culture and reflects the culture itself. Fascinating! Information includes: a continental overview of architectural forms, materials, construction techniques; three regional overviews of shelters and houses; traditional camps; domiciliary behaviour; the relation of shelter study to anthropology; Town Camps or Fringe Camps that emerged after colonization; how architects have and could apply traditional cultural ideas in design; and the symbols and meanings of shelters and houses. This book will make a pivotal contribution to our understanding and appreciation of the nations rich and diverse Aboriginal heritage.

25/10/2007 - Astrological Calendar and Moon Planting Guide - 2008 NOW AVAILABLE. This is the calendar produced every Year by Thomas Zimmer. It is great for gardening, planning and predicting and it also looks good hanging on a wall.


25/10/2007 - Smiths Alternative Bookshop versus Mall-Dor Many of our customers have asked how the new mall in Canberra has effected book sales, the answer is A LOT!!!! There aren't as many people walking past anymore, but we are going to do a mail out and some catalogues and get coffee into the shop so, eventually, all will be good. In between time lets just all remember that when you enter that horrible, horrible mall you actually leave Canberra, you leave your local community, and you enter the world of corporations and franchises where glitz and hard sell is the name of the game - it's so sad that governments prefer to support big busines and have no respect for small business:( Eventually all choice will disappear and the world will be like some horrific science fiction novel.) See: 1984 (George Orwell), Fallen Dragon, infoquake

20/10/2007 - Booker Prize 2007 winner and shortlist

The Gathering by Anne Enright took out the award. This was a huge surprise for most people, we sold out of our copies very quickly and now are awaiting some more, but apparently there were only 1500 copies in the whole of Australia so it could be a few weeks. The following are the titles that were shortlisted, you might want to read a few and compare them and eventually apply for a job at the Man Booker Prize organisation:

Darkmans by Nicola Barker

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

Animal's People by Indra Sinha


14/10/2007 - So an election is upon us, these books might help deal with it all.

The Government Giveth and the Government Taketh Away Why, as we get more prosperous, does the welfare state grow more and more and more? Huh?

Giving by Bill Clinton. Here is a man who won some elections.!

The Crikey Guide to the 2007 Federal Election Have all the facts at your fingertips as you watch and enjoy (?) the election.

James Halliday Australian Wine Companion You need this book as it is hard to enjoy any election without a good red!

Walking the Camino: a Modern Pilgrimage to Santiago If you hate elections and just want to get away while it all happens, why not walk the Camino?

The Age of Turbulence by the maybe great economic guru Alan Greenspan. Read this and on election night YOU will be the guru.

7/10/2007 - We have some excellent books about Papua New Guinea in the old days. This is a part of our past that has effected so many people but gets so little attention. Well it gets the attention it deserves in these two books!

Australia's Forgotten Frontier is a mix of ripping yarns and chronicles of a part of our history that seems to be overpassed but is still having important effects upon our international relationships. Chris Viner-Smith recounts his exploits and deeds in PNG when he was young and ready for adventure. He was just 19 when he became a policeman in PNG and he grew up quick and fast. A great read with some hair raising stories about sharks, crocs and tropical storms, including Chris waking up one night to find his tent covered in thousands of giant hairy spiders - AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH.

Kundus, Cannibals and Cargo Cults. The author, Gloria Chalmers, started work in Konedobu, Papua, for the Department of Public Health in late 1951. Gloria describes her work and association with early staff of the Health Department and also involves us in the many recreational activities of life in Port Moresby. A young Dr Zigas was on the threshold of some wonderful exploration in medical research concerning the newly discovered disease Laughing Death or Kuru. Gloria and Vin Zigas married at TAPINI in April 1953 where Gloria had to quickly adapt to life on an isolated outstation. This book, essentially a personal account, contains some hand-drawn illustrations and is a wonderful read for those people who were involved in those early days of nation building and the historical development of medical services in TPNG as it was then known. Thank you Gloria. (Review by Albert Speer MBE)


17/9/2007 - The Liberals - The NSW Division 1945 - 2000 If you like politics and reading about how it all works this book is for you. This book tells some of the story of the NSW Division of the Liberal Party, beginning with its prehistory and concluding with the constitutional changes in 2000. It looks at the role of leading figures such as John Carrick, Nick Greiner and John Howard, at the electoral record mostly good at the Federal level and mostly poor in State politics at the Divisions recurring financial difficulties and occasional crises, at its habit of decapitating parliamentary leaders, and at the attempts to move beyond its Protestant, Anglo-Scottish and North Shore support base and male culture. The book also focuses on the tensions between the different components of the Party's structure: between the State and Federal Parliamentary Parties, between the Parliamentary Parties and the Organisation, and between the grass roots and the Party headquarters. It shows how, in attempting to resolve these tensions, the Party engaged in periodic bouts of introspection and kept repeating its own history and usually in ignorance of doing so without appreciating that many of the problems are inherently insoluble.

Finally, the book examines the increasing level of factional warfare which has led to a decline of civility, promoted and protected mediocrity, and questioned the existence of a broad church. If you're thinking of running for parliament for the Libs then read this book!

17/9/2007 - Coercive Reconciliation This is a response by a number of key players to the Howard Governments recent intervention in Aboriginal communities. This is due out in early October and will have limted release. Contact us to order one now. The book features heavy weights Ray Gaita and Guy Rundle and is edited by Jon Altman and Melinda Hinkson - their details below. All set up as