In a Common Hour
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In a Common Hour
Buy Now for $23.60
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Narrated by:
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Sonya Kerr
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By:
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Sita Walker
About this listen
Sometimes the most important lessons are learnt at lunchtime
Parks State High is a melting pot of misfits. There is Oliver Fish, the teen philosopher hiding a secret relationship; Dev Patel, hopelessly in love with the brilliant Maryam Fadel; and a staffroom thick with gossip, camaraderie and burnt out teachers. At the centre of it all is well-loved teacher, Paul Bush. But when a disgruntled student makes a devastating move–one lunchtime is all it takes for Bushie’s life to change forever.
With a cast of unforgettable characters, In a Common Hour is a smart, funny and wise novel that shows us all the ways we are connected.
‘a hope-filled masterpiece about contemporary high school classrooms and the people that inhabit them.’ GABBIE STROUD, author of Teacher and The Things that Matter Most
‘I read this in a gulp. In a Common Hour marks the arrival of a major new talent. Sita Walker makes me fall in love with reading all over again.’ NIKKI GEMMELL, author of Wing
‘Walker’s novel is unputdownable. I was charmed, moved, and so sorry to close the covers.’ SHARLENE ALLSOPP, author of The Great Undoing
©2026 Sita Walker (P)2025 W. F. Howes ltd.What I got, however, was a gentle (particularly surprising in the light of significant, heavy subject matter) delightful tale which showed genuine care, friendships and different aspects of love. Although the author says she based her characters on archetypes, they are no cardboard-cutouts, but complex and solid. I remember reading somewhere that amidst today's post-modern irony and cynicism, sincerity in writing might now be seen as rebellious. If that's the case, this is a rebellious text. It doesn't seek to expose or pull down, but to construct and mend. The writing made me feel an emotional investment in all characters - even Cameron.
I was left with questions and I was left wanting more.
Unexpected
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I can't remember who recommended this one to me. Usually, I note who recommended it so I can thank or curse them in my review. Let me know if it was you. I'm not cursing anyone this time.
Set at Parks State High, context clues tell me it's an Australian High School, but I couldn't pin it down to a state. It felt a little like the TV show Sex Education, which is filmed to make it feel like it could possibly be anywhere. The parallels are there—like how rumours spread through the school, from the staffroom to the student body, and how the community comes together to support its own. It really captures the essence of school life, and the school and the bushland that surround it almost become characters in their own right.
"Sometimes the most important lessons are learnt at lunchtime"
The story is broken down into chapters that each represent a ten-minute slice of the lunch hour, narrated from the perspectives of both students and teachers. It all feels familiar and truthful, even though I've been out of high school for longer than I want to remember. The author, Sita Walker, spent 20 years as a high school literature teacher, so the narrative has a sense of authenticity, and she nails the complex tapestry of contemporary high school life; it feels optimistic and full of human connection.
In a Common Hour by Sita Walker was released. It's the 28th January, so it's out now if you want to grab a copy. I can't think of any other book that's truly similar to this one.
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The essence of school life
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Heartfelt and compelling
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Twisted plot line weaves nicely
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