Leah Kaminsky Knihy

A response to the devastating 2019-20 bushfires, Animals Make Us Human both celebrates Australia's unique wildlife and highlights its vulnerability. Through words and images, writers, photographers and researchers reflect on their connection with animals and nature. They share moments of wonder and revelation from encounters in the natural world: seeing a wild platypus at play, an echidna dawdling across a bush track, or the inexplicable leap of a thresher shark; watching bats take flight at dusk, or birds making a home in the backyard; or following possums, gliders and owls into the dark. Hopeful, uplifting and deeply moving, this collection is also an urgent call to action, a powerful reminder that we only have one world in which to coexist and thrive with our fellow creatures. By highlighting the beauty and fragility of our unique fauna, Australia's favourite writers, renowned researchers and acclaimed photographers encourage readers to consider it in a new light

Set against the backdrop of 1930s Australia, a young woman escapes Nazi Germany with her cherished doll collection, seeking refuge in a remote outback town. As she navigates her new life as a nanny, her past remains a closely guarded secret until she meets Alter Mayseh, a Yiddish poet fleeing persecution. Their blossoming romance offers hope, but Alter's suspicions about Anna's hidden history lead him to uncover a clue that could unravel her carefully constructed life. Themes of love, belonging, and the shadows of the past intertwine in this poignant tale.

Exploring the intersection of medicine and literature, this collection showcases the voices of contemporary physician-writers who reflect on their experiences in the medical field. Featuring contributions from notable authors like Abraham Verghese, who discusses the importance of the physical exam, the anthology blends fiction and nonfiction to highlight the unique insights and narratives that arise from the practice of medicine. It honors the enduring legacy of physician-authors throughout literary history.

Set against the backdrop of 1930s Berlin, the story follows Ernst Schäfer, a young zoologist drawn into a dark mission by Heinrich Himmler to uncover the Aryan race's origins in Tibet. As he embraces this opportunity for power, his wife Herta, a flautist who defies societal expectations, grows wary of his ambitions. The narrative explores themes of ambition, betrayal, and the moral complexities of science during the Nazi regime, highlighting the impact on both human relationships and the natural world.

“The Waiting Room is both haunted, and haunting.”—Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March The Waiting Room unfolds over the course of a single, life-changing day, but the story it tells spans five decades, three continents, and one family’s compelling history of love, war, and survival As the daughter of Holocaust survivors, Dina’s present has always been haunted by her parents’ pasts. She becomes a doctor, emigrates, and builds a family of her own, yet no matter how hard she tries to move on, their ghosts keep pulling her back. A dark, wry sense of humor helps Dina maintain her sanity amid the constant challenges of motherhood and medicine, but when a terror alert is issued in her adopted city, her coping skills are pushed to the limit. Interlacing the present and the past over a span of twenty-four hours, The Waiting Room is an intense exploration of what it means to endure a day-to-day existence defined by conflict and trauma, and a powerful reminder of just how fragile life can be. As the clock counts down to a shocking climax, Dina must confront her parents’ history and decide whether she will surrender to fear, or fight for love.