Shirley Hazzard was one of the most cosmopolitan, elegant and quietly formidable writers of the 20th century, claimed by Australians and New Yorkers – and some Italians – as one of their own. Born in Sydney, a US citizen since the 1970s, she died at the age of 85 in her Manhattan apartment on Monday night.

The novelist Georgia Blain died last week. Fellow novelist James Bradley pays a tribute to a true friend and a woman possessed of a black sense of humour.

The 2004 Miles Franklin Award winner worked for the United Nations in Italy before moving to a critically acclaimed career in writing.

 A published book for any first-time author is a bright and shiny thing.

Writers discover their vocation in different ways. In the case of Alex Miller, it was the Fat Owl of the Remove, Billy Bunter, who helped.

Margaret Flockton arrived in Australia at the age of 27 and went on to become Australia's first professional botanical artist.

In Alice Hoffman's Faithful there's plenty for the reader in the way of evocative detail and emotional subtlety.

The idea sounds twee but Jeanette Winterson's Christmas tales are brilliant.

Almost 30 years after he became their regular support act, Paul Livingston is now one of the All-Stars and chronicles their comeback.

George Orwell's books are laced with powerful reactions to places and people provoked by their smells.

Fairlie Kingston is a ceramicist who writes warm, understated stories with charming illustrations by her brother, Peter.

John M. Green's latest thriller is clever and fast-paced and has women at its core.

Cadel Evans' started as a mountain bike racer but soon switched to road cycling, becoming the first Australian to win the Tour de France.

Michelle Cahill, author of four poetry collections so far, has now produced a sizeable short story collection.

The queen of the ghost stories unleashes her eerie imagination.

Looking for a summer read or a Christmas gift? Here's your guide to the best books of 2016

Local writers nominate their top reads for this year.

The records of the early years of the British colony of NSW are a litany of complaints about alcohol.

George Gittoes has spent his career documenting the horrors God's creatures inflict on each other.

Taken as a whole, Barry Maitland's Belltree trilogy constitute an extended commentary on some of the more pressing moral issues facing Australia.

As always, the books I still want to read from this year far outnumber those I have read.

Literary news and events in Canberra.

The magic of J.K. Rowling has kept her at the top of the charts in Australian independent bookshops.

Sometimes the next best thing to gardening is reading about it. Here's a look at the best new books to cool off with over summer.