Book of the Month: Painting Portraits of Everyone I've Ever Dated by Joseph Earp

Books in the Brewery is a free casual event combining great beer with good chat and an Aussie novel. Readers and drinkers are invited to take part in a guided conversation with our resident host.

Maylands meetings will be held at 6pm on the second Monday of the month.

Adult readers of all experience are invited to think and talk about books in a safe and encouraging space. Expect to be discussing books from both award-winning Australian authors and new voices from around the country.

About the book: A wry, tender and funny debut novel about art and love – and how the act of seeing lies at the heart of both.

All Ellie Robertson has wanted to be since childhood is a painter: after all, that’s the easiest way to speak without actually having to say anything. But now she’s turning thirty, has had a major career win, and is only just realising that she might have let some minor things slide. Like, for instance, working out how to love another human being.

So Ellie decides to do what any normal person would do: paint a portrait of each of her exes, from the childhood crush to the woman she may or may not still be madly in love with. The only problem is that she now needs to get in touch with everyone she’s dated, and not everyone is exactly happy to talk to her.

Hilarious and bittersweet, Painting Portraits of Everyone I’ve Ever Dated is a story of a young woman who decides to finally try and see other people – even if she runs the risk of (god forbid) finally seeing herself.

‘'This book is deranged and gorgeous. Joseph Earp has written a sumptuous work of uncommon insight that possesses both the vigour of youth and a universal human frailty. Earp writes with a knife. This book is totally alive and had me ugly-laughing when I wasn't wincing with recognition. Earp is brilliant.' – Rick Morton

'A taut, witty and brilliant debut. Ellie’s attempts to make sense of the world are equal parts hilarious and slyly affecting – she is a tortured artist of the likes I could listen to all day.' – Amy Taylor, author of Search History

'All last year I bemoaned that Australian literature was no fun anymore. Joseph Earp has answered my prayers with this charming novel. It made me laugh and I read it very fast – an absolute delight.' – Allee Richards, author of Small Joys of Real Life