In A Common Hour
by Sita Walker
AUCK IN STOCK
WGTN OUT OF STOCK
304
Jan 2026
Paperback
Ultimo Press
9781761153471
'Walker is a teacher herself and, boy, does this novel ring true.' --The Sydney Morning Herald
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 Desai, 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.
PRAISE FOR IN A COMMON HOUR
'electric and assured.' --Qantas Magazine
'Sita Walker's 20 years as a high school literature teacher flavours every page of her terrific new book, In a Common Hour.' --The Herald Sun
'In a Common Hour is 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
'The full emotional force of Walker's well-plotted tale arrives in the final chapter, offering an ending that is empathetic to both students and teachers, and ultimately optimistic.' --Books+Publishing
