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A much loved feature of Woodend is the local second hand bookshop with more than 17,000 items

24/04/2026

The women - Kirsten Hannah

Watching the television series MASH is good background for this view into nursing within a medical unit in a combat zone. Not the black humour but the chaos of dealing

with helicopter loads of badly wounded. Frankie comes from a well-to-do family that celebrates its male war heroes. When a friend of her brother’s seeds the idea that women can achieve as well, Frankie decides to volunteer as a nurse in the Vietnam War. Her naivity and the intense comraderie that becomes a defence to the trauma of being constantly on-call and working long hours in dire circumstances. Frankie’s good-girl status is challenged in the ‘but we may die tomorrow’ socialising in the camp.

Hannah evokes the steaming jungles, the makeshift medical camp, the random mayhem, but tempers it with Frankie’s relationship with two strong women. The quickly-flowing narrative is engaging and believable, reflecting considerable research into the era and issues surrounding the war for the US. EI

22/04/2026

James - Percival Everett

Written with the perspective of more than a century since its source material Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Percival Everett’s take on the plight of black slaves is far darker. The early part of the book traces the same steps as the original, in some cases almost a plagiarism as the dialogue and setting is so similar. There is one amusing twist at the start as Jim tutors young black children in the correct approach in dealing with whites, that is: use a special lingo, always be subordinate, never question, always make the master look superior. Secretly, among themselves blacks speak like anyone else. Jim, has educated himself by sneaking into Judge Thatcher’s library at night and thus argues with the Enlightenment philosophers and makes a big deal of recording his experience.

The cruelty and dehumanisation is graphically depicted, particularly in the second part where the story veers from the original and become Jim’s. For example, a slave is whipped and lynched for stealing a pencil. In his quest for freedom Jim becomes militant and renames himself James.

Everett creates a believable, well-paced narrative with many changes in fortune. In Jim/James a character of heroic proportions has been created, who stands in stark contrast to the whites of the dominant culture. EI

20/04/2026

Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

I wanted to read James by Percival Everett, but, since it uses Mark Twain’s classic as its launching point, I felt I needed to read Huckleberry Finn first. In short, the book is a very good tale for the most part. Set in the pre-Civil War period in the US, a sympathetic focus is given to the plight of black slaves. The cruelty of breaking Jim’s family up and selling them to different new owners is the starting point. Throughout the book rebellious, but caring Huck Finn contrives to protect and free Jim. A simple escape on the river and a potentially idyllic life going downstream on a raft is interrupted by two comical charlatans, who betray Jim into slavery again. An unbelievable twist of fate reunited Huck with Tome Sawyer and that’s where the story degenerates with Tom’s fabulous imagination and manipulation of Huck creating silliness. The happy ending here is that Jim, as a possession is given his freedom in the will of his owner. EI

05/04/2026

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

In the Faculty of Magic at Cambridge University two exceptional postgraduate students, Alice and Peter, are under the supervision of the highly esteemed Professor Jacob Grimes. When a spell goes wrong and Grimes is evicerated and his soul goes to Hell, the two students, separately, each blame themselves and both take a risky journey to bargain back his soul so that they may complete their degrees to start their own academic careers.

Kuang is a highly imaginative author. She has researched the literature on Hell and extemporised around it to create a believable journey to the place where souls come to terms with the end of their existence before possible reincarnation. The search for Grimes is a revelation about the supervisor’s exploitation of his students. It is also a journey in the relationship of Alice and Peter.

The book, Kuang’s sixth novel, began as a “silly" idea about "academia as hell”. She wrote it while studying her PhD at Yale and discovered it actually is a kind of hell. Her experience lends genuine authenticity to the descriptions of the above ground real academic world, and the struggle of souls underground to publish truthful justifications of their lives. This is an engaging, enjoyable read with believable main characters and a cast of quirky underworld figures.

EI

25/02/2026

For Woodend Bookshop, March is Children's Book's Month!

For the entire month of March, far more of our expansive collection of second-hand books for children and teens will be placed upon the tables out the front of our store for only $1 a book.

If you're interested, come around and have a quick look through our large collection.

18/12/2025

Hello,

Woodend Bookshop will be closed on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Other than this Thursday and Friday, business will continue as usual with standard operating hours.

Thanks, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,
Woodend Bookshop

12/12/2025

Five Nights at Freddy's was a phenomena that shook the world. A basic horror video game, made by a single person without the support of a corporation became one of the most successful franchises in the world, spanning 30 video games, two movies, theme park rides and 58 books.

With its internet popularity, along with the lack of gore and violence common in horror, it's become a franchise beloved by children and adults alike.

With the recent release of the second movie, Woodend Bookshop has gotten a collection of new Five Nights at Freddy's novels and comics for $10 each.

If you've got a child into this franchise, then these books will make a great Christmas present.

27/11/2025

To spread the Christmas cheer, and to celebrate another good year, Woodend Bookshop gives away books out the front of the store for free, along with bags to carry those books in.

Second-hand books in fine condition of every genre will be on the tables in front of the store to be perused and taken at your leisure for the entire month of December.

Whether you need a book for the holidays, or want to fill an empty bookshelf, come down and grab some free books.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Ed, Christine, Jacqui & Mandi.

20/11/2025

Tom Lake by Anne Patchett

Sometimes you just want an easygoing, feel good read. In Tom Lake, Anne Patchett delivers a such a story in the form of a narrative from a mother to her three adult daughters as they harvest the cherries on their farm during Covid. The hinge of the story is the mother‘s connection with a now famous actor. They played roles in Our town during a summer repertory season at Tom Lake before he became famous. How he went on and how she, with a Hollywood career in the offing, ended up a farmer’s wife is revealed.

When I read Anne Patchett I feel I want to be friends with her characters. I want to know what becomes of them. It’s comfort reading.

El

14/11/2025

Flesh - David Szalay

2025 Booker Prize Winner

A hypnotic novel following István from adolescence in Hungary to an adulthood as a wealthy British socialite, Flesh is a visceral and challenging exploration of life from a unique, somewhat stunted perspective. Using sharp, humorous and experimental prose, Szalay portrays a breadth of experiences, from amorous and immoral affairs, army life and the rich social scene of London and all of their effects on the very reactive István.

Winner of the Booker Prize for 2025, Flesh is described as a singular experience, an artistic expression of modern life, of the things that go unsaid and the alienation that comes with it.

With following István's life so closely, Szalay creates an air of intimacy throughout the book. You can understand and know István as he knows himself, and such depth leads to a rich inner experience that is always enrapturing to read.

David Szalay is a successful and extremely talented Hungarian-British writer, with Flesh as his sixth, and most critically successful book. Lauded as one of the best British writers under 40, Szalay expresses his laudable creativity and mastery of his craft in creating an amazing and compelling book filled with interesting characters, amazing prose and a realistic plot.

Flesh is a must read, and well deserving of the Booker Prize for this year.

07/11/2025

Late night shopping in Woodend.

Annually Woodend Traders mark the start of the Christmas shopping season by opening late. There will be lights, music, food and a big welcome on Thursday evening 27 November. Bring family and friends for a stroll, a bit of shopping and maybe a snack.

Come by the Woodend Bookshop for a new book for the summer.

Address

104 High Street

3442

Opening Hours

Monday	10:00 - 16:00
Tuesday	10:00 - 16:00
Wednesday	10:00 - 16:00
Thursday	10:00 - 16:00
Friday	10:00 - 16:00
Saturday	10:00 - 16:00
Sunday	10:00 - 16:00

Website

https://www.woodendbookshop.com/, https://www.abebooks.com/woodend-bookshop-woodend/70325220/sf

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