The Tassie Book Club - July 2026 - The Hobart / Launceston Magazine

The Tassie Book Club – July 2026

by Stephanie Williams

The Woman Booker Prize Club is a local Hobart book club. Here they share their thoughts on books by Tasmanian authors, set in Tasmania, or about Tassie topics. Over to the club!

This month we review two novels with feel-good fuzzies to get you through the cold winter months. Our protagonists (Mary in Flowers in July and Joy in Good Joy Bad Joy) both have cause to work out what it is they really want – and they show us that it’s never too late to make changes that better our lives.

Flowers in July by Anna Maynard (Echo, March 2026) Review by Emily Schade

Mary Roberts has it together: she’s recently moved to Hobart, is nearing the end of her emergency medicine training, and she’s supporting her sister and Mum. Then she finds a g-string in her bed that isn’t hers.

After landing in temporary accommodation (South Hobart readers will enjoy) Mary needs to escape the incense, wind chimes and barking dogs. Finding herself on a wilderness expedition medicine course wasn’t exactly the plan, particularly not with the hospital’s most intimidating consultant and…her ex.

Pushed outside her comfort zone, Mary is forced to face some hard questions – what’s really in her control? What might happen if she lets go? Is she ready to really fall in love?

We loved Maynard’s debut novel, Dancing with Bees, and this, her second, does not disappoint. If you’re a fan of Beth O’Leary or Emily Henry, I think you’ll love this – relatable characters, some poignant reflections on life, and a feel-good ending, all sprinkled with touches of home!

Good Joy Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer (Penguin, May 2026) Review by Megan Tighe

Mikki Brammer’s debut, The Collected Regrets of Clover, was the first book we ever reviewed in these pages. So, nearly three years on, it has been lovely to read her latest.

In Good Joy Bad Joy, Brammer continues her preoccupation with what makes a good life (and death). Joy Bridport (ninety years old, upstanding citizen) has spent most of her life caring about what others think and putting their feelings first. She’s facing the death of her best friend, Hazel Scottsdale, who has lived a bigger and bolder life. In Hazel’s final months, Joy is motivated to break out of her shell – to bring Hazel joy, and to finally prioritise her own needs.

Early on I bristled at what I thought was criticism of Hazel’s life, which I saw as a good, if quieter, life. I needn’t have worried though, as Brammer deals sensitively with the layers of Joy’s personality, finding a balance between the positivity and politeness Joy’s mother inculcated in her, while addressing her history of non-confrontation when it comes to bigger issues. There is equal respect for those who “live out loud” and those whose “contributions might be quieter…that without us, the ecosystem would be missing an essential piece”. I enjoyed the view from inside Joy’s mind, and it put me in a reflective mood about my own life.

While this novel is set in the USA, local readers will definitely notice the number of characters with surnames based on Tasmanian towns!

Book Chatter Want to try before you buy? Area 52 is hosting a Free to Read Day during the school holidays, 10:30- 4:30pm on 14 July, with a selection of novels, manga and graphic novels to read at your leisure.

We’re very excited about a special literary launch event on 24 July. Liz Evans has produced a podcast celebrating lutruwita/Tasmania’s reading and writing cultures and communities. We are honoured to feature in one episode and you will definitely see us at the podcast launch at Fullers Bookshop – the sound of our own voices though (to us, EUGH). We’re much more excited to get the other episodes in our ears asap!

24 July is also the deadline to submit video entries to SlamoVision – a Cities of Literature global slam poetry competition. If you have a connection to Hobart, you can submit a live-recorded poem (up to four minutes long). Be quick – you need to complete the registration form by 8 July. Email cityofliterature@hobartcity.com.au for more information.

Writers, keep an eye out for the 2027 Tasmanian Literary Awards, open for submissions soon.

Keen to chat books with us?

Find us @thewomanbookerprizeclub on Instagram or email thewbpc@gmail.com

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Hobart Happenings

by Steph Williams

Bits and Pieces- June 2026

Hobart Happenings

by Steph Williams

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Stay up to date with everything happening at the Hobart Magazine.

Worker shortage is currently universal, there isn’t an industry that’s exempt. For Kelvin Smith, four years ago he decided there was a very obvious solution to the shortage facing the construction industry, and all that was needed was a little time, empathy and a helping hand. Integrate Workforce is a Hobart-based labour company with one requirement: a refugee/ migrant background. He’s also the outdoor piano man in his free time.

Landscape artist and creative Elliott Nimmo is enjoying discovering Hobart’s vibrant art scene and local environment after relocating here from London to pursue his art.

Even though Tasmania is known for its mild summers, it doesn’t take much to get sunburnt. Tasmania experiences extreme ultraviolet (UV) levels, but contrary to popular belief this isn’t due to the hole in the ozone layer, which is actually south of the continent.While higher UV levels often occur at the same time as higher temperatures, the two are not linked. Instead, UV levels are determined by the angle of the sun in the sky: the higher the sun, the higher the UV. In December and January, the position of the sun over Tasmania gives the state a UV index of 11 or more on most days, which is classified as “extreme” on the UV index. Tasmania’s lack of humidity and generally clear skies contribute to the stinging feeling of the sun. UV can reflect off buildings and water, making it possible to get a higher dose of UV from these reflected rays, even in the shade.

Setting up shop during a pandemic was a risky move, but if the crowd at Dāna Eating House (Dāna) on a Friday night is anything to go by, it’s one that’s paid off. With tables of diners chatting and laughing over drinks, the music and conversation buzzes off the monstera-leaf-green walls. Low-hanging rattan lights and worn wooden floorboards give the newly opened South-East Asian fusion venue in Hobart’s CBD a relaxed vibe.

A Holyman flagged ship hasn’t steamed up the River Derwent since 1984 but the company’s name still proudly adorns its former offices at 5 Morrison Street, Hobart.

Widening the Tasman Bridge to allow 3.5 metres on each side is a big win for walkers and cyclists.

Need a laugh? Check out @theinspiredunemployed feed on Instagram.

Rain, hail and shine, the school crossing guards are always there to help with a smile on their face.

It’s hard to believe it’s not standard practice to have a working phone in every aged care room - shared phones make private conversations impossible and increase the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Just when you think your cousins are alright. NZ Opposition Leader Judith Collins took aim at Tassie during her recent (unsuccessful) campaign, calling us Australia’s “poor cousin.” She also seems worried about us nabbing tech businesses, “It’s a lovely part of the world but do you necessarily want to go there with your high- tech business? Possibly not,” she said. We beg to differ!