Melbourne City Reads

It’s been selling quality books since 1922 and for all of this time has been beloved of bohemian types, city office workers and pretty well every other Melburnian. The Hill of Content at 86 Bourke Street, founded by bookseller AH Spencer, started in a more modest building (see the historic photograph we found in the State Library of Victoria’s collection) but its instant success led to the construction of the present three-storey Greek Revival shop around 1927. Its neighbours on each side are even older – the former London Chartered Bank of Australia at number 90 dates from 1870 and the former Edments Auction House at number 80 (now Grossi Florentino) dates from 1860 but has been much altered. If you live within 5km, why not take a walk to this historically significant part of the city, check out the Hill of Content’s window display (always a reflection of which books the staff like best!) and grab a takeaway coffee from nearby businesses Becco and The Cellar Bar?

If you missed Jacinta Parsons’ excellent interview with author Allee Richards on ABC Radio Melbourne last week, here it is for you to enjoy:

Link: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/afternoons/allee-richards-small-joys-of-real-life/13492984

Melbourne City Reads An initiative to support Melbourne writers and entice people back to our bookstores

Tune into Afternoons on ABC Radio Melbourne tomorrow, Wednesday 11 August, to hear broadcaster and writer Jacinta Parsons interview Allee Richards about her novel Small Joys of Real Life. We’re thrilled that Jacinta and ABC Radio Melbourne are supporting Melbourne City Reads and we're looking forward to listening to tomorrow’s program! It’s the first of four monthly segments with Melbourne City Reads authors, all on the second Wednesday of the month.

Our featured book in August is a debut novel by Melbourne-based writer Allee Richards. Small Joys of Real Life is a contemporary story dealing with friendship, grief, youthful self-absorption and desire. It follows its 20-something protagonist Eva as she deals with the death of her lover, an unexpected pregnancy, a career crisis and the joys and challenges of daily life in Melbourne’s inner north. Head to Dymocks Collins Street, Hill of Content Bookshop, Mary Martin Bookshop (Southbank and Queen Victoria Market), North Melbourne Books, The Paperback Bookshop or Readings (Carlton and State Library) to purchase Small Joys of Real Life at an extra-special discounted price of $25 (usually $32.99). We know you’ll love it as much as we do!

Link: https://www.theage.com.au/culture/books/a-new-plot-twist-for-melbourne-s-city-bookshops-after-lockdown-20210728-p58dm6.html

COVID lockdowns have hit Melbourne hard, and among the many businesses to find the going tough over the past 18 months have been the city’s beloved bookshops. These businesses, which contribute so significantly to Melbourne’s status as the first and only Unesco City of Literature in Australia, have experienced dramatic declines in retail traffic due to the decline in office worker numbers and other activity in the CBD.

In an attempt to reverse this trend and entice customers back through their doors, a group of bookshops located in the City of Melbourne – Readings, Paperback Bookshop, Hill of Content Bookshop, Dymocks Collins Street, Mary Martin Books and North Melbourne Books – have banded together to support a campaign focusing attention on exciting new books by Melbourne-based authors. A different book each month will be offered at a special discounted price in the shops, and each author will discuss their work at a free monthly ‘In Conversation’ event at the Wheeler Centre.

The initiative is supported by the City of Melbourne, Victorian Government, Wheeler Centre, Melbourne Writers Festival and ABC Radio Melbourne.

A new plot twist for Melbourne’s city bookshops after lockdown A new scheme offering discounts and supporting local authors aims to lift retail fortunes and attract readers back to the city.