My name’s Louise - I’m a bookseller at Red Kangaroo Books! This series is inspired by Shaun Blythell’s books, and Blarney Books & Art’s tweets. Read on for notes from the only bricks and mortar bookstore for 1500kms!
Notes from Red Kangaroo Books
Welcome to the only bricks-and-mortar bookstore within 1500km! Inspired by Shaun Blythell’s books and Blarney Books & Art’s tweets, here are some recent happenings from our cozy corner at 79 Todd Mall.
New Releases and Community Picks
A local comes in and gets a copy of *Mullimbimby* by Melissa Lucashenko, and a copy of the latest *Meanjin* journal. The latest edition is exciting because Theresa Penangke Alice - an Arrernte elder, PhD candidate, and poet in Running Water Community Press’s book of poetry, *Arelhekenhe Angkentye: Women’s Talk* - has had an essay published in the journal: *The Meanjin Paper*, an agenda-setting piece by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Elder (or an Elder interviewed by a First Nations writer) offering a story of place. Theresa’s *Meanjin Paper, Ilkakelheme akngakelheme—resisting assimilation*, is based on her Master’s thesis about Arrernte Pedagogy. It’s a brilliant work that explores how teaching in the traditional way is based on kinship relations, which is deeply linked to the land. Theresa has generously shared this cultural knowledge with Australian readers and we’ve already sold out and are ordering more!
New Store, New Vibes
You might have noticed that all the bookshelves in our new store (79 Todd Mall) have been put up! After lots of hard work from Bronwyn, John, Marcus and Sam (and a lo-o-ong saga with deliveries), our lovely new shelves now line the walls. The place is looking great - and much of this is because Charmaine Kik and Kate Merry have entered our shop like a beautiful whirlwind. If you’ve been instore recently, you might have noticed the decorations around the place. Vintage furniture, fun knickknacks, and a gorgeous front window display. It’s a delight to partner with women who bring such passion, vision and positive energy. Things are constantly changing and evolving. They’ve also got big plans for our mezzanine level - stay tuned!
Book Requests and Recommendations
I’m unboxing, stickering and shelving new books (*Always Will Be* by Mikaela Saunders, *One Another* by Gail Jones, and *Until August* by Gabriel Garcia Marquez) when a young man asks me about a “little red book” called *Learning Warumungu*. “I live in Tennant Creek and someone asked me to pick one up - you can only find those books in the library”. Warumungu is spoken around Tennant Creek area, and belongs to about 700 people who speak it. Looks like the little book he’s looking for might be quite old or hard to find, so we look at the *Warumungu Picture Dictionary* together and I put *The Learner’s Guide to Warumungu* on order from IAD Press.
Conversations and Connections at the Bookshop
A lovely older woman and committed regular buys *Held* by Anne Michaels and *Balcony Over Jerusalem: A Middle East Memoir - Israel, Palestine and Beyond* by John Lyons. We talk about the Palestinian struggle and how we both wish we lived in a world where there was peace. Conversation went to Paul Lynch’s Booker Prizewinner, *Prophet Song*, which details a family in Dublin as society dissolves around them into an autocratic state, committing atrocities against its own people. “It was relentless - anything bad that could happen did!” I said. “I was like, really Paul Lynch? Can’t we just have one funny scene for catharsis?” She chuckled, and replied “I realised, in that last quarter of the book, that he was doing something extraordinary - making it real: the need to escape one country and travel to another for safety.” And my friends, I must tell you: the last line of the entire book made me burst into tears. I won’t share it here - you’ll just have to read it!
Red Kangaroo Books Community
Some very kind acquaintances of the bookshop dropped in and gave Bronwyn and I a couple of Lindt chocolate bunnies! We love that our shop isn’t just a store, but a community, and appreciate all the love and care that circles in this place (especially when there’s chocolate involved!)
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Stay tuned for more updates and stories from Red Kangaroo Books, where books and our community come together.