Latest acquisitions: Nonfiction

Moving memoir, politics, cooking, sport and true crime – read all about Australian publishers’ recent nonfiction acquisitions.

Memoir 

Kicking off memoir acquisitions is Allen & Unwin (A&U), which has shared news recently of two new memoirs acquired for upcoming publication. First is How Will I Ever Get Through This? by Lucy Hone, acquired in a deal brokered by Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management. ‘Grief is not confined to bereavement, yet society rarely recognises these non-death losses, leaving many feeling isolated and unseen,’ said the publisher. ‘In this deeply compassionate book, Hone draws on her own experience of multiple losses, decades of resilience research, and the voices of others navigating profound change, to offer a unique lifeline to readers.’

Second, A&U has also acquired world rights to Ride On by Michelle Payne with Angus Fontaine, in a deal brokered by Michael Rivette and Nanette Moulton at Rivette Moulton Broadbent. Publisher Sally Heath said, ‘Michelle is a deeply thoughtful person who has confronted and overcome more setbacks than seems fair. She has been generationally significant in her achievements. It is her resilience and courage that have seen her navigate these wild rides. And her belief in the healing power of love. The stories and insights Michelle shares in Ride On are unexpected, humbling and inspiring.’ A&U plans to publish Ride On in October.

PRH has acquired ANZ rights for a work of collected nonfiction by Monica McInerney, titled Girl on a Roof, via Fiona Inglis at Curtis Brown. According to the publisher, Girl on a Roof is ‘a collection of essays that takes readers into the heart of a writer’s mind and explores the unexpected joys and sorrows of life’. PRH plans to release the title in 2027.

Hachette Australia has announced a full-colour collector’s edition of John Farnham’s memoir, The Voice Inside, co-authored with Poppy Stockell. Originally published in 2024, The Voice Inside follows Farnham ‘from childhood in London and Melbourne to global stardom – detailing the blockbuster success of Whispering Jack, a decades-long touring career, 21 ARIA Awards, being honoured as Australian of the Year, and his devastating 2022 mouth cancer diagnosis and recovery,’ said the publisher. The memoir was number three in the 2024 Australian bestsellers for nonfiction, behind Nagi Maehashi’s RecipeTin Eats cookbooks, and won three awards at the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards, including Book of the Year. The Voice Inside: Illustrated Edition by John Farnham with Poppy Stockell is scheduled for publication on 28 October. (more…)

Originally published by Books and Publishing (Read More)