Recent Reads from Gordy and Laura

August 2022

Some recent reads recommended by our Libraries team with links to our catalogue so you can place your hold immediately.

From Gordy, our Library Collections Officer

Joe Bell  

Joe Bell

Film starring Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg plays the rough-edged Oregon-based father who pays tribute to his gay teenage son Jadin by embarking on a walk across America to speak his heart to heartland adults and students about the potential terrifying high costs of bullying.

From Gordy: As well as being very moved I was also shocked by this film set in the United States that such destructive bullying continues. Joe Bell is a 2020 American biographical drama road film . The film stars Mark Wahlberg as Joe Bell, and follows the true story of a man named Joe Bell, who sets out walking across America to speak out against bullying and honouring his teenage son, Jadin Bell, who died by suicide after he was bullied for being gay. Compelling viewing and if unfamiliar with the story the ending is unexpected.

Request a copy via our catalogue

 

From Laura, our Learning & Literacy Officer:

This has been absolutely lovely by Jessica Dettmann  

This has been absolutely lovely

by Jessica Dettmann

Family is forever, and there's nothing you can do about it. Dettmann nails the funny, sad and bizarre nuances of family life in this gripping novel. Molly's a millennial home organiser about to have her first baby. Obviously her mum, Annie, will help with the childcare. Everyone else's parents are doing it. But Annie's dreams of music stardom have been on hold for thirty-five years, paused by childbirth then buried under her responsibilities as a mother, wage earner, wife, and only child of ailing parents. Finally, she can taste freedom. As Molly and her siblings gather in the close quarters of the family home over one fraught summer, shocking revelations come to light. Everyone is forced to confront the question of what it means to be a family.

From Laura: This is a story about family dynamics, navigating life at different stages, and of societal expectations. It was lighthearted and funny while still dealing with some very real and serious topics. The story revolves around Annie who has been sandwiched between looking after her children as they grow into adulthood, as well as caring for her elderly parents; and her daughter Molly, who is pregnant with her first child. All the characters are charming but have their own faults, making them realistic and highly relatable.

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