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BOOK OF THE MONTH

To Paradise

By Hanya Yanagihara

From the author of A Little Life, a bold, brilliant novel
spanning three centuries and three different versions
of the American experiment, about lovers, family, loss and the
elusive promise of utopia. 'A masterpiece' – The Guardian

ANTHEM

NEW FICTION

Anthem

LISTEN TO INTERVIEW

By Noah Hawley

A stunning new epic literary thriller from Richard & Judy
bestselling author, and writer and creator of Fargo, Noah Hawley.

cha

NEW FICTION

Chai Time at Cinnamon
Gardens

By Shankari Chandran

'A lyrical, stirring, accomplished exploration of the trauma
we carry, the secrets we keep, the histories we harbour, and
the family we find.' – Maxine Beneba Clarke

stolen

NEW NONFICTION

Stolen Focus

By Johann Hari

Why have we lost our ability to focus? What are the causes?
And, most importantly, how do we get it back?

afghan

NEW NONFICTION

The Ledger

By David Kilcullen, Greg Mills

For Afghans, the war is not over because the West has
declared it so. In this searing book, two experts accounting
.for the failure in Afghanistan.

penguin

NEW NONFICTION

The Penguin Classics Book

By Henry Eliot

A complete and wondrous guide to all of the Penguin Classics,
from the Creative Editor of the series.

Welcome

Roaring Stories is Balmain’s independent bookstore, serving the book-loving community of the neighbourhood and surrounds. More than just a place lined with shelves, Roaring Stories aspires to be a welcoming threshold for journeys to begin: to faraway places and back in time; to personal development and enriched understandings; to fantastical worlds and matters close to heart. You may remember us under our former name Brays Books.

If you need a guide across our wide range of genres and titles, just ask our friendly team of expert booksellers: Bronwyn, Tim, Sylvia, Nell, Stella, Shanti and Lia.

Happy reading, booklovers. We hope to see you soon.

Roaring Stories Bookshop Balmain

Roaring Pages

Interviews, reviews, lists and more

January 17, 2022

What We’re Reading in January

Here’s what our Balmain bookshop staff have been reading these summer holidays.

December 18, 2021

Great books to give this Christmas

Christmas time is here! Last-minute shoppers, scroll down for great gift ideas for readers across all ages and interests. Our little elves are providing free gift wrapping in store with a gold coin donation to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation – check out our holiday trading hours, and swing by this week! FICTION Love & Virtue by […]

December 18, 2021

‘I suppose I was willing everything, including me, back to life’: Q&A with Tim Ross on Scorcher

Aussie comedian, radio host, design enthusiast and TV presenter Tim Ross speaks about his new book, Scorcher.

December 17, 2021

Holiday Trading Hours

Get your last-minute holiday shopping done at Roaring Stories! See our opening hours from 20 Dec – 2 Jan.

December 10, 2021

The Books We Loved Best in 2021

The Roaring Stories’ top reads roundup is here! Ask us which titles narrowly missed out on making the list.

VIEW MORE

New Release Highlights

Adult Fiction

$29.99

She and I

Hannah King

Our Country Friends

$29.99

Our Country Friends

Gary Shteyngart

Something to Hide

$32.99

Something to Hide

Elizabeth George

Beasts of a Little Land

$29.99

Beasts of a Little Land

Juhea Kim

Adult Non-Fiction

The Women I Think About At Night

$27.99

The Women I Think About At Night

Mia Kankimäki

$45.00

Nests

Susan Ogilvy

The Illustrated Etymologicon

$39.99

The Illustrated Etymologicon

Mark Forsyth

$49.99

Fabric

Victoria Finlay

Children's Books

Looking After Country with Fire

$24.99

Looking After Country with Fire

Victor Steffensen

The Wild Guide to Starting School

$19.99

The Wild Guide to Starting School

Laura Bunting

The Bone Spindle

$17.99

The Bone Spindle

Leslie Vedder

10 Ideas to Save the Planet

$19.99

10 Ideas to Save the Planet

Giuseppe D’Anna

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So you shouldn't judge a book by its cover...but y

So you shouldn't judge a book by its cover...but you can definitely still appreciate the cover. How striking is this one! Book cover designers really are a talented bunch. Without them, browsing would be not only very difficult, but very dull.

From an international prize-winning book by a Melb

From an international prize-winning book by a Melbourne writer, to a foray into the mystical world of mediums, to Lauren Groff's and the Nobel Prize laureate's latest. Head to the Roaring Stories website to find out what our Balmain bookshop staff have been reading these summer holidays! ⛱️
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#whatwerereading #summerreading #thenovelprize #roaringstories #balmainreads #balmainbooks

Books to help with some common new year's resoluti

Books to help with some common new year's resolutions – from boosting your productivity and eating healthier meals, to getting on top of family finances. A little advice, guidance and insight can go a long way!

Three new fiction books that we're especially exci

Three new fiction books that we're especially excited about this month! Bron is currently enjoying Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, so ask her what she thinks of it next time you come to visit 😊

#BOOKOFTHEMONTH: ‘To Paradise’ by Hanya Yanagi

#BOOKOFTHEMONTH: ‘To Paradise’ by Hanya Yanagihara
'A masterpiece for our times' - Guardian
'Demonstrates the inexhaustible ingenuity of an author who keeps shattering expectations.' - Washington Post

From the author of the modern classic A Little Life, a bold, brilliant novel spanning three centuries and three different versions of the American experiment, about lovers, family, loss and the elusive promise of utopia.

To Paradise is a fin-de-siecle novel of marvellous literary effect, but above all it is a work of emotional genius. The great power of this remarkable novel is driven by Yanagihara’s understanding of the aching desire to protect those we love – partners, lovers, children, friends, family and even our fellow citizens – and the pain that ensues when we cannot.