Father's Day Gift Guide

August 25, 2024

Looking for inspiration or ideas for Father's Day - check out our gift guide!!

Biographies and Memoirs


The Voice Inside by John Farnham and Poppy Stockell 


RELEASE ON 30 OCTOBER - but pre-order now and receive a special Father's Day Card instore. 


An unflinching and unforgettable memoir of music and life from the much-loved Australian legend. Growing up in London and Melbourne, music was always part of John Farnham's world. But the young John never dreamed of what was to come. Pop stardom in the 1960s. The release of Whispering Jack, the critically acclaimed and highest-selling Australian album of all time. A decades-long touring career. Twenty-one ARIA awards. Australian of the Year. The list of accolades and achievements is long - so, at first glance, the John Farnham story is one filled with remarkable highs.


Written alongside award-winning filmmaker Poppy Stockell, this is a captivating and powerfully honest insight into the man whose music is the soundtrack to so many of our lives.


Young Hawke - The Making of a Larrikin by David Day


From Rhodes Scholar to union leader to political powerhouse: how Bobbie became Bob, the iconic PM. The new biography from award-winning historian David Day sheds fresh light on the formative years of Australia's most charismatic leader, who became a political legend.


This gripping biography is a must-read for anyone interested in the first fifty years of Bob Hawke, our last truly colourful political leader.




Running with Pirates by Kári Gíslason


At the age of eighteen, Kari Gislason arrives on the island of Corfu after a life-altering encounter with his father in Iceland. Looking for adventure, he decides to stay after meeting 'the Pirate', a mysterious Greek stranger who offers him work - only to find himself eventually fleeing the island, leaving behind a debt he promises to repay.


Three decades later, as a father of two teenage sons, he returns to Corfu with his family. As he revisits his memories of the island, he begins to understand that this place has shaped the adult he has become, and that the inevitable letting go of his own children lies ahead.


Full of the colour and vitality of the Greek islands, Running with Pirates traverses the joys and challenges of parenthood, the fearlessness of youth, the debts of our past, and the stories we tell ourselves and our children.


History


Dive! by Mike Carlton


Submariners are a special breed. Not for them a life on the ocean wave, the fresh air and sunshine of other naval sailors. With stealth and daring they go deep and dark, alone and unseen, in often dangerous waters. They sometimes call themselves the Silent Service, with good reason.


Submarines and the sailors who serve in them have been and remain the tip of the spear of Australia's defences. For the first time, this is their unique story.



The Bravest Scount at Gallipoli by Ryan Butta


The many lives and tragic death of Harry Freame, the Anzac hero betrayed by his nation. 


He was the first Australian to win the Distinguished Conduct Medal at Gallipoli. Raised as a samurai, he risked his life again and again to scout the beaches and hills of the battlefield, reporting invaluable intelligence back to his officers and relieving stranded soldiers who otherwise would surely have died. Some say he should have got the VC but didn't because he was half-Japanese, a fact he tried hard to conceal. 


After the war, Harry (real name Henry Wykeham Koba Freame) became a soldier settler and champion apple grower. But when Japan emerged as a perceived threat to Australia, Harry was recruited into Australian intelligence to spy on the Japanese community in Sydney. Before Japan's entry into World War II, Australia opened a diplomatic legation in Tokyo, and Harry was sent as a translator - but his real role was a spy. Extraordinarily, his cover was leaked by the Australian press, and the Japanese secret police tried to assassinate him not long after his arrival in Tokyo in 1941. Harry died back in Australia a few weeks later, but his sacrifice has never been acknowledged by Australia. Until now. Featuring never-before-seen material, The Bravest Scout at Gallipoli is a fascinating and immersive investigation into a grievous historical wrong.


Fiction


17 Years Later by J. P. Pomare


EVENT COMING UP - join JP and Michael Brissenden (author of Smoke) for Sunday Afternoon Crime on 29 September at 2pm. Tickets are free by book HERE


Who really killed the Primrose family? The violent slaughter of the Primrose family while they slept shocked the nation. 


Their young live-in chef, Bill Kareama, was swiftly charged with murder and brought to justice. But the brutal crime scarred the idyllic town of Cambridge forever. Seventeen years later, true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott tracks down prison psychologist TK Phillips. Once a fierce campaigner for an appeal, TK now lives a quiet life with Bill's case firmly in his past. As  Sloane lures a reluctant TK back into the fight, evidence emerges that casts new light on the Primroses - and who might have wanted them dead. While the list of suspects grows, Bill's innocence is still far from assured. What will it cost Sloane and TK to uncover the truth?

By Peter Arnaudo June 30, 2025
Just when you're starting to get on top of your TBR... we release another newsletter for you to browse!
By Peter Arnaudo June 29, 2025
All bookworms love dragons. It’s a fact. Even if you never read fantasy books, you have to admit… they’re one of the coolest mythological creatures out there. Sure, unicorns are pretty and mermaids can breathe underwater, but dragons are powerful, intelligent, and bloodthirsty. I’ll admit, I picked up A Language of Dragons because I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to re-read Fourth Wing for the third time. “This’ll scratch the itch,” I thought to myself as I browsed the ARCs sent to The Book Cow. Boy, was I right. A Language of Dragons is everything the cover promises. There’s action, adventure, and fun galore. I loved seeing dragons depicted in our world and, for once, they weren’t written as some superior, untouchable species. In fact, the whole plot revolves around them fighting humans for more rights. Consider me intrigued. The main character, much like Violet, is a bit of a geek - but not in an insufferable way. Although I would have preferred for her to find her voice a little sooner, she does eventually recognise that she’s on the wrong path. We love a self-aware queen! If you’re a fan of academia, great world-building, and a fantastic cast of characters, A Language of Dragons might just be the book for you. It’s fast-paced, addictive, and a refreshing take on the fantasy genre. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
By Peter Arnaudo June 21, 2025
Are the early 2010s back in fashion?! I must admit… I’m here for it. Silver Elite presented a not-so-refreshing take on the dystopian genre but, despite its reliance on popular tropes, I am officially OBSESSED. It reads like a romantasy book wrapped in a destroy-the-government package - bringing me very happy memories of enjoying Divergent in my early teenhood. If you’re a fan of cheesy (admittedly captivating) writing and like books that are a lot of fun, I highly recommend Silver Elite… that’s not to say it doesn’t get serious. This book is not for the light-hearted. The author, Dani Francis, is not afraid to play with your emotions. Even the main character isn't safe from the ever-haunting threat of death, forcing you to remain on the edge of your seat.  I’d love to see a movie adaptation in the near future! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
By Peter Arnaudo June 14, 2025
Whether you are a parent, teacher, librarian, or just an avid book lover... these are our must-have titles for 2025. From picture books right through to YA - these page-turners are bound to captivate and intrigue the children in your life. If any strike your fancy, let us know and we can reserve them for you!
By Peter Arnaudo June 7, 2025
How often do you read outside of your preferred genre? My answer to this question is never.
By Peter Arnaudo May 25, 2025
June is coming at us full force! Our latest monthly newsletter covers next month's not-to-be missed highlights - featuring the latest and greatest.
By Peter Arnaudo May 18, 2025
Are you constantly trying to encourage your children to read? We've got you covered. Instead of relying on us adults to point you toward books that your kids will love, we asked for help from local students.
By Peter Arnaudo May 11, 2025
As Canberra’s specialist children’s bookshop, we’ve become the go-to for recommendations. Now, we’re passing over the baton… to the students themselves. Over the past few weeks, The Book Cow has been working with local schools to gain insight into their favourite titles. These reviews are by kids, for kids.
By Peter Arnaudo May 4, 2025
One of the best months of the year is finally here, bringing tons of new titles to our shelves. From fantasy to romance, fiction to non-fiction, you’ll definitely need to go book shopping at least once (or twice!) over the next few weeks. 
By Peter Arnaudo April 27, 2025
Has the synopsis of a book ever made you fall hopelessly and irrevocably in love? From the get-go, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil promised to tick all of my boxes. Not only is it by an author I’ve adored since 2015, but it drew me in with the promise of toxic, lesbian vampires. I was not disappointed.

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