Books written about and reviewed in today's newspapers

Saturday morning is a great time to start the day slowly by picking up that new book you've been trying to get to for a couple of days, or perhaps, to read about books, to see what's worth buying at Berkelouw, sampling at Shearer's, grabbing at Gleebooks, reading from Readings, deciding on at Dymocks or collecting on Kindle or Kobo.

>> The Australian reports this morning that its free E-book experiment using the Kobo reader or app has exceeded all expectations with readers downloading 26,000 copies of six title in the past week.

"The promotion continues today with the opportunity to collect Geraldine Brooks's novel March. Monday's title, Lazarus Rising, by John Howard, was a bestseller in both hardback and paperback editions. "The Australian's chief opinion editor, Nick Cater, said that given the success of the project, the newspaper would be considering further offers."

For those without a digital pass to The Australian, read the story in the Herald Sun.

>> "As Morton finishes talking, the queue for her to sign copies of her fourth and latest book, The Secret Keeper, snakes out of the cafe around the store. As it continues to grow, it is easier to understand why she's become the most successful Australian author, in terms of worldwide sales, since Colleen McCullough."

Today Sue Williams' interview with Kate Morton is published in the Sydney Morning Herald and Fairfax and Sue catches up with "the tall, slim woman with long brown hair and the newly cut 1970s it-girl fringe" at a book-signing and over a schnitzel in Germany.

Read this wonderfully insightful, comprehensive and personal interview.

>> "Gerard Whateley, an ABC sports commentator, has written her biography, and it is a rare pearl, elevated into a genre of its own by the quality of the prose and the author's pitch-perfect control of tone."

Sporting books are not always known for being read for the quality of their writing, but then perhaps a book about Black Caviar was always going to be more than a sporting book. Les Carlyon in The Australian unpacks the beauty of Whateley's new book, Black Caviar, and compares it too Bill Nack's book on Secretariat, America's greatest racehorse of the 20th century.

He also reminds us of the unauthorised but still commendable The Story of Black Caviar written by Age racing writer, Andrew Eddy. Read the full report here.

>> "In the history of Australia there has been nobody quite like Frank Birtles. I read this biography of his almost unbelievable life and I was in turn exhilarated and appalled at his audacity and courage and grit in the face of obstacles that would have broken a lesser man."

Retired chaplain and school teacher Robert Willson has probably seen a few things in his time so for him to be so deeply moved by a book is worth noting. He reviews Francis Birtles: Australian Adventurer by Warren Brown. This is the second time in this morning's reviews that a paper from one stable has reviewed favourably a book coming from the other - there is hope.

If you haven't heard of Francis Birtles, then Willson is certain that Daily Telegraph editorial writer and cartoonist Warren Brown is the man to tell you about him. Read the review here. 

Well, there's more out there about books this morning, such as Tom Bowden's SMH review of Dead Men Walking but the sun is shining and we all should get out and enjoy the day.