Okay okay okay. Deep breaths. We got some good ones on their way!

First things first: we’ve got two very different and very exciting books coming out within a day of each other.

Memoirs of Mixed Fortunes is a memoir from the (self-styled) first native-born South Australian, Samuel Joseph Stuckey. Including recollections of his brush with the Burke and Wills group, his time in Pakistan getting camels for use in the north, and the shooting death of Aboriginal man Pompey, it’s a fascinating read, supported by original documents supplied by memoir editor and his great-granddaughter, Mary Louise Simpson.

The following night, for something completely different, will be the launch of The Case for Palestine by Paul Heywood-Smith. This book presents the history and issues of the Arab-Israeli conflict from the point of view of an Australian observer who has been deeply involved since 1973. A founding member of the Australian Friends of Palestine Association (AFOPA), Paul Heywood-Smith argues that it is the responsibility of all adult and thinking members of the world community to inform themselves of the background to the conflict and the current issues associated with its resolution.

Now, there’s one other thing. Have you guys ever been to this place? It’s just around the corner from our new premises, it’s amazingly delicious, and amazingly cheap!

If you can’t tell, we’re feeling a lot of gratitude for good books and good pizza over here today …