Still deciding on what to read this summer?
Whether you want to get your reading chops into the gruesome pleasure of a murder mystery, thought provoking literary fiction or learning the truth with some non-fiction, the team at Vision Australia Library donned their holiday thinking caps to come up with five very books to make their way to your TBR (to be read) pile this summer.
Plus a very special book for all the Outlander fans, right in time for Christmas.
We’ve also included a list of reading resource options.
Happy reading!
All of the titles below are available in Daisy audio.
Murder On the Ballarat Train by Kerry Greenwood
The third book in the Miss Fisher series. Phryne is off to Ballarat for a week of fabulousness, but the sedate journey by train turns out to be far from the restful trip she was planning. The library has all 16 books in the Miss Fisher series.
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
Esme spends her childhood in the Scriptorium, where her father and a team of lexicographers are gathering words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Esme begins to collect other words from the Scriptorium that are misplaced, discarded or have been neglected by the dictionary men, for another dictionary, one of lost words.
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
In this international bestseller, forester and author Peter Wohlleben draws on ground breaking scientific discoveries to reveal the ways in which trees are like human families and communities.
The Nancys by R. W. R. McDonald.
Eleven-year-old, Nancy Drew obsessed, Tippy Chan is being minded by her Uncle Pike and his new boyfriend Devon while her mum's on a cruise. When a local teacher's body is discovered, Tippy and her minders form the Nancys, a secret amateur detective club - though their adventure quickly morphs into something more dangerous.
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Galbaldon
It is 1779 and Claire and Jamie are at last reunited with their daughter, Brianna, her husband, Roger, and their children on Fraser's Ridge. Having the family together is a dream the Frasers had thought impossible. Yet even in the North Carolina backcountry, the effects of war are being felt.
Reading resources:
Vision Australia Library
The Vision Australia Library is a free service to anyone with a print disability.
There are thousands of audio books, braille books and magazines available. All Australian newspapers are updated daily to give you the headlines too. Access the library via the Vision Australia Connect app or by visiting Vision Australia’s online catalogue.
Members can borrow audio materials for up to six months.
To sign up, fill out the Vision Australia Library Membership Application form online Phone: 1300 654 656 8:30am-5:00pm (AEST) Or email the library: [email protected].
Audible app
One of the most popular audio book platforms. It’s a subscription service, free for the first month then $16.45 per month from then on. It has over 400,000 titles to choose from.
You will need a device like a smartphone, computer or tablet to access the audio books. It also hooks up easily to a smart speaker or headphones.
Borrow Box
This app allows you to download audiobooks or eBooks from your local library. All you need is an email address, your library barcode and a PIN.
ABC listen app - free audiobooks
The ABC Listen app offers users a range of free audiobooks. You will need a device like a smartphone, computer or tablet to access the app.
Technology to help you read
Envoy Connect
Cost: $75
What is it? A solar powered, compact, accessible audio book player, similar to a handheld speaker.
Why is it useful? It’s small, portable, and can hold up to 30 books. You can place virtual bookmarks and flip through by chapters.
Magnifiers (handheld, electronic and desk)
Cost: $30 up to $6000
What are they? Magnifiers come in all shapes and sizes now. From electronic magnifiers that use a camera to zoom in 30 times, to desk magnifiers to help you read the newspaper.
Why are they useful? You don’t need to throw away your books or stop reading the paper. It’s a simple and inexpensive solution for people who prefer to read print. .
Kindle
Cost: from $139
What are they? Electronic book reader that is purpose built to provide a close to real experience of reading.
Why are they useful? Battery lasts for weeks on one charge. Holds thousands of books. Text size can be adjusted (generous zoom options) and contrast can be altered (white text, black background).
Note: books will need to be purchased at additional cost. Kindle does not support Audible books.
Need advice on reading? Talk to the experts.
Vision Australia can help you maximise your remaining vision and talk you through the technology and services available to you to keep you reading.
Call us today to get some personalised advice: 1300 84 74 66.