Tourism
Journey Through Melbourne
A wonderful hardcover book with excellent colour photography, which looks at everything from Melbourne’s historic architecture to its Port Phillip Bay, from its trams to its café culture.
Luxe Melbourne
The guide to the very best that Melbourne has on offer, from restaurants to beauty salons, yachting, swimming and more.
Melbourne (and Victoria) city guide
Put out by Lonely Planet (who are a Melbourne born-and-bred company by the way), this book is a great pocket filler to take you from the lane-ways to the wineries to the ski slopes. You can buy individual chapters online in PDF format, too.
In a Sunburned Country
Written by legendary travel writer Bill Bryson, this whimsical and hilarious portrait of Australia will have natives alternatively laughing – at themselves – and cringing. Bryson is always worth reading and this missive is no exception. Good for the plane ride before you arrive.
Insider information
Cheap Eats Melbourne
This book is published annually and the authors hunt down excellent quality, good-value food at all of Melbourne’s secret ‘local’ cafes.
The Age Good Food Guide
Published annually by The Age daily paper, this a must-have on any foodie´s bookshelf. The reviews are honest and up-to-date and every restaurant worth knowing about in Melbourne is listed, cross referenced by suburb, food type and budget.
Fiction
Breath
By Tim Winton, one of Australia´s gifts to the literary world, Breath is his latest novel since Cloudstreet. If you are a fan of fiction that weaves its characters so lightly it is difficult to notice how great their hold is on you (until the story ends), then treat yourself to some of Winton´s work. Award-winning, internationally acclaimed, and rightly so.
Robbery Under Arms: A Story of Life and Adventure in the Bush and the Goldfields
Solid, surprisingly well-written historical novel from another successful Australian author. Victoria and Melbourne were built during the goldrush and its history is is everywhere. Take a peek into the life and times of the Goldhunters and their followers.
Non-Fiction
Aussie Slang Dictionary: Easy Guide to Aussie Slang, 3rd Edition
You may speak English, but it is unlikely you can speak Australian. Apart from the usual rundowns on Sheilas, Struths and Mates, this handy decoder will help you figure out what is being said if anyone points out that “your ankle biters are having a bit of argy bargy” (it means your kids are fighting).
Aboriginal Australians: Black Responses to White Dominance, 1788-2001
Australia´s record for its treatment of indigenous people is, frankly, disgraceful. Take a look behind the souvenir didgeridoos and tourism-oriented dancing and educate yourself on a nation that is far behind any other developed country when it comes to race relations.
