Sophie Cunningham is the next Summer Read author blogging from 26 – 30 November.

Sophie has worked as an editor, publisher and journalist since 1989. Her first novel, Geography, was published in 2004. She is currently the editor of Meanjin and working on a novel This Devastating Fever, about Leonard Woolf’s time as a colonial administrator in Ceylon.

Her book Bird is one of the books on the Summer Read shortlist.

Bird tells the story of Ana-Sofia’s mother Anna Davidoff – ‘Bird’ – a famous wartime refugee, fifties movie starlet, sixties party girl and drug-charged acolyte of the jazz greats. Anna Davidoff went on to become a Buddhist nun and finally died alone in a Himalyan cave. Ana-Sofia now feels the need to confront the ghosts of the past; to find out who Anna was.

As part of the free Summer Read events across Victoria, Sophie will be appearing at:

- Yea Library on Tuesday 3 February 2009, 7.00 – 8.00 pm
For more information phone 5797 2209

- Mildura Library on Wednesday 11 February 2009, 7.30 – 8.00 pm
For more information phone 5018 8350

What Sophie says about summer reading
“Summer is a time I try to read for fun, rather than work. This often means a thriller of science fiction novel – two genres that I enjoy a lot, and that have the advantage of not triggering the ‘at work’ part of my brain. I also like to read books about the place I’m holidaying in. This year I’m lucky enough to be going to Vietnam so I plan to read a book that I’ve never read but always wanted to: The Quiet American by Graham Greene.”