Brisbane City Council has 33 libraries spread around the city (this is not one of them). As a kid, I spent a lot of time in these quiet spaces, as well as in book shops looking for new things to read. Originally, I was going to write a little mini-blog about each library in the city, my favourites and some of their history… and I may still do so. For now though, I thought I would provide det fixar sig’s library – essentially a list of book recommendations. It’s going to take some time to put together and I’m not sure how organised it will be … but this page will hopefully provide the essential det fixar sig reading guide in time. Watch this space; I’ll be updating it over the next few weeks!
Short stories and novellas
Most of these can be read in one sitting, or enjoyed over a few meals, and are delightful little mental morsels.
The Plains by Gerald Murnane
A poetic, dreamlike re-imagining of Australia with an intriguing central premise: what if the heart of (contemporary) Australian culture was located in the vast interior of the country, as opposed to the thin coastal strip? To me, the prose captures the meditative quality of prolonged time spent in ‘featureless’ central Australian landscapes. I loved this book.
Veniss Underground by Jeff Vandermeer
A far-future missing person / detective story told in three parts. It’s very difficult to write a synopsis of this without giving away critical intel! Just a warning that the first part of the story (which is only a few pages long) is written in odd, futuristic slang – if you can’t handle it just skim this section and move on.
Diamond Dogs by Alastair Reynolds
A group of adventurers encounter a baffling (and potentially dangerous) alien puzzle. To solve it our fearless heroes start playing around with body and brain modification…
The Horror of the Heights by Arthur Conan Doyle
Combines early aviation, Victorian derring-do and strange atmospheric phenomena to great affect. Properly short, and available here in full for your next boring commute.
Ghost Stories by E.F. Benson (collected works)
