Or perhaps New Idea is light reading between bouts of his more serious recent book purchase: Richard Nixon the Life, a 2017 book headlined by the New York Times "Portrait of a Thin-Skinned, Media-Hating President".

Nationals MP Mr Joyce's purchases (New Idea from November 26 to January 27 cost $8.63) are listed in the latest release of parliamentarians' expenses, covering January to March. Mr Joyce offered no comment.

He has a long list of regular newspaper buys, including The Canberra Times, unlike many of his colleagues who buy no newspapers at all - or at least none for which they charge the taxpayer.

Most don't buy books on the public purse; some books are clearly bought in bulk for giving away and others perhaps for homework before an important event. Queensland Liberal Scott Buchholz's $600 worth of Australian military books in February might fall into either category, with Anzac Day just around the corner.

The reasons for Bob Katter's January purchase of Conquerors: How Portugal Forged The First Global Empire - an account of Portugal beating out Muslim invaders in a 15th century Christian win against Islam - are anyone's guess.

It is perhaps easier to guess at Concetta Fierravanti-Wells buying On Mutiny, David Speers's "blow-by-blow expose of the plotting, double dealing and numbers game by politicians in the most brutal period in Australian politics since the Dismissal". Which is, of course, about Malcolm Turnbull's ousting last year, a coup presumably cheered by Senator Fierravanti-Wells, who lashed the lack of conservative voices on Mr Turnbull's frontbench. She also bought Greg Sheridan's God is Good For You, whose subject matter is the importance of Christianity for wellbeing. Sheridan's book has been well-reviewed, including by Tony Abbott who commented, "Sheridan makes the interesting point that politicians are probably more religious than the average Australian; but are reported upon by journalists who are vastly less than averagely interested in God."

Since leaving the frontbench last year, she has turned to other political books, also buying Fire And Fury: Inside The Trump White House, 10 copies of Howard: The Art of Persuasion ($545, so hardcover by the looks), and 10 of Menzies: The Shaping of Modern Australia. She also bought Clive Hamilton's highly consequential Silent Invasion: China's Influence In Australia, which has presumably helped inform her hard line on China. This month, she attacked her own government as "supine" on China.

A spokesman said the senator was "a voracious reader" with wide interests, and while "she may not agree with everything she reads", she aimed to read widely. She was an "avid admirer" of Mssrs Howard and Menzies and gave copies of Mr Howard's book to constituents.

A small number of politicians are trying to come to grips with some big issues, judging by their summer book buys. The taxpayer helped Sydney Liberal Jason Falinski buy The Coddling of the American Mind, a book that also tackles US college campuses, anxiety, social media, free speech and youth crisis. He bought The Intellectual and the Marketplace, a Harvard University publication; AI Superpowers on the Chinese tech rise; Moneyland on tax havens and shell companies; Radical Markets, apparently about a purer form of capitalism; and Mortal Republic on the collapse of the Roman republic. This man is about solving the big issues.

Liberal Stuart Robert has dabbled in some curious self-help purchases. As a Man Thinketh was a pioneer of this genre, written in 1902 and promoted as a book that helps men "manifest the traits and skills characteristic of those honorable, refined, and successful men". Also on his purchase list, The Master Key System, apparently about how to harness the power of your own thought patterns. He has been approached for comment.

Queensland Liberal Amanda Stoker might also be aiming for self-improvement, having bought Damn Good Advice, about how to be successful; Stand Out Online, probably self-explanatory; Leading Lines, about how to make speeches; When Helping Hurts, about how evangelicals can help the world's poor. She also bought P J O'Rourke's dive into banking None of My Business: Why he's not rich and neither are you; The Secret World, which looks to be a secret history of espionage; and Greg Sheridan's God is Good for You.

Queensland liberal and former eye surgeon Andrew Laming bought nine copies of Make a Date with Nature, a do-it-yourself journal, and five of Exploring The Wonders of Healing Through Forgiveness, both of which might be as much to do with supporting local authors as anything. His purchase of the Farmacy Kitchen Cookbook, "plant-based recipes for conscious living", must have another motivation; the vegan author is a Brit.

Fellow Queenslander Claire Moore (Labor) is on a different journey. She bought Clementine Ford's Boys Will be Boys - An Exploration of Power Patriarchy and the Toxic Bonds of Mateship, thank you taxpayer; and Shout Out to the Girls: A Celebration of Awesome Australian Women.

While your minding is churning this over, give some thought to Labor Senator for Tasmania Lisa Singh, whose list includes: Arundhati Roy's second novel, Ministry of Utmost Happiness; Last Mughal, on one of the final Indian Mughal emperors; Temporary People, on the experience of migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates; Witches: What Women Do Together; and Karen Middleton's Albanese Telling It Straight, a book that also found its way on to the taxpayer credit card of Labor colleague Julian Hill.

Rick Wilson (Liberal) was one of the big spenders on books, but all for children. He spent $2400 on Harry Potter, Horrible Histories, Thomas and Friends, Bear Grylls, Geronimo Stilton and a host of others in the vein. He says some went to local schools for end-of-year prizes and the rest to the annual Christmas lunch for homeless kids in Albany, Western Australia.