Shirl's 2026 Book Club

Set in 1985, in a small Irish town, Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan tells the poignant story of Bill Furlong, a dedicated coal and timber merchant. As Christmas approaches, Bill finds himself busier than ever, delivering fuel to the cold homes of his neighbours. Amidst his routine, he begins to confront the quiet, oppressive presence of the Church...

Stylish and open-hearted, this is a very different kind of love story, elevated and energised by being set in the world of creativity and video gaming. THE BESTSELLING PHENOMENON I loved this book – Jojo Moyes This is the story of Sam and Sadie. It's not a romance, but it is about love. When Sam catches sight of Sadie at...

Gwangju, South Korea, 1980. In the wake of a viciously suppressed student uprising, a boy searches for his friend's corpse, a consciousness searches for its abandoned body, and a brutalised country searches for a voice. In a sequence of interconnected chapters, the victims and the bereaved encounter censorship, denial, forgiveness, and the echoing agony of the original trauma. Human Acts...

A razor-sharp novel from one of Italy's most exciting authors, about a millennial couple's quest for authenticity in a life designed according to social media trends. They have everything to make them happy. Expat couple Anna and Tom are living the dream in Berlin, in a bright, plant-filled apartment. Young, cool digital creatives, they enjoy slow cooking, Danish furniture, progressive...