New book published, Journeying with Bonhoeffer

A new book on the martyr, double agent, theologian and inspirational church leader, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, has just been published with Morning Star Press.

: Katherine Firth and Andreas Loewe hold their new book.

Co-authored with the Dean of Melbourne, this book has a new accessible biography of Bonhoeffer, new translations of his poems, close readings from the Bible and The Cost of Discipleship, reflections, prayers and questions for individual or group study.

Bonhoeffer wrote The Cost of Discipleship while leading an ‘underground’ seminary, in hiding from the Nazi government and the church leaders who supported Hitler.

The work is both timeless and timely. Next year, it will be 75 years since Bonhoeffer was executed in a concentration camp, and 75 years since the end of World War II. At the same time, people around the world are working against current oppression and exclusion.

A book launch will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral Melbourne on 24 November, followed by events in Sydney and other cities.

The book is available in paperback direct from the publisher, or most large online bookstores (including Amazon AU, Amazon UK, and Book Depository). Allow up to three weeks for books to be delivered (though our copies came through in 3 days!).

Australian book launch of How to Fix your Academic Writing Trouble

Posted by Katherine Firth

Katherine Firth, Inger Mewburn, and Shaun Lehmann, in Canberra.

It was a delight to visit Canberra during the first week in November for a book event celebrating our book How to Fix Your Academic Writing Trouble. The event was held at Harry Hartog’s bookshop at the Australian National University campus, and it was a wonderful chance to meet readers and for potential readers to meet us.

I wrote about the launch over on my blog Research Degree Insiders.

For more information about the book, including how to purchase it.

Reading Advice published in the Times Higher Education online

Posted by Katherine Firth

A post from my Research Degree Voodoo blog was republished in the Times Higher Education online.

Read the article here:

Often we think that we learned to read by the time we were about 8. We know that we have to continue to learn to write and that the thesis is a major writing task that we have to learn how to succeed in – and there’s a lot of books, advice and workshops out there on improving doctoral writing.

But a lot of the difficulties that doctoral students have in getting started, in powering through the shitty middle, and in getting to completion, are actually caused by reading. And why? Because, and I hate to tell you this, you’re probably reading wrong.

The five biggest reading mistakes and how to avoid them:
Katherine Firth on why you should approach texts less like a Victorian maiden and more like a pirate hero