Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 34m

Yep, there is no depression in New Zealand, obviously!

the Juice Media @thejuicemedia.com · 1h

The Government of New Zealand has made a new tourism ad and it's surprsingly honest and informative!

Honest Government Ad | Visit New Zealand!

YouTube video by thejuicemedia

www.youtube.com

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 1h

One of those words you presumed universal and wonder what other people say instead!

Bec Shaw @brocklesnitch.bsky.social · 2h

I think pash/pashing is one of the best australian/nz words. lets all agree to start using it more

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 2h

Emmett Stinson writes just now (on twitter): "So sad to hear about the passing of Australian experimental author Moya Costello—a great writer, a lovely human being, an excellent scholar and teacher, and the inspiration for Coetzee’s Elizabeth Costello."

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 3h

Tone's book is reviewed in the Herald tomorrow I see. John Howard reviewing, doubtless!

Books in the media section, Australian Books & Publishing

Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 10h

Really worthwile read at this point, feel. @ichotiner.bsky.social in conversation with @elgindy.bsky.social www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...

Why Hamas Agreed to Release the Hostages

And why it might not matter much for Gaza’s future, or for Palestinian statehood.

www.newyorker.com

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 11h

Don’t think I’ve bought a book with a pink cover before?

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Reposted by Martin Shaw

Jeremy Millar @jeremymillar.bsky.social · 14h

The levels of sexy cool as fuckness at work here are largely inconceivable to mortals

Jeremy Millar @jeremymillar.bsky.social · 15h

HBD PJ

PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me - Live 2001 HD

YouTube video by ScottishTeeVee

youtu.be

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Reposted by Martin Shaw

So Mayer @suchmayer.bsky.social · 19h

It's real & it's here. I'm real & I'm here. There were times during the writing where I didn't think that those sentences could simultaneously be true. So yes I am grinning like a dork.

Pre-order BAD LANGUAGE from Peninsula Press. It's not secondhand yet... 👇🏻

peninsulapress.co.uk/products/bad...

So Mayer, a short, grey-haired white person, holds up copies of Bad Language. There's a sign that says Second-hand Books behind them.

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 19h

Indeed, I think I'll walk around Frankfurt Book Fair next week with a suitable sandwich board: "Want a one-sentence novel on YOUR list? I have you sorted!"

Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 19h

László of course priming the market nicely for Adam in August 2026!

Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · May 22

Thrilled to announce: Adam Ouston’s second novel, Mine, has been acquired by Transit Lounge! An extraordinary novel composed in a single sentence (a first in OzLit I think?) www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/202...

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 19h

László of course priming the market nicely for Adam in August 2026!

Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · May 22

Thrilled to announce: Adam Ouston’s second novel, Mine, has been acquired by Transit Lounge! An extraordinary novel composed in a single sentence (a first in OzLit I think?) www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/202...

Transit Lounge acquires Ouston’s Mine | Books+Publishing

Purchase a subscription to view job ads and other premium content on Books+Publishing.

www.booksandpublishing.com.au

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 20h

Krasznahorkai’s first publication in German translation, in a print run of 1,000 copies, in 1988 (= a story collection not yet in English, “Relations of Grace”) - I’ve always liked the author pic!

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 20h

relate your conversation!

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Reposted by Martin Shaw

Daniel Syrovy @syrovy.bsky.social · 20h

Chancenlos, wer noch mehr als 1 Satz pro Buch schreibt

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 20h

well done Max! (need to find mine - the sadness of a non-alphabetized book collection!)

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 20h

Krazza!

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 20h

Amused just then to remember two recent conversations:

Author who said the only reason to have an agent was to get more $ out of publishers.

Publisher who said they liked authors to have agents so that the pub didn't have to deal with the author

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 21h

at his age you would hope so, for sure!

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 22h

Tell you what, if Helen Garner wins the Nobel Gerald will be staring very deeply into his pint of VB, won't he...

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 22h

Enjoying dipping into all things Chris Knox this week - what a time it was in the 80's when you had things like this on your TV as a teenager www.nzonscreen.com/title/the-br...

The Brain that Wouldn't Die | Music Video | NZ On Screen

The Brain that Wouldn't Die - The video for this track from the Slugbucket Hairybreath Monster EP features expressionist shadows, odd science experiments in the basement, Frankenstein-like freaks, a f...

www.nzonscreen.com

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 1d

Released in NZ today, I notice the OZ ed of @ingridhorrocks.bsky.social's excellent debut short story collection, coming from UQP next year, is online already! An April 26 release. www.uqp.com.au/books/all-he...

All Her Lives

An interlinked collection of fiction celebrating women’s lives and their search for love and freedom

www.uqp.com.au

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 1d

yes that one's great. And her story collection will come out in April 26 with UQP

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Reposted by Martin Shaw

Ren Wyld @wyld.bsky.social · 1d

@southerlylitmag.bsky.social, so-called Australia's oldest literary journal, has quietly woken from a long hiatus to join us in the Bluesky. This must be a sign of something brewing. So give them a follow.

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 1d

Ah makes you miss bookselling... (ad in the latest Oz booksellers' newsletter)

Ad for a customer agression training course

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 1d

Coming to Oz in 2026 fyi, via UQP!

Te Herenga Waka University Press @thwupbooks.bsky.social · 1d

Happy publication day to Ingrid Horrocks! All Her Lives is a collection of fiction celebrating women’s lives and their search for love and freedom. We are proud to publish this book today and look forward to celebrating its launch this evening at Unity Books Wellington 💚

The cover of all her lives is shown on a plain background. The cover is a painting by Sarak Wilkins of a young dark-haired woman in a white shirt and green tie. It says "All Her Lives. Nine Stories. Ingrid Horrocks.'

Three quotes from reviews are shown on a blue and green background:

‘I’ll be thinking about it for a long time – a book of quiet force.’
Emily Perkins

‘There’s a biographer’s awareness of defining moments or meetings, of motivation and revelation, of the social forces that shape behaviour. None of Horrocks’s characters exist in a vacuum.’
The Listener

‘The collection reads as a protest song book, calling through the ages for change, revolution and peace.’
Laura Jean McKay

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